Whip it Out: Post your Top 25 Courses Played

[Rob Rigg]

I can barely post a top ten that belongs in the same area code as anything that has been posted thus far - "you poopies!" as my son would say (when mom is not around).

Chapeau gents, some fantastic work!

My Limp List (I keep telling myself that I am still fairly young and there is hope for me yet)

1. Ballybunion
2. Lahinch
3. Pac Dunes
4. Old Macdonald (Yes, I only played 10 holes, but give me a break, I need all the help I can get)
5. Pasatiempo (Yes, I barely played it since it was raining so hard Noah's Ark floated by, this course is awesome!)
6. Bandon Trails
7. Bethpage Black
8. Bandon Dunes
9. Chambers Bay
10. The Summit (Ont)

I am excited about some great courses on the agenda for 2010 - I might be able to whip out twenty next year - yippee!

[Bill_McBride]

Just a thought - aren't we Americans truly lucky that Pacific Dunes, Bandon Dunes, Bandon Trails, Cuscowilla, Pasatiempo, and Pebble Beach are accessible even if pricey?  These courses appear on many of these lists which highlight hard to access private clubs.

[Bob_Huntley]

With apologies to Gene Greco..... an addendum, Sand Hills at the top of the list, replacing Nchanga.


Bob

[Rob Rigg]

Bill,

I think the GBI guys are lucky - almost any great course over there is in play for the public and there are often tons of wonderful courses within a small area.

I agree that Americans are lucky to have a place like Bandon Dunes where you can play (soon to be) four of the best courses on the continent in one location. BDGR is world class.

But it seems like other great publics (or semi-privates) like Pasa, Wild Horse, Chambers, Bethpage, etc. are either pricey or isolated from other courses of similar caliber. Unless you can get on a few private courses, it seems challenging to put together a one week or two week trip containing great golf at the level you can get in Ireland, England or Scotland (if that is even possible over here).

What do you think?

[Pete_Pittock]

I have revised my lists in reply 81

[Brad Fleischer]

In no order and since I goy an email asking here goes...

Augusta National J/K  Hey I wanted to be the first .

Kingsley
cabo del sol
diente del perro
ocean course (kiawah)
carne
lahinch
enniscrone
bandon
pacific
pine needles
black mesa
ballyneal
skibereen
accc
bethpage black
crystal downs
caledonia
dunes club
koolau
world woods
belvedere
arcadia
sligo
grossingers
eugene cc

[Tony_Muldoon]

I don’t much like these threads but following by ‘the rules set at the beginning of the thread it seem the only way to get

GANTON

included is to post it with 24 others.

By region – courses I dream of my next round on.

Portrush x 2
RCD
Lahinch
Rosses Point
Rossapenna New
Pennard
Turnberry
Dornoch
Cruden Bay
TOC
TNC
North Berwick
See above
Alwoodley
Brancaster
Addington
Swinley
St Georges Hill
Woking
Hainault Forrest –composite*
Deal
Sandwich
Burnham & Berrow
Chiberta

*1-13 the lower. Tee off on 14 playing to Upper course 14 green, and then 15-18 for a magnificent finish. This is only possible on an early season twighlight.  I am only one of two people known to have played this course and the other one was extremely nervous when we did it as your tee shot on 16 must be played to the 8th fairway which I have christened ‘No Man’s land’.  At that point you have to pray no one suddenly appears on the tee for 16 Upper.  Well worth the risk IMO.  Actually the Lower nearly makes it on it's own just pipped by Sunny Old.

Is everyone who's submitted one of these carrying a nagging doubt that therir memeory is not what it should be.

[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

Oops...Prairie Dunes is tied with a good lot of them!!

[Donnie Beck]

1. Shinnecock
2. Fishers Island
3. NGLA   
4. Garden City
5. Maidstone
6. Newport
7. Pine Valley
8. Oakmont
9. Friar's Head
10. Los Angeles CC (North)
11. CC of Fairfield
12. Somerset Hills
13. Lookout Mountain
14. Fox Chapel
15. Mountain Lake
16. Yale
17. Bethpage Black
18. Pinehurst #2
19. Shennecossett GC
20. Boston GC
21. Atlantic
22. The Creek
23. The Knoll
24. Black Creek
25. Morris County

[James Boon]

Here is my list in cop out alphabetical format...

Askernish
Beau Desert
Brora
Burnham & Berrow
Castle Stuart
Cavendish
Colonial
County Louth (Baltray)
Gleneagles Kings
Golden Horseshoe
Hunstanton
Huntercombe
North Berwick
Notts (Hollinwell)
Painswick
Royal County Down
Royal Dornoch
Royal Portrush
Royal West Norfolk (Brancaster)
Saunton East
Sherwood Forest
St. Enodoc
Sutton Coldfield
Walton Heath Old
Woodhall Spa

These threads only remind me of some of the gaps in my playing experience, damn it! 

Cheers,

James

[Matt_Ward]

Jaeger:

Thanks ...

Frankly, I can easily make a case that their are 25 better overall course simply in the NYC metro area than either of the two layouts in Springfield.

I do agree regarding the access elements you mentioned. Tough to get on when having limited contacts. Maybe I can change that for you this year !

The Lower is a long slog for most people -- it also benefits from having hosted mega events over the years -- never hurts to have JN's name attached to your roster -- twice.

I played the Upper this year and thought what was done there works really well. I see it as the better overall architectural layout between the two. Although, I still see other layouts that are dotted throughout the greater metro area as better alternatives than either of the two at Baltusrol.

Jaeger, if you need to hook up for a game -- you can always reach me. Happy to expand the boundaries of your personal list.

[Scott Warren]

Here is my list in cop out alphabetical format...

Askernish
Beau Desert
Brora
Burnham & Berrow
Castle Stuart
Cavendish
Colonial
County Louth (Baltray)
Gleneagles Kings
Golden Horseshoe
Hunstanton
Huntercombe
North Berwick
Notts (Hollinwell)
Painswick
Royal County Down
Royal Dornoch
Royal Portrush
Royal West Norfolk (Brancaster)
Saunton East
Sherwood Forest
St. Enodoc
Sutton Coldfield
Walton Heath Old
Woodhall Spa

These threads only remind me of some of the gaps in my playing experience, damn it! 

Cheers,

James

Nairn doesn't crack it for a spot?

[James Boon]

Here is my list in cop out alphabetical format...

Askernish
Beau Desert
Brora
Burnham & Berrow
Castle Stuart
Cavendish
Colonial
County Louth (Baltray)
Gleneagles Kings
Golden Horseshoe
Hunstanton
Huntercombe
North Berwick
Notts (Hollinwell)
Painswick
Royal County Down
Royal Dornoch
Royal Portrush
Royal West Norfolk (Brancaster)
Saunton East
Sherwood Forest
St. Enodoc
Sutton Coldfield
Walton Heath Old
Woodhall Spa

These threads only remind me of some of the gaps in my playing experience, damn it! 

Cheers,

James

Nairn doesn't crack it for a spot?

Scott,

I considered putting Nairn in the list, as I did a few others. Nairn is a good course but when I look back, its not with the same love as some of the lesser known courses such as Cavendish or Painswick.

Cheers,

James

[Sean Leary]

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 ?

You have been threatening to post your list for years. Just do it. 

[Matt_Ward]

Sean:

Thanks ... why would anyone care ?

[Sean Leary]

Matt,

A) You are well traveled
B) You are very opinionated about other peoples lists when they do them.
c) See B.

[Matt_Ward]

Sean:

Fair enough ...

suffice to say, I've listed a top 50 metro NY area a short time ago.

My overall listing doesn't vary much from the others who have traveled a good deal.

Although I do have a few surprises ... I'll think about inserting them.

[Gary Slatter]

difficult task, my 25 favourites of the ones that I have played:
1. Cypress
2. St Georges
3. Royal Aberdeen
4.Prestwick
5. Highland Links
6. The National
7. Banff
8. Royal County Down
9. Capilano
10. Ballybunion
11. St Thomas Ontario
12. Ville d'Este
13. Congressional
14. Muirfield
15. Carnoustie
16. Old Course
17. Pinehurst #8
18. Seminole
19. Cog Hill
20. Maidstone
21. Royal Dornoch
22. Shinecock
23. Turnberry Ailsa
24. Westmount
25. Canouan Island - Trump Intenational at Raffles Resort     Just moved here and the course is dramatic

[Andrew Hastie]

My List.

Cypress Point
St Andrews (Old Course)
Royal County Down
Royal Portrush
Pacific Dunes

Royal Dornoch
Friar's Head
Kingston Heath
Royal Melbourne (East)
Royal St George's

New South Wales
Baltusrol (Lower)
Portmarnock
Olympic (Lake)
Quaker Ridge

Maidstone
Kingsbarns
Bandon Dunes
Bandon Trails
Swinley Forest

Sunningdale (New)
The Creek
Castle Stuart
Plainfield
Valderrama

What would be really cool is to play all the courses again!

Andrew

[Jim Adkisson]

My all Oregon USA list (due to lack of traveling much with sticks):

1. Pacific Dunes
2. Bandon Trails
3. Tetherow
4. Bandon Dunes
5. Columbia Edgewater
6. Pumpkin Ridge-Ghost Creek
7. Tokatee
8. Heron Lakes-Great Blue
9. Sunriver-Crosswater
10. Aspen Lakes
11. Bandon Crossings
12. Juniper-New
13. Quail Run
14. Oswego Lake
15. Eastmoreland
16. Riverside
17. Oregon Golf Club
18. Elkhorn Valley
19. Arrowhead
20. Gearhart Golf Links
21. OGA
22. Ocean Dunes
23. Sunriver-Meadows
24. Reserve-South
25. The Mighty Rose

Looking forward to OM being added to the top of the list.

honorable out of state mentions: Bethpage Black and Red, Chambers Bay, Troon North P & M, Dove Mountain, Coral Canyon, Entrada, Torrey N & S.

[Bill_McBride]

Bill,

I think the GBI guys are lucky - almost any great course over there is in play for the public and there are often tons of wonderful courses within a small area.

I agree that Americans are lucky to have a place like Bandon Dunes where you can play (soon to be) four of the best courses on the continent in one location. BDGR is world class.

But it seems like other great publics (or semi-privates) like Pasa, Wild Horse, Chambers, Bethpage, etc. are either pricey or isolated from other courses of similar caliber. Unless you can get on a few private courses, it seems challenging to put together a one week or two week trip containing great golf at the level you can get in Ireland, England or Scotland (if that is even possible over here).

What do you think?

I agree 100% with what you are saying, although I do think Pasatiempo is definitely worth $150 to play.  Pine Barrens at World Woods and its neighbor, the Dunes at Seville, were great public bargains at the 2008 Dixie Cup. 

But yes, it's hard to do a week trip with several  affordable and interesting courses in a given area if you can't mix in a private and a high-priced public.

[JC Jones]

I agree.  The ability to mix public/private is imperative for a good golf week these days.  I am planning a Ballyneal trip next summer and am looking to bookend the trip with golf.  Right now Wild Horse is tops on the list but I am struggling to find others. 

[Jordan Wall]

Although I do have a few surprises ... I'll think about inserting them.

Matt,

We don't care that much.

[Bill_McBride]

I agree.  The ability to mix public/private is imperative for a good golf week these days.  I am planning a Ballyneal trip next summer and am looking to bookend the trip with golf.  Right now Wild Horse is tops on the list but I am struggling to find others.  

Jason, I got a lot of good advice on my Colorado Golf (en route to Ballyneal) thread last week.

[Matt_Ward]

Jordan:

And happy holidays to you too !