The most functional course you've seen...

[Jim Thompson]

Ok guys, after thinking about the Seth Raynor as critic concept for a few days, I'm wondering what are the most functional courses you've seen?  Forget the aesthetics and landscape architecture issues for a second and go through your respective mental lists of golf course and big out the five that best placed or used their features for the playing of the game.  I'm hoping this turns out to be interesting.

Cheers!

JT

[Bill Brightly]

Fishers Island by Raynor is a no brainer. What a place to build a golf course!  Since he only built one fairway bunker, I'd say he used the land (and sea) perfectly.

Of course, I've only seen pictures and dreamed about playing Fishers...so I'd say that Plainfield is the best non-links course I've ever played in terms of "using the land".

[Tony Petersen]

Sand Hills seems to be a no-brainer with regards to functionality and using what nature provided

Another design that I had forgotten about that I really appreciate is Talking Stick North. What a fun design for all players, regardless of handicap. Great use of the natural features, somewhat benign greens, LOTS of room around the greens for getting a wee bit creative

[Paul Payne]

Functional??

I'm not sure what exactly this drives at but I did have one pop into my mind that I've never seen discussed here.

Royal St. Kitts in of course... St Kitts.

It is not a fancy course by any means and is almost utilitarian in it's hole layout. What it does do is take great advantage of its location between the ocean and and marshland on a narrow spot on the island. The holes are routed in a way to force play in different wind directions, although a majority of the holes will run diagonal to the wind causing the bunkering around the greens to be fiendishly greedy. Seems there is always a bunker where the wind may blow.

It was redone by Canadian architect Thomas Mcbroom who I don't know anything about. From the practical standpoint the layout and slope on the fairways appear to allow for great drainage towards the marsh or ocean on every hole. There is also enough natural roll on the bluffs leading away from the ocean to give the inner holes some unique character apart the the more flat ocean or marsh side holes.

The closing series of holes plays along a crescent beach on the ocean but it doesn't have the same WOW factor that many ocean courses do. Rather it feels like a mighty big water hazard to the left. Because of the constant ocean wind the course is always a challenge and plays fast and firm. Best of all, reasonable greens fees. I was there in June and paid $70 per round.

It belongs to the Marriott resort so I had a preconcieved notion of what I'd find. To my surprise the course was an absolute roller coaster thrill ride to play. I played every day for five days and loved every shot on every hole. I don't think it will ever get written up anywhere but I would call this one a very functional course.

When you visit the island everyone says you must play the RTJ course in Nevis (which I did) and trust me, it has got nuthin' on Royal St Kitts.

[Jim Thompson]

Maybe I'm not very good at expressing myself clearly.  By functional I mean the impact or usefulness of the role played by the features on the golf course; bunker placement, contouring, seed lines, slopes, ridges, spines, bowls, hummocks and the like.  Specifically the placement of the man made items, use of angles, elevation changes and the relationship of golf course features to each other for the playing of the game.  This type of thinking is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Raynornessence.  Does that help?

[Dan Herrmann]

Merion East.  Best example I've ever seen.  Angles galore, fantastic green complexes, very walkable, doesn't waste any space, efficient.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Jim,

I think NGLA functions well for both the scratch and the bogey golfer and everyone in between.

The features encountered, depending upon the lines of play you elect/play, function extremely well.

The spatial relationships of the features, to each level of golfer's game, is quite unique, and quite functional.

George Bahto's book, "The Evangelist of Golf" provides some hole by hole insight with respect to NGLA and functionality.

[Joel_Stewart]

Seminole:

For all the same reasons that Dan mentions Merion except add the wind.

[Wayne Freeman]

 Piping Rock- a McDonald classic from 1912-  just fits perfectly.

[mike_beene]

North Berwick.Use of the walls,the gate,the burns and slope.Nothing is unused.