Desert Forest - Commendable layout that is understated and I think one of the oldest desert courses.
PGA West - Stadium - I just love the difficulty and challenge of it.
Hamilton Farm - Not saying that it should be a top 100, but enjoyed the setting and property, not the least of which is their par 3 course.
Plainfield CC - great greens and my second favorite Ross course behind Pinehurst. Kapalua Plantation - Majestic property with views that are captivating. Yes it is a cart course, however being in Maui playing here in the breeze reminds you this isn't home but a vacation.
BTW what is the FAQ for making sure you don't have to edit every post? I am still clueless and try various methods.
Jeff-You mentioned the setting and property but nothing about the golf course for Hamilton Farms. The property is extreme and although I walked I don’t think I would want to do it on a regular basis. For my money too many holes playing straight uphill with the same bunker schemes both in the fairway and flanking the greens. To each his own but it wouldn’t be a course I would pick for this exercise.
As the topic is most fun, I did have a good time with dad/brother/host last year and you are correct that the course isn't a walking course (we rode) however it was a fun experience. It was a charity auction round and our host was recently retired from Goldman Sachs. A real gentlemen, who couldn't escape to play much golf as he has a homebound non-verbal son he and his wife take care of and was one of his motivations for retiring early. I had a ton of respect for this guy who is a no doubt well off man, but extremely humble. So out of the gate we loved our host, which as most on here will attest adds or detracts from your fun a great deal.
There are three holes which were memorable the 6th or 7th had the farm house hole back left off the green with a huge green to a long par 4. I remember I walked that entire hole looking for my ball left and met the group at the green. It was hot this July day and I was sweating pretty good after this detour. As we went off the green I asked if there was a drinking fountain in the converted stable which were bathrooms. The host said there is a cooler of all sorts of drinks right outside, which a cold Gatorade was welcome at that point a perfect time, so that stuck.
The 9th is a long downhill par 5 with a heavily guarded green with slope. Then the view from 17 (par 3) in line with the tee/green for 18 was the most memorable for sight lines. Again as we weren't walking, which at least half the holes are either up or down, we had some wind left in our sails. As you mention Tim, the bunkering from Hurdzan/Fry guarded their greens with bunkers in the front half of most greens on the left and right sides and a fair criticism. My criticism of that is you can't run the ball into those greens at all and our fore caddie I think we exactly correct in saying long is pretty good spot to miss in general as there aren't any bunkers long. Mostly there is banking to corral the ball so from a strategy perspective that is what we kept in mind.
I want to add the par 3 Hickory course was at least 1/3 to 1/2 the fun that day. It is the only (I believe) USGA rated par 3 course in the US. Routing through a new neighborhood it was heavily bunkered as you could expect and mostly short irons/wedges from our white tee box. If we had to play again I would want to do it from the back tees (blue) as there were 4-5 over 200 yarders.
Add to this experience you can't park your own car (a bit pretentious perhaps), they valet every car and bring it back upon departure. There is no tipping (except caddies), the clubhouse/locker room is pretty over the top and recently redone, while the food for lunch was one of our top 10 meals for a lunch at a golf course. I had a crab roll sandwich on a croissant (IIRC) and was so very light the waiter unprompted brought me another 1/2 of another while I went to the bathroom. They have staff off the 9th green with water/towels as well as someone to take your order where they will bring it out to you on the course or you can relax as they prepare it.
Actually now that I'm reliving this day, which was much more than just 18 holes of golf, it further solidifies my opinion of it being a fun experience when taken in totality and rightly placed. Take a look at the charity auction sites for HF and hope you get the same host we did as perhaps it will be a more enjoyable experience for you.