Golfweeks Best Munis

[Dan Herrmann]

City of Portland, OR has a great rota of munis - Heron Lakes (2 courses), Eastmoreland, Rose City, and what used to be called Progress Downs.

[JohnV]

Dan,

I was surprised the Eastmoreland didn't make the list or possibly the Great Blue at Heron Lakes.

[Richard Choi]

Dan and John,

Heron and other courses around Portland are certainly worthy of considerations, but all of those courses are still a notch below the Olympic Course at Gold Mountain (the site of 2006 Pub Links Championship).

If you ask me where I would rather play for the same amount of money; Torrey Pines or Olympic and I will choose Olympic without hesitation.

[PCCraig]

Hold on Shivas...

I would admit that #8 / 9 are a bit goofy, but on the whole there are some good holes there. A huge plus is that the majority of the course is on secluded land with no homes.

Holes #4-7 are great, as is the par 3 13th / short par 4 14th.

[Matt_Ward]

The issue I have with a few of the muni's chosen is that while they may have stellar layouts in most cases (e.g Montauk Downs) but the other concern is the day-to-day maintenance practices. Last time I was at MD -- about two years ago -- you needed to make a full shoulder turn to get a ten-foot putt to the hole.

Others have mentioned a few courses from across the nation and I do agree about Great Blue at Heron lakes being included. It's the equal of Hominy Hill in NJ.

[Dave Bourgeois]

No love for Richter Park....  Maybe we will be a bit below the radar and it will start to thin out a little.  

Some of our traffic might head to #10 Wintonbury in Bloomfield, which I think has lower out of town rates (wonderful course BTW).

[Rich Brittingham]

Playing Laurel Hills for the first time tomorrow.  At $89 its pricey for a muni, but that tee sheet is always packed.

[John Sheehan]

Hi Brad,
I was curious whether The Olympic Course at Gold Mountain in Bremerton, WA and/or Callippe Preserve in Pleasanton, CA were considered?
Thanks,
John

[Bill_Yates]

Congratulations to Forrest for The Hideout, rated #22!

Great photos of the course at http://www.golfgroupltd.com/the_hideout.html

[Adam Clayman]

John, It's my guess, because they included the rating number, the list was simply pulled from the database that Brad has created.

 Now, it is possible that the data does not include whether or not it is owned by a municipality. However, I suspect that's not the case. With only 30 to list and Pinon Hills in the top 5, Gold Mtn would have a hard time making such a short list. I agree that GM is a good golf course. Better than PH? Not in my votes.

[Kirk Gill]

What about the 30 best "rat-ass" munis? Those old-school type of muni, where the architect probably isn't even known, the greens are round, the bunkers are few and far between, and where lots of golfers get their start. How to honor or memorialize those? Or is that not a worthy cause?

[John Sheehan]

John, It's my guess, because they included the rating number, the list was simply pulled from the database that Brad has created.

 Now, it is possible that the data does not include whether or not it is owned by a municipality. However, I suspect that's not the case. With only 30 to list and Pinon Hills in the top 5, Gold Mtn would have a hard time making such a short list. I agree that GM is a good golf course. Better than PH? Not in my votes.

Adam,
Thanks for your take on that.  I haven't played PH (unfortunately), so I can't make a comparison.  I was completely smitten with Harbottle's work at GM - wonderful strategic design on a beautiful piece of land.  A golfing friend of mine lives right near the course, and that is how I ended up reviewing it.  He never grows tired of it, and continues to learn something new everytime he plays it - high praise in my book.  

[Sam Morrow]

What about the 30 best "rat-ass" munis? Those old-school type of muni, where the architect probably isn't even known, the greens are round, the bunkers are few and far between, and where lots of golfers get their start. How to honor or memorialize those? Or is that not a worthy cause?

In Texas we call those Leon Howard designs.

[Brad Klein]

All of our ratings are pulled from one big fat data base of ratings. We then just cull for the course facility type,which in this case is all courses owned by a city/county/state jurisdiction, even if operated for the municipality at arm's length by a management company.

[John_Conley]

What about the 30 best "rat-ass" munis? Those old-school type of muni, where the architect probably isn't even known, the greens are round, the bunkers are few and far between, and where lots of golfers get their start. How to honor or memorialize those? Or is that not a worthy cause?

Kirk, GOLFWEEK has a lot of lists driven off the same rating process Brad described.  I don't see a problem with creating that list if you could somehow define the criteria.  It doesn't seem as cut and dry as Residential, Casino, University/College, or Municipal.

[Sean Leary]

I like Gold Mountain considerably more than Indian Canyon for what its worth.....

[Tim Leahy]

After last weekend who would not choose Torrey Pines South #1?

[Phil_the_Author]

"After last weekend who would not choose Torrey Pines South #1?"

At least one of us!        

[Garland Bayley]

After last weekend who would not choose Torrey Pines South #1?

I might choose Rocco as my favorite touring pro, but what does last weekend have to do with the quality of a golf design?

[Lynn_Shackelford]

"All of our ratings are pulled from one big fat data base of ratings. We then just cull for the course facility type,which in this case is all courses owned by a city/county/state jurisdiction, even if operated for the municipality at arm's length by a management company."


Brad, I play a pretty good course named Rustic Canyon.  Has it dropped that far?
It is owned by the County of Ventura.

[Kalen Braley]

After last weekend who would not choose Torrey Pines South #1?

I might choose Rocco as my favorite touring pro, but what does last weekend have to do with the quality of a golf design?

Amen Garland, amen.

I've been trying to say this time and time again and at least now I'm not alone. 

I couldn't agree more!!!

[Bill Shamleffer]

What about the 30 best "rat-ass" munis? Those old-school type of muni, where the architect probably isn't even known, the greens are round, the bunkers are few and far between, and where lots of golfers get their start. How to honor or memorialize those? Or is that not a worthy cause?

I nominate the following (that I have all played):

Forest Park (St. Louis)
Waveland (Des Moines)
Brackenridge (San Antonio)
Swope Park (Kansas City, MO)
Franconia (Springfield, MA)
Galloway Golf Course (Memphis)
George Wright (Boston)
Grand Marias (East St. Louis)
Hulman Links (Terre Haute, IN)

[Garland Bayley]

Congratulations to Forrest for The Hideout, rated #22!

Great photos of the course at http://www.golfgroupltd.com/the_hideout.html

Bill,

You might be interested in this thread.
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,26395.0.html

[Garland Bayley]

What about the 30 best "rat-ass" munis? Those old-school type of muni, where the architect probably isn't even known, the greens are round, the bunkers are few and far between, and where lots of golfers get their start. How to honor or memorialize those? Or is that not a worthy cause?

I nominate the following (that I have all played):

Forest Park (St. Louis)
Waveland (Des Moines)
Brackenridge (San Antonio)
Swope Park (Kansas City, MO)
Franconia (Springfield, MA)
Galloway Golf Course (Memphis)
George Wright (Boston)
Grand Marias (East St. Louis)
Hulman Links (Terre Haute, IN)

Bill,

I think Tilly is pretty well known, don't you?

[Garland Bayley]

After last weekend who would not choose Torrey Pines South #1?

2nd answer.

Tim,

Which part of Bethpage Black and Chambers Bay don't you understand.