Your Last Ten

[Mac Plumart]

My two cents would be to include every course on your last ten list, not just new ones.  The idea, per Sven's opening post, is to see the courses we are playing day in and day out.

Like I said, 2 cents.  Take it or leave it.   

[Stephen Davis]

I must be doing something wrong Although I am proud of my list, and have a couple of really great courses on there, it pales in comparison to the lists that are being put up. Here is mine from most recent and not including replays.

1. Trysting Tree
2. The Reserve Vineyards (North)
3. Running Y Ranch
4. Eugene Country Club
5. Mallard Creek
6. The Golf Club of Oregon
7. Springhill CC
8. Wild Horse GC
9. Dismal River
10. Ballyneal

[Jeff_Lewis]

Friars Head
Quaker Ridge
National
Shinnecock
Essex County (NJ)
Winged Foot West
Royal County Down
Royal Portrush
Portmarnock
County Louth

Most importantly, the next new course I expect to play is Cabot Links!

[Simon Holt]

Gullane No. 1
Kilspindie
Kingsbarns
Muirfield
Renaissance Club
Musselburgh Old
Trump Scotland
Royal Aberdeen
Cruden Bay  (first time, loved it)
North Berwick

Trump, like it or not, is very cool.  Unsurprisingly, money cant buy you time, so it needs a while to settle down.  Heroic shots, great interaction with the dunes, nice bunkering but perhaps over-cooked on some of the par 5s like 4 and 18.  The visuals are stunning.  Far more playable than one might think by just looking at the pictures.  It will unquestionably be one of the best courses in the UK, if not the world, once it has some good growth on the fairways, surrounds and the greens are up to speed.  Very, very good indeed.  It lives up to the big man's chat.

[Stephen Davis]

Gullane No. 1
Kilspindie
Kingsbarns
Muirfield
Renaissance Club
Musselburgh Old
Trump Scotland
Royal Aberdeen
Cruden Bay  (first time, loved it)
North Berwick

Trump, like it or not, is very cool.  Unsurprisingly, money cant buy you time, so it needs a while to settle down.  Heroic shots, great interaction with the dunes, nice bunkering but perhaps over-cooked on some of the par 5s like 4 and 18.  The visuals are stunning.  Far more playable than one might think by just looking at the pictures.  It will unquestionably be one of the best courses in the UK, if not the world, once it has some good growth on the fairways, surrounds and the greens are up to speed.  Very, very good indeed.  It lives up to the big man's chat.

This is high praise indeed.

[Shane Wright]

1. Medina CC (Minnesota)
2. Mississippi Dunes GC
3. Baker National
4. Highland National
5. Ballyneal
6. White Bear Yacht Club
7. Dellwood HIlls
8. St. Andrew's - Cedar Rapids, IA
9. Augusta National
10.Brooktree

[Stephen Davis]

1. Medina CC (Minnesota)
2. Mississippi Dunes GC
3. Baker National
4. Highland National
5. Ballyneal
6. White Bear Yacht Club
7. Dellwood HIlls
8. St. Andrew's - Cedar Rapids, IA
9. Augusta National
10.Brooktree

This is impressive!

[Jason Topp]

8. St. Andrew's - Cedar Rapids, IA
9. Augusta National
10.Brooktree

This is impressive!

Particularly with the next item on the list

[Greg Tallman]

Sadly this assignment was rather hard work for me...

Cabo del Sol Ocean (Cabo San Lucas, BCS, Mexico) - 8.5-9
Bahia de los Sueños (Los Planes, BCS, Mexico) - 6
Paraiso del Mar (LaPaz, BCS, Mexico) - 6
Cabo del Sol Desert (Cabo San Lucas, BCS, Mexico) - 7
Diamante (Cabo San Lucas, BCS, Mexico) - 8.5-9
Querencia (San Jose del Cabo, BCS, Mexico) - 5.5
Troon North - Pinnacle? (Scottsdale, AZ) - 6
Estrella Mountain Ranch (Scottsdale, AZ) - 6.5
Long Cove (Hilton Head, SC) - 7
May River (Bluffton, SC) - 7.5

I rarely travel with clubs and am now arguing/debating with my buddy whether we will trek up to Pittsburgh for Oakmont and Laurel Valley during our trip to Morgantown for the West Virginia-LSU game at the end of September. I am a heavy "no" lean on the golf but looking at my list above... perhpas I should reconsider... you know... broaden my horizons and all.

A year has passed and my list remains the same 

[Joe Stansell]

I must be doing something wrong Although I am proud of my list, and have a couple of really great courses on there, it pales in comparison to the lists that are being put up. Here is mine from most recent and not including replays.

1. Trysting Tree
2. The Reserve Vineyards (North)
3. Running Y Ranch
4. Eugene Country Club
5. Mallard Creek
6. The Golf Club of Oregon
7. Springhill CC
8. Wild Horse GC
9. Dismal River
10. Ballyneal

I don't think anyone who has played Ballyneal, Dismal, and Wild Horse among their last 10 (not to mention Eugene Country Club) needs to hold their head in shame.

[Ari Techner]

Last 10 in order:

Sand Hills
Lookout Mountain
Franklin Hills
Fox Hills Golden Fox
Black Creek
Palos Verdes CC
Silver Rock
Saucon Valley Old
Bethpage Black
Oakmont

[Jim Colton]

Quaker Ridge
Ballyneal x22
CommonGround
Cog Hill #2
Chicago Highlands
Prairie Landing
Orchard Valley
Oakmont
The Golf Club
Flossmoor CC

[Jim Jackson]

Pebble
Cypress
Spyglass
Oak Hills CC (San Antonio)
Briggs Ranch
Chicago Golf
Butler National
Merion
Hidden Creek
Chechessee Creek

[Jud_T]

The schizophrenic 10:

Spring Valley CC
Kingsley
Tamarack CC
Highlands of Elgin
Willow Glen
Deerpath
Shepherd's Crook
Crystal Downs
Ravisloe
Beverly

[Morgan Clawson]

My last 10 range from mediocre to magnificent.

I added MY Doak ratings and a quick note about each course.

Glen Lake Golf, Minnetonka MN
Doak 2
9 hole short course that’s better than most in this category.  Huge and popular driving range.

Keller Golf Club, Maplewood MN – 4x
Paul Coates
Doak 5.5
Muni golf at its finest with strategic options on many holes.  GCAer Richard Mandel’s remodel begins this October.

Highland Park, St Paul MN
Doak 3
Basic muni golf.  One of the sand traps is shaped like Snoopy in honor of Charles Shultz.

Ballyneal, Holyoke CO – 5x
Tom Doak
Doak 9.5
A masterpiece starring the world class 7th and 8th holes.

Minneapolis Golf Club, St. Louis Park MN – 6x
Willie Park Jr. and Donald Ross
Doak 6
Long and challenging yet lacking some of the interesting nuances that other Ross courses enjoy.

White Bear Yacht Club, Dellwood MN
Donald Ross
Doak 8
Wonderful and unique holes and green sites.

Northland CC, Duluth MN
Donald Ross
Doak 8
Ross’s most challenging greens after Pinehurst #2?

Deacon’s Lodge, Breezy Point MN
Arnold Palmer
Doak 7.5
Best course in the Brainerd Lakes area. Absolutely beautiful golf course cut out of the woods. Good mix of width, quirk, and options.

Madden’s Pine Beach East, Brainerd MN
Doak 4
Parkland setting is a nice compliment to the tree-lined courses in the area.

Minnesota Valley, Bloomington MN
Seth Raynor
Doak 5
A Redan and a Biarritz are in the mix.

[Jeff Shelman]

Morgan,

You rank Keller ahead of Minnesota Valley? That surprises me.

I like Keller quite a bit, but I think Minnesota Valley is pretty good.

[Michael Herrmann]

Starting with most recent and including replays:

Blue Ash GC - it was a charity scramble, but I'll include it.
Makatewah CC
Kingsley Club
Lochenheath
Miami View GC (my home club)
Prairie View
The Fort
Bear Slide
Traditions GC
Longaberger

[Morgan Clawson]

Jeff -

I'm probably guilty of familiarity bias. I've played Keller so many times that I've come to learn and appreciate all of the design nuances.

I like MN Valley too, but I've only played it once in the last 10 years.

This probably exposes how difficult it is to rate a course after just 1 play.

What would you give MN Valley?

[Nigel Islam]

Fendrich Evansville, IN
Thunderbolt Pass Evansville, IN
Quail Crossing
Bethpage Black
Helfrich Hills Evansville, IN
Olympia Fields, North
Whistling Straits, Straits
Lawsonia Links
Blackwolf Run, River
Erin Hills

Been a pretty good summer for seeing new golf courses for me.

[Brian Joines]

Pinehurst #2
Pinehurst #8
Southern Pines
Wampanoag
Wannamoisett
Habor Shores
Lost Dunes
South Bend CC
Ballyneal
Warren Course

That is probably the most interesting my list has ever looked.

[John Handley]

The European Club
Portmarnock Old
County Louth
Royal County Down x2
Royal Portrush x2
Lahinch
Doonbeg
Ballybunion Old
Ballybunion Cashen

Just got back from 9 days in Ireland.  Trip was superb, the golf courses were amazing, weather unbeatable and the people very welcoming.  I'm still grinning ear-to-ear.

[Rick Shefchik]

What a dream trip. Congratulations -- and try not to be too disappointed by your Next Ten.

[Sean_A]

Stretching back 2 months - no duds in the lot.

Broadstone  R
Rye Joob  NR
Littlestone  r
Rye  2*
Knole Park  R
Wallasey  r
Burnham  1*
Lahinch x2  2*
Ballybunion  1*

Ciao

[John Ezekowitz]

From most recent to least (May onward):

Springdale GC
Fiddler's Elbow (Forest)
Merion East
Belmont CC
Yale
George Wright CC
Pacific Dunes
Old Macdonald
Bandon Trails
Bandon Dunes

And there is a chance I add National before the summer ends. I have been spoilt.

[Steve Lapper]

Paramount
Somerset Hills
Friars Head
Royal Dornoch (5X, but who's counting and I don't remember where they started or if they ever ended!)
Castle Stuart
Brora
Nairn
Moray Old
Royal Aberdeen
Trump Scotland (3x)

Like Simon Holt, I was quite impressed with Trump Scotland. Martin Hawtree succeeded on so many levels.

Next Ten:

Atlantic City Country Club
Hackensack (Hickories)
Essex Country Club
The Country Club Composite
Cabot Links
Shinnecock
Swinley Forest
Sunningdale Old & New
Queenwood
Golf Club Mennagio Cadenabbia/ Villa D'Este......haven't decided which to play for our Anniversary round