What is the worlds top public golf destination?

[Anthony Gray]

  For me it is Bandon.But look out for Cabo in the future. With a new scenic course above Diamante Cabo will be a must desination. Second for me would be the St Andrews,Kingsbarns and Carnoustie trifecta.

  Anthony

 

[Mark Chaplin]

Anthony - I'd consider St Andrews as one location and nothing to do with Carnoustie or Kingsbarns.

[Emile Bonfiglio]

I live in Oregon, I spend a fair amount of time in Cabo..I feel very lucky to have great courses so close. I think that Bandon is the top destination in the world and only poised to get better as the Preserve opens and the potential off an additional 27 holes just south of the resort. At Bandon you don't have to leave the resort for a week if you didn't want to, you don't really have that option in Cabo. Also in Cabo you are very limited in the courses you can play (I'm talking about us average players, not you PV, NGLA, CP, etc. playing studs that have achieved the ability to play very exclusive courses). Courses like El Dorado, Querencia, Diamante are now private so a buddies trips would be difficult to negotiate. There are great courses as well in La Paz and Bahia de los Suenes but that is a real drive from Cabo proper.

I think for the pure experience of playing golf mixed with financial impact (nice work today Dow Jones!) Bandon is the winner.

[Jim Nelson]

Bandon, St. Andrews, Pebble Beach.  First two are a tie in my opinion, but for different reasons.  Bandon would be a clear winner over Pebble because of price, but that differential has diminished as Bandon has become much more expensive over the years.

[Dave McCollum]

What, no Cruden Bay, Aberdeen, Murcar, Petershead, Trump, etc. grouping?  Not that I’m arguing with your choices; it just seems strange coming from my very-well-traveled pal.  Since I seem to find myself drifting over to Bandon every  year, I guess that makes me a Bandonista.

[Mark Pritchett]

Keep your eyes on the Sand Hills of Nebraska. 

[Jim Nelson]

Keep your eyes on the Sand Hills of Nebraska. 

Why?

[John Foley]

Bandon
Pebble
St Andrews
Cabo

Pretty sure 95% of your golfers are priced out of these locations.

Architecturely they are world class, but affordable they are not.

[Mark Pritchett]

Keep your eyes on the Sand Hills of Nebraska. 

Why?

Mea Culpa, I overlooked "public".

[Joe Bausch]

There are a whole lot of people that would call Myrtle Beach the top public golf destination.

[Mark Chaplin]

John - what did you find expensive at St Andrews? With the exception of the Old and Castle the courses - all 5 - are great value and whilst expensive TOC is world class. Good twin accommodation is around £80 a night and being a university town plenty of cheap eats and drinks.

Does Bandon, Pebble or Myrtle Beach offer unlimited golf to local residents for $300 a year?

[Greg Tallman]

I was sad to see Diamante privatize (though they had no choice) as there would have been wonderful shared marketing opportunities to drive serious golfers to Cabo like the old days of "buddy trips" that were the backbone of Cabo's early tourism business.

That said The Ocean Course speaks for itself, our Desert Course is pretty darn solid, Plamilla (minus the Ocean Nine) is a good track and the next level of courses offer solid, golf in parts if not overall product. 

[Jim Hoak]

World's best is Pebble Beach.  Nothing close.  Maybe a bit expensive, but clearly the best.

[Greg Tallman]

World's best is Pebble Beach.  Nothing close.  Maybe a bit expensive, but clearly the best.

Why is it better than Bandon?

[Ron Csigo]

There are a whole lot of people that would call Myrtle Beach the top public golf destination.

I agree with Joe.  It's probably Myrtle Beach.  Most golfers just look for a cheap golf getaway without factoring in the whole GCA aspect.  Although there are some quality golf courses in the area, MB offers golf for every budget.  Moreover, it's a place for guys to act like guys, meaning drink a ton of beers and visit every AGE in and around town.

I agree that Pebble and Bandon are probably the best but most weekend golfers probably never even heard of Bandon Dunes.   How sad is that?!

[Jim Hoak]

Greg--I like Bandon.  Been there 5 times.
But Pebble has better accomodations, better food, better travel, better weather, better scenary, better non-golf activities--and I think clearly better courses across the board when all courses are considered.
But I think Bandon is a good second.

[Greg Tallman]

Greg--I like Bandon.  Been there 5 times.
But Pebble has better accomodations, better food, better travel, better weather, better scenary, better non-golf activities--and I think clearly better courses across the board when all courses are considered.
But I think Bandon is a good second.

The only surprising part of your response. So you would almost have to say Bandon's courses are wildly overrated or their monterrey counterparts grossly underrated.

[Jim Hoak]

I don't know that I have to be saying that.  I think Pacific Dunes and OM are very good, Bandon OK and Trails average.  But I certainly think that Pebble and Spyglass are the equal of the first two--and there are 15 other options in the Montery area.  So not only do you have some great courses (at both places) but you have more variety and choice in Monterey.  But I'm not meaning to demean Bandon in any way.  I just think on balance (cost excluded) the choice is not even close.

[J Sadowsky]

The sandhills currently have amongst public-access courses Pinehurst  #2 (and #4, and #8), Dormie Club, Tobacco Road, Pine Needles, Mid Pines, and Southern Pines.  

If you're talking about top-100 golf courses, America's best is going to be Bandon, though certainly some will say Carmel, Hawaii, Kiawah, or even Kohler.

If you're talking about sheer volume of courses, the answer is going to be Myrtle (with some saying the Sandhills, and others saying Vegas).

But North Carolina might have the appeal if you are looking for both quality and quantity.  To the extent "Hawaii" is a single (if expensive) option, that might also be a candidate for best-of-both-quality-and-quantity.

[Michael Whitaker]

Anthony - I'd consider St Andrews as one location and nothing to do with Carnoustie or Kingsbarns.

Mark - For Americans who visit that area (especially for the first time) all three are usually lumped together as parts of one destination. Not uncommon at all.

[Kalen Braley]

I don't know that I have to be saying that.  I think Pacific Dunes and OM are very good, Bandon OK and Trails average.  But I certainly think that Pebble and Spyglass are the equal of the first two--and there are 15 other options in the Montery area.  So not only do you have some great courses (at both places) but you have more variety and choice in Monterey.  But I'm not meaning to demean Bandon in any way.  I just think on balance (cost excluded) the choice is not even close.

I agree the choice is not even close...

Other than maybe Spanish Bay...name one other "Public" course in the area that is even remotely in the league of any of the 4 courses at Bandon?

P.S.  This reminds me of an NBA trade where you give away one bona-fide star in exchange for 4 solid to decent players...it never works out for those teams.  Quantity never matches up to Quality!

[Mark Chaplin]

I'll ask an earlier question again; Does Bandon, Pebble or Myrtle Beach offer unlimited golf to local residents for $300 a year?

[Tom_Doak]

Pebble Beach is overrated as a destination if you have to throw out Cypress Point [because it's private] -- and if you count it, you're cheating.

I just got back from East Lothian, and I would take East Lothian over Pebble any day.

[Greg Tallman]

I'll ask an earlier question again; Does Bandon, Pebble or Myrtle Beach offer unlimited golf to local residents for $300 a year?

Why would they?

[Kalen Braley]

I'll ask an earlier question again; Does Bandon, Pebble or Myrtle Beach offer unlimited golf to local residents for $300 a year?

Mark,

You make an excellent point, but I'm not sure money/value is apart of Tony's initial question.  Sounds like he's talking about the best, not so much the most cost effective.

Perhaps Tony could clarify.