Whip it Out: Post your Top 25 Courses Played

[Jud_T]

Alex,

Care to opine on why you have Pine Needles the equal of Old Mac?  I like PN more than most here, but that seems a bit of a stretch.

[Mike Hendren]

Angus,

That's a great list!

Query whether there is a single person named Angus on this planet that one would not want to drink a beer with?

Shivas, I suggest you google the Colonel Angus skit from SNL.
 
Bogey

[Terry Lavin]

Spur of the moment revised list:

1. Sand Hills
2.  Cypress Point
3. Pacific Dunes
4. Oakmont
5.  Old Macdonald
6.  LACC North
7. Riviera
8. Shoreacres
9. Pebble Beach
10. Bandon Dunes
11. Chicago Golf
12. Prairie Dunes
13. Olympia North
14. Olympic Club
15. Pinehurst #2
16. Fox Chapel
17. Friar's Head
18. Long Cove
19. Medinah #3
20. Butler National
21. Bandon Trails
22. Beverly
23. Skokie
24. Lost Dunes
25. Old Elm

Looking at this makes me realize that I have to get on the road. Long Island, NJ, Philly and Ohio are mostly on my brain. And Seminole this winter for sure.

[Peter Pallotta]

Terry - have you really played all those great courses? A rhetorical question, as I know you're not lying about it. But reading your list, another question come to mind (a real, genuine one), to you and others who have posted on this thread:

After experiencing so much quality golf, how do you feel when you play an average/run of the mill course? Is it still just "golf" to you i.e. still mainly about the game,  or is there in fact a noticeable let-down, a measurably different feel/experience? Are courses way outside your top 25 appreciably less enjoyable?

Peter

[Alex Miller]

Alex,

Care to opine on why you have Pine Needles the equal of Old Mac?  I like PN more than most here, but that seems a bit of a stretch.

I've only played Old Mac in a Winter wind... and I also like Pine Needles more than most!

[Terry Lavin]

Terry - have you really played all those great courses? A rhetorical question, as I know you're not lying about it. But reading your list, another question come to mind (a real, genuine one), to you and others who have posted on this thread:

After experiencing so much quality golf, how do you feel when you play an average/run of the mill course? Is it still just "golf" to you i.e. still mainly about the game,  or is there in fact a noticeable let-down, a measurably different feel/experience? Are courses way outside your top 25 appreciably less enjoyable?

Peter

Sure I've played them all. And I always have fun regardless of the venue and I have plenty outside the 25 that I love. Exmoor and OFCC and Flossmoor here in town.  Dunes Club is only 9 holes but it's a top 5 experience.  Old Tabby in SC and CC of Orlando and Wilshire are others that could fit in the top 25.

With the right company every round is special.

[Mark Chaplin]

Terry doesn't your list suggest a passport is required?

[David Davis]

My 25 favorite 10s
(I refuse to be a critic!)
 
St Andrews 10
National Golf Links 10
Cypress Point 10
Friar's Head 10
Sand Hills 10
Old Macdonald 10
Dismal River White 10
Pebble Beach 10
Sebonack 10
Machrihanish 10
Prestwick 10
Bandon Trails 10
Wolf Point 10
North Berwick 10
Prairie Dunes 10
Pacific Dunes 10
Ballyneal 10
Renaissance 10
Pennard 10
Dismal River Red 10
Shinnecock Hills 10
Kingsley 10
Pinehurst No.2  10
Merion 10
Sleepy Hollow 10

Eric, just curious, what would you give Bo Derrick circa 1979?

[Terry Lavin]

Terry doesn't your list suggest a passport is required?

Yup.

[Tom_Doak]

I have seen 98 new courses this year, and a lot of cool places ... yet I don't think my top 25 will have changed at all.

[Chip Gaskins]

Update after a few trips over the past couple of years....

1-5
(pretty much head and shoulders above the rest)
Royal Melbourne

Shinnecock Hills
Pine Valley
Royal County Down
St. Andrews (Old)

5-10
Barnbougle Dunes
Cypress Point
Augusta National
Ballyneal
Fishers Island

10-15
Sand Hills
National Golf Links
Oakmont
Prairie Dunes
Merion (East)

15-20
Ballybunion (Old)
Cal Club
Pebble Beach
Royal Portrush (Dunluce)
Chicago Golf Club

20-25
Crystal Downs
Pacific Dunes
San Francisco
Tobacco Road
Bandon Trails

[Don Mahaffey]

I have seen 98 new courses this year, and a lot of cool places ... yet I don't think my top 25 will have changed at all.

Is that because your top courses are what you use to measure all others?
When was the last time you added a new course to your top echelon?

[Jud_T]

Chip,


The powers that be have decided that you are, from this point forward and until further notice, to limit yourself exclusively to playing Doak 3's and 4's until such time that the committee determines that you have developed sufficient perspective into the "everyman's game" and all that it entails.  Once a quorum of our august body finds that such a point has been determined to have been reached, if you haven't given up the game for tiddlywinks by such time, you may then, and only then, resume your previous schedule of touring the world's finest courses...

[Chip Gaskins]

Jud

Trust me, my golf has been few and far between over the past few years.  Seven total rounds this year and five total rounds last year.  With that said, my home club is Hanies Point.  Its a Doak ZERO.  Its a very public course in downtown Washington DC.  It usually has a dozen hustlers in sweatpants always standing on the putting green putting and chipping for money, a lively greasy spoon snack shack that also serves the public swimming pool onsite, as well as a well worn astro-tuff putt-putt course that my kids and I play.  Every nationality and socioeconomic class is represented in full.  A lot more supped up Honda Civics in the parking lot than Volvos.  Its about as "everyman's game" place as one could dream up.  Its just my few outside rounds are at decent courses.

[Alan Ritchie]

chip, Do you work for carlsberg? that looks like their list of outside rounds!

[Bill Brightly]

National
TOC (2104)
Royal County Down
Royal Melbourne West (2011)
Pine Valley
Royal Troon (2015)
Merion
North Berwick (2014)
Old Macdonald
Pacific Dunes
Cruden Bay (2014)
Ballybunion
Barnbougle Dunes (2011)
Turnberry (2015)
Royal Portrush
Carnoustie (2014)
Cape Kidnappers (2011)
Lahinch
Pebble Beach
Prestwick (2015)
Cabot Cliffs (2015)

RidgewoodClear Creek
Saucon Valley Old
Lost Farm (2011)

Waterville
Ballyliffin Old
Yale
Somerset Hills
Plain

Aronomink
Harbor Town
Galloway
Essex County NJ

[Pete Blaisdell]

Guys, this is my American list


Cypress
Merion
PV
Shinnecock
Riviera
NLGA
Seminole
Chicago
ANGC
Myopia
San Francisco
Pebble
Old Mac
Newport
Pinehurst 2
TCC
Quaker Ridge
Pacific Dunes
Salem
Wilshire
Old Town
Oakmont
Eastward Ho
Oyster Harbors
Olde Sandwich


If I had to pick one to play every day, Seminole
If I knew I was going to die on Tuesday, I would pick Cypress for Monday.
I have special affection for Riviera and Newport.
The 10th at Riviera is the best designed hole in America.
Odd fact, have played Oakmont 3 times and never 3 putted.
Best score -70 at TCC (Composite course)1987

[Tim Martin]

Guys, this is my American list


Cypress
Merion
PV
Shinnecock
Riviera
NLGA
Seminole
Chicago
ANGC
Myopia
San Francisco
Pebble
Old Mac
Newport
Pinehurst 2
TCC
Quaker Ridge
Pacific Dunes
Salem
Wilshire
Old Town
Oakmont
Eastward Ho
Oyster Harbors
Olde Sandwich


If I had to pick one to play every day, Seminole
If I knew I was going to die on Tuesday, I would pick Cypress for Monday.
I have special affection for Riviera and Newport.
The 10th at Riviera is the best designed hole in America.
Odd fact, have played Oakmont 3 times and never 3 putted.
Best score -70 at TCC (Composite course)1987

Pete-Great list!!!! I am with you on Newport and I think it does not get the accolades it deserves.

[Matt Meyer]

1. Muirfield
2. Royal County Down
3. Pine Valley
4. St Andrews Old Course
5. Ballybunion Old Course
6. Oakmont
7. Prarie Dunes
8. The Golf Club
9. Kiawah Ocean Course
10. Pacific Dunes
11. Kingsbarns
12. Yeamans Hall Club
13. Beth Page Black
14. Carnoustie
15. Oak Hill East
16. The Honors Course
17. Camargo
18. Old Head
19. Waterville
20. Bandon Dunes
21. Portmanock
22. Scioto CC
23. Pete Dye Golf Club
24. Mountain Lake
25. Kiawah River Course

Interested in GCA feedback on Kiawah River, having played there no less than 50 times I think its an outstanding experience and challenge. The golf course deserves more credit than it receives.

[RickV]

Augusta National
Pine Valley
Shinnecock
Oakmont
Merion
LACC
Riviera
Seminole
Valley Club of Montecito
Garden City
Yeaman's Hall
Pebble Beach
Winged Foor (West)
Aronimink
Somerset Hills
Plainfield
Quaker Ridge
Pikewood National
Honors Course
Yale
Peachtree
Pikewood National
Baltusrol (Lower and Upper)
Sleepy Hollow

[jeffwarne]

RCD
TOC
Portsalon
Pennard
Eastward Ho
Fishers
St Enodoc
Pebble
Riviera
North Berwick
NGLA
The Creek
ANGC
Shinny
Merion
Friars Head
Sleepy Hollow
Myopia
Palmetto
Dornoch
Yeamans hall
Pine Valley (a close call for me-need to get back )
Swinley (have played very few heathlands had to get one in there
The Island (only played it in competition-a real bitch nearly left it out but many cool holes)
Erin Hills (pre softening)



Famous courses but not feeling it
Muifield (overrated needs a haircut to make strategy real)
Ballybunion (weak start-tour buses)
Lahinch (probably belongs-could switch with Dornoch)
Royal Portrush (rough too ridiculous)
Kiowah
TPC
Quaker
 Winged Foot
Pinehurst 2 (would have to pull Palmetto )


Close
Long Cove
Piping Rock
Dunfanaghy (few too many weak holes but a favorite)
Sebonack (could switch with Friars)
Formby
Maidstone
St George's LI
Brora

[Steve Lapper]

In a top secret  order:


Sand Hills
Royal Melbourne (Composite & West)
Pine Valley
Cypress Point
Royal County Down
Royal Portrush
Royal Dornoch
Muirfield
St. Andrews Old Course
Royal St. Georges
Ballybunion
Oakmont
Shinnecock
NGLA
Merion
Pacific Dunes
Kingston Heath
Alisa (Turnberry)
Fishers Island
Sunningdale (Old)
Friars Head
New South Wales
Crystal Downs
San Francisco Golf Club
LACC-North

The above is my list from 2009. Over the past 6 years, I'd make the following changes:


Add Cabot Cliffs, Morfontaine,, Somerset Hills...subtract Royal St. Georges, Muirfield, and SFGC


My next 25 (in no specific order)


Prairie Dunes
Seminole
Winged Foot East
Winged Foot West
Ballyneal
SFGC
Sandwich-Royal St. Georges
Muirfield
Prestwick
Cruden Bay
Trump Aberdeen
Bandon Trails
Chicago Golf Club
Diamante Dunes
Eastward Ho
TCC_Brookline
Myopia Hunt
Pebble Beach
Riviera
Pennard
Bethpage Black
Ellerston
Royal Birkdale
North Berwick


Next 26*:


Swinley Forest
Cabot Links
Royal Aberdeen
Royal Cinque Ports
Rye
The Island
Lahinch
Kauri Cliffs
Paraparapumu
Royal Lytham
Machrihanish
Bandon Dunes
Banff
Garden City
Camargo
Yeamans Hall
White Bear Yacht Club
St. Endoc
Brora
Kingsbarns
Old Mac
Pasatiempo
Valley Club
National Moonah Links
*Paramount  ...biased!


Honorable Mentions:


Ridgewood
Quaker Ridge
Fenway
Plainfield
Maidstone
The Creek
Piping Rock
Yale GC
Essex CC
Shoreacres (haven't seen since 1998)
Old Elm         "           "
Ganton
Walton Heath
Sunningdale New
Camargo
Bayonne
CC of Fairfield
Colorado GC
Old Sandwich
Boston GC
Inverness
Stone Eagle
Streamsong Red
Mountain Lake
Hollywood GC
MidOcean
Casa de Campo
Punta Espada
Victoria GC
Yarra Yarra
Commonwealth






Can't wait to see The Cal Club to add that this year!














 

[Tom_Doak]

When was the last time you added a new course to your top echelon?

Don:


Based on my response from 2011, I guess the last time I added a new course to my top echelon [by ranking and by building] was whenever I decided that Rock Creek belonged in there.


I understand the desire on many people's part to see new courses added to these lists, on a whole bunch of levels.  It's not as easy to make that call when you have played all of the best courses multiple times and have great respect for them [or when people pay extra attention to your opinion!]. 


I'm not one who believes a new course has to wait years in purgatory before it should show up among the greats ... I believe I was the first guy to put Sand Hills in the upper echelon.  But it's hard to make that call if you have only played a course once or twice, so usually it takes me a little while to get there.  [Personal bias aside, that's why it's easier to rate one of my own courses in the top 25 than someone else's ... because I know my own course much better.]  My opinion of Friars Head, for example, has risen steadily with each visit, but I'm still not quite ready to say it's better than Riviera or North Berwick, both of which I've played ten times or more.  And they're #24 and 25 on my list.

[Jason Way]

Jud

Trust me, my golf has been few and far between over the past few years.  Seven total rounds this year and five total rounds last year.  With that said, my home club is Hanies Point.  Its a Doak ZERO.  Its a very public course in downtown Washington DC.  It usually has a dozen hustlers in sweatpants always standing on the putting green putting and chipping for money, a lively greasy spoon snack shack that also serves the public swimming pool onsite, as well as a well worn astro-tuff putt-putt course that my kids and I play.  Every nationality and socioeconomic class is represented in full.  A lot more supped up Honda Civics in the parking lot than Volvos.  Its about as "everyman's game" place as one could dream up.  Its just my few outside rounds are at decent courses.

The seed of a fantastic thread is in this response, Chip.  Although I'm not sure that Tom would say that courses of this ilk are what qualify as Doak 0s.  Far from it, it seems. 

[Ryan Hillenbrand]

The Newbies on this site are killing me.

I need to start travelling more but so far:

Pebble Beach
Pacific Dunes
Whistling Straits
Prairie Dunes
Pinehurst #2
Ocean Course
Dunes Club
Spyglass
Bandon Dunes
Dismal River - Red
Streamsong - Red (haven't played Blue)
Dismal River - White
Calusa Pines
Shoreacres
Blackwolf Run - River
Victoria National
St. Louis CC
Boone Valley
Southern Hills
Olympia Fields - North
Congressional - Blue
Bellerive
Harbour Town
Rich Harvest - yeah, I liked it
Medinah #3