Worst/Best nines

[David Stamm]

I was driving on I-15 by Temecula Creek today and started to think about how bad the Stonehouse nine is relative to the other 2 nines there. What are some of the best/worst 9's that you've seen. In other words, great front, terrible back or vice versa.

[Andy Troeger]

I can't think of a course that has a great nine and a terrible nine, but certainly some that have a significant gap in quality.

The Ridge at Castle Pines North comes to mind first. The front is pretty basic housing golf (both sides) that didn't do much for me while the back had some pretty good stuff on it with some elevation change, nice aesthetics, and good variety of holes.

Better courses that I think have one nine that is better than the other include:

GC at Redlands Mesa (back over front)
Lakota Canyon Ranch (front over back)
Cherry Hills (back over front)
Wedgewood, Powell, OH (front over back)
Blackwolf Run Meadow Valley (back over front)

None of those courses have a terrible nine or anything even remotely close to it. I do think they have one nine that's quite a bit stronger than the other, although the "weaker" side is relative especially for the first four courses on that list. I'm not a huge fan of the front at BRMV save for holes #2 and 5.

[John Kirk]

I'd like to nominate Southampton Golf Club, a Seth Raynor design.  Our of our members invited me to play there last summer.  Even he would likely agree that after a bold and exciting front nine, the back nine, by comparison, is much less dramatic and interesting.  It's a very nice place.

[Patrick Kiser]

PG.

Front is very blah.  Back is schweet!

[Gene Greco]

   I think Portstewart is the poster child for this thread. Front nine is one of the most dramatic on Earth, back pretty pedestrian.

As far as Southampton Golf Club is concerned, I tend to agree with John Kirk's assessment.

However, by the time we reached the little Punchbowl 16th I had already dusted the club champ from BN (no strokes were given) and left him to lick his wounds.  

Y'all come back now!

[Tom Huckaby]

Gene:  great post.  Just talk to me when you dust the champ from Santa Teresa.  Ballyneal?  Bunch of hacks play there.

 

On topic, doesn't Royal Aberdeen have one great nine and one not so great?

TH

[John Shimp]

Royal Dublin has a nice front out thru linksland and some real bad holes on the back that are out in the open with artificial OB lines drawn.

[Tyler Kearns]

The Robinson nine at Banff Springs GC, it shouldn't be on the same property as the excellent 18 holes designed by Stanley Thompson.

TK

[Steve Lapper]

Tralee

The back nine is among the very best in Ireland, and the front among the least distinguished. Anyone disagree?

[Steve Lapper]

  I think Portstewart is the poster child for this thread. Front nine is one of the most dramatic on Earth, back pretty pedestrian.

As far as Southampton Golf Club is concerned, I tend to agree with John Kirk's assessment.

However, by the time we reached the little Punchbowl 16th I had already dusted the club champ from BN (no strokes were given) and left him to lick his wounds.  

Y'all come back now!

Don't tell his "owner" or he'll ban you from ever setting foot there again!

[cary lichtenstein]

Pastiempo: I haven't seen the front since Tom Doak restored it, but before, the back 9 was great and the front kind of crowded and shoe horned in.

[Tom Huckaby]

Pastiempo: I haven't seen the front since Tom Doak restored it, but before, the back 9 was great and the front kind of crowded and shoe horned in.

cary:  with all respect, no way.  Yes 6-7-8 are somewhat cramped, but each are also damn fine golf holes... and the remaining front nine holes are all brilliant.  I'll grant that the back nine is a little better than the front, but no way is the front "terrible" as David seems to ask for....

TH

[Tim Leahy]

Pacific Grove back nine way over front,
Monterey Pines back way over front
Tijeras Creek in OC back nine over front
Torrey North front way over back
Delta View in NorCal, back is Mac front is ridiculous

Augusta National back way over front

[Gene Greco]

Gene:  great post.  Just talk to me when you dust the champ from Santa Teresa.  Ballyneal?  Bunch of hacks play there.

 
TH

Ah, short memory Sir Thomas of Huckaby.

First time we played together was at National Golf Links and......I ripped you, Goodale and Childs to pieces. I was one over and you guys to a man folded like newspapers all seemingly overwhelmed by the architectural perfection which is NGLA.

Then I tore my rotator cuff, had a foot operation and got the driver yips.

Worst yet was I then played golf with Shivas!

Fast forward a few years and Mucci told me to play from the FRONT tees at Garden City! I still haven't broken 90 with him, the Miller Brothers, Ben and Ran and a few others from this DG. If you told these people that 15 years ago I was competitive in the club champioship they'd scoff and tell you Notre Dame has a better chance of winning another football game.

Others like Goldman, Murrat, Taylor have seen me shoot par.

Am I the only one on this board who has a print out of GHIN scores showing a 68 AND a 98 ??

[Tom Huckaby]

Gene:

I accept that these things occurred in the past; but that was before I was the champion I am now.

 

But I am impressed with your consistency, anyway.

 

[Kyle Henderson]

Pacific Grove back nine way over front,
Delta View in NorCal, back is Mac front is ridiculous

Augusta National back way over front

Also, I agree with Lakota Canyon front over back.

But in all cases, I still enjoyed the weaker nine. I don't think I've ever played a coure with solid set of nine holes matched with a completely attrocious set. Even Delta View's back nine (the "Mac" nine is currently played first) has some good, unique holes mixed in with the rediculous ones.

Old River in Tracy, Ca has a very flat and boring front nine, with a rediculously narrow batch of holes with insanely pitched greens on the back. High disparity in style, but not in quality...

[Jeff_Brauer]

So, What's your sign?

Oh, my bad, I thought you wanted the Worst Lines.....

[cary lichtenstein]

Pastiempo: I haven't seen the front since Tom Doak restored it, but before, the back 9 was great and the front kind of crowded and shoe horned in.

cary:  with all respect, no way.  Yes 6-7-8 are somewhat cramped, but each are also damn fine golf holes... and the remaining front nine holes are all brilliant.  I'll grant that the back nine is a little better than the front, but no way is the front "terrible" as David seems to ask for....

TH

TH

I didn't mean to imply the front was terrible, just I remember the back nine being so much better

[Tyler Kearns]

There is a course in Drumheller, Alberta which has 9 holes on either side of the highway. One side is flat, dull and full of parallel running holes (or so it appeared from the passenger seat in the car). The other side was set amidst the Alberta badlands and looked absolutely outstanding. I've always wanted to get back to play the course to see how good half of the course really is.

TK

[Tom Huckaby]

Pastiempo: I haven't seen the front since Tom Doak restored it, but before, the back 9 was great and the front kind of crowded and shoe horned in.

cary:  with all respect, no way.  Yes 6-7-8 are somewhat cramped, but each are also damn fine golf holes... and the remaining front nine holes are all brilliant.  I'll grant that the back nine is a little better than the front, but no way is the front "terrible" as David seems to ask for....

TH

TH

I didn't mean to imply the front was terrible, just I remember the back nine being so much better

Well then, you didn't read the question.  

In any case, there are not many nines the back nine at Pasatiempo would NOT be better than - in fact, I believe one could make a strong case for it being the #1 nine on our planet.  So yes, the front nine is not quite up to this standard.  But with great holes like 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9.... I just can't get behind including it in this discussion.

TH

[Andy Troeger]

I thought most people think this to be the case at Kingsley Club, or is that becoming a sacred cow?

I've heard people say this, but personally I liked the back every bit as much as the front. But I like trees more than most here. The front at Crystal Downs is probably the premier side on that course too but I liked the back plenty well in its own right.

[Jim_Coleman]

     Here's a course that never gets mentioned here (as best as I can remember).  New Seabury on Cape Cod.  Seaside nine - pretty cool.  Inland nine - forgettable.

[John Kirk]

  I think Portstewart is the poster child for this thread. Front nine is one of the most dramatic on Earth, back pretty pedestrian.

As far as Southampton Golf Club is concerned, I tend to agree with John Kirk's assessment.

However, by the time we reached the little Punchbowl 16th I had already dusted the club champ from BN (no strokes were given) and left him to lick his wounds.  

Y'all come back now!

Don't tell his "owner" or he'll ban you from ever setting foot there again!

I had conveniently forgotten about being "crushed" at Southampton by your excellence.  I remember shooting about 78 to your 74 or so.  I remember the inebriated fellow in the clubhouse, who had a hole in one that day, buying me as many lemonades as I desired.

As previously stated, I believe I have the pull to get even Steve back onto Ballyneal, and may use that power, just to hear him say how much he liked it this time around.