Golf.com Best Munis

[Cliff Hamm]

https://golf.com/travel/best-municipal-golf-courses-united-states/


New England is well represented with 25% of the courses.  That being said, to me the Big 3 are Triggs, George Wright and Shennecossett.  I see them as comparable, but different styles. Which is best depends on individual taste.  Triggs is Donald Ross parkland.  GW is Donald Ross with topography as the main hazard.  Shenny is Donald Ross links like. 


Shenny never gets the respect it deserves in numerous lists.  I would place it above Wintonbury without hesitation.

[Tom_Doak]

I would love to see GCA tackle a list like this.  Most articles, like this one, round up all the usual suspects and call it good.


I love Sharp Park, for what it could be someday, but there must be a dozen munis not listed that are better than Sharp in is present state, no?


What are they?


I have not seen the Ross muni in Wilmington, NC, but have always heard that should be on the list.

[Matthew Petersen]

They didn't even get the right LA City muni in the list. I'd play Rancho Park over Wilson (or Harding) 8/2 easily.

[Pete_Pittock]

Munies in Oregon
Eastmoreland
Heron Lakes Great Blue
Heron Lakes Greenback
Rose City
Redtail
Meadow Springs in Prineville.


Eastmoreland is by far the best, but much of Egan's work has been neutered.  Believe the first three on the list all hosted US Publinx.

[Jeff Schley]

They didn't even get the right LA City muni in the list. I'd play Rancho Park over Wilson (or Harding) 8/2 easily.

Matthew,I like Rancho Park myself, I think the land at Griffith Park has more character and variety. A couple I have played and would nominate, outside of the obvious TP, BB, Chambers:

• Brookside - Koiner course (Billy Bell design) which is owned by the City of Pasadena and a beautiful setting down in the Arroyo.
• Heritage Bulffs (Dick Nugent) in Channahon, Ill. owned by the Channahon Park District I think because of location (1 hour SW of Chicago) is underrated. Has 9 holes without trees and about 6 or so in the trees. Opened in 1993.
• George Dunne National in Oak Forest, Ill. (I think Dick Nugent) - Owned by the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Lovely layout, albeit over treed IMO it is a forest preserve what do you expect? Also several lakes which force carries that slows down play. Not quick rounds here. However Bill Casper runs it and keep the course in very good shape.
• Wintonbury Hills in Bloomfield, Ct., Pete Dye layout and I really like the greens here. Land is above average as well.

[V_Halyard]

Some other favs;
Chaska Town In MN,
Wailua in Hawaii, crashing waves/sand/ocean for 20 or 30 bucks twilight.
Pacific Grove, CA
Brown Deer , Milwaukee wis.
(Plaque celebrating Tiger’s “hello world“ pro debut)
Mike Young’s sweet redo of a Bowden in Macon GA. Sits on the Georgia sand belt.
I have gladly made direct economic development payments for these services.
And as Jeff mentioned in a previous post, Rancho Park in LA

My heart warmers are places my kid learned to play.  Chester Washington in LA and flat as a pancake, straight as a pencil, Penmar by the Sea in Venice Ca. Architecturally benign but packed with vibe, 5 at a time, “no mulligans, keep moving“. That’s where the old timers make sure kids, dads (and hacks) learn pace of play.
“Make sure your son is ready when it’s his turn.”
LA note, Get off at first light or be prepared with some work or a book at the par 3’s.
Keep your post round schedule... flexible.
When options are limited, slow golf is better than no golf.

[Jeff Schley]

Some other favs;
Chaska Town In MN,
Wailua in Hawaii, crashing waves/sand/ocean for 20 or 30 bucks twilight.
Pacific Grove, CA
Brown Deer , Milwaukee wis.
(Plaque celebrating Tiger’s “hello world“ pro debut)
Mike Young’s sweet redo of a Bowden in Macon GA. Sits on the Georgia sand belt.
I have gladly made direct economic development payments for these services.
And as Jeff mentioned in a previous post, Rancho Park in LA

My heart warmers are places my kid learned to play.  Chester Washington in LA and flat as a pancake, straight as a pencil, Penmar by the Sea in Venice Ca. Architecturally benign but packed with vibe, 5 at a time, “no mulligans, keep moving“. That’s where the old timers make sure kids, dads (and hacks) learn pace of play.
“Make sure your son is ready when it’s his turn.”
LA note, Get off at first light or be prepared with some work or a book at the par 3’s.
Keep your post round schedule... flexible.
When options are limited, slow golf is better than no golf.

I played many a Sat/Sun morning at Chester Washington, which was part of American Golf (maybe still is?) and we had a connection for free golf there. Because we were early 7 am typically got home by 1 pm.

[Bill Shamleffer]

Here is a quick list of 10 munis that I have played, and would gladly play again & again:

Swope Park, KC, Mo
Breckinridge, San Antonio, Tex
Waveland, Des Maine, Iowa
Hulman Links, Terre Haute, Ind
A L Gustin, Columbia, Mo (is fully public university owned classified as a muni?)
Links at Galloway, Memphis, Tenn
Kenney Park, Hartford, Conn
Chicopee CC, Chicopee, Mass
Franconia, Springfield, Mass
Forest Park GC, St. Louis, Mo


Show me your last 10 munis played.

[Tim Martin]

Here is a quick list of 10 munis that I have played, and would gladly play again & again:

Swope Park, KC, Mo
Breckinridge, San Antonio, Tex
Waveland, Des Maine, Iowa
Hulman Links, Terre Haute, Ind
A L Gustin, Columbia, Mo (is fully public university owned classified as a muni?)
Links at Galloway, Memphis, Tenn
Kenney Park, Hartford, Conn
Chicopee CC, Chicopee, Mass
Franconia, Springfield, Mass
Forest Park GC, St. Louis, Mo


Show me your last 10 munis played.

Wintonbury Hills GC-Bloomfield, CT
East Mountain GC-Waterbury, CT
Keney Park GC-Hartford, CT
Shennecossett GC-Groton,CT
Alling Memorial GC-New Haven,CT
Hunter Memorial GC-Meriden,CT
George Wright GC-Boston,MA
Timberlin Park-Berlin,CT
Western Hills GC-Waterbury, CT
Manchester CC-Manchester,CT

[jeffwarne]

In reverse order chronologically
Goat Hill -10x in 2020
Shennecossett-2 x
Ocala GC
Augusta GC(Patch)
jefferson Park (Seattle)
Sag Harbor GC
Bethpage Black-2019
Soule Park-2019
Indian island-2019
Montauk-2019




Not muny's but recent low $ publics(2020)
Island's End
Cherry Creek (Links)
Swan lake
multiple Australian honor box 9 holers(semi private?)
Jekyl Island-great Dunes
Palatka GC

[Ira Fishman]

Breckinridge, Colorado is very solid.


When I was growing up in Chicago area, virtually every North and Northwest suburb had a municipal course. I remember several of them as being very good--Winnetka and Glencoe for example. But this may be just nostalgia. The most prominent memory is that they all were in proximity to Meier's Tavern--great burgers and fries.


Ira

[Tom_Doak]

Growing up in Connecticut, there were some very good municipal courses, but many of them were reserved for town residents, so I didn't see a lot.  And then as soon as I went off to college and learned how to write a good letter, I went straight to seeing the best private courses in the country!  So I've not seen too many munis here in America.  Of those named here, I can only vouch for Pacific Grove, Breckinridge Park, Waveland, and Hulman Links - in that order.


Plus, munis are the one place they are less likely to let me just go out and take a walk around, for liability reasons . . . I've actually been thrown off a couple of them over the years, for going out without asking.


A couple that have not been named:


Indian Canyon, Spokane
Bonneville, Salt Lake City
Riverdale Dunes, Colorado
[/size]The Mines, Grand Rapids
Audubon Park, New Orleans
Memorial Park, Houston


Keep the nominations coming!

[Tom_Doak]

And I forgot Mark Twain GC, Elmira, NY !

[John Kavanaugh]

And I forgot Mark Twain GC, Elmira, NY !

I went on a fishing/golf trip to that part of NY and one of my fancy buds had grown up and attended High School with Judge Jeanine Piro in Elmira. After playing the big names in the area we needed a filler and played Mark Twain. I sorta lied to the guys about the cost to get them to go. Told em it was $160 for eighteen including carts. $160 was for all four of us. It was the hit of the trip and the only course besides the obvious that we intend to play on our next visit. I love the rawness of the place and hope your post isn't an indication of pending work.

[Lou_Duran]

LA note, Get off at first light or be prepared with some work or a book at the par 3’s.
Keep your post round schedule... flexible.
When options are limited, slow golf is better than no golf.

Lived in Costa Mesa for just over two years (14 months, thirteen days, eight hours) and chose the "no golf" option.  Its two munis (Costa Mesa CC) were pleasant enough, played each once, dirt cheap, with a pace of play in the 5-6+ hour pace.  I did opt for its range pass where I became familiar with an unusual muni phenomena, a few individuals who would hang around the range for hours and harvest balls left behind.  The putting and chipping greens were shooting galleries.  I'd mark my 10 or so good quality practice balls and was happy to go home with four or five when I was done.  Recreation Park, one of Tommy Naccarato's local favorites in Long Beach, was also a once and done, though the pace of play wasn't all that bad early in the morning, just over five hours.  Golf and relaxation were mutually exclusive in SoCal's muni space a decade ago.


Munis of note in Texas not mentioned:


Dallas area: Stevens Park, Cedar Crest, Tenison- Highlands
Grapevine:  Grapevine Municipal
Euless: Texas Star
Arlington: Tierra Verde, Texas Rangers GC
Grand Prairie: Tangle Ridge
Fort Worth: Rockwood
Glen Rose: Squaw Valley- 36 holes- county owned


 

[Tom_Doak]

And I forgot Mark Twain GC, Elmira, NY !

I went on a fishing/golf trip to that part of NY and one of my fancy buds had grown up and attended High School with Judge Jeanine Piro in Elmira. After playing the big names in the area we needed a filler and played Mark Twain. I sorta lied to the guys about the cost to get them to go. Told em it was $160 for eighteen including carts. $160 was for all four of us. It was the hit of the trip and the only course besides the obvious that we intend to play on our next visit. I love the rawness of the place and hope your post isn't an indication of pending work.

No, I'm not working there - my brother played it while in college and suggested I see it.  Nobody ever said boo about it while I was in school, but that was before Whitten's book came out listing all of Ross's courses.


What were the 'big names in the area' you went for?  There weren't any when I was in school.  Or do you mean Oak Hill etc?

[John Kavanaugh]

Yea, fancy boys love courses that hold majors.

[Garland Bayley]

Munies in Oregon
Eastmoreland
Heron Lakes Great Blue
Heron Lakes Greenback
Rose City
Redtail


Eastmoreland is by far the best, but much of Egan's work has been neutered.  Believe the first three on the list all hosted US Publinx.

Also, Glendoveer East and West.

[Garland Bayley]

If they list somewhat rural Pinon Hills, why can't they list Old Works?

Seems an obvious choice to me.

I believe Hawktree in Bismarck, ND is a muni too, although I haven't played it.

[Tim Martin]

LA note, Get off at first light or be prepared with some work or a book at the par 3’s.
Keep your post round schedule... flexible.
When options are limited, slow golf is better than no golf.

Lived in Costa Mesa for just over two years (14 months, thirteen days, eight hours) and chose the "no golf" option.  Its two munis (Costa Mesa CC) were pleasant enough, played each once, dirt cheap, with a pace of play in the 5-6+ hour pace.  I did opt for its range pass where I became familiar with an unusual muni phenomena, a few individuals who would hang around the range for hours and harvest balls left behind.  The putting and chipping greens were shooting galleries.  I'd mark my 10 or so good quality practice balls and was happy to go home with four or five when I was done.  Recreation Park, one of Tommy Naccarato's local favorites in Long Beach, was also a once and done, though the pace of play wasn't all that bad early in the morning, just over five hours.  Golf and relaxation were mutually exclusive in SoCal's muni space a decade ago.


Munis of note in Texas not mentioned:


Dallas area: Stevens Park, Cedar Crest, Tenison- Highlands
Grapevine:  Grapevine Municipal
Euless: Texas Star
Arlington: Tierra Verde, Texas Rangers GC
Grand Prairie: Tangle Ridge
Fort Worth: Rockwood
Glen Rose: Squaw Valley- 36 holes- county owned

I played a couple rounds at Olmos Basin in San Antonio about fifteen years ago. It was in good condition with a fun set of holes. I remember being thrilled at a bargain price that included a lunch credit.

[Cliff Hamm]

Gold Mountain - Olympic course - is owned by the city of Bremerton, Washington, outside of Seattle.  Designed by John Harbottle, surely, must be in the conversation for one of the top Munis in the country. BTW Jordan Spieth won the junior amateur there.

[Sven Nilsen]

Shepherd's Crook, Zion, IL - Keith Foster course built after he took his team over to Shoreacres for inspiration.

[ChipRoyce]

Delaware Springs, Burnet TX, owned by the city of Burnet  built by Axland & Proctor and a bit of a hidden jewel!

[John Emerson]

Are all these courses people are listing actually Owned by municipalities or are they just public?

[Kalen Braley]

Damn it,  Tom stole 2 of my nominations in Indian Canyon and Bonneville.

I would also add:
Murphy Creek - Aurura, CO
Soldier Hollow,  Gold - Midway, UT - I'm not positive its a muni, but its located in a state park
Metropolitan Golf - Oakland, CA - Also not sure, but thought Oakland owned it.
Delta View - Pittsburg, CA - Its NLE now, but it was a Bay Area hidden gem.