Exceeding Expectations

[Mark Chaplin]

Simon dare I say it's better shooting at National's flagpole from the 18th tee at National!

[Michael George]

Simon:

I would disagree with your assessment that Jack had someone holding his hand on Muirfield Village.  In fact, I think Desmond was more used to help coordinate the real estate development than the golf course and holes themselves.  I know that they are hard to separate but I think Jack deserves the credit here.  Plus, it is one great place and one great golf course.  No weak holes.  Only hole that I thought was out of place is #17.  The green complex does not need any work, but the tee needs to get closer to #16 green and trees to be added along the property line (completely out of play) so that it does not have the feel of being in a pasture, as it currently does.

[Jason Topp]

I love these kinds of lists.  One paradoxical result of this site is that these types of courses are much more difficult to find.  Here are some of my surprises from recent years:

Providence Golf Course, Richmond VA - really fun public course on nice land by Lester George  

Kokepelli - Hurricane , UT - fantastic design in an incredible location with poor conditioning

Plantation GC - Fort Myers, FL - cart course but very interesting Hurzdan design

Hyperion Field Club - Des Moines, IA - Bendelow and too many trees but interesting greens and hole lengths.  OB tight right on first 4 holes presents a unique challenge.

Kington - I expected to like it but thought it would be a short course.  It does not play that short.

Town & Country, St. Paul - returned after several years and liked it more than I remembered.

Vista Verde- AZ - I was skeptical given how much Matt Ward trumpeted the course but I think it is as good as any of the publics in the   Scottsdale area.

[Dan Kelly]

Four this year -- two played, two looked at while others played. All were ... FUN courses:

1. Lawsonia Links. Knew it would be good. Thought it was outstanding. A road trip worth making every year.

2. Tagalong (Birchwood, Wisconsin). Old resort course featuring deep grass bunkers and dramatic raised greens.

3. Mission Inn, Campeon course (Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla.). Expected flat and water-everywhere. Got dramatic topography and plenty of water, but not cramping.

4. Emeis GC (Davenport, Iowa). A standard old municipal parkland course, I guess, but very well done. Lots of trees, but not claustrophobic. Wished it were in the Twin Cities, where the keepers of municipal courses have never met a tree they didn't love.

Plus 1: I didn't get to T&C this year, but have the same reaction as Jason every time I do.

[Simon Holt]

Simon dare I say it's better shooting at National's flagpole from the 18th tee at National!

I did that 2 days later.  Once before lunch and once after.  Having played there before and expecting near perfection it couldn't really exceed expectations

I actually thought it was a little too soft for my liking, if I can be so bold.  The members I played with thought the same- I suggested it might have been down to the weather at that time but they said it had played that way all year.  I love that place.

Michael,

Thanks for that- I wasn't too clued up about the course actually.  I did think it was a really good layout.  I believe 16 had been changed when I played just over a month ago.  It looked like it had been lifted and placed there but I guess once it roughs up a bit (not really possible as the place is immaculate) then it will fit in better.

I actually quite liked 17 but I can see where you are coming from.

[Bill_McBride]

I had heard that Kinloch was really good, but it was REALLY good.  And that was while slogging around in a steady rain and under 45^o.   

[PCCraig]

I'm glad those that saw Lawsonia this year at the Mashie felt it exceeded their expectations!

[Jud_T]

courses that have exceeded my expectations:

Prestwick
Baltray
Ballyneal
Kingsley
Shoreacres
Olympia Fields North
Tamarack
Pacific Dunes
Lost Dunes
Diamante

but this says more about my expectations than anything.  For instance, I don't think it would have been possible for Old Mac to have exceeded my expectation after all the genuflecting here.  It met them, which is saying quite a bit.

[PThomas]

courses that have exceeded my expectations:

Prestwick
Baltray
Ballyneal
Kingsley
Shoreacres
Olympia Fields North
Tamarack
Pacific Dunes
Lost Dunes
Diamante

but this says more about my expectations than anything.  For instance, I don't think it would have been possible for Old Mac to have exceeded my expectation after all the genuflecting here.  It met them, which is saying quite a bit.

which Tamarack?

[Terry Lavin]

Exmoor CC, north of Chicago was a pure delight.  I liked every hole and a several of them were just spectacular.  And almost nobody talks about it here in town, and it's more than 100 years old.

Old Tabby Links, in Beaufort S.C., is a Palmer/Seay course that is a Low Country gem that gets very little love.  I think it's just terrific.

Lake Nona, in Orlando, doesn't generate a lot of chatter, but I think it's clearly the best in that area that I've played (n.b. I haven't played Isleworth yet).

[Daryl David]

Nairn Golf Club.  Great fun and wonderful club.  Much better than we expected.  Hopefully will get a little TV coverage when the Curtis Cup is there next time.

[Jud_T]

which Tamarack?

The Charles Banks course in Greenwich, CT

[PThomas]

which Tamarack?

The Charles Banks course in Greenwich, CT

thank God, hoped you didnt mean the CHicago Tamarack...Shivas would have dropped dead

[Howard Riefs]

Kingsley GC (Michigan) – Each hole is a treat.

Highlands of Elgin (Ill.) – New nine holes routed around old stone quarry. Actually not flat like the typical Chicago-area course.

Murphy Creek (Aurora, Col.) – Fun Ken Kavanaugh design outside of Denver. Knew that it hosted the 2008 U.S. Pub Links but it far surpassed my expectations.

[Dean DiBerardino]

Prairie Dunes. I had really big expectations going in and they were easily exceeded.

[Kalen Braley]

I think as members of GCA.com its often hard to "exceed" expectations because usually you know so much going in.  Between photos, discussions, and other peoples input more often that not its easier to be let down.

That being said, the following standout to me as courses that certainly exceeded:

1)  Pasatiempo - I already had pretty high expectations going in, but had no clue as to just how good it was...especially that epic back nine.

2)  Wine Valley - I had seen pics and it looked darn good, but this is one terrific golf course and really left a huge impression on me.

3)  Chambers Bay - To a lesser extent on this one than the 1st two.  I had a pretty good idea it was going to be special, but the nature of the site and just how massive/undulating it was really took me by surprise in a good way.  Epic stuff indeed!

[Mark Saltzman]

Kalen,

WV blew me away too. I have to give you credit for my playing it. If not for your glowing reviews I never would have driven the three hours to see it.

[Brad Tufts]

CC of Greenfield in Mass.

Northeast Harbor in Maine

JP Larkin in VT

Peterhead and Tain in Scotland

Westchester CC West

[Kalen Braley]

Kalen,

WV blew me away too. I have to give you credit for my playing it. If not for your glowing reviews I never would have driven the three hours to see it.

Its a bit of a trek, but totally worth it.  I drove 10 hrs to see it a couple of years ago! 

[Brad Tufts]

Thought of another one...

Blue Lakes CC in Idaho.

[Garland Bayley]

Kalen,

WV blew me away too. I have to give you credit for my playing it. If not for your glowing reviews I never would have driven the three hours to see it.

Its a bit of a trek, but totally worth it.  I drove 10 hrs to see it a couple of years ago! 

Kalen,

You forgot to tell Mark the outcome of your 10 hour drive and visit a couple of years ago!

[Ash Towe]

As Leo Barber commented Arrowtown in NZ is an outstanding course and a must play if you are in Queenstown.

Peninsula South in Melbourne is superb and people who visit the Sandbelt should put this club on their itenary.  I have yet to play the North course.

As also mentioned Plainfield.  I could play there every weekend.

Monterey CC Shore course, the par3 and par 5 holes are truly memorable.

[John Shimp]

Dunbar in Scotland

CC of Salisbury in NC. Neat Ross course.  Great fairway bunkering and greens.

[Jud_T]

Kingswood Golf Club, Wolfboro, NH is another one.  Was just looking for a decent round while on vaca and found this off-the-run Ross with great elevation changes and some nice old-school greens...

[Steve Kline]

From this year:

Kingsley - I was looking forward to it, but it was sublime. Hard to have as much fun playing golf as I did there.

Sheep Ranch - Again I was looking forward to it. But when we pulled up I wasn't too sure. After the first two holes we played I was even more skeptical. By the time my gang was ready to go I really didn't want to leave.