[David Stamm]

After playing a really fun nine holer in Orange County for the first time yesterday, I was thinking on the way home about how fun some short courses can be, whether 9 or 18 holes. I think the game would benefit tremendously from 9 holers being built today because of the limited time so many of us have these days. What are some of your favorite short courses and why do you like them? I'll start with Pacific Grove. We all know how good the back nine is for obvious reasons, but I've come to appreciate the front nine over time. It has a wonderful old feel to it and I'm told is reminiscent of a early 20th centruy English parkland course you would find in small towns across the country.

[Brad Tufts]

Armand Hammer GC

Simper and I had a 4-rd. blood match there last Thurs. evening.
I shot rounds of 52-53-52-50.

I especially like the Biarritz-styled 55-yd 4th hole with the diagonal-hazard concrete wash.

 

White River GC off route 100 in Central Vermont.  Par 34, about 3000 yards, with the namesake river wrapping around it, and wedged in a beautiful valley.

J. P. Larkin CC near Lebanon, NH, but over the river in VT.  Par 34, about 2900 yards, classically-styled hidden gem golf, with holes on 3-4 distinct terraces cascading down a hillside.

[mike_malone]

 I can think of two right away. McCall Field (Peco) in Philadelphia is an executive 18 hole course with par in the low 60's. It has some demanding par threes, some tempting driveable par fours, and good elevation change.

    Montchanin is a course at DuPont CC. in Wilmington, De. It was a nine hole course converted to  18 holes with par in the low 60's. Several of the par threes are very demanding.

[JSlonis]

Crail- Balcomie Links

5861 yds, Par 69

One of the surprises of our trip.  We had a great time playing this historic links.  The constant wind of 35 MPH with gusts to 50 mph made things interesting as well.

[Tom Huckaby]

I love short courses!

One fave is Scholl Canyon, Glendale, CA.

Par 61 or something, maynbe 4000 yards.  Action-packed, great greens, very very fun.

Maybe some of you SoCalers have played it?

I'd also list DeBell in Burbank, but I don't want Ryan Simper or Brian Noser to break out in hives.

Up here in NorCal, we have a pretty brilliant par 58 or so called Deep Cliff.  Very fun course.  Problem is extreme overcrowding.

[rjsimper]

You mean DumBell?

Armand Hammer is up there for me...home of my only hole-in-one (on the 17th with a putter) and a career best score of -3 for 18 holes.

Rancho Park's 9 hole par 3 course is actually a good bit of fun.

[David Stamm]

Hucks, I've seen a review of Deep Cliff on the Hooked on Golf's website. It looks really fun!

[Brad Tufts]

Keep in mind that hole in one was on the 45-yard 17th hole at A & H with a putter...

I'm a big fan of President's Golf Course in North Quincy, MA.  5690 yards, par 70.  6 par 3s, greens with some crazy slopes...and the wild 15th hole, a question-mark par 5 with water involved...

[John Shimp]

Cape Arundel in Maine is just a delight.

Tricky course with wild greens and great bunkering.

Wind can really blow and course plays firm then.

Tons of fun

[wsmorrison]

Merion West is an excellent short course at 5989 yards, par 70.  I wrote a course description and sent it to Ran.  I'm not sure what happened to it, I guess it didn't pass the grade.  Here are some photographs.

5th




Drop shot 6th



7th




7green



8th tee



8green



10th




10green


16th



1 green



17



18 green

[K. Krahenbuhl]

I haven't seen many pictures of the West course before Wayne.  It looks like a lot of fun to play...thanks for posting.

[Phil McDade]

Boat of Garten and Machrihanish are two Scottish courses that play under 6,000 yards from the regular tees and offer plenty of challenge. Cullen and Stonehaven, in the northern environs, are short and very quirky.

I actually think a shortish course in Wisconsin that's been much improved is the old Briar Patch at Lake Geneva -- now known as the Highlands -- initially a Nicklaus/Dye partnership that was compromised by routing challenges. It's often bypassed by those preferring the RB Harris Brute, but it's fun with some challenge and blindness.

[Andrew Summerell]

I think the game would benefit tremendously from 9 holers being built today because of the limited time so many of us have these days. What are some of your favorite short courses and why do you like them?

The 9 hole idea for modern times is a great idea.

Here in Sydney, Australia, there is a real stigma held towards 9 hole courses. They are seen as being on the bottom rung of the ladder, yet there are some short 18 hole courses here that are pretty bad, but would actually make quite reasonable 9 hole courses on their existing land.

Disregarding many of the wonderful courses that have become short in modern times due to technology & considering only courses under 6000 yards, there are plenty in Scotland.  I would nominate Kilspindie, Durness, Traigh & Golspie. I’m sure there is many more up there that I haven’t played.

[kevinT]

My favorite short course is the Bay Course at Seaview.  I am a little drawn to this because of my position at the course (Golf Course Superintendent) However, how many courses can you play (public) that are this old and a traditional links style course?  Even at 6200 it can still be a challenging course.  You might be able to knock it off the tee a great way but do you have the short game?  

[David Stamm]

Kevin, great to see you here and welcome. It's always nice to have Super's here on this site. I know a little about the Seaview resort. Who performed the restoration of the Bay course?

[Jeff Doerr]

Merion West is an excellent short course at 5989 yards, par 70.  I wrote a course description and sent it to Ran.  I'm not sure what happened to it, I guess it didn't pass the grade.  Here are some photographs.

8th tee

Wayne, great stuff, thanks for letting us see some of the other side! Boy, would I love to hit the tee shot on 8.

[Jon Spaulding]

The "best" I've seen in person is Claremont CC, based on the holes that I was able to play before the hailstorm. Judging by photos, Merion West sure looks interesting. Having said that, my "favorite" is Ben Brown's/Aliso Creek. It's 5 minutes from home, and the tradition category is enhanced by some good times out there during high school.

DS, you might consider refining the question to under 6,000, with par above 54......of course this would knock your beloved Shorecliffs from the running .

[David Stamm]

Merion West is an excellent short course at 5989 yards, par 70.  I wrote a course description and sent it to Ran.  I'm not sure what happened to it, I guess it didn't pass the grade.  

Wayne, if this course doesn't pass the grade, then there's something wrong with the grading system!

[David Stamm]

 Having said that, my "favorite" is Ben Brown's/Aliso Creek. It's 5 minutes from home, and the tradition category is enhanced by some good times out there during high school.

DS, you might consider refining the question to under 6,000, with par above 54......of course this would knock your beloved Shorecliffs from the running .

My friend Jon has named the course that I played that prompted me to start this thread. It really is a fun little course. BTW, thanks for the info on Brown. I couldn't figure out who originally did it. Also, Baird is the one that redid it.


You're freakin' killin' me with the Shorecliffs reference. Remember, you're the one that played there for your first round ever, and somehow you came out okay!  

[wsmorrison]

Jeff,

Its only 3000 miles away.  There's more room on the right than appears.  It is also the best line into the green, that is if you don't try to drive it and risk the surrounding trouble.

David,

It is a fabulous course and a lot of fun for all classes of golfers.  I'll talk to Ran about posting the write-up.  I think I still have it somewhere.

[Tim Gavrich]

I quite enjoy Fenwick GC whenever I play it.  There's an "In My Opinion" piece about it here.  Great fun.

[Bill Gayne]

The original Dooks at about 6,000 yards from the back tees. From what I understand Hawtree has extended it to about 6600 yards. I haven't seen the longer course but at 6,000 yards it was a lot of fun.

For an executive level course the Golden Horseshoe's Spotswood course. It's a really a nine hole par 60 that's played from two sets of tees.

[Bill Gayne]

Colt's Portrush Valley course from the medal tees measures 6,054 yards and plays to a par 68.

Any thoughts as to what mix of par holes work the best on a short course? The Valley course has five par three holes and one par five. The par fours are a good mix of length from 324 yards to 472 yards.

[JNC Lyon]

One of my favorite short 18 holes around the Rochester, NY area is a course in Batavia, 40 minutes west, called Terry Hills.  It has 27 holes and no driving range, and the third nine is nothing special, but Holes 1-18 (the third nine is labeled 19-27) are very cool.  The first nine was laid out by a local farmer, and includes two par fours under 300 yards, including one with a green that makes the 13th at Augusta look flat.  The second nine is the newest nine, designed by Mark Mungeam.  It includes two more drivable par fours, minimal but tasteful bunkering, neat greens and a near island green, which is made playable by the fact that it is open in front of the green.  My favorite hole is number three, a 120 yard downhill par three.  A creek guards the front right, but a bail out long leaves a downhill putt on a very steep green, and ginat bank left offers more problems.  The course also adds a mini-golf course for after the round.  Anyone on the way from Rochester to Buffalo should stop to play this course (but 1-18 only).


This is an overview of the 3rd hole mentioned above. The green slopes towards the water short and right.

Another course in the Rochester that is slightly more off the beaten path is Island Valley in Fairport.  Located right off the main drag, the nine hole course has a total of two bunkers and measures under 3000 yards with a par of 35.  The course is dismissed even by the locals.  However, there is a very large hill with steep falloffs located in the middle of the course that is ultilized well on several holes, as well as a creek running along the border of the property.  Some cool holes from the course's website:


The Fantastic short par three third over the gully.


Another cool short three at Number Five, with the creek hidden left of the green.  This hole plays about 80 yards but the green is still extremely difficult to hit.


The Seventh Hole, with the tee high on the bluff and the creek hidden beyond the green.


The par three closer, shrouded in trees, with a cool bowl green.  A steep bank is hidden to the right.

[Yancey_Beamer]

David,
You played Aliso Creek.I've spent many happy hours there.
Simply charming.
Yancey

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