Whip it Out: Post your Top 25 Courses Played

[Shane Wright]

St. Andrews, New Course   (St. Andrews, Scotland) (municipal)
St. Louis C.C.   (St. Louis, Mo.) (private)

Westwood C.C.   (St. Louis, Mo.) (private)
Fox Run   (St. Louis, Mo.) (private)
Crooked Stick   (Carmel, Ind.) (private)

Algonquin G.C.   (St. Louis, Mo.) (private)
A.L. Gustin   (Columbia, Mo.) (University of Missouri course)
Swope Park   (Kansas City, Mo.) (municipal)
Annbriar   (Waterloo, Ill.) (within St. Louis metropolitan area) (public)
Cog Hill   (Lemont, Ill.) (public)

George Wright   (Boston, Ma.) (municipal)
Normandie   (St. Louis, Mo.) (public)
Alvamar   (Lawrence, Kan.) (public)
Brackenridge   (San Antonio, Tex.) (municipal)
Crescent Farms   (St. Louis, Mo.) (private)

Norwood C.C.   (St. Louis, Mo.) (private)
Waveland Golf Course   (Des Moines, Iowa) (municipal)
Seminole Golf Course   (Tallahassee, Fl.) (Florida State University course)
Forest Park Golf Course   (St. Louis, Mo.) (municipal)
Crystal Highlands   (Festus, Mo.) (within St. Louis metropolitan area) (NLE)

Hulman Links   (Terre Haute, Ind.) (municipal)
St. Johnsbury C.C.   (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) (public)
Eagle Creek   (Indianapolis, Ind.) (municipal)
Oak Hills   (Jefferson City, Mo.) (municipal)
Highland Links   (Truro, Ma.) (municipal)

[12 government owned, with six other daily fee courses]


On an additional note, I would love to spend a summer in the UK playing only the courses on Sean Arble's list.  Also, I am very surprised than only a couple of lists included St. Andrew's New Course.

Bill, Please tell you me you have played Shirkey in Richmond, MO.  I lived in Columbia, MO for 3 years and based on your list, I gotta think you have been there.  If not, get there quick.  One of the best hidden gems in the region.

Shane

[Shane Wright]

If you don't mind, I'll take this opportunity to try to make my first ever ranking list.

1. Sandhills
2. Turnberry
3. Wild Horse
4. Blackwolf Run River
5. Whistling Straits
6. Queensltown NZ
7. St. Andrews New
8. Muriwai Beach NZ
9. Blue Canyon, Phuket
10. Waireki NZ
11. St. Mellion
12. Vista Verde
13. Star Pass
14. La Paloma
15. Firethorn
16. Arbor Links
17. Tiffany Greens
18. Baker National
19. Links at Northfork
20. Old Kinderhook
21. The Wilds
22. Bayside (should be about 10, but forgot for a moment)
23. Champions Club Omaha
24. Quarry Oaks
25. Woodland Hills

Rating based on overall enjoyment as well as course quality.

Steve, WOW, Links at Northfork over Quarry Oaks?  WOW.  I'm not making fun, just a little shocked....if you don't mind, would love to hear your reasons.

Shane

[Steve Salmen]

I cross referenced my list with Steve Lang's.  Only Simon Holt listed Elie and nobody yet had Formby.  Thoughts?

[Sean_A]

I cross referenced my list with Steve Lang's.  Only Simon Holt listed Elie and nobody yet had Formby.  Thoughts?

Steve

I have Formby on my best of list, but not my favourites.  I think the course is not far behind Birkdale in quality and every bit as good as Hoylake - though I prefer it to either.  Formby is a terribly under-rated course by folks on this forum even though it is highly thought of in the UK and I think Doak gave it a 7.  

You have UofM in your list?  Is this for sentimental reasons or for its quality?

Ciao

[Andrew Mitchell]

Not sure if I can get to 25......in fact I am going to throw caution to the wind and list them in order of how much fun I have/had playing there.  Some may be 'better' courses in terms of GCA but these put a smile on my face which is what its all about.

In paranthesis my top 10 in GCA terms

1. North Berwick  (6)
2. Cypress Point  (2)
3. Royal Dornoch  (5)
4. Pine Valley  (1)
5. TOC  (4)
6. Muirfield  (3)
7. Pasatiempo (
8. Renaissance Club  (7)
9. Kingsbarns (10)
10. Royal Troon (9)
11. Spyglass Hill
12. Hoylake
13. Bethpage Black
14. Gullane No. 1
15. Loch Lomond
16. Kilspindie
17. Leven
18. Dunbar
19. Champions
20. Shadow Hawk
21. Brora
22. Elie
23. Crail (Balcomie)
24. Leven
25. Stanwich

I need to play more courses!!!

Simon
That's a pretty impressive list, particularly the top 15.

Other than Hoylake have you played much in England?

[Simon Holt]

Thanks!  Unfortunately not more golf in England than Hoylake.  I only played foursomes (alternate shot) there for 3 days last summer but LOVED it from 7 through 13.  The rest of the course is some way behind in MHO but 'worthy'of my top 25.  Hopefully get some London and Kent golf this year and back to Hoylake in August so intend to hit Wallasey etc.

I grew up in East Lothian and was at Uni at St. Andrews hence the EL and Fife bias.

Steve S- The reason I too lised Elie is that I like the holes down at the bottom and the quirkyness of having a drivable, blind, uphill par 4 which you dont see that many of (good reason!!) there is also a couple on the Gullane courses.  The periscope on the first tee is cool too.

A lot of the RnA members are members there and tend to live in Elie and travel into St A.  Less busy I guess.

My US courses have been a slow process but have been very lucky in the few I have played have been of very high quality.  I am heading up to Trump's development in Aberdeen soon so will report back.  I also took lots of erosion pictures after a huge storm at North Berwick which I will post about.

[Jud_T]

Steve,
Great list but why so little love for TOC?

[Steve Strasheim]

Hi Shane,

Two great experiences at the Links at Northfork. First time I played there, we played over 54 holes in one day and just had a riot. Staff told us to just keep playing as long as we were having a good time. It was a lot of fun golf with nothing too difficult with a good friend. On the next trip, we played there and also brought my friends dad along. He was dying of pancreatic cancer and it was a brilliant day in the sun that I will never forget.

I love Quarry Oaks and think it is the most beautiful golf setting in the state. But, the course itself I believe causes it to rate lower. It's not as fun to play as it should be, but an incredible experience nonetheless. Hope that makes sense.

Regards,

steve

If you don't mind, I'll take this opportunity to try to make my first ever ranking list.

1. Sandhills
2. Turnberry
3. Wild Horse
4. Blackwolf Run River
5. Whistling Straits
6. Queensltown NZ
7. St. Andrews New
8. Muriwai Beach NZ
9. Blue Canyon, Phuket
10. Waireki NZ
11. St. Mellion
12. Vista Verde
13. Star Pass
14. La Paloma
15. Firethorn
16. Arbor Links
17. Tiffany Greens
18. Baker National
19. Links at Northfork
20. Old Kinderhook
21. The Wilds
22. Bayside (should be about 10, but forgot for a moment)
23. Champions Club Omaha
24. Quarry Oaks
25. Woodland Hills

Rating based on overall enjoyment as well as course quality.

Steve, WOW, Links at Northfork over Quarry Oaks?  WOW.  I'm not making fun, just a little shocked....if you don't mind, would love to hear your reasons.

Shane

[Jeff Martz]

Just by the fact that I have to tell you where these courses are located is enough to label me as 'embarrassed'.

No real order, except for the first two.
Then the rest are just grouped into tiers.

1. Crystal Downs
2. The Kingsley Club

Heather Glen (Myrtle Beach, SC)
Heathlands (Myrtle Beach, SC)
Moorlands (Myrtle Beach, SC)
(when I was at Pinehurst Junior Golf Advantage School - age 13 in 1981)
Pinehurst #1
Pinehurst #3
Pinehurst #4
Pinehurst #5
(I don't think Pinehurst would have let a group of 70+ Junior Golfers on #2 - ages range between 10-16 or so.)
Tidewater (Myrtle Beach, SC)
Oyster Bay (Myrtle Beach area)
Palm and Magnolia courses (Walt Disney World)

Dauphin Highlands (Harrisburg, PA) Municipal course
Pilgrim's Oak (Lancaster County, PA)
Iron Valley (Lebanon County, PA)
Maryland Golf & Country Club
Williamsport CC (Pennsylvania)
Berwick CC (Pennsylvania)
Tyoga CC (Wellsboro, PA)
Bucknell University course (Lewisburg, PA)
Susquehanna Valley CC (Shamokin Dam, PA)
Meadia Heights CC (Lancaster, PA)
Conestoga CC (Lancaster, PA)
Royal Oaks (Lebanon, PA)
Perth Links O'Tay Golf Course (Perth, Ontario) - back when it was a 9 hole course with two different sets of tees.

[David Amarnek]

Shane,
Any more information about Shirkey?  I live in St. Louis (Philly native) and have never heard of it (or Richmond, MO for that matter).
I'll have to research the internets.... love those hidden gems!
David

[Bill Shamleffer]

Bill, Please tell you me you have played Shirkey in Richmond, MO.  I lived in Columbia, MO for 3 years and based on your list, I gotta think you have been there.  If not, get there quick.  One of the best hidden gems in the region.

Shane

Shane:

I have NOT played Shirkey.  Thank you very much for the tip.  I will keep this in mind next time I am heading towards or near KC.

[Bill Shamleffer]

Shane,
Any more information about Shirkey?  I live in St. Louis (Philly native) and have never heard of it (or Richmond, MO for that matter).
I'll have to research the internets.... love those hidden gems!
David

David:

Richmond, MO is about 30 miles northeast of KC.  Not to be confused with Richmond Heights, Mo. in the St. Louis suburbs.

Bill Shamleffer

[Steve Salmen]

Sean,

U of M is partially sentimental.  I love the layout and really enjoy playing the course.  If the course has a weakness, it's on too small a piece of land.  You really run the risk of getting hit by a ball out there, especially the front.  I suppose it could have been replaced by Olympia South, Sunningdale Old, or Pebble Beach.  However, I've always been a U of M fan and my wife is a grad.  It's awesome playing such a fun golf course so close to the Big House.

Jud,

I've played the Old Course four times.  The only circumstance under which I play it is with friends.  I do not particularly enjoy the front nine.  That being said, I think the back has two of my favorite holes in the world, #11 and #16 (if only they would back the tees up so the Principal's Nose comes into play). 

One of the great joys to me is to sit on the steps between #1 tee and #18 green.  I buy my postcards with pictures of the clubhouse and inform the people I'm writing from the steps in the picture.

I also enjoy watching fathers and sons begin and end their rounds.  Everyone smiles regardless of score.  St. Andrews is a magical place.

[Jud_T]

Steve,

Thanx.  I like your idea of posting the number of rounds you've played on a given course.  For most of us who are not GCA's, it takes several plays, if not more to really develop an informed opinion.  However, I'm afraid if everyone posted the # of rounds you'd see that the vast majority would be 1 or 2 plays given access, travel etc....

[Gary Slatter]

this is too difficult, the list I made last year is different than last weeks, but as of today April 22, 2010 my top 25 played list looks like:
1.  Cypress Point (3)
2.  County Down (2)
3.  Royal Dornoch (3)
4.  Kiawah Ocean (3)
5.  Pebble Beach (7)
6.  Seminole (3)
7.  Shinnecock  (3)
8.  Royal Liverpool (2)
9.  Royal Aberdeen (1)
10.Muirfield (2)
11. Old Course St Andrews (44)
12. Highland Links NS (9)
13. Banff, AB (3)
14. Jasper Park, Ab (1)
15. Congressional (1999) (2)
16. St George's Ontario (150)
17. The National (Toronto) (40)
18. Ville d'este  Como (7)
19. Ballybunion OLd (3)
20. Lucayan CC Bahamas 1970s (400)
21. Lundin (Links) (10)
22. Canouan Island (10)
23. Maidstone (4)
24.  Capilano BC (3)
25.  Huntington Valley (3)

sadly I've annoyed my other favourites including Riviera, Pinehurst, Manchester GC, Cinnamon Hill, Prestwick, Royal Lytham, Porthcawl, Torrance, Westmount, Portmarnock, Islington and others, all tied for 25th

sadly 11, I have a few favourites that don't exist anymore!   York Downs, Northwood, The Emerald, Paradise Island, Berry Islands, Bigwin Inn, tbc

[jonathan_becker]

Gary,

I see that you and Brian Cenci both have Kiawah Ocean ranked above some of the usual top picks. 

I can't argue with that as I think it's underrated somewhat.  Probably due to the fact that it's so difficult, but awesome nonetheless.

[Gregg Evans]

 Here goes.....no particular order

Augusta National
TOC
Ballybunion
LACC
Portmarnock
HarborTown
Doral BLUE MONSTER
Carnoustie
Pebble Beach
Pasatiempo
Old Head
Bethpage Black
Sage Valley
TPC Sawgrass
Long Cove
Seaside
Ocean Forest
Pinehurst 2
Cuscowilla
Chechessee Creek
Bulls Bay
Waterville
Ocean Course
KingsBarns
Legends Course Chateau Elan
SpyglassHill

[David Amarnek]

Bill,
Thanks for the info, too bad it's on the wrong side of the state.
If you ever get back to these parts, let me know!
David

[Gary Slatter]

Gary,

I see that you and Brian Cenci both have Kiawah Ocean ranked above some of the usual top picks. 

I can't argue with that as I think it's underrated somewhat.  Probably due to the fact that it's so difficult, but awesome nonetheless.

The last time my wife and I played Kiawah it was very windy and we both loved it - and the pro at our hotel bet me I wouldn't break 90, and I doubled the last hole for 74!    I forgot to add Kingsbarns (20) to my list, tied for 25th.

[Steve Salmen]

Jud,

I can't take credit for listing the number of rounds.  Someone did it before me and I thought it was a great idea.  You play a course once and you may absolutely love it.  Play it again and it doesn't stand out as much.  The most blatant example in my experience is Gullane #1.  After playing it with my friend (a well traveled golfer), we both loved it and he thought it was better than Maidstone, which I have not played.  The next year we just did not see what we had the year before.  Sort of a letdown.

On the flip side, I thought Elie was a nice course after the first round.  Taking advantage of a return opportunity my opinion got a lot better.  I like that golf course more after each round.  I tell people it's a great gambling course because of the short par 4s.  Chance for 2 or 6.

Muirfield probably had the largest impression on me.  I was 19 when I played it for the first time.  It was my first links course. The first time I pitched my ball onto a green to watch it bounce 20 yards over. 

[John Moore II]

My top 25 courses played, in alphabetical order. I'm not even going to attempt to rank them numerically. #1 on the list is easy, I could most likely give a top 5, but pretty much 2-5 would be interchangeable. Comment away.

Bear's Best Atlanta
Bryan Park (Champions)
CCNC (Dogwood)
Duke Golf Club
Eagle Point
Forest Creek (North)
Foxfire (Original)
Golden Horseshoe (Gold)
Mattaponi Springs
Mid South
Moose Run (River)
NCSU Lonnie Poole
Pensacola Country Club
PGA (Dye)
Pinehurst #1
Pinehurst #5
Pine Needles
The President  (Eagle)
Riverfront
Southern Pines
Tanglewood Park (Champions)
Thanksgiving Point
Tobacco Road
TPC Wakefield Plantation
Wilmington GC

Edit from before, I've played some good courses here recently and I've really thought about some other courses. Taking off #2 because I haven't played the whole course, just 1/3 of it and walked the rest. So I'm taking that one off. Updated courses in RED.

Original courses in Black
April 11 updates in Red.
June 24 updates in Blue.



New lists appreciated from anyone willing to put them down.

[JR Potts]

New in GREEN - Please move all numbers accordingly

Pine Valley
1. Shoreacres
2. San Francisco
3. Medinah #3
Merion
Erin Hills
4. Whistling Straits
5. Riviera
6. Spyglass
7. Pebble Beach
8. Beverly
9. Butler National
10. Chicago Golf
11. Olympia Fields North
Hidden Creek
12. Shoal Creek
13. Pine Needles
14. Isleworth
15. Blackwolf Run (River)
Shadow Creek
16. Pinehurst #4
17. Pinehurst #2
18. Lost Dunes
Galloway National
19. Lake Nona

[John Moore II]

New in BOLD - Please move all numbers accordingly

1. Pine Valley
1. Shoreacres
2. San Francisco
3. Medinah #3
Merion
4. Whistling Straits
5. Riviera
6. Spyglass
7. Pebble Beach
8. Beverly
9. Butler National
10. Chicago Golf
11. Olympia Fields North
Hidden Creek
12. Shoal Creek
13. Pine Needles
14. Isleworth
15. Blackwolf Run (River)
Shadow Creek
16. Pinehurst #4
17. Pinehurst #2
18. Lost Dunes
Galloway National
19. Lake Nona
20. Old Overton

Outstanding new 4 added to the list. Pretty much any course on your lists beats the best on my list...

Hope to change that soon though. 

[Ryan Admussen]

Not quite a real top 25, more like a top 15 with some fillers, oh well lots of time to change that!

Pinehurst #2
Pine Needles
Mid Pines
Tobacco Road
East Lake
Kiawah Ocean Course
Bandon Dunes
Bandon Trails
Pacific Dunes
Bandon Crossings
Rustic Canyon
Barona Creek
Torrey Pines South
Torrey Pines North
Paiute - Wolf
Jasper
Banff
Stewart Creek
Wolf Creek(Alberta)
Red Deer G&C.C.
The National
Kawartha
Tarandowah
Eagles Nest
Osprey Valley - Heathlands

[Greg Ross]

In no particular order...
Carolina Golf Club
Grandfather G & CC
Tanglewood
The Old Course
The New Course
North Berwick
Portmarnock
Carnoustie
Kingsbarns
Bay Hill
Oak Hill
Quail Hollow
Bandon Dunes
Bandon Trails
Pacific Dunes
Princeville
The Ocean Course
Harbour Town
The Dunes Club
Pine Lakes International
Pinehurst #2
Pine Needles
The Country Club
Mission Hills
Southern Pines