"I'm not a fan of places like Oak Hill, but I am of Essex and Glens Falls."

[Ronald Montesano]

This line, from Ian Andrew in http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,65369.0.html, compels me to ask him (and others) this question: Is Oak Hill West a top-25 Donald J. Ross course? Top 50? Top 100?


We know that Oak Hill East has been butchered over the years in the name of chasing ... something. We expect that it will be put back to what it once was/may have been, over the next few years. That will chew up a lot of bandwidth here, but for now (Ian, et al.) what is your answer to my question?


Grazie

[Tom_Doak]

Ronald:


I had stopped through Oak Hill on that trip across upstate NY when I met you, I guess it was three years ago now.


On that trip, I saw seven Ross courses:  Longmeadow in MA, Glens Falls, Teugega, Monroe, the two at Oak Hill, and the CC of Buffalo.  And Oak Hill (East) would have placed sixth out of seven if I had to rank them.


Based on that, I would say it's not among the top 50 Ross courses right now.  I doubt it will be among the top ten or twenty even when / if it is properly restored.  It's always been a bit overrated, because it is a tournament course ... the irony being that a USGA president's telling the club that, around 1970, led to all the changes that dragged it further down the list.

[mark chalfant]

Ron,


I am a fan of the West Course. Inspired routing with nice elevation changes, many nice green sites, and plenty of variety in shots required. I would place it around  45-55 in Ross' total (360)  body of work. 


The stretch of  holes from  five  through nine is especially compelling !

[Tom_Doak]

Oh, sorry, I mistakenly thought you had asked about the East course.


The West's principal claim to fame has been that many Oak Hill members profess to enjoy it more than the East.  But that's a matter of perspective:  if the East is overrated, then by that measure, so is the West.  I thought it was a good course, but did not think that there was anything special about it to latch onto.