5 Courses you would recomend to a friend?

[Sean_A]

Yes, I stayed away from places like Elie, Brancaster, Silloth  Goswick and Hunstanton because it seemed the OP wasn't looking for well known courses. Otherwise I would certainly have included Pulborough.

The horrible road put me off mentioning Liphook. The hilliness of Welshpool nixed that option. The smokestacks nixed Seaton Carew.

I also tried to keep the greenfee cheap so if a friend doesn't like the reco it's not the end of the world 😎

Ciao

[Tony_Muldoon]

Worllngton  (listed? certainly famous.  If not Brancaster or Littlestone)
Perranporth
Mulranny
Wallasey  (Did want Pennard but too famous?)
Ellie     (no argument)


For fun, hard to better that lot at any price. If I were to be a true friend, I'd lend my helicopter.




Re Toilet encounters. 
What I recall as one of my first Gigs, early 70's, was to see an Irish Band called Horslips who were promoting their new Album The Tain - a mix or Irish mythology, trad music and Metal! Between booking and setting off on a tour of Student Unions they'd made it onto TV, TOGWT, and it seemed like they would be the next breakthrough band.


Such was the glamour (and facilities) of the Students Union Bar at Kingston Polytechnic whilst standing at the Urinal looking down I noticed the next bloke was wearing a pair of snakeskin, cuban heeled, boots.  On closer inspection it turned out to be Barry Devlin, lead singer.  I though I was made, couldn't wait to tell the boys. Rock 'n Roll!

[Jeff Schley]

Hmmm....
Kankakee Elks

Royal Cinque Ports (although getting a lot of attention lately in rankings)

Royal Worlington and Newmarket (9 holes)

Beverly CC


Hamilton Farms Hickory (18 hole, par 3 course)

[Ben Stephens]

I'm not sure if they've ever been featured on any world lists (I know they feature in UK lists), but courses that I would recommend to a friend beyond the usuals:


Goswick
Boat of Garten
Brancaster
Silloth on Solway
Reigate Heath (backing up Sean's recc)

A great set, though whether Brancaster really qualifies for this list must be debatable?  And Silloth is UK Top 50, so I won't include it, despite it being on almost no overseas visitor's list.


Goswick, Golspie, Liphook, Elie (I know, but it's not in any Top 100 lists I know of), Seaton Carew

Mark


   
Brancaster is a rarity and so much fun - I would definitely put it ahead of Liphook, Elie and Reigate Heath plus on a par with Silloth. Can you elaborate why it is debatable?


I have played the Grafton Morrish a few times which takes place in late Sept/Oct played at Hunstanton and Brancaster - quite a lot prefer Brancaster to Hunstanton.


Cheers
Ben

Ben, I think Mark just meant that it is a well-known course, which it is. I only included it as the OP mentioned courses like Rye, and St Enodoc as well, so thought it was worth throwing in! As a change-up, I'd include Kilspindie.

Thanks Tim for clarifying this I had assumed it was any golf course.


The not so well known ones I would recommend within 2 hours where I live are:


Sheringham
Flempton
Seacroft
Cavendish
Sleaford

[Mark Pearce]

Thanks, Tim, that's exactly what I meant.  As always with threads of this kind, the difficulty is knowing how well known a course has to be to be disqualified (hence my parentheses after Elie)

[John Kavanaugh]

U2 doesn't play a lot of shows in Alabama John.

2U is a cover band. Isn't Black Creek in the same genre?

[archie_struthers]

 


Galloway National                one of the great starting holes in golf....in a setting that's unique for our area

Porstewart                           I'm still amazed at some of the holes we played

Somerset Hills                      a golf course that just flows


Rolling Green (philly)            Mayday beat me to it but it's a hidden gem

[John Kavanaugh]

Galloway National                one of the great starting holes in golf....in a setting that's unique for our area

Porstewart                           I'm still amazed at some of the holes we played

Somerset Hills                      a golf course that just flows


Rolling Green (philly)            Mayday beat me to it but it's a hidden gem

An unfortunate edit. Were you back door Romoed or did you come to the realization of your error on your own?

[archie_struthers]

 


realized I didn't read the question and indeed Somerset Hill might not qualify...it's just so under the radar
room temperature IQ

[jeffwarne]

I’d love to hear an example or two of that...

Went to watch Tottenham vs Burnley earlier this season with one of my twins.  As I queued for the beers at half time, Finlay went for a pee.  Whilst in the queue, Moussa Dembele (a recently former Spurs player much beloved of the fans) walked past me.  When Fin came back from the loos, the first thing he said was "You'll never guess who I just had a piss next to".  He was, of course wrong, as I knew immediately.

Ralph Sampson-1983 Final Four....
....it's true...

[John Kavanaugh]

I’d love to hear an example or two of that...

Went to watch Tottenham vs Burnley earlier this season with one of my twins.  As I queued for the beers at half time, Finlay went for a pee.  Whilst in the queue, Moussa Dembele (a recently former Spurs player much beloved of the fans) walked past me.  When Fin came back from the loos, the first thing he said was "You'll never guess who I just had a piss next to".  He was, of course wrong, as I knew immediately.

Ralph Sampson-1983 Final Four....
....it's true...

I was well into my 50’s before I witnessed a basketball player casually pull it out of the bottom of his shorts. So efficient. A method I have since used out on the course in a pinch.

[jeffwarne]

I’d love to hear an example or two of that...

Went to watch Tottenham vs Burnley earlier this season with one of my twins.  As I queued for the beers at half time, Finlay went for a pee.  Whilst in the queue, Moussa Dembele (a recently former Spurs player much beloved of the fans) walked past me.  When Fin came back from the loos, the first thing he said was "You'll never guess who I just had a piss next to".  He was, of course wrong, as I knew immediately.

Ralph Sampson-1983 Final Four....
....it's true...

I was well into my 50’s before I witnessed a basketball player casually pull it out of the bottom of his shorts. So efficient. A method I have since used out on the course in a pinch.

More of a feat now than it was in the 80's...

[JMEvensky]

Ralph Sampson-1983 Final Four....

....it's true...

Don't you mean "it's twue"?

[John Kavanaugh]

The things I learn under quarantine. First Prince Albert and now Patrick Ewing.


The other day I spent hours researching the history of the bra in relation to TV westerns.


Everything is starting to make sense now.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I have been thinking about which courses I have recommended to friends. It depends on a few things. One is access. Can they get on a certain course. Another is ability. Some courses just are hard and some guys with a higher handicap might not enjoy the experience. I have one friend who cares less about the quality of the golf than the beauty of the setting. Wolf creek is a course that is player dependent. I would never recommend it to friend A who is a weak 18. He doesn't enjoy difficult courses. I would recommend it to player B who loves stunning courses.

[J_ Crisham]

Hmmm....
Kankakee Elks

Royal Cinque Ports (although getting a lot of attention lately in rankings)

Royal Worlington and Newmarket (9 holes)

Beverly CC


Hamilton Farms Hickory (18 hole, par 3 course)

I would agree with the suggestion on Beverly. The restoration work that was just completed by Prichard looks amazing.

[Jim Sherma]

With the current situation and the likelihood of less travel I'm going to keep this somewhat local and do two sets of recommendations in the two areas that I play in:


Central PA:
CC York (Ross) - very classy well preserved and presented parkland Ross
Lebanon CC (A. Findlay) - back 9 is a really special run of golf
Hershey CC - West (M. McCarthy) - was on the GD lists back in the 60's-80's - been a long time sine then but still a great day out with a ton of character and terroir
West Shore CC (Ed Tabor +) - under the radar and very worthy course with some real old school architectural touches - severe set of greens if you start leaving yourself in the wrong spots - always plan on eating after the round - the kitchen is wonderful
Schuylkill CC (Park Jr and Ross) - I like the interior WPJr holes more than the Ross holes, but they are all good - Ross greens are too small and severe for current speeds with 2 of 9 redone and another couple on the edge - men's locker room and grill is wonderfully old-school


Baltimore MD:
Elkridge CC (Raynor +) - some really good old school holes and a neat old world atmosphere
Greenspring Valley Hunt Club (Bendelow - RTJ) - wonderful secluded property - very good set of greens - would be fun to play every day
CC of MD (Strong) - landlocked and a little short - great set of greens and surroundings
Hayfields CC (Ault/Clark) - very good and interesting modern course that is strategically challenging but won't beat you up like a lot of newer stuff - in an era of housing tract courses that routing is contiguous and very walk-able
Piney Branch CC (Ed Ault) - Good example of so called "dark ages" architecture that works well - nice routing over good land for golf - courses and clubs really don't need to be more than this

[Thomas Dai]

Having pondered this a little I’d recommend different sorts of course to experience.
As some courses I might have selected have been mentioned already I’d go for -
Yee Old - RND/Westward Ho!
Heathland - Beau Desert
Hilltop/moorland - Southerndown
Links - Saunton (E/W)
Special - the Himalayas putting course at St Andrews.
I could have included a parkland but, nah ....
Atb

[James Reader]

Having pondered this a little I’d recommend different sorts of course to experience.
As some courses I might have selected have been mentioned already I’d go for -
Yee Old - RND/Westward Ho!
Heathland - Beau Desert
Hilltop/moorland - Southerndown
Links - Saunton (E/W)
Special - the Himalayas putting course at St Andrews.
I could have included a parkland but, nah ....
Atb

Nice to see Beau Desert appearing in the Golf World GB&I Top 100 for the first time.


Huntercombe and Shiskine are two from me that haven’t already been mentioned.

[Ash Towe]

Arrowtown
Titirangi
Peninsula North
Peninsula South
Parkstone

[Tim Gallant]

Having pondered this a little I’d recommend different sorts of course to experience.
As some courses I might have selected have been mentioned already I’d go for -
Yee Old - RND/Westward Ho!
Heathland - Beau Desert
Hilltop/moorland - Southerndown
Links - Saunton (E/W)
Special - the Himalayas putting course at St Andrews.
I could have included a parkland but, nah ....
Atb

Nice to see Beau Desert appearing in the Golf World GB&I Top 100 for the first time.


Huntercombe and Shiskine are two from me that haven’t already been mentioned.

James,


Shiskine is a GREAT shout - I imagine most friends would enjoy a game there on a warm summer evening.

[Joe Bausch]

These recs would be for my friend that likes golf.  We share a driveway.  A good man that sort of knows my passion for golf, but doesn't know it fully.  He's willing to try any course I take him to, and these would be my five from the Delaware Valley to let him see how good and diverse it can be (and not to my knowledge been on any Top 100 list, but all should be for plain old fun!).


Galen Hall
Manor
Berkshire
Manasquan River
Cobb's Creek

[Philip Gordillo]

Frankly I'd play anywhere that mentioned on this site.  Trust all of you.  Maybe it's the wine tonight!

[David_Tepper]

When friends are visiting the Highlands to play Dornoch, I always recommend Golspie, Brora, Tain and Fortrose.

[Ira Fishman]

Certainly would agree with


Brora
Golspie


Would add:


Kilspindie
Dooks
Woking


As much as these courses get discussed on Gca.com, none are regular Top 150 in the world which is the question posed in the OP (although Woking sometimes makes a list).


Ira