GD 50 Best Golf Retreats

[Chuck Brown]

I haven't seen this listing as part of any long-term regular feature at Golf Digest; as far as I know, and I might be wrong, they did this once a few years ago and haven't done it since:

http://www.golfdigest.com/golfdigestindex/50retreats2.html

It's kind of a nice compliation - quality of golf, food and accomodations, combined.

And of course there were some painfully obvious leaders -- ANGC, Pine Valley, Sand Hills, etc.

What I was interested in was the less-than-obvious qualifiers.  For instance, I did not know that Oakmont had any guest lodging.  And I had thought that Riviera did -- I stayed there a couple of times many years ago.  Are there other clubs/courses with lodging, that they overlooked?  Since we all love lists and ratings, are there any places that were mis-ratred or should make the next list?  Updates to what is on the 2006 list?

Discuss... 

[Anthony Gray]

 The Alotian? I would like to know more.

  Anthony

[Chuck Brown]

Just to be clear on Topsy Siderowf's methodolgy (differentiating [private] "Retreats" from "Golf Resorts," for instance) here is her lead-in to the list I linked above:

http://www.golfdigest.com/golfdigestindex/50retreats.html

Just curious; does "Golf Digest Index" still exist as such?

[Jim Franklin]

 The Alotian? I would like to know more.

  Anthony

Fantastic place. Course is easily in Fazio's top 3. Service is impeccable, range is phenomenal.

[Tom Huckaby]

"Course is easily in Fazio's top 3."

Curious what those Top 3 would be.. and Jim, have you played Martis Camp?  It may intrude on said rankings... it is pretty incredible.

[Jim Franklin]

My Fazio top 3 are:

1. Victoria National
2. The Alotian
3. Wade Hampton

I am playing Gozzer Ranch next week which I hear is terrific. I have not played the course you mentioned. Where is it?

[Tom Huckaby]

Martis Camp is in Truckee, pretty near Lake Tahoe.

It is FANTASTIC.  Joel Stewart raved about it in here many months ago... I just got there earlier this week.  Wow.

Not sure how it stacks up against other Fazios - and if fact I have played none you mentioned - but it makes my personal top 25 fairly easily, which not to be arrogant or anything is not a small statement.  I have somewhat been around, here and overseas.

 

[Jim Franklin]

I have been around too , and VN is in my top 10 and the other two are in my top 20.

[Tom Huckaby]

I have been around too , and VN is in my top 10 and the other two are in my top 20.

Oh I know that!  Much more than I have.  So those are even taller statements.
But of course you know all here have to take it with an ocean of salt - all we GD guys like are Fazio courses, you know... we hate everything else.

 

In any case not sure Martis Camp usurps any of those you mentioned, maybe so, maybe not... from all accounts those are each fantastic also... but it is worth seeking out.

[Mark Smolens]

Ballyneal would probably be on the list today I would hope.  A buddy of mine (who is now the golf coach at Brown -- go Bears!) spent the night as the guest of one of his kids' parents at Winged Foot.  He loved the accommodations, and the fact that the bartender kept serving him Budweiser after closing time. . .

[Jim Franklin]

I may have to make a trip to Tahoe. It sounds pretty cool.

[Tom Huckaby]

I may have to make a trip to Tahoe. It sounds pretty cool.

Truckee alone is worth the trip... Martis, Lahontan, Timilick all right next to each other, Old Greenwood right across town.  Then the new Clear Creek... all mysteries and rumors at this point... and this is just Truckee... oh yes, worth trekking to for for sure.

[Bill_McBride]

Kingsley Club has nice 4 BR bungalows.  It's also pretty remote so the retreat aspect is meaningful.  There's literally nothing to do there but play golf and sleep, with a little noshing thrown in.

Ditto Musgrove Mill, where Daryl Boe showed me the cabins but we didn't stay there.

Mark Rowlinson stayed in a guest room high atop the clubhouse at The Creek Club on Long Island, with a great view.  Doesn't NGLA have some rooms?  Or were those just caddy accommodations? 

[Wyatt Halliday]

I may have to make a trip to Tahoe. It sounds pretty cool.

Truckee alone is worth the trip... Martis, Lahontan, Timilick all right next to each other, Old Greenwood right across town.  Then the new Clear Creek... all mysteries and rumors at this point... and this is just Truckee... oh yes, worth trekking to for for sure.

Huck,

Don't forget about Coyote Moon. Despite its flaws I still think it's worth a look.

Wyatt

[Kyle Henderson]

I may have to make a trip to Tahoe. It sounds pretty cool.

Kings Putter, Memorial Day weekend 2010.

[Jim Franklin]

I may have to make a trip to Tahoe. It sounds pretty cool.

Kings Putter, Memorial Day weekend 2010.

That may have to happen. My anniversary is the 29th and I missed it this year so why next year as well?

[Tom Huckaby]

Wyatt:

Good call, that's worth seeing also.  And the boys have most of these set up for KP next year....

[Wyatt Halliday]

I think Kyle has the recipe down: solid courses, great weather, and good people.

[Kyle Henderson]

The current lineup for next year's KP includes:

Fri: Round at Morgan Creek (Roseville, CA.) or non-playing tour of Clear Creek Tahoe
Sat: Old Greenwood
Sun: Timilick
Mon: Coyote Moon
Tues: Gray's Crossing

I haven't played any of them, but I've heard mostly good things about them. I suppose I could try to look into Martis Camp as well, if anyone want to extend their trip a bit more and wouold prefer not to waste their time fly fishing, whitewater rafting, or relaxing on sunny beaches and in shady forests.

[Kyle Henderson]

I think Kyle has the recipe down: solid courses, great weather, and good people.

I don't know about the "good people" contingency. I did invite you, after all.

[Wayne_Kozun]

It would be interesting to see what international courses would make the list.  I would think places like Loch Lomond, Redtail, Skibo, Renaissance would make the list.

The list also seems biased against places that are in or near cities.  Surely some of the great urban courses of America have some on-site accomodations that would fit the bill.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Wayne,

That would be another interesting topic - what in town courses give you the best feeling of seclusion?  Certainly ANGC fits that bill. What else?

[Bill_McBride]

I don't know about Scotland, but there are a lot of "dormie houses" in England where visitors can spend the night and play golf during the day.  Several of us stayed in the dormie house at Beau Desert after the Buda Cup in 2006, very nice accommodations.  But hard to find.  

[Wayne_Kozun]

In reading the criteria a little more closely they said that they did not consider clubs in cities.  But Pine Valley is #2 on the list - I have never been to Pine Valley but from Google Maps it looks as if it is no more than about 15 miles from Philly.  That seems to me as if it is closer to the city than many of the NYC area courses like Winged Foot.

Jeff - I haven't played that many of the great private clubs in cities but I have been to Olympic and SFGC and you don't really feel like you are in the city at those courses.  Closer to my home - Toronto Golf Club has rooms on site in a 100 year old clubhouse and it also feels very much like a country retreat.  The club whose name can't be spoken (at least not without causing 100 page threads) also feels very much like a retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Here in Canada Redtail fits the description very well - an excellent golf course in a great setting with a very cozy clubhouse with several rooms to stay overnight.

[Dave Falkner]

In one of the bathrooms in the dormitory at PV there is a picture window overlooking the 4th green right next to the throne 

nicest view I have ever had whilst taking care of business