Hi MIke! Hello Terry, thanks for reading.
Look, please just chalk it up to my opinion.
People's tastes in golf coursers are personal, just like tastes in women. Guys look at me sideways because I like a fiery red-head or a permed brunette more than a blond.
We've been spoiled the last few years with Shinny, Oakmont, Pinehurst and winged foot. That's a tough crew to run with. As I like to say, a porterhouse, a bone in ribeye. a giant NY strip au poivre, and a double lobster tail. In true comparison, maybe OF is a petit filet in comparison.
Lets switch back to the yogurt analogy, maybe there are some nice blueberries with anti-oxidents in the yogurt.
I may disappoint you with my opinion...and it may get worse, because I was required...REQUIRED...to do a best/worst Open venues for another magazine and selected OF. But again, I didn't say it was worst in the country or state...just in a list of US Open venues. I havent seen those two in texas and in retrospect, maybe champions and the one in houston are worse, but I havent seen them in person or on TV. You also have to admit...OF took a beating from furyk and co in 2003. There didnt seem to be much architecture or great greens. I chose Chicago golf club as one of the ten best venues though.
I'll warn everyone right now, I was even more merciless on Medinah and TCC...ruthless. They may orderr an arrest warrent for me in whatever town TCC is in, but I have seen that and I was sort of bored. Granted, I saw it in '85 and again in '95 and have infinitely more architecture under my belt now, but hey, this was not my call. My editor asked me to do this piece and in a two day period. I do what I can and move to the next thing. If I get to see either course and change my mind, I'll be happy to say, you know what, I've seen the light.
My 10 best OPEN VENUES (NOT COURSES or FAVORITES) in no order:
Chicago GC
Winged Foot West (Number 2 in my book)
Oakmont (number 1)
Pinehurst No 2
Garden City
Myopia Hunt Club
Pebble (according to Ran, there's better architecture in the delmonte forest holes than many think and there's other reasons too...)
Shinny
Merion
OH
Worst
TCC
Medinah - "It’s the John Kerry of golf courses, a big ugly dog nobody likes: too much water, too many trees, too long, too flat, three scoops of unflavored yogurt for greens and the goofiest clubhouse ever. As Dan Jenkins wrote, “It was either built to look like a temple for Shriners or the architect designed it after he put on a fez and hit every bar on Rush Street.” The roof is topped with a row of gargoyles modeled on the grim visages of past PGA TOUR Commissioners, each spitting the bodies of unfortunate tour players with arrows, spears, and bloodthirsty fangs. Where’s Madeline Usher when we need her? And if you think that’s ugly, wait till you see the golf course…"
Olympia
Hazeltine
Torrey
Hmm...too much yogurt...next time, I'll mix in a salad:)
