[Mark_Fine]

I am compiling a list of noteworthy classic “public” or preferably “municipal” golf courses in the country.  Their current condition does not matter.  If you have a suggestion to contribute to the list, please email me and/or post it here.  More will follow on this later.  Thanks in advance for everyone’s ideas and suggestions.  
Mark

[Sam Morrow]

Mark anyway you could post the courses you already have on the list?

[Mike_Cirba]

Mark,

Do I need to mention my municipal nomination?

[Mark_Fine]

Sam,
Here are a few - Clifton Park, Griffith Park, Wellshire GC, New Smyrna Beach Municipal GC, Sharp Park, Franklin Park, Mark Twain Golf Course, ...

Mike,
Yours is noted  

[Sam Morrow]

Sam,
Here are a few - Clifton Park, Griffith Park, Wellshire GC, New Smyrna Beach Municipal GC, Sharp Park, Franklin Park, Mark Twain Golf Course, ...

Mike,
Yours is noted  

Thanks!

[Jay Cox]

Boston:  
George Wright:  designed by Ross, and a very good golf course, with an especially strong stretch of par 4s around the turn.

Franklin Park:  the original course was built by Wright at the same time that one F.L. Omstead built the surrounding park; there is evidence that Willie Campbell made some changes to the course, though I haven't been able to figure out what he did or how extensive his involvement was; the course decayed and was closed for a while until Phil Wogan rebuilt it in the '80s; it's second-oldest public course in the country, after Van Cortlandt Park; while at Harvard Law School, Bobby Jones practiced there.

Putterham Meadows:  designed by Stiles and Van Kleek; directly adjacent to The Country Club in Brookline (and also known as Brookline Golf Course, much superior to its mini-golf-esque common name); a sort of mini-TCC, built on similar terrain, though of course without the sophistication; still, a very fun place.

D.C.:
East Potomac Park:  attributed to Walter Travis, Robert White, or both (I'm sure someone here knows its history far better than I do); part of a 36 hole complex a stone's throw from the Capitol.

Louisville, KY:
Seneca:  designed by Alex McKay with numerous renovations, including by E.L. Packard; hosted the PGA Tour's Derby City Open for several years and was the site of Gary Player's first PGA tour win.

[TEPaul]

Classic public or municipal courses??

Well, I have one for you and whatever it is you're compiling if this one is the only one you include whatever you're compiling will be a raging success, I guarantee it.

Of course I'm referring to the greatest hidden gem in the whole wide world----Timucuan Indian architect Tommy Birdsong's FERNANDINA MUNICIPAL GC!!!!

I'll even give you a hint about perhaps its greatest asset, and that is it's pretty seriously MINIMALIST!

This is not to say TommyB intended it to be that way, but nevertheless, that is the way it is.

I'll tell you another thing it has, Mark, and that's some really good use of strategic Spanish Moss!

Another thing it utilizes really well in the form of "Variety" like the wind at TOC is the occassional pyschological hazard use of low flying private jets all the way from Lears to Gulfstream Vs.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Michael J Fay says with $500,000 Asheville Municipal (nee Buncombe) would be one of the best municipal courses in the United States, and I agree.  (Tree removal alone would do wonders.)

Donald Ross original -- only one change on the entire course (not including standard maintenance degradation): 10th tee moved to accommodate maintenance shed.

The Vanny -- Van Cortlandt Park -- deserves a place on this list, too!

[Phil_the_Author]

Mark,

You must include the ONLY club that has three different courses that have hosted USGA National Championships... Bethpage State Park.

The Red & Blue courses hosted the 1936 Public Links and of course the Black with the 2002 & 09 US Opens...

[Scott_Burroughs]

Wilmington GC, NC

The one in Atlanta - N. Fulton?

Isn't Manakiki, the Ross in Cleveland muni now?

I'm assuming Cirba isn't talking about Jeffersonville.  

Shennecosset in CT

Eastmoreland in/near Portland, OR

Geoff Shackelford nominates Torrey Pines.

[John Kirk]

Haggin Oaks near Sacramento was originally a Mackenzie design.  I don't know how much has been preserved.  Never played it.

I have played Ancil Hoffman near Sacramento, which is nice.  Billy Bell, Jr., about 1953.

When you say classic, I assume you mean Golden Age era stuff?

[Sean_A]

I assume you mean 1920s & 30s by "classic".

Rogell (now New Rogell) in Detroit.  A 1920ish Ross with few scratches on it.  It has recently left the hands of the City of Detroit and is privately owned, but still very public.  

In Plymouth there is a notable course called Brae Burn http://michigan.twoguyswhogolf.com/reviews/braeburn.html.  
A 1925ish Wilfred Reid design that has had some serious alterations, but remains very much a classic feeling course.  

There is Belvedere, a Willie Watson course designed around 1925ish.  http://www.belvederegolfclub.com/
I don't know how much has changed.  I am not sure about public its status.  The course allows public play, but may be semi-private.


Ciao

[Brad Klein]

Keney Park (D. Emmet), Hartford, Ct.

Triggs Memorial (D. Ross), Providence, R.I.

Wilmington Municipal (D. Ross), Wilmington, N.C.

Swope Memorial (A.W. Tillinghast), Kansas City, Kan.

Memorial Park (J. Bredemus), Houston, Tex.

Manikiki (D. Ross), Cleveland, Ohio

Indian Canyon GC (H.C. Egan), Spokane, Wash.

West Seattle GC (H.C. Egan), Seattle, Wash.

Eastmoreland GC (H.C. Egan), Portland, Ore.

Brown Deer Park (G. Hansen), Milwaukee, Wisc.

Harding Park (W. Watson), San Francisco, Cal.

Randolph Park-North (W.P. Bell), Tucson, Az.

Mt. Pleasant GC (G. Hook), Baltimore, Md.

Pinecrest GC (W.H. Tucker), Idaho Falls, Id.

Bacon Park (D. Ross), Savannah, Ga.

[Mark_Fine]

Great recommendations guys.  Thanks for all those sent offline as well.  Keep them coming.  I'll give it a few days then post where things stand.  Thanks.

[Jeff Spittel]

I'll second Memorial Park by Bredemus.

[Buck Wolter]

Waveland Municipal in Des Moines -- 1901 and supposedly the oldest Muni west of the Mississippi

Normandie in St. Louis a Robert Foulis design also from 1901 that's probably been saved by the recent housing slump.

The Forest Park Muni in St. Louis had it's charm stolen a few years back but is still probably worth mentioning.

[Phil_the_Author]

And of course there is also Brackenridge Park whose long history as a site on the PGA Tour and another wonderful Tilly design.

It is now being renovated and restored...

[michael_j_fay]

I'll add:

Palatka Municipal, Palatka, FL

Bobby Jones Municipal, Sarasota, FL

Fort Meyers Municipal, Fort Meyers, FL

[Ed Oden]

I'll nominate Cedar Crest in Dallas (Tillinghast), site of the 1927 PGA.  It was a neglected gem when I was in Dallas.  Has anyone played since D.A. Weibring gave it a face lift a couple of years ago?

[George Freeman]

Rackham GC, a Ross design in metro Detroit

[Michael Blake]

I'll nominate my home course/local muni, a supposed 1931 Ross design.  There have been discussions on this site that his associate J. McGovern designed it.  Maybe Mr Fay can comment, as it is not listed/acknowledged on the Ross Society website.



http://www.westnorritontwp.org/golf.htm

[Lester George]

Rock Manor-Wilmington, DE.  Built in 1922, designed by "members".  Re-opening this year after a three year renovation.  No original holes left, but we think all are better.  

Lester

[Jason Topp]

In the twin cities area, I would suggest

Keller  http://www.co.ramsey.mn.us/parks/golf/keller.htm (Unknown)(Site of St. Paul Open)

Gross

http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=94&parkid=293 (Clark)(1964 US Public Links)

Others:

Veenker - Ames, Ia (Remnants of Maxwell)

[Evan Fleisher]

Here are a few others of note:

* Sleepy Hollow - Brecksville, OH (Stanley Thompson)

* West Bend CC - West Bend, WI (William Langford & Theodore Moreau)

[Kalen Braley]

Indian Canyon in Spokane, WA...Chandler Egan course.

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