Best courses in your city

[Dan Kelly]

Dellwood Hills GC (former home)

I wouldn't call any of us Twin Citians "homers" for listing our home courses -- all of which are excellent courses. And besides, one is supposed to like one's home course!

But I'll call you a "former homer," John, for choosing Dellwood CC (fka Dellwood Hills).

Dellwood would be on my own Last 10 list, among TC courses I'd enjoy playing again.

And to Pat Craig:

I wonder about your definition of "clunker," if Golden Valley's No. 10 does not quite qualify.

[Ryan Taylor]

Ryan

I can understand why you added Ann Arbor, though it is doubtful I would include it as Metro Detroit,  but why add Toledo?  Jeepers, it must be well over an hour centre to centre and they must be at least 50 miles apart.   

Is Essex the one in Ontario, as in Cananda?

My list was labeled Metro Detroit/Ann Arbor/Toledo. I added Toledo because I wanted to. Essex is in LaSalle/Windsor. 2 mi from US/MI border and 15 min from Detroit.

Pick on the Philly guy, Pine Valley to Aronimink has to be > 1 hour drive.

Ryan

[Mike Schott]

Metro Detroit/Ann Arbor/Toledo

My best estimate below. I haven't played them all. Looking strong after recent renovations.

Franklin Hills
Oakland Hills (South)
Orchard Lake
Inverness
Indianwood (Old)
Barton Hills

CC of Detroit
U of M
Grosse Ile
Radrick Farms
Red Run
Essex
Warwick Hills CC
Sylvania CC
Dearborn CC
Detroit GC
Plum Hollow
Oakland Hills (North)
Bloomfield
Birmingham

R&S Sharf
TPC Dearborn
Wyndgate
Rackham

Ryan

I can understand why you added Ann Arbor, though it is doubtful I would include it as Metro Detroit,  but why add Toledo?  Jeepers, it must be well over an hour centre to centre and they must be at least 50 miles apart.  

Is Essex the one in Ontario, as in Cananda?

Ciao

It's hard to define a metropolitan area. There's a list of Bay Area courses in this thread that lists both Pasatiempo and The Meadow Club. They are about 80 miles apart and possibly a 90-120 minute drive. I'm not sure I'd include Toledo in a Detroit area list but mainly because it's in that armpit state south of ours  .

My Detroit list would have:

Oakland Hills South and North
Franklin Hills
Orchard Lake
Indianwood Old
Detroit GC North
Meadowbrook
Bloomfield Hills CC
Barton Hills
U of M.

[Marc Huther]

Evansville/Southern IN
Really only the top 3 are quality make time to play courses, the others are simply the best locals, couldn't force a tenth onto the list...

1. Hill Course
2. Dye Course
3. Victoria National
4. Rolling Hills CC
5. Evansville CC
6. Sultans Run
7. Cambridge
8. Quail Crossing
9. Christmas Lake

[Mark Steffey]

Boston, in order, within 25 miles, in my opinion:

Essex
Myopia
TCC (really interchangable with the above two)

i agree with your order here.   when i tell people i would play essex over tcc any day they rarely believe me, until they play essex!

[Joe Leenheer]

San Diego:

San Diego CC (Wille Watson)
Rancho Santa Fe CC (Max Behr)
Barona Creek (Todd Eckenrode)
La Jolla CC (Billy Bell Sr.)
Torrey Pines North (Billy Bell Jr.)
Torey Pines South (Rees Jones)
Corornado GC (Jack Daray)
Balboa GC (Billy Bell Sr.)
La Costa Legends (Dick Wilson)
The Grand (Tom Fazio)

note: I haven't played any of the second tier CC's in the Rancho Santa Fe area like The Farms, Del Mar CC or Fairbanks Ranch.

Both Del Mar and Fairbanks Ranch are fun places. 
The Bridges is a pretty special place as well. 
I thought the Crosby was a very fun layout.
La Jolla is my sleeper...I just really like that place and town.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Washington, DC, the courses--not the clubs/memberships/other, just the courses--in order of my preference of those I've played:

Robert Trent Jones
Congressional Blue  
Columbia
Four Streams
Congressional Gold
Chevy Chase
Burning Tree
Bethesda
Westfields
River Bend

*Haven't played:  Woodmore, Creighton Farms, Lake Presidential, Laurel Hill, renovated TPC Potomac, renovated Manor, renovated Trump National,

Think I'd replace Westfields with Woodmore, and Burning Tree with Creighton Farms, otherwise it's a pretty good list.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Minneapolis guys, why so little love for Spring Hill.  I played it this fall and thought it was really good.

[Sean_A]

Ryan

I can understand why you added Ann Arbor, though it is doubtful I would include it as Metro Detroit,  but why add Toledo?  Jeepers, it must be well over an hour centre to centre and they must be at least 50 miles apart.   

Is Essex the one in Ontario, as in Cananda?

My list was labeled Metro Detroit/Ann Arbor/Toledo. I added Toledo because I wanted to. Essex is in LaSalle/Windsor. 2 mi from US/MI border and 15 min from Detroit.

Pick on the Philly guy, Pine Valley to Aronimink has to be > 1 hour drive.

Ryan

Ryan

I don't know Philly, but I do know Detroit.  You are the first person I know of that has included not only Toledo as part of Detroit (I think Michigan got the UP after short and bloodless war and Ohio got Toledo  ), but also a city in another country as part of Detroit.  Does that mean we can lean on these two cities to bail us out of bankruptcy ?

Ciao

[Matthew Mollica]

Here is the game. Top ten courses in your metropolitan area in order. All comers private and public.

Can't believe we've got to page #5 and no one's done my town!

Melbourne, Australia

Royal Melbourne (West)
Royal Melbourne (East)
Kingston Heath
Victoria
Commonwealth
Woodlands
Peninsula (North)
Metropolitan
Peninsula (South)
Yarra Yarra

All private. All on sand. Some great bunkering. MacKenzie, Morcom, Russell, Clayton and others. In a town where weather allows year-round golf.

Matthew

[Dan Kelly]

Minneapolis guys, why so little love for Spring Hill.  I played it this fall and thought it was really good.

Have never played it.

[Greg Taylor]

Well, I don't feel like I live in "Metropolitan" Birmingham, but being 40 minutes by car from the centre would certainly qualify by Mercan standards.

First off, there is nothing great in greater Birmingham.

Little Aston
Edgbaston
Beau Desert
Blackwell
Sutton Coldfield (winter only)
Whittington Heath
Harborne
Belfry Brabazon

After the above seven its a bit of a mish mash.  While in a city of its own, Worcester is 45 minutes from the centre of Brum and I think the next best.  Enville probably comes next.

Ciao

Agreed on this, as a Brummie, apart from SCGC's winter course - Sean you know my thoughts on this!

However, what about Copt Heath? No love there...

I would say comparable to Edgbaston or Harbourne... no?

[Brad Tufts]

How about Maine north of Bangor/St. John River Valley of New Brunswick?

Penobscot Valley CC (Ross)
Aroostook Valley GC
Presque Isle
Covered Bridge GC
Mactaquac Provincial Park
Bangor Municipal
Mars Hill
Jato Highlands
Va-Jo-Wa
Houlton Community (9)

Probably the only other corner of the world I'm a complete authority on, unless you count central VT.

[Sean_A]

Well, I don't feel like I live in "Metropolitan" Birmingham, but being 40 minutes by car from the centre would certainly qualify by Mercan standards.

First off, there is nothing great in greater Birmingham.

Little Aston
Edgbaston
Beau Desert
Blackwell
Sutton Coldfield (winter only)
Whittington Heath
Harborne
Belfry Brabazon

After the above seven its a bit of a mish mash.  While in a city of its own, Worcester is 45 minutes from the centre of Brum and I think the next best.  Enville probably comes next.

Ciao

Agreed on this, as a Brummie, apart from SCGC's winter course - Sean you know my thoughts on this!

However, what about Copt Heath? No love there...

I would say comparable to Edgbaston or Harbourne... no?

Greg

Copt Heath is okay, a bit vegetation and sand congested for my tastes; its in line with Mosely, Finham, Handsworth, Sandwell and probably a few others - though I prefer Sandwell in that group.  All worth a go if nearby and you get an invite or can play cheaply.  One thing I will say for Copt Heath, its been in great nick when I turned up, same for Finham. The course I would be more inclined to fit in is Forest of Arden.  Probably should since Worcester isn't really part of the Brum metro area.  I reckon Brummie spill over ends around Droitwich .

I don't share the same love for Walsall as Thomas does.  

Ciao

[Mark Pearce]

Within an hour of central Newcastle:

Goswick

Seaton Carew

Northumberland
Brancepeth Castle
Close House Colt

Bamburgh Castle
Dunstanburgh Castle
Tyneside

[Jason Topp]

Minneapolis guys, why so little love for Spring Hill.  I played it this fall and thought it was really good.

It is beautiful but I think there are a lot of weak holes, mainly north of the road - 1, 7, 9, 12, 16 and 18.  It is a very penal course in that the hazards punish poor shots rather than bold play.  Holes are either narrow or the hazards are at the spot where a bad shot would go. It is almost an impossible course for a weaker player.  

[Alex Cameron]

Ryan


Pick on the Philly guy, Pine Valley to Aronimink has to be > 1 hour drive.

Ryan

Maybe from one to the other, but both are ~30 min from downtown.

Aronimink
http://goo.gl/maps/I4ZyX

PV
http://goo.gl/maps/reAUD

[Richard Hetzel]

I can't go ten deep in Cincinnati, but here is my list. Really, only the first three would I make any effort to play. I would drop everything to play Camargo, make some effort to rearrange things for Hyde Park, and would take an offer to play Clovernook before anything else. After that, if I didn't have to pay I would play them.

Camargo
Hyde Park
Clovernook
Stonelick Hills
Coldstream
Kenwood - Kendale
Maketewah (haven't seen it since a bunch of changes were made a couple of years ago)

I (almost) tried to skip the birth of my 1st son to accept the first invite to Hyde Park, but I broke down and stayed at the hospital. I have played all of the courses near Cincy with the exception of Kenwood CC, Western Hills CC and Miami View CC. Not sure if Western Hills and Miami View are up to snuff for this top 10 though. I also missed out on playing Crest Hills CC (worked with the former head pro's wife) before it faded back into mother nature (NLE).

You could easily add:

Wyoming CC (great 9 hole course)
Losantiville CC

You could round out the list with Elk Run GC or possibly Legendary Run GC (great walkable front 9 with cart only golf on the back 9).  Or, you could add in Shaker Run since it is half way between Cincy and Dayton. Cincinnati is great in that it has a plethora of decent, CHEAP golf, but nothing that really stands out to me along the lines of other cities of similar size.

[Rick Shefchik]

Minneapolis guys, why so little love for Spring Hill.  I played it this fall and thought it was really good.

Have never played it.

Tough to get on, Tommy. None of us are rich guys. I've had one invitation in the decade it's been open, and I got rained out.

[PCCraig]

If we get Shelman's votes in we will have the authoritative GCA MSP Top Ten List.

Paging Jeff!!

[PCCraig]

Well, here is the brand spanking new state list by Golf Digest for Minnesota for 2013-2014:

We rank the top venues in Minnesota
1. Interlachen C.C., Edina ★
2. Spring Hill G.C., Wayzata
3. Hazeltine National G.C.(pictured above), Chaska ★
4. The Quarry at Giants Ridge, Biwabik ♣ ♦
5. White Bear Yacht Club, White Bear Lake
6. Windsong Farm G.C., Independence
7. Northland C.C., Duluth
8. Somerby G.C., Byron
9. The Wilderness at Fortune Bay, Tower ♣ ♦
10. he Classic at Madden's Resort, Brainerd ♣ ♦
11. Minikahda Club, Minneapolis
12. Somerset C.C., Mendota Heights
13. Minneapolis G.C., St. Louis Park
14. The Legend at Giants Ridge, Biwabik ♦
15. Rochester G. & C.C., Rochester
16. Dacotah Ridge G.C., Morton
17. Deacon's Lodge G. Cse., Breezy Point ♦
18. Golden Valley G. & C.C., Golden Valley
19. Woodhill C.C., Wayzata
20. Cragun's Legacy Courses (Dutch Legacy), Brainerd ♦

If you omit the non-Metro courses you get this list:

1. Interlachen C.C., Edina
2. Spring Hill G.C., Wayzata
3. Hazeltine National G.C.(pictured above), Chaska
4. White Bear Yacht Club, White Bear Lake
5. Windsong Farm G.C., Independence
6. Minikahda Club, Minneapolis
7. Somerset C.C., Mendota Heights
8. Minneapolis G.C., St. Louis Park
9. Golden Valley G. & C.C., Golden Valley
10. Woodhill C.C., Wayzata

[Dan Kelly]

Well, here is the brand spanking new state list by Golf Digest for Minnesota for 2013-2014:

We rank the top venues in Minnesota
1. Interlachen C.C., Edina ★
2. Spring Hill G.C., Wayzata
3. Hazeltine National G.C.(pictured above), Chaska ★
4. The Quarry at Giants Ridge, Biwabik ♣ ♦
5. White Bear Yacht Club, White Bear Lake
6. Windsong Farm G.C., Independence
7. Northland C.C., Duluth
8. Somerby G.C., Byron
9. The Wilderness at Fortune Bay, Tower ♣ ♦
10. he Classic at Madden's Resort, Brainerd ♣ ♦
11. Minikahda Club, Minneapolis
12. Somerset C.C., Mendota Heights
13. Minneapolis G.C., St. Louis Park
14. The Legend at Giants Ridge, Biwabik ♦
15. Rochester G. & C.C., Rochester
16. Dacotah Ridge G.C., Morton
17. Deacon's Lodge G. Cse., Breezy Point ♦
18. Golden Valley G. & C.C., Golden Valley
19. Woodhill C.C., Wayzata
20. Cragun's Legacy Courses (Dutch Legacy), Brainerd ♦

If you omit the non-Metro courses you get this list:

1. Interlachen C.C., Edina
2. Spring Hill G.C., Wayzata
3. Hazeltine National G.C.(pictured above), Chaska
4. White Bear Yacht Club, White Bear Lake
5. Windsong Farm G.C., Independence
6. Minikahda Club, Minneapolis
7. Somerset C.C., Mendota Heights
8. Minneapolis G.C., St. Louis Park
9. Golden Valley G. & C.C., Golden Valley
10. Woodhill C.C., Wayzata

You know what they say in French. Of course you do; they say everything in French*: Chacun a son gout.

* (Line stolen from a friend who wouldn't mind.)

[Ryan Taylor]

I don't know Philly, but I do know Detroit.  You are the first person I know of that has included not only Toledo as part of Detroit (I think Michigan got the UP after short and bloodless war and Ohio got Toledo  ), but also a city in another countr as part of Detroit.  Does that mean we can lean on these two cities bail us out of bankruptcy ?

Sean, I'm not including Toledo or Windsor as part of Metro Detroit. I'm clustering three areas that are close together to make a Top 10 list on a gca site. I'm surely not the first person to see the link between Detroit and Windsor. Copy and paste below from Wikipeda. As a Metro Detroiter, I find it hard for you to not see the connection. I work with several Canadians that make the commute across or under the river each morning. -Ryan
 

Detroit skyline to the right and Windsor to the left of the Detroit River. The Detroit–Windsor region is not recognized formally as a single metropolitan area by either the U.S. or Canadian government. If it were, the region would be the eighth most populous urban region in North America.[2] Nevertheless, the communities have been historically tied by several partnerships and agreements, including the Detroit and Windsor Tunnel Corporation,[3] the firm that is owned equally by the City of Detroit and City of Windsor and operates the tunnel. The cities are historically linked through the rise of the auto industry in both countries due to the U.S.-Canadian Auto Pact in the 1960s, and share geopolitical concerns affecting transportation and shared resources, such as the Detroit River.

[Philip Caccamise]

Windsor is part of the Detroit Metro area, just like Fort Erie and Niagara Falls ON are part of the greater Buffalo-Niagara region, for the purposes of both this study and economics in general. 'Nuff said.

[Sean Leary]

Seattle Tacoma metro

Chambers Bay
Aldarra
Seattle GC
Fircrest
Gold Mountain Olympic
Sahalee
Broadmoor
Tacoma CC
TPC Snoqualmie
WA National


I really struggled after Tacoma.

Edited to include Sahalee, which I forgot..