[SL_Solow]

Even better was the blue course in the late 60's early 70's.  Just a placre to get people around; flat, uninteresting greens, hazards in conventional places.  Hit it as far as you can and find it golf.  It made the Orange look like the National in comparison.

[wsmorrison]

Thanks for alerting me to this thread, Ken.  The Princeton Golf Club was formed in the fall of 1895 by alumni, faculty and undergraduates of Princeton University.  The golf club is one of the oldest university-affiliated golf courses in the country.  It is not known who laid out the original nine-hole course in an area known as Stockton Woods at the lower end of Bayard Lane. The first tournament was held in 1897.  

A new nine-hole course was opened for play in March 1902 while the old Stockton Woods course was abandoned.  Willie Dunn who first visited the site on November 16, 1899 designed the new course.  One of the initial plans had a hole that was to be 650 yards in length.  In the final plan it was shortened considerably to 566 yards.  James B. Swan, the golf professional, managed the project.  

Gerald B. Lambert expanded the course to 18-holes, which opened for play on June 1, 1915.

In the summer of 1922, the name of the club was changed to the Springdale Golf Club. To this day, the University continues to lease the property to the club membership and in exchange the club pays the local taxes and cares for the property.  The University has limited golf privileges and remains the home course for the men and women’s golf teams.

William Flynn was hired to redesign much of the course completing the project in 1928.  Like all the designs, this one was Flynn’s alone.  It is likely that Toomey and Flynn were involved in the construction of the golf course.  Flynn made masterful use of the Graduate Tower as a backdrop to several holes.

[Brad Tufts]

Yes, Taconic is owned by Williams.

As for the ones I've been to:

1. Taconic
2. Yale
3. Finley
4. Duke
5. Ralph Myhre (Middlebury!)

If I had 15 rounds, I'd go 7 at Taconic, 5 at yale, 2 at Finley and 1 at Duke.

[Dan_Callahan]

I would go:

1. Yale
2. Orchards
3. Taconic

That could change if the renovation plan for Taconic looks as good on the ground as it does on paper. In my mind, Yale was in some danger of being passed by the Orchards after conditioning issues at the Ross course were addressed in preparation for the Women's Open. However, I think Yale's tree clearing of the last two years has helped bump it clear of the other two. In fact it might well be my all-time favorite course. Still a few bugs to work out . . . anyone know if there are plans to relocate the third green?

I would also add to the list Hanover Country Club—Dartmouth's home course. Ron Pritchard's work there a few years back has really enhanced the layout. I wouldn't put it at the same level architecturally as the other three, but it's lots of fun.

[J_McKenzie]

I've always thought the University of Georgia Golf Course gets overlooked.  I worked there from 1986 to 1989 and during that time, very few people played more rounds there than I did.  I never got tired of playing that course and I still look forward to going back there whenever I get a chance.  We've got a group of guys that try to make it there at least once a year.

Tim Gavich,

I played Furman about three weeks ago and it is in the best shape tee to green that I've ever seen it in.  It is a good golf course, great value, and a lot of fun to play.

John

[KBanks]

Thanks for alerting me to this thread, Ken.  The Princeton Golf Club was formed in the fall of 1895 by alumni, faculty and undergraduates of Princeton University.  The golf club is one of the oldest university-affiliated golf courses in the country.  It is not known who laid out the original nine-hole course in an area known as Stockton Woods at the lower end of Bayard Lane. The first tournament was held in 1897.  

A new nine-hole course was opened for play in March 1902 while the old Stockton Woods course was abandoned.  Willie Dunn who first visited the site on November 16, 1899 designed the new course.  One of the initial plans had a hole that was to be 650 yards in length.  In the final plan it was shortened considerably to 566 yards.  James B. Swan, the golf professional, managed the project.  

Gerald B. Lambert expanded the course to 18-holes, which opened for play on June 1, 1915.

In the summer of 1922, the name of the club was changed to the Springdale Golf Club. To this day, the University continues to lease the property to the club membership and in exchange the club pays the local taxes and cares for the property.  The University has limited golf privileges and remains the home course for the men and women’s golf teams.

William Flynn was hired to redesign much of the course completing the project in 1928.  Like all the designs, this one was Flynn’s alone.  It is likely that Toomey and Flynn were involved in the construction of the golf course.  Flynn made masterful use of the Graduate Tower as a backdrop to several holes.

Thanks Wayne. I just knew there was something special about that course.

The Radrick Farms course in Ann Arbor is one of Pete Dye's earliest designs. I can't remember the exact reason, perhaps budget limitations, but remember him saying that it was a course he wished he could do over again. I thought it was a neat course.

I played in a junior tournament there as a teenager. In the first two rounds, one of my playing partners was a fifteen year old who thoroughly outclassed all of us. His name was Billy Andrade.

Ken

[Bill_McBride]

I've always thought the University of Georgia Golf Course gets overlooked.  I worked there from 1986 to 1989 and during that time, very few people played more rounds there than I did.  I never got tired of playing that course and I still look forward to going back there whenever I get a chance.  We've got a group of guys that try to make it there at least once a year.

John, how does the UGA course compare to Athens CC?  When I attended the Navy Supply Corps School there in 1964-65, the Georgia golf team called Athens CC home.  I love it and wonder if the UGA course is of equal playability, interest and challenge.

[wsmorrison]

The US Naval Academy course was originally a nine hole Harry Collis layout.  Flynn redesigned the original nine holes and added nine holes.  Some of those holes have been lost but there is a lot of Flynn that remains.  Sadly, the bunkers have been revised and were not well done.

[J_McKenzie]

Bill,

That's a tough question for me to answer objectively.  Athens CC is classic Ross and I've really enjoyed the few times I've played there.  I would say Athens CC is more of a shot maker's course because you need to work the ball more and the greens have some great features, typical Ross.  UGA is a bigger course, longer, wider, more topography.  I do think the new green designs at UGA, along with some of the other strategic changes made in the recent renovation have added to the overall shot value of the course.  

If I had to choose one to play, for me it would be UGA because of all the experiences I've had there.  I bet the majority would pick Athens CC because it's Ross and the playing conditions (greens) are usually better.  As for the golf team continuing to play at Athens CC through the years, my understanding was that it had a lot to do with pace of play, overall course conditions, and better scoring potential.  UGA has always been a difficult course to consistently score well on, partially for the reasons above.

I should add that UGA has come along way with playing conditions and I know now that they are working very hard on any remaining pace of play issues (probably no more than 4.5 hours on their busiest days).  The course is in really good shape tee to green and the new greens are good, although they will certainly benefit from the upcoming cooler temps. this fall.  

John

[J_McKenzie]

If it sounds like I'm advertising for UGA, it's because I probably am.  It's always been a special place to me, even before I worked there back in the 80's.  I also think it is a bargain to play there.

John

[Glenn Spencer]

What...no mention of the Orange and Blue courses at University of Illinois?  I was always amazed how the school got Steve Stricker, Mike Small or any other golfer to go to school there with those two tracks.

Of the ones I've played, I'd rank them:

1. University Ridge
2. Kampen
3. Warren
4. UNM (just played it last week)
5. U of I Orange
6. U of I Blue

I will likely be playing OSU Scarlet at some point this summer.

Don't be surprised if you are disappointed in the new Scarlet course.

[Doug Ralston]

University of Kentucky has two worth playing. Big Blue and Wildcat are both tough and enjoyable. [Glenn, you should look]

I will even put a plug in for Morehead State, who bough the public course Eagle Trace. If they keep it in top condition, it has a sweet layout. Evil trees in play though ...... sorry.

Doug

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