Satisfying Walking Courses By State

[Patrick Kiser]

I'm not sure if this topic has come up previously but...

What are some of the most satisfying walking courses by state or within your own areas?  Where the combination of the walk, routing, and challenge is most satisfying and interesting.

We could even have a good topic about how the best way to appreciate a routing is by walking it, but I won't go there.

Public or private is fine and maybe indicate whether it's one or the other.

In my area (SF), I can't say I've run into that many unfortunately.

Harding is a good walking course from green to tee,  but not exactly very satisfying or interesting.  The routing is somewhat dull at times.

In Marin, I find San Geronimo interesting enough, but not throughout.  There are stretches where there's just too much of a walk for my taste, but the routing is enjoyable.  I actually like FoxTail North as well.  Good walking course with some pretty decent holes.  Not a great course, but satisfying and interesting given the walk.

I haven't played everywhere in NorCal, but Pasatiempo has to be one of my favorites.  Maybe a little too much of a walk in certain spots (as in too hilly), but most satisfying and interesting.  The routing is very enjoyable with plenty of anticipation from hole to hole.

I think the key for me is the walk can't be too much of a hike.  Likewise green to tee can't be a mile long affair.

So let's hear what some of you have to say about satisfying walking courses in your area.

[Andy Troeger]

Patrick,
By your definition if you consider Pasatiempo to be even borderline on a tough walk....none in New Mexico.

There that was easy.

I'd maybe consider Pinon Hills, its pretty walkable. Black Mesa is walkable, but its a hike over difficult terrain. The UNM Championship course is a challenging walk. Mountain sites tend to make this challenging.

Back in Indiana there were a few around South Bend and in the general area. South Bend Country Club and Warren Cse at Notre Dame were two good ones. Rock Hollow is a nice walking course, plus Point O'Woods in Michigan. The Dunes Club is a challenging walk but very do-able.

[Jason Topp]

I believe there is about a 90% overlap between a good walking course and a good course. 

I'm not a die hard walker, I'll happily take a cart in certain circumstances.  Nonetheless, I think a course pretty much needs to be walkable to be considered great.

Conversely if the course sucks, I do not think the quality of the walk can overcome the course.

[Carl Nichols]

My home course, Bethesda CC, is a great course to walk:  the tees and greens are close together (a necessary consequence of the fact that the course sits on a small piece of property), and there are some hills but nothing steep or difficult to walk.  Several of the other private courses in the area -- e.g., Congressional, Chevy Chase, Columbia -- are similar.

[Joel_Stewart]

Cypress Point is my favorite walking course.  I seem to have a little more zip in my step and never out of energy.  NGLA is also in this league.

[John Moore II]

Pine Needles and Southern Pines are very good walking courses in the Pinehurst area. They are also very good courses. #2 is a pretty easy walk as well.

[Bruce Leland]

Northland Country Club in Duluth, MN is a great walk.  Downhill off the first tee and then up hill on 2 & 3.  The front 9 plays mostly up the hill with views of Lake Superior from 2 & 3 green, 10 green, 11 tee, 13 approach and green, 14 tee, 15 tee with about 80' of drop to the fairway.  It's invigorating but a wonderful walking course with a great routing.  The walk up the hill to 18 green will have you catching your breath prior to a difficult read and putt.

There is no place else in Minnesota that I would rather walk 18 than Northland but I'll ride the second 18 thank you very much.

[Andy Troeger]

I believe there is about a 90% overlap between a good walking course and a good course. 

I'm not a die hard walker, I'll happily take a cart in certain circumstances.  Nonetheless, I think a course pretty much needs to be walkable to be considered great.

Conversely if the course sucks, I do not think the quality of the walk can overcome the course.

Jason,
After some consideration I think your 90% number is pretty reasonable. Its too low for my locale in the US Mtn time zone, but around the rest of the world and the US its probably at least that high. Even many of the better courses in the mountains can be walked by those with a bit of fortitude.

[Melvyn Morrow]

TOC, The New Course - Every course I play

[Kalen Braley]

Hobble Creek in Springville, UT.

Not tough to walk, some gorgeous holes routed thru a mountain canyon that crosses over a creek on several holes.  Good variety of 3, 4, and 5s.  While all the best courses are mostly unwalkable, this one is good, espeically when the leaves turn in fall.

[John Moore II]

Hobble Creek in Springville, UT.

Not tough to walk, some gorgeous holes routed thru a mountain canyon that crosses over a creek on several holes.  Good variety of 3, 4, and 5s.  While all the best courses are mostly unwalkable, this one is good, espeically when the leaves turn in fall.

TP would be a nice walk...

[Mark Pearce]

TOC, The New Course - Every course I play

Indeed.  Before I got to your post it had occurred to me that this thread, almost more than any other, sums up how far from the game as it developed a lot of modern US courses have got.  Any course built in the UK which is not walkable is unusual, and most will see it as defective. 

For a really great walk (beautiful views, a few gentle hills, no long green to tee walks) I think Bamburgh Castle takes some beating.

[Sean_A]

I do agree with the sentiment of a great course really having to be walkable.  Mark is certainly correct that in the UK, if a course were not walkable, it would surely be seen as defective.  Perhaps where things go a bit pear shaped in the States is trying to create championship length courses on tough terrain.  In the UK, most courses I know of that are on tough terrain tend to be short, sporty courses which give the golfer a chance to get around.  Perhaps the reason for this is they were built before the advent of the cart.

Of the courses I have seen in the past few years, the best which combine pleasurable walk with interest and challenge are:

Pinehurst
Southern Pines
Beau Desert
Notts
Woking
Brora


Ciao

[Dan Herrmann]

Nova Scotia, Canada - Cape Breton Highlands Links!

[Mark Pearce]

A few more great walks - Cruden Bay, Balcomie Links and Elie.  All would be very enjoyable walks, even without the golf.

[Mike Golden]

Here are some from my experiences:

Bethpage Black, Red, Blue, Green, Yellow
La Tourette
Lake Merced
Pasatiempo
San Franicisco GC
Olympic-Lake
La Purisima
Ojai
Edgewood Tahoe
Half Moon Bay-Ocean
Pine Needles
Southern Pines
Mid Pines
Spanish Bay
Poppy Hills
Bandon Dunes
Word Woods-Pine Barrens
TOC
Gleneagles
Talking Stick-North
Rec Park-Long Beach
Rustic Canyon

there are lots more...

[Tom_Doak]

In northern Michigan, Belvedere would be the runaway winner in this category.  Crystal Downs, Kingsley, Arcadia Bluffs, and High Pointe are all walkable, but they all have at least a couple of long uphill hikes in the routing.

I played The Addington in England last week and it has quite possibly the shortest green-to-tee distances of any course I've played anywhere.  Play was a bit backed up and there were several holes where you weren't safe from the group behind while standing on the next tee waiting your turn.

[John Kirk]

I don't think of short green to tee walks being an absolute necessity.  Also, aren't the best walks a bit demanding?  Isn't it better to walk off the course pleasantly exhausted?

Pacific Dunes is my favorite walk.

Honorable mention goes to Stanford University, where the tough uphill green to tee walks late in the round are almost a personal challenge.  They lead to the 18th tee, with a glorious view of San Francisco and beyond.

[Ian_L]

Honorable mention goes to Stanford University, where the tough uphill green to tee walks late in the round are almost a personal challenge.  They lead to the 18th tee, with a glorious view of San Francisco and beyond.

Agreed! 16th green to 18th tee is quite a hike.  Just from the 16th green to the 17th tee has more elevation change than many golf courses.

[Dave Givnish]

Arizona - too few!
Desert Forest
Whisper Rock Lower
Paradise Valley
We-ko-pa Saguaro

Illinois
Skokie
Medinah
Bob-o-link

Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Cricket
Philadelphia Country
Whitemarsh
Huntington Valley (although one leg will be shorter than the other when you're finished)

[Deucie Bies]

Cypress Point
Laurel Valley

[Michael Whitaker]

In South Carolina some of my favorite walks are:

The Ocean Course (a shuttle is provided from 9 to 10)
Caledonia (even with the funky zig-zag from 8 to 9 to 10)
Yeamans Hall
May River
Furman University
Palmetto Golf Club
Sage Valley
Belfair East

[Chuck Brown]

Prestwick is my choice.

For some reason, all the courses on the Ayreshire coast appeal to me as good for walking.  Troon, Turnberry, Western Gailes, etc..

Someone will be able to supply more details than me, but I am vaguely aware of some rambling, long-distance walk that includes playing up and down the oceanside holes of two or three of those courses together, all lying side-by-side.

That has to be a nearly unique phenomenon in the annals of "walkabililty."

[Lester George]

My nominees from Virginia are:

CCV River Course
CCV Westhampton
Kinloch Golf Club
Cavalier Golf and Yacht
Providence
Willow Oaks Country Club
Princess Anne Country Club
James River Country Club
Roanoke Country Club
Golden Horseshoe Gold Course