Shirkey Golf Club - Richmond, MO - is an example of what cheap public golf (rural MO) should and can be....easily in the top 10 conditioned greens I've ever played. I think it is $30 on the weekend and always in impeccable shape.
Pacific Dunes - knew it would be good after seeing the rankings and press....but that good....I was blown away
Giant's Ridge - nearly as good as it gets in Minnesota....before playing it for the first time, I hadn't done a lot of research and was wowed.
Gaines County Muni - West Texas - fastest greens in West Texas, awesome
Prairie Dunes - never tire of playing here...gets better every time
Ballyneal - perfect escape, perfect fun, perfect setting - and even after all the press and discussions, it was still better than I thought
Willinger's - Northfield, MN - most of my fellow Minnesota GCAer's will cringe, I, however, love this course. Value, setting, and shot values are really fun although it is very difficult
Wild Horse - first experience with remote, rural, sand hills, etc - I will never forget when I was on the practice green hitting my first putt and putt it off the green and a local about 40 feet away looks at his playing partner and seriously says, "Greens are running a little slower today."
Gullane - first UK golf experience, opening approached rocketed over the green
Waterville - way better than what people give it credit for here
Lahinch - I'm with Wade - Lahinch is amazing...probably blew me away more than any course in the UK....just because I had such huge expectations (and wasn't disappointed on these either) for Muirfield, BB, RCD, etc.....