The MUST PLAY courses that have Public Play

[Anthony Gray]

  What are the courses on your must play list that are accessible?

  Is TOC mandatory?

  My top two would be North Berwick,Prestwick and Pebble Beach.


    Anthony

[Mac Plumart]

 

[David_Tepper]

Anthony -

I don't think it is really fair to compare to roster of daily fee/public play golf courses in the U.S. to the courses in GB&I, where virtually every private club permits visitor play on a daily fee basis.

My guess is that at least 95 of the top 100 courses in GB&I permit unaccompanied visitor/public play. I doubt more than 20 or 30 of the top 100 courses (public and/or private) in the U.S. do so.

DT

[Mac Plumart]

Might not be fair, but it should be fun.

Must play public courses that I've seen...

Pinehurst #2 and Kiawah Ocean.

Maybe Longshadow.  To show how good a course can be and still be affordable.

[David_Tepper]

GOLF magazine's 2008 list of the "Top 100 Courses You Can Play:"

http://courses.golf.com/top-courses-and-resorts/top-100-courses-you-can-play-2008.html

[Greg Tallman]

  What are the courses on your must play list that are accessible?

  Is TOC mandatory?

  My top two would be North Berwick,Prestwick and Pebble Beach.

    Anthony

White Day and Cruden Bay

[John Moore II]

  What are the courses on your must play list that are accessible?

  Is TOC mandatory?

  My top two would be North Berwick,Prestwick and Pebble Beach.


    Anthony

I agree with the other comment that most of the best courses in the British Isles allow outside play if the rounds are pre-booked. Many of them have links on their websites allowing booking. The only club in the Isles that I have looked at that doesn't allow play like that is Loch Lomond. In the US its a far different story.

[Wade Schueneman]

Seven courses immediately spring to mind

1) Royal County Down
2) The Old Course
3) Royal Melbourne West
4) Lahinch
5) Ballybunion
6) Pebble Beach
7) Pacific Dunes

[John_Conley]

I'm sure everyone has a different definition of must play.  I'll offer up Lawsonia and World Woods - Pine Barrens as courses you should play if you are looking for a golf game within an hour of the area.

[Wayne Freeman]

I think you have to throw out the outside the U.S. courses because all the ones mentioned above are available to play. 
  You can't go wrong with the top 10 list from Golf Mag referenced above.  Having played all of them,  it's a list worthy of
active pursuit.




Rank 2006
Rank Course Name
Designer, Year City State Price,
Official Site
1  1 Pacific Dunes
Tom Doak, 2001  Bandon Ore.  $75-$265

>Official Site 
2  2 Pebble Beach
Jack Neville, Douglas Grant, 1919  Pebble Beach Calif.  $495-$530

>Official Site 
3  4 Whistling Straits (Straits)
Pete Dye, 1997  Haven Wis.  $230-$290

>Official Site 
4  3 Kiawah Island (Ocean)
Pete Dye, 1991  Kiawah Island S.C.  $208-$350

>Official Site 
5  6 Pinehurst (No. 2)
Donald Ross, 1907  Pinehurst N.C.  $339-$410

>Official Site 
6  5 Bandon Dunes
David McLay Kidd, 1999  Bandon Ore.  $75-$265

>Official Site 
7  7 Bethpage (Black)
A.W. Tillinghast, 1935  Farmingdale N.Y.  $50-$124

>Official Site 
8  NEW Chambers Bay Golf Course
Robert Trent Jones II, 2007  University Place Wash.  $75-$170

>Official Site 
9  9 Spyglass Hill
Robert Trent Jones, 1966  Pebble Beach Calif.  $330-$365

>Official Site 
10  11 TPC at Sawgrass (Stadium)
Pete Dye, 1980  Ponte Vedra Beach Fla.  $275-$375

>Official Site 

1-10  |   11-20  |   21-30  |   31-40  |   41-50  |   51-60  |   61-70  |   71-80  |   81-90  |   91-100   


Read more: http://courses.golf.com/top-courses-and-resorts/top-100-courses-you-can-play-2008.html#ixzz0rpoUpwxV

[Sean_A]

I don't have a must play list but there are a few publics I would dearly like to see:

Pasa
Longshadow (I didn't know this was public)
Lawsonia
Old Mac
Pacific Dunes
Barnbougle (I assume this public)
The new Barnbougle (forgot name)
Rustic Canyon
Wild Horse
Angels Crossing
the Ross course at that redeveloped Casino in Indiana
the hotel course in Cooperstown
Highland Links

There are probably others I have forgotten, but the above is enough for now.

If we are talking public access then its a waste of time.  If we are talking public courses I can think of only three I would highly recommend:

TOC
Lakewood Shores Gailes
Tobacco Road

Others I like a load, but not sure if would ask folks to travel any serious distance

Lederach (cart issues)
Ocean Course (crazy expensive)
Shepherds Hollow (cart issues)

There are loads I would put in the "see if you are close, but doesn't require any serious detour" - too many to mention.

Ciao

[Mark Chaplin]

David - according to Gorld World top 100 in 2008;

Goodwood - 99
Loch Lomond - 9

Are members and guests only.

Swinley Forest - 52
Rye - 51

Are shown members and guests only but they do allow visitors with letters, planning, etc. Queenwood and Wisley are members only but not top 100 courses so 98/100 are accessible to daily play.

[Emil Weber]

Rustic Canyon is a must play.