Whip it Out: Post your Top 25 Courses Played

[Keith Buntrock]

I'm going to give this a try.

In no particular order.

Whistling Straits - Straits
Blackwolf Run - The 2009 Composite Course
Erin Hills
The Bull at Pinehurst Farms
Sand Ridge (Cleveland)
PGA National - Champion
Mission Inn - El Campeon
University Ridge (WI)
U of New Mexico
Twin Warriors
Talking Stick - North
Talking Stick - South
Ocotillo Golf Resort
Purgatory
Otter Creek
The Sagamore (IN)
Greywalls
Meadows at Grand Valley St. U
Grosse Ill Country Club (Detroit - Donald Ross)
Blue Mound Golf & CC (Raynor)
Pine Hills Country Club (WI)
Kenosha CC (Ross)
Brown Deer Park
Hidden Glen at Bentdale Farms
The Club at Strawberry Creek (WI)
A few holes on the Blue Monster at Doral

Augusta National I wish

[Sean_A]

There seems to be some sort of ground swell for Grosse Ile.  Its hard to believe two guys listed this course.  I know its very good and severely under-rated in Michigan, but as I grew up on the course I never quite know how to rate it.  So much of my formative experiences about the game took place at Grosse Ile.  I sure do have a lot of time for the place.

Ciao

[Bill Brightly]

National
Royal County Down
Pine Valley
Merion
Oakmont
Ballybunion
Royal Portrush
Lahinch
Waterville
Pebble
Ballyliffin Old
Ridgewood
Saucon Valley Old
Plainfield
Aronomink
Yale
Stone Eagle
Saucon Valley Weyhill
Harbor Town
Galloway
Essex County NJ
Tidewater
Baltustrol
TPC Stadium
Trump National: Bedminster NJ
Spyglass

[Andrew Thomson]

Not really in any specific order after the first 5.

1. Royal County Down
2. Royal Dornoch
3. Royal Melbourne West
4. Royal Portrush
5. North Berwick West

6. The Old Course
7. Pebble Beach
8. Kingston Heath
9. Bethpage Black
10. Barnbougle Dunes
11. Sunningdale Old
12. Muirfield
13. Swinley Forest
14. Machrihanish
15. Royal Cinque Ports
16. Royal St. Georges
17. NSW
18. Woodlands
19. Royal Adelaide
20. St. Andrews Beach
21. Cape Kidnappers
22. Paraparaumu Beach
23. Lahinch
24. Royal Birkdale
25. Valderamma

The moment I reached 25 and realised I hadn't put down Kingsbarns, Carnoustie, Troon, Turnberry, Porthcawl, Newcastle, Victoria, Wairieki, Royal Melbourne East and even Sawgrass I realised I hadn't spent much time thinking about it.

[Richard Choi]

1. Pacific Dunes
2. Old Macdonald
3. Ballyneal
4. Chambers Bay
5. Plainfield
6. Bethpage Black
7. Bandon Dunes
8. Bandon Trails
9. Baltusrol (Lower)
10. Kapalua (Plantation)
11. The Challenge at Manele
12. Wine Valley Golf Club
13. PGA West (Stadium)
14. Gold Moutain - Olympic Course
15. Sagebrush
16. La Quinta Resort (Mountain)
17. Crosswater at Suriver
18. Sherwood Country Club
19. University of Michigan Golf Course
20. The Members Club at Aldarra
21. Doral - Blue Monster
22. Rustic Canyon
23. Wailea - Gold
24. Pumpkin Ridge - Ghost Creek
25. The Reserve Vineyards (South)

[David Royer]

Oakmont
Pacific Dunes
Pinehurst #2
Ballyneal
Lahinch
Ballybunion
Doonbeg
Kirtland Country Club
Kapalua (Planation)
Muirfield Village
Cabo del Sol (Ocean)
Scioto Country Club
Bandon Dunes
Brookside Golf & C.C. (Columbus)
Holston Hills Country Club
Dooks
Talking Stick (North)
Mahoney's Point  (Killarney)
Ohio State Scarlet
Torrey Pines  (South)
Austin Country Club

[Pete_Pittock]

My first tier
Cypress Point                   Oakmont               Pebble Beach                  Pacific Dunes          St Andrews (Old)
Royal Dornoch                  Carnoustie             Royal Melbourne (West)   Crystal Downs         Muirfield
Ballybunion (Old)              Kingston Heath      Pinehurst #2                   Prairie Dunes           Turnberry (Ailsa)
Kiawah Island (Ocean)      TPC Sawgrass        Casa de Campo (TotD)      Olympic (Lake)        Ballyneal
Royal Birkdale                  Sunningdale (Old)  Royal Lytham & St Annes   Old Macdonald           North Berwick (West)

My second tier 25 (not necessarily in order)
Prestwick                New South Wales              Woodhall Spa             Bandon Dunes        Kingsbarns  
Ganton                      Royal Adelaide                 Harbour Town               Chambers Bay           Royal Liverpool  (Hoylake)  
Pasatiempo         Royal St Georges          Rock Creek Cattle Company   Clear Creek Tahoe    Sagebrush
Rustic Canyon       Monterey Peninsula (Shore)        Bandon Trails            Pronghorn (Fazio)       Pumpkin Ridge (Witch Hollow)

Dropped from second tier 8/22/10:
Waterville             Royal Porthcawl                  Desert Forest              Royal Troon
Red: Added 8/22/10
Green Dropped from 1st tier 8/22/10

[Dan King]

I dislike rankings, so here on my fav courses:

Ballybunion
Ballyliffin
Bel-Air
County Sligo
Cruden Bay
Cypress Point
Gullane No. 1
Kingsbarn
Monterey Pennisula Shore Course
Muirfield
North Berwick
Olympic
Pacific Dunes
Pacific Grove
Pacific Trails
Pasatiempo
Pebble Beach
Preston Trails
Prestwick
Riviera
Royal Dornoch
San Francisco
Seminole
St. Andrews TOC
Stanford
Talking Stick North
The Machrie
TPC Sawgrass
Valley Club of Montecito

Hasn't anyone else played The Machrie?

Cheers,
Dan King

Falsity cannot keep an idea from being beautiful; there are certain errors of such ingenuity that one could regret their not ranking among the achievements of the human mind.
 --Jean Rostand

[Pete_Pittock]

Dan,
I played two rounds at The Machrie. It didn't make my top 50. But their bar did.

[Alex Miller]

Just wanna say, this is the most depressing thread I've seen. At least I'm young...


Rustic Canyon
LACC North
Riviera
Bandon Dunes
Pacific Dunes
Bandon Trails
Lake Merced GC
Turtle Bay Palmer
Pelican Hill North
PGA West Stadium
Torrey South
Barona Valley
Koolau
Sandpiper
Wolf Creek (NV)
Golden Horseshoe
Palos Verdes GC
La Purisima
The Grand Del Mar
Kapalua Plantation
Harding Park Golf Course
Industry Hills (Ike)
Brentwood CC
Maderas
North Ranch CC

[Bob_Huntley]

In no particular order.

Pine Valley
Western Gailes
Royal Birkdale
The Old Course
Royal County Down
Royal Dornoch
Cypress Point
Pebble Beach
Augusta National
Fishers Island
Royal Melbourne W.
NGLC
Shinnecock
Royal Portrush
Morfontaine
Riviera
Nchanga
Kingston Heath
Carnoustie
Gullane No.1
Muirfield
Turnberry
MPCC Dunes
Kingsbarns
Sunnindale Old


Bob

[Chris Cupit]

OK, here's my list (in order ):
FWIW I think they are all great examples of architecture but my ordering is based on how I would rank the courses in an order of which I would most want to play again.

1.  National Golf Links of America
2.  Augusta National Golf Club
3.  Royal County Down
4.  The Old Course at St. Andrews
5.  Pine Valley Golf Club
6.  Merion Golf Club
7.  Royal Dornoch
8.  Shinnecock
9.  Winged Foot (West)
10.  Camargo
11.  Walton Heath
12.  North Berwick
13.  Cuscowilla
15.  Muirfield Village (Ohio)
16.  Peachtree GC
17.  Winged Foot (East)
18.  The Honors Course (home course)
19.  The Homestead (Upper)
20.  Baltusrol (Lower)
21.  Monroe GC (Pittsford, NY)
22.  Muirfield (I have to give it another chance but I'm unimpressed thus far)
23.  Wallassey  (ugly backdrop on #1 but I had a blast there)
24.  Oak Hill (West)
25.  Rivermont (the course I own/operate)  

[Pete_Pittock]

Bob,
No MPCC-Shore?

[Matt_Ward]

I salute those who can post so quickly their top 25 layouts played.

I've watched the posts with interest.

Now I need to do some serious thinking and take the plunge myself.

I'd love to know from those who posted Baltusrol -- either Lower and / or Upper what makes them feel that way about the layout ?

[Dan Herrmann]

Not one Augusta National yet...

It's an amazing place that I've waked twice, but not played.  Therefore, I couldn't mention it.


Alex - don't worry.  When I was 18, my list would have been  (all in metro Buffalo):
Brighton Park Muni
Sheridan Park Muni
Beaver Island State Park
Elma Meadows County Golf Course
Whirlpool (this IS a good course)
Creekside Golf & Bowling Center - (later closed due to toxic waste).

Yes - I've come a helluva long way, but let me tell you - those were fun days!

[Bob_Huntley]

Bob,
No MPCC-Shore?

Bob,
No MPCC-Shore?

Peter,

My first love has always been the the Dunes. The Shore is stunningly beautiful but the congruence of the 4th green, the fifth and seventeenth tees causes me much angst. New tees have been built and quite frankly, the result looks like a railroad junction.

Bob

[Stewart Abramson]

Favorite 25 played at the moment (alpha order)

Bethpage Black
Caledonia
Cambrian Ridge
Garden City
Golden Horseshoe Gold
Olympic Lake
Paiute Wolf
Pasatiempo
Prestwick - Old
Royal New Kent
Sleepy Hollow (post restoration)
Southern Dunes
St George's Hill
Sunningdale New
Sunningdale Old
The Country Club
Turnberry Ailsa
Walton Heath New
Walton Heath Old
We-Ko- Pa Saguaro
Western Gailes
Whistling Starits - Straits
Woking
Wolf Creek
Wykagyl (post renovation)

Others that I've enjoyed a lot

Angeles National
Augustine
Beechtree
Bethpage Red
Blackwolf Run
Boulders
Broadmoor
Bulle Rock
Century
Chaska Town
Dunes
Fossil Trace
Glasgow Gailes
Green valley
Harmony Preserve
Knoll - West
Lassing Point
Manhattan Woods
Metropolis
Moorland
Moose Ridge
Murphy Creek
New Zealand
North Shore CC
Old Oaks
Orange County National
Quaker Ridge
Red Tail
Reflection Bay
Riverdale Dunes
Rustic Canyon
Sagamore
Shaker Hills
Spanish Bay
Stone Ridge
Sugarloaf Mtn
Talking Stick - both
Torrey Pines - both
Troon North - bothy
True Blue
World Woods - both
Worthington Manor

[Kevin Pallier]

Played: (no specific order)

St. Andrews (Old)
Cypress Point
Shinnecock Hills
Royal Melbourne (Composite)
Royal County Down

Muirfield
Royal Dornoch
Pacific Dunes
Old Macdonald
Merion (East)

Kingston Heath
Royal St. George's
Sunningdale (Old)
Swinley Forest
North Berwick (West)

Friars Head
Fishers Island
New South Wales
Barnbougle Dunes
Woodhall Spa (Hotchkin)

St. George's Hill
Ballybunion (Old)
Royal Portrush
Carnoustie
Bandon Trails

[Kevin Pallier]

My first love has always been the the Dunes. The Shore is stunningly beautiful but the congruence of the 4th green, the fifth and seventeenth tees causes me much angst. New tees have been built and quite frankly, the result looks like a railroad junction.

Bob

It didn't cause you much angst the day we played it ? 

I'll bet there's some great stories for every one of those 25 you listed 

[Alex Miller]

Not one Augusta National yet...

It's an amazing place that I've waked twice, but not played.  Therefore, I couldn't mention it.


Alex - don't worry.  When I was 18, my list would have been  (all in metro Buffalo):
Brighton Park Muni
Sheridan Park Muni
Beaver Island State Park
Elma Meadows County Golf Course
Whirlpool (this IS a good course)
Creekside Golf & Bowling Center - (later closed due to toxic waste).

Yes - I've come a helluva long way, but let me tell you - those were fun days!

Thanks Dan


I'm 20 and I had the "misfortune" of being raised in the relatively weak southern california (in terms of GCA, and NOTHING else).   

Hopefully when I graduate college, I will be able to bolster this list with a trip to Scotland!

[Ben Sims]

It's embarrassing how much I need to see before I die.  The only redeeming thing is that 95% of this list is 2009 alone.

1. Sheep Ranch
2. Pacific Dunes
3. Crystal Downs
4. Ballyneal
5. Riviera
6. Old Macdonald (even in ten holes it's one of my fave yet.  Can't wait to see how high it'll go after all 18)
7. Pasatiempo
8. Bandon Trails
9. Kingsley Club
10. Stone Eagle
11. Lookout Mountain
12. Peachtree
13. Bandon Dunes
14. Olympic (Lake)
15. We-Ko-Pa Saguaro
16. Longshadow
17. Eisenhower Golf Club (Blue) - USAFA, CO
18.  Brackenridge Park
19.  Presidio (San Francisco)
20.  Saddle Creek
21.  The Frog
22.  The Republic (San Antonio)
23.  Haggin Oaks
24.  Pecan Valley
25.  Wildhorse (Davis, CA)

[Ed Oden]

Deleted.  

[David Lott]

Not ranked by “quality.” Ranked in order of enjoyment of play, determined by the detail of memory of the courses and the general tone of the memories.  I’ve played all of these courses at least three times (except the two Bandon courses) and several of them scores of times. There are courses I’ve played that probably or certainly “rank” higher than some on the list, but I didn’t particularly enjoy playing them. (eg, Carnoustie, Whistling Straits, Blackwolf Run, Doral.)


Old Course
Fox Chapel
Shoreacres
Machrihanish
North Berwick
Eagles Mere
Crail (Balcomie)
Sunset Ridge C.C. (Northfield)
Old Tabby Links
Eden (St. Andrews)
Peninsula Park (Wisconsin)
Onwentsia
Gleneagles Kings
Blue Mound
Bandon Dunes
Pacific Dunes
Pasatiempo
Oakmont
Pinehurst #2
New Course St. Andrews
Milwaukee
Craighead
Ladybank
Lundin
Lawsonia

[Jaeger Kovich]

Matt - Re: Baltusrol Upper in my top 25...
1. I just turned 23 a month ago, and having only been playing for 8 years now. While I have played about 100 golf courses, 22 that appear on various top-100 lists, I've also played a lot of poor layouts; its hard to find your way into the private clubs, especially in NYC!
2. The greens. I know... "everything slopes away from the mountain"... but thats not entirely true, nor does it make the icy fast greens or big contours any less fun to play on
3. The par 3's I thought were more than solid.
4. Tilly is my favorite! and there is plenty of classic tilly design features inside these walls.
5. I'm sure the prestige of the club influenced me... Its hard not too, have you been in that locker room?! and it always helps when i get to play with my father, he doesn't play much.

if you let me go back and redo my list i might try to find a way to add knoll west on there somewhere, but im pretty happy with my list. especially since 15 came this year alone

[Matt Harrison]

A good thread, with a very accurate title!  As others have said, very tough to rank, but it was fun to think for a few minutes on this.  Here's mine:

1.  Pine Valley
2.  Cypress Point
3.  Royal County Down
4.  Royal Dornoch
5.  Ballybunion
6.  Seminole
7.  Pacific Dunes
8.  Sand Hills
9.  The Old Course
10.  Crystal Downs
11.  Muirfield
12.  Lahinch
13.  Pinehurst
14.  Pebble Beach
15.  Chicago Golf
16.  Royal Portrush
17.  Bandon Trails
18.  Cruden Bay
19.  North Berwick
20.  Turnberry
21.  Bandon Dunes
22.  LACC
23.  Whistling Straits
24.  Calusa Pines
25.  The Dunes Club