What Are Your "Hidden Gems"?

[Chris_Blakely]

Some examples of my hidden gems (and why I think they are worth seeing):  

Blueberry Hill GC, Warren, PA. By Ferdinand (Fred) Garbin, who worked with James G. Harrison (who in turn I believe worked with Ross). This course in the remote wooded hills of NW Pennsylvania is a pleasure to play. It makes fine use of the rolling countryside, and the sloped, small greens evoke Ross. Although some of the holes have been reworked and are less interesting than the originals, any course that features bells that must be rung on three holes to alert the following group that the fairway is open is pretty cool to me. Has anyone else on this site played this course?


Maybe it's the course you grew up on. If it hits the definition, let us know about it.  Thanks for your input.

I too have played Bluebetty Hill in Warren PA,  However, I would only call the front 9 the true hidden gem / worth of seeking out if in the area.  The front 9 is the orginal 9 and was by James Harrison.  The back 9 was by Ferdinand Garbin.  After playing this course, I wan to play more early Harrison courses.  The back 9 at Blueberry Hill is not bad, but nothing that wowed me or made me think I need to play more Ferdidnand Garbin courses.

Chris

Chris,

That's interesting--I didn't know that the course was built in two phases but it makes sense. I agree the front 9 is much better. The topography for the front is better too.

Doug,

The front 9 was built in 1961 and the back 9 built in 1971, ten years later.  I agree the topography of the front 9 is better.  The greens are a lot better as well.  I loved the green sites on 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9.  As you mentioned earlier, I too liked the blind shots and have no problems with the occasional blind holes.  On a side note, I could do without their deafanig bells you rang after hitting your approach.

Chris

[Jason McNamara]

Klamath Falls? Wasn't that where Rocky and Bullwinkle were from?

Tim -

Heh.  Next town up the river, I think.

[Michael George]

Trying to revive this thread from several years back, as I am planning my golf for the season.  Any ideas in your area?

In Northeast Ohio, my list of hidden gems include: 

Mayfield (Ross) - most quirky course in Ohio, fun greens
Sleepy Hollow (Thompson) - great routing and layout, but below average maintenance
Congress Lake (Ross) - pretty authentic, short but fun to play
Firestone North (Jones) - a lot more fun to play than the South -16-18 are really good holes
Fowler's Mill (Dye) - early Dye design is more natural than his later work

This list excludes Kirtland, Canterbury, Country Club and Brookside - which are just gems - and Sharon for bias reasons

[Gary Slatter]

The Joe Lee course in Nassau, Bahamas. It used be South Ocean Beach, then it was Divi Resort, I don't know what it is now. I love that golf course.

Glenn, methinks that it is still closed - it was "redone" by Norman but did not reopen.   South Ocean was an excellent course, until around 1985.
The Bahamas has a few closed courses, sadly.

[Joe Bausch]

Near SE Pennsylvania:  Lebanon CC (Findlay).

[Gary Slatter]

Panmore
Uplands GC (Toronto) Stanley Thompson
Toronto Ladies (Toronto) ST
Manchester Golf Club Jamaica  1867
Cinnamon Hills  Jamaica 
Devlin Course  (with it new routing) best 14 hole finish in Fife)

my other hidden gem favourites will remain hidden forever, NLE

[Tim Martin]

Keney Park- Hartford CT-City owned with a Dev Emmet pedigree. Dollar Day is not to be missed twice a year where you play for $18 and hot dogs and beer are all a dollar.
Shennecossett-Groton CT-City owned and designed by Donald Ross in 1899. $25 as we speak to walk. Very linksy feel situated at the mouth of Long Island Sound and the Thames River.

 

[Jim_Kennedy]

Norfolk CC, Norfolk CT - 9 holes - sporty, fast, you will pay for underestimating it - story goes that AWT sketched a layout on the back of a napkin.

Stamford GC, Stamford NY  -18 holes, some (possibly most) by Travis - greens that fall away to the back, others with very noticeable undulations - nice views.

Shepard Hills, Roxbury, NY - 9 holes -arch. unkown - quirky - built by Jay Gould's daughter- very quiet place

Colonial CC, Tannersville, NY - 9 holes -real throwback - stone walls and berms across a couple of fairways - quirky - bring your camera for the view from the first tee - family owned

Worthington GC, Worthington, MA - 9 holes - some quirk - nice greens -  fun holes

Sharon CC, Sharon CT -  9 holes - arch. unknown - small, fast, and interesting greens   

Forest Park CC, Adams, Ma - 9 holes -Findlay ca. 1900 - some quirk, about what you'd expect from a 112 yr. old course -  good greens - on the Lee side of Mt. Greylock

Quaker Hill - Pawling NY - 9 holes - very early RTJ SR build for Lowell Thomas - very pretty site     

[Mark Saltzman]

The Territory in Duncan, Oklahoma?

Rated number 26 best residential by GW with a 7.00 rating, which would put it no. 80 modern.  Never heard of it and not a single mention on GCA.com.

http://www.territorygolf.com/

[Sam Morrow]

The Territory in Duncan, Oklahoma?

Rated number 26 best residential by GW with a 7.00 rating, which would put it no. 80 modern.  Never heard of it and not a single mention on GCA.com.

http://www.territorygolf.com/

It was very good, don't get me wrong but I didn't think it was that great. Off the top of my head it would flirt with my top 10 in Oklahoma.

[Mark Saltzman]

Sam, with a statement like that you have to know what's coming next... what's your OK top-10?

Off the top of my head, I would think the following are clearly ahead of it:

Southern Hills
Karsten Creek
Oak Tree National


And the following might be ahead of it:

The Patriot
Oklahoma City
GC of Oklahoma
Twin Hills
Tulsa CC
Cedar Ridge
Hillcrest
Oak Tree CC

[Sam Morrow]

Sam, with a statement like that you have to know what's coming next... what's your OK top-10?

Off the top of my head, I would think the following are clearly ahead of it:

Southern Hills
Karsten Creek
Oak Tree National


And the following might be ahead of it:

The Patriot
Oklahoma City
GC of Oklahoma
Twin Hills
Tulsa CC
Cedar Ridge
Hillcrest
Oak Tree CC

I knew it was coming

Southern Hills
OKC
Twin Hills
Oak Tree National
Cedar Ridge
Tulsa CC
Gallardia
Hillcrest
Oak Tree CC
Dornick
Territory/GC of OK

I've never played Patriot and I got rained out both times at Karsten Creek and never finished. I also haven't played Tulsa since the redo. I might throw some crazy wildcards like Chicashaw Pointe, Sugar Creek Canyons, or Lincoln Park in there.

[Greg Tallman]

I will throw out Cacapon State Park in West Virginia's eastern panhandle. Great land and a very good track.

[Kevin Pallier]

Arrowtown in Queenstown NZ.

[Tim Pitner]

Saddleback Ridge in Solon, IA.

[Scott Warren]

What do those who have played CommonGround think of it?

[Tim Pitner]

What do those who have played CommonGround think of it?

It's a gem; it's not hidden.

[Chris_Blakely]

Moose GC, Sidney, OH  Unknown Architect - very hilly course, some wild greens, tons of quirk

[Joe Stansell]

What do those who have played CommonGround think of it?

It's a gem; it's not hidden.

Completely agree.

[Michael George]

Sam, with a statement like that you have to know what's coming next... what's your OK top-10?

Off the top of my head, I would think the following are clearly ahead of it:

Southern Hills
Karsten Creek
Oak Tree National


And the following might be ahead of it:

The Patriot
Oklahoma City
GC of Oklahoma
Twin Hills
Tulsa CC
Cedar Ridge
Hillcrest
Oak Tree CC

This along with the Patriot thread - sounds like a guy that is planning an Oklahoma golf trip this summer  

[Matt Waterbury]

Plymouth Country Club. Plymouth, MA.

With Old Sandwich, BGC, Black Rock, etc. sharing Plymouth County, this one gets overlooked. Great Donald Ross gem.

[Greg Tallman]

The Joe Lee course in Nassau, Bahamas. It used be South Ocean Beach, then it was Divi Resort, I don't know what it is now. I love that golf course.

Glenn, methinks that it is still closed - it was "redone" by Norman but did not reopen.   South Ocean was an excellent course, until around 1985.
The Bahamas has a few closed courses, sadly.

Played it back in 1998 I believe... had a few interesting holes but did not find anything great. Conditioning was minimal.

[Bill Crane]

Highland Links, Truro MASS - Public - a TRUE links course on the Ocean 175 foot dunes, firm, fast, sand and wind. Short

Cummiquid - Barnstable, MASS, Prvt overshadowed by other Cape Cod courses

Manasquan River, Brielle,  NJ  Prvt.  Excellent course, heard was recently renovated

Buena Vista, Buena, NJ  Public- 45 mins from the shore, great layout some super holes, Wm Gordon design

Granville Golf Course, Granville OHIO  - Donald Ross greens, hilly back nine.

Locust Valley,  Coopersburg, PA - Public,  also Wm Gordon design.  Cut down a few evergreens and could be a private club again.

Bucknell Univ G C - Lewisburg, PA - Semi Public - charming, small greens, improved with Treee removal. Some quirks.

Club de Golf Cowansville, Cowansville, QUEBEC - Eastern Twps gem- a great walk in the part, No homes. just 40 loonies or less

Must be more I can think of.

[Jason Topp]

I picked one course I have played per state that fits the topic the best.  Some are not “hidden” and some are not “gems.”

AL – Cambrian Ridge.  RTJ Trail course in the middle of nowhere.  Only course I have played in the state
AR – Hank Haney’s Texarkana Golf Ranch – I am not sure whether or not the course is in Texas or Arkansas but it is a terrific, difficult layout on rolling topography for a very low price.  I played it dormant but I suspect the conditions are a bit rough. Texarkana Country Club is my only other choice and I am not sure what state that is in either.
AZ – Keno Springs, Nogales – relatively mundane Red Lawrence course in a cool setting with surrounding mountains and nothing around.
CA – Escena – Palm Springs
CO – Riverdale Dunes – Dunes – Good muni often open when I have meetings in Boulder in February.  I have only played twice in Colorado.
FL – Fiddlesticks Long Mean – terrific Florida housing course in Fort Myers.
GA – Deer Creek – Landings – Fazio in nice setting with perched up greens and short grass surrounds.
HA – Kapalua Bay – not much to choose from here because all my courses have been big guns.  This comes closest. 
IL – Westview Golf Course – Quincy – not much of a course but good memories from playing the Little Peoples Junior tournament as a young teenager.
IA – Amana Colonies – many here do not like the course but I do.  Beautiful setting and interesting greens.  Pretty much a cart course, however.
KS – Wichita State University Golf Course –Only course I have played in the state.  I do not remember much about it.  I was in college. 
MA – Wauchussett, Worcester – At least nine holes of good Donald Ross – semi private.
MN – Wapicada, Sauk Center – A nice example of a country course built 9 holes at a time.
MS – The Preserve – Jerry Pate’s course near Biloxi.  Lower profile than many casino courses and a solid test.
MT – Big Sky – not much of a course but only one of two I have played in the state. 
NC – Southern Pines – I really enjoyed this Ross.
NE – Wildhorse – only other course I have played is Sand Hills.
NM – Santa Ana – I really like the original 18 as a good straightforward 60’s type of golf with big slope on the greens.  I am not a fan of the 9 they added which break up the original course.
OR – Bandon Trails – I have only played the Bandon courses so this is the one that most closely meets the definition.
SC – Camden CC – Really enjoyed this course at the Dixie Cup.
SD – Sutton Bay – only course I have played in the state.
VA – Providence, Richmond – public course by Lester George.  Great fun and pleasant experience.
WI – New Richmond, WI – Golden Age Course that has been chopped up by housing.  Holes that I presume are original are terrific. 

[Jim Sherma]

Bill

I wholeheartedly agree with Locust Valley. Real good course on a good piece of land. Went public after Bethlehem Steel's slide towards oblivian allowed more member flow from Locust Valley to Saucon Valley possible. Locust is only a couple of miles away from Saucon. When it first went public I played there an awful lot as it took a few years to start resembling a public course in terms of conditions. Playing there definitely made me tighten up my game. I haven't played it in a few years but drove by last week and the holes you could see from the road looked in nice shape. Would recommend Locust over any other public in the immediate area.