Personal Top 15

[Chris_Clouser]

That and they are a majority of the best courses I've played.  It's not like I'm surrounded by the numerous gems like some of our Philadelphia brethren.

[Eric_Dorsey]

1.  Cypress Point  (never played there, but I still know it's the best I'll ever play!  )

2.  Royal County Down
3.  Pasatiempo
4.  Cruden Bay
5.  Ballybunion (Old)
6.  Brook Hollow
7.  Carnoustie
8.  Shadow Glen
9.  Colonial
10. Turnberry
11. Davenport CC
12. Cedar Rapids CC
13. The Harvester
14. Barton Creek (Canyons)
15. Blackwolf Run (River)

honorable mention:
Veenker GC (Ames, IA), Waveland (Des Moines), Paa-Ko, Vistoso, Wakonda, Des Moines Golf (both), Presidio

[III]

This is going to be a pretty narrow list considering I have never been over seas to play and most of the courses I have played are in Texas.

1. Pinehurst #2
2. Dallas National
3. Kapalua Plantation
4. Colonial C.C.
5. Horseshoe Bay (Ram Rock)
5. Pecan Valley
6. Austin C.C.
7. The Legacy
8. Oklahoma City C.C.
9. The Quarry
10. The Hills at Lakeway
11. Barton Creek Foothills
12. La Cantera
13. The Tribute
14. Texas Star
15. Onion Creek Club

I am going to play the Rawls Course in Lubbock in a couple of weeks and I am pretty sure it will crack my top 15.

[Chris_Clouser]

Dorse,

I'm kind of curious about Veenker.  What was it that made it rate so high in your list?

III,

I see you have Oklahoma City on your list as well.  Good call.  Also, you have Austin CC.  Is that the current ACC course?

[erichunter]

III--

What did you like about Dallas Natl?  I have only seen pics and it looks great, just interested in your opinion.  If you are in Austin and looking for a game let me know.

[DPL11]

In no particular order, and no I haven't been so privlidged to go overseas, yet.
Just the ones I've played, so far.

-Oakmont
-Shinnecock
-Pine Valley
-Rolling Green
-Spyglass
-Plainfield
-Huntington Valley
-Philadelphia CC
-Philadelphia Cricket (old)
-Atlantic City
-Pebble Beach
-Galloway National
-Aronomink
-Manufacturers'
-Hidden Creek (can't leave out the home course)

I'm sure I've forgotten a few.

[Tony_Chapman]

A tough job, and I've yet to go across the ocean, or even leave the state of Nebraska much for that matter - so here goes.

1. Sand Hills
2. Pinehurst #2
3. Prairie Dunes
4. Pebble Beach
5. Pasatiempo
6. Wild Horse
7. Caledonia Fish Club
8. Tobacco Road
9. Pinehurst #8
10. Pinehurst #7
11. San Juan Oaks
12. Beatrice CC
13. Firethorn
14. Bent Tree
15. York CC - hey, its my home a course. Just getting its name out there.

Ok, I really haven't played that many great courses. I guess I need to start. My list kind of shuts off at about #8.

[peter_p]

Carlyle,
 match play seeding, round of 16.

[Eric_Dorsey]

I'm not sure Chris, I guess it's mostly sentimental since I went to school there and have played it alot.  From what I hear, the original design was much better.  Being a Perry Maxwell design doesn't hurt as he's one of my favorites.

It's such a quaint (sp?) design.  I absolutely love the tee to #2, and holes 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16; there so different and challenging.  It's always in great condition and shrouded in fall colors and shadows like it was a few weeks ago is great.  Lastly, it always kicks my ass.  I'm a 5, and I've never broke 80 - which I love.  

Same thing with Waveland.

I have great pics if anyone wants to see them.

[Jay Carstens]

tkchap:
Your list looks strong to me, especially #12, my old home, Beatrice CC.    

[RossFanDan]

Hello everyone, I very rarely post on this board.  Lists intrigue me, here is my list at 23 years of age.

1) Fishers' Island
2) Wannamoisett
3) The Riviera
4) Mission Hills Tournament (most underrated course in the west)
5) Carnegie Abbey Club
6) The Broadmoor East
7) Royal New Kent
Sandpiper (Santa Barbara)
9) Sakonnet
10) Rhode Island CC
11) PGA West Stadium
12) Brentwood (LA)
13) Essex County Club
14) Newport CC
15) Arcadia Bluffs

This list should change in a few weeks when I drive across the country again.

Hit em well

Dan Lockhart

[Happy Gilmore]

Here's my All World Top 15: (played & in order)

1. Pine Valley
2. Royal Melbourne Composite
3. Royal County Down
4. Cypress Point
5. Sand Hills
6. Shinnecock
7. Oakmont
8. Royal Dornoch
9. Kingston Heath
10. The Old Course
11. NGLA
12. Merion
13. Winged Foot West
14. Friars Head
15. Royal St. Georges

Next fifteen: Royal Portrush, Prairie Dunes, Pinehurst #2, Cruden Bay, Bethpage Black, Pacific Dunes, New South Wales, Garden City Mens, Seminole, Sunningdale Old, Pebble Beach, Plainfield, Ballybunion, Portmarnock, Royal Aberdeen


A good life so far, but much left to see!

[Sr Fortson]

To Chris Clouser and 72,
  Austin Country Club is the 2nd one.  The first, I have heard, is now a muny in the area.  It was a very good golf course.  As a young teenager I played in the Texas State Amateur there.  Harvey Penick was the head pro, with a pro shop in the basement of the club.  I would love to find out which muny it became and try to get out there the next time I get in that area.

[Chris_Clouser]

The Austin CC course that Perry Maxwell designed is now called Riverside Golf Course.  It has undergone some substantial renovation.  I would say 13 of the holes remain in some form of the original, but all have had some work done to them.

Chris

[III]

Chris-

It is the current course at ACC designed by Pete Dye.  The old ACC as you have said was dramatically renovated, mostly because Austin Community College decided to put one of their campuses on that site, so they had to reroute and redesign most of the course.

Eric-

I now live in Arlington but do get down to Austin quite a bit.  I actually used to work out at Onion Creek.  I could go on and on about Dallas National.  The first thing that I liked was that there are no houses on the course.  Being in the middle of Dallas it has a great feel even before you step on the 1st tee.  Another thing that I really like was that it did not seem to have one signature hole, there were about 14 great holes and 4 others that were still very nice.  I have now played several Fazio courses and this is by far the best one.  I am trying to get on and play at Vaquero another that he designed in the Dallas-Ft.Worth area.  I have also heard great things about it.  If anyone can help me out I am all ears.

[Rick Shefchik]

Jeff Perryman --

I take strong exception to several of the courses on your "list."

Your #4, for instance -- Laurel's Hills GC, in Morristown, TN. I've never seen a course good enough to entice me to play it more than once simply because a lass named Becky resumed her sweater-folding duties in the pro shop. At the very minimum, she would have to be on the beverage cart.

Or the course you "rate" #6 -- Heck's Three-Quarter Acre, in Johnsonville City, TN. You claim it introduced the double-dogleg par 3, but that hole was clearly invented by Robert Trent Jones at Hazeltine in 1962 (some claim it was only a single dogleg, but they did not account for the angle of the green).

And I fail to see how Jimson's Crick CC in Sewanee, TN can make any serious Top 10 list if the hackleberry and muscadine vines have taken over as much of the fairway as you describe. "Plans" to cut back them back are just that -- plans -- until the committee actual executes the restoration. Until then, the course must stand or fall on its merits. I could just as easily post here that Grandview GC in Midway Township, MN, belongs in my personal top 10 because they have "plans" to someday dynamite most of the rocky outcroppings in the fairways; but until they do it, it's just a much-cherished fantasy...
 

[Dan Kelly]

3.  Hough's Neck G&CC,  (Kimball Crossing, TN)  The snack bar has been cleared to reopen.  

Keep smilin'?

No problem. (Thanks.)

Tell us more -- as soon as Jerry's finished.

[Jeff_Perryman]

Rick....
As a junior member I have pledged to never disagree with a senior member.  However........

never seen a course good enough... simply because a lass named Becky resumed her sweater-folding duties

It's not the folding of the sweaters by Becky which propelled Laurel's Hills up my list.

the double-dogleg par 3...was clearly invented by Robert Trent Jones at Hazeltine in 1962

Yeah but that Jones feller never built one in Johnsonville City, now, did he???

As far as Jimson's Crick, you're right as rain.  2 Years ago Eldon started talking about replacing that trailer with a real clubhouse, with running water and everything, but he hain't done that neither.......
I almost want to replace Jimson's Crick at #10 with Happy Holler GC in Sweeten's Cove, TN but they switch 9's over there more than Grady Little........

I gotta go now, this Motel 6 has a cement pond and a Cracker Barrel right across the road.....

[davism5]

All right here is my first post! Here is my list of top 15 course that I have played by the age of 22!

North Berwick(It is just one of the most incredible places that I have been)

Kingsbarn
El DOrado (Cabo)
Gleneagles(Scotland)
Spring Creek(Memphis, Tn)
Carnoustie
Cabo del sol
Kelly's Plantation
Chickasaw Country Club
Stonebriar (Frisco, Tx)
 Stonebridge(Frisco, Tx)
Gullane
Ladybank
Windyke COuntry CLub (home course)
Auburn University CLub(home course)

[Jim Franklin]

Bump so Tommy N can show us his list, I'm curious.

[HamiltonBHearst]

Mr. Naccarato-c'mon, let's see your list.  Put these guys in their place, your awful quick to criticize Matt Ward and Mr. Hurricane.

[david h. carroll]

Senor Hurricane and Juan Hearst--how can you ask for Mr. T's top 15?  What's the point in light of continual discussions over what should be the irrelevancy of ratings??  In my best espanol, "Je ne comprends pas!!"

[G_Tiska]

My 15 that I have played
1. Shinnecock
2. NGLA
3. Frair's Head
4. Fishers Island
5. Turnberry
6. Old Course @ St Andrews
7. Maidstone
8. Royal Troon
9. Garden City Golf Club
10. Winged Foot [west]
11. Quaker Ridge
12. Piping Rock
13. The Creek
14. Fenway
15. Southampton Golf Club [my home course]

[Tommy_Naccarato]

George,
Why is it no one ever talks about Southampton?

When back there earlier this summer, Tom Paul and I were driving by there on the main road towards East Hampton, I saw that built-up Seth Raynor green complex through the fence and thought it looked very unique and interesting.

What's else is beyond those fences, and if it's great, why don't we ever here more about it?

[Gene Greco]

Tommy:

    Because the behemoths next door, Shinnecock and NGLA,  cast a long and mighty shadow!

Southampton truly is a wonderful golf course, enjoyable for the membership and tests some of the best in the Met area.

Whenever US Open qualifying is held here the pros kinda smirk when they look at the scorecard - 6200 yds par 70.

Yet after the two days are finished it is commonplace for only a handful to have had rounds in the 60s.

Up until about 6 or 7 years ago, it was widely known that Southampton had the best greens on the East End of LI which is saying a mouthful. Firm, fast , true and with great character. This year we nearly lost ten greens due to athracnose (?) and had two temporary greens for much of the prime season. A real shame. I hosted G. Childs and M. Sweeney earlier in the season and things were not good at that time; the course left them with an empty feeling. I flat out said no to Jeff Lewis to come play during all of the season - up until last week - as it would have been a waste of his time. Most members felt as I did as guest play was at its lowest level in 30 years.

When the course plays as it should, firm and fast, which over the past several years and particularly this year has been a rarity, it reveals itself to be the Raynor gem that it is.