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Tony_Muldoon

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Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #50 on: February 10, 2010, 06:01:04 PM »
Tony,

Why more than one course?  Justify that criterion.  Anyway, you forget Elie Sports Club, which is a kid's 9 holer and counts double in making a real "golfing town".

Are you going to walk 5 miles to a course with clubs on your back, by the way?  You're more dedicated than me.

I've never walked more than a mile with clubs to a course. I realise I’ve been lucky but I’d put that as the limit and only when Sue has dibs on the Car.  Half that distance and it adds to the pleasure of the day, not having to load the car and find parking. Enjoy a pint or two before ambling back, Bliss.

Portstewart. My walk  ¾ mile
North Berwick.  500 yards
Dornoch.  1 mile (then 36 holes and onto Embo for a late lunch. The lunch was cr++ the rest wonderful)
St Andrews.  250 yards and ½ mile.

Really decent towns aren’t that hard to find (and I exclude Gullane which seems only to have golf to commend it).  I think it’s fairly common to find a decent town near to a great Golf Course and of course both a town and a Golf course can individually be great. But to meet my criteria for a “Great Golfing Town” I want a special combination of the two, and that’s easiest defined by adding extra golf. E.g. Lahinch is a great destination but I can’t say I can see myself playing the second course when the alternative is to go for a swim in those waves. For this list I want a place to visit not just a course to play with accommodation nearby. By the same criteria I also realise Portrush deserves to be on the list.  Unfortunately for Matthew I drove in and out of Newcastle too fast to judge the merits of that town but it does have a second interesting course. You’ve also convinced me on Elie meriting consideration for its golf; I think any townwhere all ages are playing earns an extra vote for Greatness, but unfortunately  that’s another place I drove through too quickly to appreciate the merits of the town. So in the end it’s more than a little subjective and depends on the experience we’ve had in each place.


Let's make GCA grate again!

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #51 on: February 10, 2010, 06:09:06 PM »
Metro Philly

Dan

Ok, you are a homer, but Philly is not one of the great places to visit in this planet.

Tony

You suffer the same short sighteness as Dan.  Portrush and Portstewart are not great towns - both are in fact dying towns.  If we are gonna mention these two what about Dunbar and Tain?  I think not.  If I am going for a town in Ireland it ahs to be Sligo and it doesn't meet the criteria set by St Andrews, Dornoch and North Berwick.

Ciao
« Last Edit: February 10, 2010, 06:15:05 PM by Sean Arble »
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Melvyn Morrow

Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #52 on: February 10, 2010, 06:10:19 PM »

There is only one place, the rest are just imitations, some good like Prestwick but not quite there.   

St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 

Or 18 holes x 7 courses = 126

Melvyn


Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #53 on: February 10, 2010, 06:12:08 PM »
Tony,

Why more than one course?  Justify that criterion.  Anyway, you forget Elie Sports Club, which is a kid's 9 holer and counts double in making a real "golfing town".

Are you going to walk 5 miles to a course with clubs on your back, by the way?  You're more dedicated than me.
Dornoch.  1 mile (then 36 holes and onto Embo for a late lunch. The lunch was cr++ the rest wonderful)


Agreed on the food in the clubhouse at Dornoch if that's what you are referring to.  David Tepper tells me there is a new food manager or concessionaire who is doing a much better job.

Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #54 on: February 10, 2010, 06:13:20 PM »

There is only one place, the rest are just imitations, some good like Prestwick but not quite there.   

St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 
St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews;  St Andrews; 

Or 18 holes x 7 courses = 126

Melvyn



I'm rather surprised you are including the Castle Course in your tally.    ??? ;D

jkinney

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #55 on: February 10, 2010, 06:15:59 PM »
Southampton, NY

Melvyn Morrow

Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #56 on: February 10, 2010, 06:16:45 PM »
Bill

Yes, I did think about it but its there (for the moment), so have had to include it. Would you like to take it back with you next time you are over, please, please, please, even throw in this time a bottle of 45 year old malt to see it go. ;)

Melvyn  

Tony_Muldoon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #57 on: February 10, 2010, 06:23:30 PM »
Tony,

Why more than one course?  Justify that criterion.  Anyway, you forget Elie Sports Club, which is a kid's 9 holer and counts double in making a real "golfing town".

Are you going to walk 5 miles to a course with clubs on your back, by the way?  You're more dedicated than me.
Dornoch.  1 mile (then 36 holes and onto Embo for a late lunch. The lunch was cr++ the rest wonderful)

Agreed on the food in the clubhouse at Dornoch if that's what you are referring to.  David Tepper tells me there is a new food manager or concessionaire who is doing a much better job.


Bill
After the golf, 36 holes between 7.30 and 2pm my wife, daughter, dog and I met up. Ditched the clubs and headed off along the shore to Embo.  By the time we got to Embo I could have eaten anything, which is just as well because we discovered that the end of our journey was a caravan park with a distressed pub. Awfully sad end to a great adventure.


« Last Edit: February 10, 2010, 06:27:31 PM by Tony_Muldoon »
Let's make GCA grate again!

Jeff Spittel

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #58 on: February 10, 2010, 06:27:50 PM »

Jeff

How far can you throw a rock   
We are talking about Golf right, no rocks in golf, unless the music on the juke box after the round in one of the many local pubs - you sure you are on the right site to discuss throwing this rock?

Name a course you can reach in less than 30 minutes door to door.
TOC – out of my fathers home through the back garden, out past the black door to the left of Old Tom’s shop, across the road and there she is not just any course but TOC - total distance 40yards give or take.

Find one person in a bar who's heard of the course you just played ?
Just about everyone in St Andrews and the golfing world, apart I expect from a few Americans playing at something called ‘Cartballing’.

Do not think NY can quite match that, although I may be wrong ;)

Melvyn



Melvyn,

I'm pretty sure that NYC and St. Andrews are not mutually exclusive candidates for a list of great golfing towns.
 
Fare and be well now, let your life proceed by its own design.

Bob_Huntley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #59 on: February 10, 2010, 06:47:41 PM »
Some years ago, some folks tried to incorporate the Del Monte Forest into the town of Pebble Beach; the attempt failed.

I am not competent enough to do so, but can anyone go to Google maps and measure the distance from course to course, not necessarily to the first tee.

From Pebble Beach to Peter Hay, 200 yards, to Cypress, to Spyglass to Poppy Hills to MPCC to Spanish Bay. There would be few towns matching that team.

Bob  
« Last Edit: February 10, 2010, 07:05:08 PM by Bob_Huntley »

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #60 on: February 10, 2010, 06:55:40 PM »
It seems to me that some folks are talking about nice/great towns with golf and some are talking about golfing towns.  There is a difference even if it can't be properly explained.  The great thing is we all know there is a difference a difference - don't we?

Ciao 
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #61 on: February 10, 2010, 07:07:05 PM »
A little place called New York City. Throw a rock in any direction and you hit one of the world's best courses. You've also got dozens of lesser known gems.

How far can you throw a rock ??? ???
Name a course you can reach in less than 30 minutes door to door.
Find one person in a bar who's heard of the course you just played ?




Nice interpretation.
Bayonne.
Apparently you hang out at the wrong bars.

Can one get to Bayonne from downtown in less than 30 minutes?
« Last Edit: February 10, 2010, 07:11:57 PM by jeffwarne »
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #62 on: February 10, 2010, 07:08:47 PM »
Some years ago, some folks tried to incorporate the Del Monte Forest into the town of Pebble Beach; the attempt failed.

I am not competent enough to do so, but can anyone go to Google maps and measure the distance from course to course, not necessarily to the first tee.

From Pebble Beach to Peter Hay, 200 yards, to Cypress, to Spyglass to Poppy Hills to MPCC to Spanish Bay. There would be few towns matching that team.

Bob  

I suspect the big problem there is that anyone found walking on the 17 Mile Drive is automatically arrested, right?   ??? ::)

Greg Tallman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #63 on: February 10, 2010, 07:13:35 PM »
Cabo is certainly worthy of being in the discussion.

8 or 9 world class courses, 2 of which will likely have some form of recognition in those oh so popular rankings.

Rob Rigg

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #64 on: February 10, 2010, 07:16:24 PM »
Not a golfing town but a city with good golf - Toronto - More golf coures per capita than any city in North America (or something???)

You can take the subway to a bunch of courses, you can ride your bike, you can drive a car.

Some of the old gems include St George's, Summit, Toronto, Weston, Rosedale, Scarboro, etc.

Interesting newer courses tend to be a bit farther out but include Devil's Pulpit and Paintbrush amongst others.

There must be a couple hundred courses within a two hour drive.

It is not St. Andrews - but for a North American city it has a lot of golf and even some great golf.

M. Shea Sweeney

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #65 on: February 10, 2010, 07:20:32 PM »
To a point this is a subjective topic. It all depends on how adventurous you are, and what your looking for. You can go to any locale you think is cool and make a golf trip out of it.  

I am sure that a great golfing town is one that exists because of golf. Some of the places listed are not golfing towns but they are certainly great places to go and play golf. (like Montauk)

People don't go to New York City to play golf. That is almost a laughable one, I get what your trying to say, but in reality its not true.

People TRAVEL to St. Andrews, Pinehurst, Bandon to go play golf.

If you can do it right- ie- have friends or have access to a house, and the golf courses in the area, which for some is very easy to do,there aren't many better places to be in August than the East End of Long Island. There are just so many good golf combinations to put together and great bars to hang out in at night.

I have never been, but I am sure the quaint towns where golf makes everything happen in Scotland, Ireland, England are tough to beat.

I haven't seen anyone mention Bermuda...

Mike


jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #66 on: February 10, 2010, 07:24:00 PM »
To a point this is a subjective topic. It all depends on how adventurous you are, and what your looking for. You can go to any locale you think is cool and make a golf trip out of it.  

I am sure that a great golfing town is one that exists because of golf. Some of the places listed are not golfing towns but they are certainly great places to go and play golf. (like Montauk)

People don't go to New York City to play golf. That is almost a laughable one, I get what your trying to say, but in reality its not true.

People TRAVEL to St. Andrews, Pinehurst, Bandon to go play golf.

If you can do it right- ie- have friends or have access to a house, and the golf courses in the area, which for some is very easy to do,there aren't many better places to be in August than the East End of Long Island. There are just so many good golf combinations to put together and great bars to hang out in at night.

I have never been, but I am sure the quaint towns where golf makes everything happen in Scotland, Ireland, England are tough to beat.

I haven't seen anyone mention Bermuda...

Mike



That's because bermuda's not a town bonehead
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

M. Shea Sweeney

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #67 on: February 10, 2010, 07:27:38 PM »
I am referring to places in Bermuda. Sorry pro.
« Last Edit: February 10, 2010, 07:30:22 PM by M. Shea Sweeney »

Greg Tallman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #68 on: February 10, 2010, 07:32:28 PM »
I am referring to places in Bermuda. Sorry pro.

Heck, Bermuda is much more of a "town" than half of the laces listed thus far. THough one may wish to steera clear of Freddie's on a late Friday evening!  :o

Tim Johnson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #69 on: February 10, 2010, 08:02:48 PM »
Some of the old gems include St George's, Summit, Toronto, Weston, Rosedale, Scarboro, etc.

Toronto does have some great courses but I believe all the above mentioned courses are private which makes access difficult.

St Andrews, Dornoch, Rosapenna, and Lahinch. Great golf course and about 10-12 pubs to try out in town. There is even a late night pub for locals. It is about the size of a phone booth but it was great drinking with the locals at 3 am. Shot around 100 the next day.

Kevin Pallier

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #70 on: February 10, 2010, 08:54:09 PM »
Some years ago, some folks tried to incorporate the Del Monte Forest into the town of Pebble Beach; the attempt failed.

I am not competent enough to do so, but can anyone go to Google maps and measure the distance from course to course, not necessarily to the first tee.

From Pebble Beach to Peter Hay, 200 yards, to Cypress, to Spyglass to Poppy Hills to MPCC to Spanish Bay. There would be few towns matching that team.

Bob  

I suspect the big problem there is that anyone found walking on the 17 Mile Drive is automatically arrested, right?   ??? ::)

Bill

Am glad they missed me  ;D

Mark Molyneux

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #71 on: February 10, 2010, 09:28:09 PM »
Let me agree with Dan Herrman on this one... Metro Philly has the quantity, quality, and variety of courses that ought to mark any great golf town. We have the only club that I know of in the U.S. with courses created in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries at Philly Cricket. We have tracks plenty good enough to host a major like Merion and (IMO) Philadelphia Country Club, Huntingdon Valley, Aronomink, or Rolling Green. I live in Center City and I can be at Pine Valley's first tee in just over a half hour. The tour used to visit a classic George Thomas track at Whitemarsh Valley... and I'm hard pressed to understand why they don't visit Philly more frequently. How many golden age designers must a town have in order to be a "great golfing town"... Findlay, Tilly, Thomas, Wilson... We have municipal courses that suffer only because the city isn't rich but the design at Cobbs features an abundance of great architectural concepts and Walnut Lane could be our version of that place in New Orleans, Audubon, that I treasure... As for access to semi-private and public clubs, there's a range from the comfortable $25 walking on a weekend places that welcome juniors, seniors, and beginners. There are high end places like Bulle Rock, and Atlantic City (I can drive there in an hour). The First Tee program is developing a lot of city kids' games. Most clubs have strong juniors programs. My guide map of the section shows dozens of clubs within easy driving distance. I think "greatness" implies some great designs but it also connotes that the game is alive and appealing to a whole lot of locals. I think greatness has to span a significant time period. For me, greatness has a lot to do with the social aspect of the game... competitions and the ability to walk down to the first tee and be assured that there's an engaging game available. I've traveled a fair bit but I've not encountered a greater golf town anywhere. One draw back... as I write this note, the Philly courses are under a fairly uniform 30 inch blanket of snow.

John Mayhugh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #72 on: February 10, 2010, 09:47:52 PM »
Some years ago, some folks tried to incorporate the Del Monte Forest into the town of Pebble Beach; the attempt failed.

I am not competent enough to do so, but can anyone go to Google maps and measure the distance from course to course, not necessarily to the first tee.

From Pebble Beach to Peter Hay, 200 yards, to Cypress, to Spyglass to Poppy Hills to MPCC to Spanish Bay. There would be few towns matching that team.

Bob  
Peter Hay to CPC - 1.5 miles to the clubhouse, nearest points 0.5 miles
CPC to Spyglass - 0.9 miles clubhouse to clubhouse, nearest points 0.2 miles
Spyglass to Poppy - 1.1 miles clubhouse to clubhouse, nearest points 0.3 miles
Poppy to MPCC - 1.3 miles clubhouse to clubhouse, nearest points 0.15 miles
MPCC to Spanish Bay - 0.8 miles clubhouse to clubhouse, nearest points 0.1 miles

These are all distances from the air - by road is a lot further.  All of these fit into about 6.5 square miles.

Maybe you cannot do it on foot, but this makes for a hell of a golf town.
« Last Edit: February 11, 2010, 07:56:28 AM by John Mayhugh »

Steve Strasheim

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #73 on: February 10, 2010, 11:02:40 PM »
Let me agree with Dan Herrman on this one... Metro Philly has the quantity, quality, and variety of courses that ought to mark any great golf town. We have the only club that I know of in the U.S. with courses created in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries at Philly Cricket. We have tracks plenty good enough to host a major like Merion and (IMO) Philadelphia Country Club, Huntingdon Valley, Aronomink, or Rolling Green. I live in Center City and I can be at Pine Valley's first tee in just over a half hour. The tour used to visit a classic George Thomas track at Whitemarsh Valley... and I'm hard pressed to understand why they don't visit Philly more frequently. How many golden age designers must a town have in order to be a "great golfing town"... Findlay, Tilly, Thomas, Wilson... We have municipal courses that suffer only because the city isn't rich but the design at Cobbs features an abundance of great architectural concepts and Walnut Lane could be our version of that place in New Orleans, Audubon, that I treasure... As for access to semi-private and public clubs, there's a range from the comfortable $25 walking on a weekend places that welcome juniors, seniors, and beginners. There are high end places like Bulle Rock, and Atlantic City (I can drive there in an hour). The First Tee program is developing a lot of city kids' games. Most clubs have strong juniors programs. My guide map of the section shows dozens of clubs within easy driving distance. I think "greatness" implies some great designs but it also connotes that the game is alive and appealing to a whole lot of locals. I think greatness has to span a significant time period. For me, greatness has a lot to do with the social aspect of the game... competitions and the ability to walk down to the first tee and be assured that there's an engaging game available. I've traveled a fair bit but I've not encountered a greater golf town anywhere. One draw back... as I write this note, the Philly courses are under a fairly uniform 30 inch blanket of snow.

That is very encouraging to read. We have some dear friends in South Philly that we visit quite often. This year, we are thinking about a week over the summer and would like to play golf for 3, or 4 days. Do you have any recommendations for my 9 year old son and I to play while we are there?  I've only played a couple of the munis in the area and they were not the greatest, to be honest.

Carl Nichols

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Great golfing towns
« Reply #74 on: February 10, 2010, 11:51:38 PM »
Palm Springs? What does one do there other than golf?

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