What cities have a better "grand slam" of clubs than Minny-St. Paul?

[Jay Flemma]

So MSP has White Bear, Interlachen, HazNat, and Minikahda.  Between the impressive histories and great designs of all those clubs, that's nearly an impregnable quadrilateral they have there.

What city can boast an equally good set of four?

New York, obviously.  Perhaps Philly?  Is it close between MSP and Philly? Can you all think of some other examples?  Does Boston have four to match?  TCC, Myopia, Eastward ho and ?

[Melvyn Morrow]

Jay (Hi)

The City of St Andrews in Fife Scotland?

Melvyn

[K. Krahenbuhl]

New York, Philly, Chicago, Boston, LA, SF, Columbus.

[Jeff_Brauer]

You didn't even include North Oaks (Thompson) and 3 Raynor courses, of which the best is Somerset.  Add in Tillies Golden Valley and MSP is pretty close to fielding a baseball team of great, Golden Age courses.

If you are talking history, rather than course quality, Somerset also scores for having turned down Bob Hope for golf.

[Phil McDade]

Chicago?

Chicago GC, Butler, Olympia Fields North and and (pick 'em) -- Beverly, Shoreacres, Medinah 3, Black Sheep, Skokie, Conway Farms, Flossmoor...others?

[Rick Shefchik]

I can't judge other cities against that fine quartet of courses, but I'd be willing to guess that most (if not all) posters who vote for some other city have not played Interlachen, Hazeltine, White Bear Yacht Club and Minikahda.

(The Twin Cities has a pretty deep bench, too, with Somerset, Oak Ridge, Minneapolis Golf Club and Woodhill.)

[Jim Franklin]

I can't judge other cities against that fine quartet of courses, but I'd be willing to guess that most (if not all) posters who vote for some other city have not played Interlachen, Hazeltine, White Bear Yacht Club and Minikahda.

(The Twin Cities has a pretty deep bench, too, with Somerset, Oak Ridge, Minneapolis Golf Club and Woodhill.)

I have played them all except White Bear. NYC wins, Philly wins, Chicago wins, Colombus wins, but that takes nothing away from the Twin Cities. All of those are fantastic, and anyone here would certainly enjoy playing them. I can't wait to get back there next July. It is certainly like splitting hairs.

[tlavin]

That's an impressive list, especially for such a tough climate!

I'd suggest that my hometown, Chicago, has a worthy entry in Medinah, Olympia Fields, Shoreacres and Butler National.  That gives you old and newer, architectural masterpieces and major-worthy venues.  Medinah and Olympia have each hosted majors.  Butler could host a U.S. Open any week of the season, on very short notice.  Shoreacres is as pure a Raynor as one will find and it just might be on the best piece of property in the Chicago region. 

[Chuck Brown]

Detroit versus MSP:

Oakland Hills (a better golf course than Hazeltine)
Country Club of Detroit (host to Arnold Palmer's breakthrough US Am victory, a la Jones' win at Interlachen)
Franklin Hills (host to the 1947 USGA Women's Amateur, and probably a better case study of architecture than Minikahda)
Detroit Golf Club (White Bear corollary)
(edit. - add, or substitute, the Indianwood Old Course if DGC or CCD are not to your liking in terms of architecture or history.  And there are at least a half-dozen other courses designed by classic-era architects that have hosted tour events including past PGA Championships, and Western Opens)

Long Island and Westchester Counties are conteders in their own right.  Limiting the choices to four courses, Los Angeles is world-class with Riviera, LACC (two courses) and Bel Air.  And there's Philly.  Heck, I'd call "Southern Pines/Pinehurst, NC" a contender.  (Pinehurst No. 2, Pine Needles, Mid-Pines, and one of a half dozen other choices, from another Pinehurst resort course to CCNC, etc.)

How about "West Palm Beach, FL"?  Start with Seminole, add Jupiter Hills, and Pine Tree, and one other from a list of 20..."

[Dan_Callahan]

Eastward Ho! isn't really Boston. On a Friday afternoon in the summer, it's at least a 3 hour commute.

But Boston still holds up with Myopia, the Country Club, Salem, Essex, Brae Burn, and Charles River. Take your pick. In my opinion, Myopia and the Country Club are a notch above, and the other four are interchangeably great.

[Brian_Ewen]

Jay (Hi)

The City of St Andrews in Fife Scotland?

Melvyn

Come on Melvyn , surely you know by now that Jay doesnt ask 'Atlas' questions ?

[Tim Leahy]

How about San Fran:

Olympic
SFCC
Cal Club
Lake Merced

Not to mention:
Green Hills-Mac
Peninsula-Ross

[Jason Topp]

So MSP has White Bear, Interlachen, HazNat, and Minikahda.  Between the impressive histories and great designs of all those clubs, that's nearly an impregnable quadrilateral they have there.

What city can boast an equally good set of four?

I'm not sure how the Twin Cities rates compares to other cities, but I do think the breadth of very good (mostly) golden age courses is pretty remarkable.  I personally would rather play Golden Valley, Minneapolis, Oak Ridge, Somerset and Windsong than the most similar courses on that list.  (I have not played White Bear Lake).  There are other courses that are either not far behind, or at least are memorable, depending on taste (Minnesota Valley, Woodhill, North Oaks, Spring Hill, Town and Country).  There is even at least one golden age clunker (Edina) and several others that most would enjoy playing on a regular basis (Mendakota, Stillwater, Midland Hills, Wayzata, Hillcrest).
         
I doubt any of them reach the pinnacle of the Doak scale (8 or better) but I doubt any of them are below a 5.  (I have never seen the actual book)

[Phil McDade]

Since no one else will, an ode to my former hometown -- Cleveland:

-- Strong's Canterbury, host to two US Opens, a PGA, the US Amateur, and a Western Open.

-- Alison's Kirtland, with its two distinctly different nines.

-- Flynn's The Country Club, in Pepper Pike, which has hosted the US Amateur.

-- Two munis that are part of the Metroparks system -- Ross' Manakiki, and Thompson's Sleepy Hollow.

[Gib_Papazian]

Last time I looked (last week) the sign reads:

City of Monterey.

Any questions?

[Tim Bert]

Monterey?

Bandon? I will prpbably get jumped for calling it four, but I'd say all indications from preview feedback is that it is safe to say OM won't be the worst course at the resort.

Do the courses have to be private?

[Kalen Braley]

Tim,

Soon to be 5 with Old Mac when you include Bandon Crossings which certainly doesn't appear to be a slouch!!

[Mark Pritchett]

I was thinking of several cities with regards to this thread and was pretty pleased to remember that here in Augusta we have ANGC, ACC, Champions Retreat and across the river Palmetto and Sage Valley.  Obviously not Long Island, Philly, Monterey, Columbus, et al, but not too shabby. 

[Morgan Clawson]

Jay,

What was your favorite between Interlachen, Minikahda and White Bear?

[John_Conley]

Jeff, Jason, and others have touched on what I find remarkable.  How many other cities have the variety of Golden Age pedigrees.

Watson/Ross
Ross
Raynor
Tillinghast
Thompson

Add in some modern stuff

Weed
Fazio
Nicklaus
Jones

Great variety.

Also, Jay Flemma needs to get back and travel to play the Greatest Course You've Never Heard Of...once profiled by me in a thread here.  Eau Claire Country Club was designed by Harry Vardon's brother and is a real treat.

[Phil McDade]

John:

See my Cleveland entry -- a number of Golden-Age archies spent time in Cleveland, and left some notable courses. At least two more Flynns that I know of, and a few others. More if you extend the metro area to Akron/Canton.

Way off topic -- have you ever heard of, or played, the golf course in Spooner, WI, on the road to Superior? Also designed by Tom Vardon.

[Brian Laurent]

Good call Phil...I was thinking Cleveland as well.  You can also add Sand Ridge to the mix. 

Columbus would be a great fit...Scioto, Village, The Golf Club, Double Eagle, OSU Scarlet

[John_Conley]

John:

Way off topic -- have you ever heard of, or played, the golf course in Spooner, WI, on the road to Superior? Also designed by Tom Vardon.

Phil, I have been to Spooner but have not played the golf course.  I have a rather prodigious (impressive is not the right word as my wife and mom would say 'stupid') scorecard collection.  My dad would pull into a golf course anywhere we saw one and I'd grab a card.  I'm pretty sure I have a Spooner card at mom's house in a box that she recently asked me if she could toss.

Have you played it?  Any good?

[Jim_Coleman]

    This reminds me of the Seinfeld when they guy makes incredibly stupid bets with Elaine just so he can lose and take her out.  Come on - Merion, Pine Valley, Aronomink, Rolling Green, Huntington Valley, Philly Country and Cricket.  So Jay, feel free to buy me dinner.  I don't kiss though.

[Phil McDade]

John:

Way off topic -- have you ever heard of, or played, the golf course in Spooner, WI, on the road to Superior? Also designed by Tom Vardon.

Phil, I have been to Spooner but have not played the golf course.  I have a rather prodigious (impressive is not the right word as my wife and mom would say 'stupid') scorecard collection.  My dad would pull into a golf course anywhere we saw one and I'd grab a card.  I'm pretty sure I have a Spooner card at mom's house in a box that she recently asked me if she could toss.

Have you played it?  Any good?

I have not; Spooner is a hike, and I usually don't get up to Superior all that often. I was looking through some regional travel brochures, and I think the club advertised that it was designed by Tom Vardon.