I’m sort of surprised at how many are ignoring obvious variables to the debate, like climate or difficulty of the walk. Ballyneal is a sentimental favorite, but dammed if I want to get poked in the shin by yucca in 98 degree heat more than a handful of times per year. And Friars Head? Poking one’s head above the dune while walking up the steps off 14 and getting smoked in the face by a gale off the sound in January seems cool I guess.
So, with that said and ignoring the obvious choice of Cypress Point, I’m surprised to not see Seminole listed (maybe I missed it). It’s warm there in summer, but nothing like the continental climates. California seems to have an advantage in the climate category. Riviera, LACC, and Bel Air all seem like obvious candidates. As do the easier walks of the courses at Bandon, with Old Macdonald leading that category for me.
As Jeff said, I wasn't really looking to bring climate into this.
If you want to, Seminole is closed for 3-4 months in the summer, so you should probably skip that. Really all the best candidates are on the west coast, maybe a few in the Carolinas. I would put The Valley Club right equal with the three courses in L.A. for daily enjoyment.
I didn’t know that about Seminole, though I probably should’ve. My mistake.
For several reasons, it’s very hard for me to ignore climate. In my opinion, it plays a a moderate part in design and hence, our answers to this question. Architects design for wind and precipitation, I’d expect temperature to play a role as well. Perhaps the question should’ve been couched; a course you could play everyday, six months out of the year.
So, with the climate variable sort of tossed out, I’ll still stick with Cypress Point as the obvious and clear answer that can’t be beaten. But for a runner up or two? I’ll change my answer to read Maidstone and the par sixty something course at Sand Valley.
Hard to argue with Cypress Point of the Valley Club for a variety of reasons.
In addition to Seminole being closed in the summer, there is also their hard stop closure at 6 pm.
Not a big deal in December due to darkness, but I could NEVER include a club on my every day list that disallowed a late evening round with plenty of available daylight(in April you'd be sacrificing nearly 2 1/2 hours), one of the true joys of golf, and a mandatory requirement for MY everyday course.
Great place to work though I'm sure!
As I rethink this, I think Palmetto has the best mix,easily walkable, interesting compact course(that challenges even the best), super low key culture,where one can join one of several daily dogfight groups(that play quickly) or easily play a 2 ball in the wide seams created ahead of, between or behind these daily groups.