In our post KPV discussions, I noted that while I would probably not rate Stone Eagle in the 10 best courses I've ever played, I likely WOULD choose it as one of 10 to play for the rest of my life, as I think it's unique and I like variety (on the other hand, I prefer Riviera and LACC North to Stone Eagle for day-to-day play, but I would not put both on my list simply because of their similarities).

I'm working on my list in my head, but I'd be curious as to how some of you would construct your list, and why.  Stone Eagle's on mine for the exhileration, excitement, scenery, challenge, and the fact that I think on any given day, if I dialed it in I could probably go very low.


(and for the sake of variety, let's please limit to courses you've played, or walked/spent time at)

Merion (East)
Jeffersonville
Reading Country Club
Bethpage Black
Bethpage Red
Huntingdon Valley
Rolling Green
Makefield Highlands
The Club at Morgan Hill
Schuylkill Country Club

In our post KPV discussions, I noted that while I would probably not rate Stone Eagle in the 10 best courses I've ever played, I likely WOULD choose it as one of 10 to play for the rest of my life, as I think it's unique and I like variety (on the other hand, I prefer Riviera and LACC North to Stone Eagle for day-to-day play, but I would not put both on my list simply because of their similarities).

I'm working on my list in my head, but I'd be curious as to how some of you would construct your list, and why.  Stone Eagle's on mine for the exhileration, excitement, scenery, challenge, and the fact that I think on any given day, if I dialed it in I could probably go very low.


(and for the sake of variety, let's please limit to courses you've played, or walked/spent time at)

I'd construct a list that including varying styles of course, different architects, and different degrees of difficulty. If I was only going to play 10 courses forever, I'd want some strategy, but also some beautiful spots, and a couple of courses where I'd at least have a chance to score

There's a pretty good Pete Dye flavor, but that's both because I think he's very good and because I've played a fair few of his courses. I think the three included are all pretty different sites as well.

Blackwolf Run--River
Tullymore
Harbour Town
Whistling Straits
Point O'Woods
Sycamore Hills
Paa-Ko Ridge
South Bend CC
Briarwood/Renegade Mountain/Cumberland Gardens (or whatever else they might call it these days--its in the mountains of Tennessee--most beautiful course I've ever seen)
Blackthorn (So. Bend, IN)

Ballybunion
Sand Hills
Crystal Downs
High Pointe
Kingsley
Pasatiempo
Lahinch
Indianwood (Old)
Royal County Down
The Gailes

It is interesting that I needed to go down well into the 20s of my favorite courses to get the 10 I'd like to play regularly. I passed on the Ocean Course, which I love but wouldn;t want to play every day.

On the basis of the courses I've played so far (& in no particular order):
TOC
Royal Dornoch
North Berwick
Elie
Ballybunion
Alwoodley
Moortown
Ganton
Notts (Hollinwell)
Ilkley

I truly don't need 10.

Assuming finances/access are no issue...

Sand Hills (best course on the planet)
Cypress Point (damn close, homeboy)
NGLA (more fun cannot be had playing the game)
Castlerock GC (gotta have one in Ireland, so I'll take my cousin's club)
Royal Dornoch (gotta have one in Scotland, so I'll take this and be happy)
LACC-North (gotta have one near the parents, this works)

I suppose I need one in a tropical clime - I do like that as a change... so add Kapalua-Plantation.

That's enough.

TH

Sand Hills (my favorite US)
Prairie Dunes (most balanced test)
Kingsley Club (the one that gives me the biggest smile)
Fishers Island (great golf in an incomparable setting)
North Berwick (the soul of golf)
Dornoch (my favorite UK course, and most balanced test over there)
Merion (great test of golf)
NGLA (soul of golf US, fun on steroids)
Rustic Canyon ("home" course - 350 miles away)
Pacific Dunes (more great golf in an incomparable setting at the Bandon complex)

Every day does mean every day, or is that just in season? If so I have some whips and chains together with a manual of their use, by a guy called de Sade.

Bob

Maybe I shall upon further review qualify my statement by, in July and August, restricting my play at Stone Eagle in favor of my other 9 in more reasonable climes.  But, believe it or not, I enjoy playing in the heat every now and again.


My list of those I have played/walked extensively-

-Newport
Love the feel of this great old New England summertime layout

-Taconic
One of the fairest courses I know, and greens to die for - the foliage from the 15th tee in October is unbeatable

-Rustic Canyon
Because I just love the place and to me, it knocks Pinehurst 2 off the pedestal for "fun around the greens"

-Stone Eagle
Spectacular, scorable, challenging, and the desert/golf coure contrast is always beautiful to me.  I wonder if the winds ever shift, or if the mountain directs them in the same direction most of the time

-Riviera (edging LACC north by a hair)
The 10th wins this westside battle for me, but I love both dearly

-Pacific Dunes
Because I'd need a place to spend my afternoons and sunsets, and I've not yet found a better golf sunset than off of the 11th at PD

-Pine Needles
Though I haven't seen it post-restoration, I need a sandhills representative and Pine Needles is the one that I found challenging and straight-forward enough (read: no goofy-greens) to want to keep around for a while.  Tough set of 4-pars that will test the Driver and mid-irons.

Okay, I am going to leave the last three spots open - I am sure I'd be happy with the variety in this set of 7, but I want to keep my options open as I'm aiming to get across the pond in the next couple of years and I'm sure I'll be around more stateside to play deserving layouts.

But, I too find it interesting that I have to dip into my top 15 or so, I'd say, to complete this list.

Ryan:

This is so highly personal, of course it's stupid to question anyone else's list... but I have to ask... have you ever been to the UK or Ireland?  

TH

Nope, and that's why my conclusion on my list includes the caveat that my best guess is that I will find courses when I get my butt over there (likely next summer) to include in my list.  Given what I like about the game and about courses, I am tremendously looking forward to the journey.

Unlike the Huckster, if somebody offers me more choice I will take it.  Unfortunately my list falls short on American courses because I haven't played enough of the good uns.  My list also incorporates where the course is located and the setting.  Man cannot live on golf alone.  In alphabetical order:

Lahinch
North Berwick
Royal Dornoch
Royal St. Georges
St. Enodoc
Swinley Forest
The Addington
The Island
TOC
University of Michigan


Ciao

Sean

Sean,

I can't believe you haven't included Enniscrone - I thought you were a fellow disciple. Like you, I think you need a wide geographical spread. It's no good saying Sunningdale, Swinley, Berkshire, Walton Heath, St Georges Hill etc.. I also think you need some easy courses in there rather than just championship courses.

In alphabetical order:

Dooks
Enniscrone
Hardelot (Pins)
Machrihanish
Pebble Beach
Royal County Down
Royal Dornoch
St. Enodoc
Seignosse
Sunningdale (Old)

Ed

I feel it only fair to count courses that I have played...so...
Merion...my first trip there is still the most memorable round of golf I have every had

Pine Valley...quite simply golf perfection{despite the "overgrowth" of trees Patrick}

Cypress Point...a true architectural masterpiece from the master himself.


Pebble Beach...holes 4-10  and 18 are just too good to not include the entire course.

Pacific Dunes...simply blew me away that a links course this good existed outside of my homeland.

Kingsley Club...unlike any other so much awesome fun to play

San Fransisco Golf Club......Classical in every sense of the word..almost feels like it is the regal member of this list, such is the course's classic nature.

Western Gailes..the best example I have played of untouched pure vintage links golf..perhaps the way the game was 150 yeras ago.

Royal Birkdale...my personal favourite of the Open rota of courses.Ultimately fair and never tricked up.

Woodhall Spa...the finest inland course in the United Kingdom, anf again a supremely fair and stern teast of golf.


Of those I have not played that I would imagine joining this list are...
Royal Melbourne
Sand Hills
Garden City
NGLA
Banbougle

Del Rio CC (Brawley, Calif.)

What special affection do you have for it to be in your top 10 ?

Pacific Dunes (my favorite course)
Cypress Point (with Mr Huntley, for the stories alone!, oh, and the golf isnt bad either )
Prairie Dunes (the best all around course I have played)
Fishers Island
Pasatiempo
Plainfield
Atlantic City
Rustic Canyon
Lawsonia
Stone Eagle (I wouldnt mind replaying this past weekend forever, just in cooler weather)

Honorable mention to Blackwolf Run and Bandon Trails, and the Palms (I really enjoyed that course)