I had an outstanding year for golf which by my reckoning included playing no less than 13 great courses, many of which are inland.
MOST SURPISING COURSE: Sacred 9 - I was taken aback at how good this design is - and I mean design in the sense archies would use the term. Superb use of the features which when combined with some very good man-made stuff generates a great course from non-descript land. RUNNER -UP: Carnoustie Burnside is just a pleasure to play and a reminder of how simple the game can be.
MOST DISAPPOINTING COURSE: Royal Ashdown Forest, far too much bland architecture getting away with being called great because the course is bunkerless. The standard of this type is Kington and RAF doesn't measure up. RUNNER-UP: While imo still great, but far short of what could have been created, Trump Aberdeen.
BEST NEW PLAY COURSE: Walton Heath Old really impressed me; no nonsense golf with loads of cool features. RUNNER-UP: Dormie Club has incredible diversity!
MOST SURPRISING SECOND (third or fourth!) LOOK COURSE: Several revisits impressed me, but I think none more so than Alwoodley. I reckon the balance of challenge, interest, beauty and joy to be alive factor is about spot on. RUNNER-UP: Old Town's renovation work has made a great course awesome. SECOND RUNNER-UP: Mid Pines completely charmed me. I liked the course, but the waste area work has transformed the design. THIRD RUNNER-UP: I think the Deal light bulb finally switched on for me. I still find it too difficult in a decent wind, but there is much to applaud.
FAVOURITE LINKS not called St Enodoc : This is a three-way tie between Cruden Bay, Carnoustie Burnside and Perranporth. I guess if forced to pick one it would be Perranporth because it is outrageous. I played with a guy who doesn't see much golf outside his club and the dumfounded look on his face still resonates with me.
FAVOURITE INLAND COURSE: Kington! RUNNER -UP: Old Town.
BEST AFFORDABLE COURSE: By affordable I mean under £20. Golf really has become stupidly expensive and Reddish Vale is a reminder that golf can be affordable, accessible and fun. RUNNER-UP: Cleeve Cloud; golfers will travel a long way to get better, more interesting and prettier golf for ~$30.
BEST MODERATELY PRICED COURSE: By moderate I mean under £50 (~$75) and no member invitation or other special circumstances involved. When searching my notes I was surprised and disappointed to find so few candidates. I guess I shall have to rectify this next year. In any case, despite costing less than £30, Kington is the clear winner.
BEST COURSE: Well, I think Deal is the undoubted winner this year. RUNNER-UP: In a much tighter choice, Alwoodley just beats out Old Town and Walton Heath Old. Three of the four candidates are inland courses - I must be getting old. Both Deal and Alwoodley proved to be most impressive this year and I hope to see them again in 2014.
I would like to see the awards of others so crank em' out.
Ciao
MOST SURPRISING COURSE.
2014 was a year I did not play a lot of new courses, but on a March trip that included GCA faves The Sacred Nine, Hunstanton, Brancaster, Woodhall Spa, I'd have to say Seacroft was the most pleasant surprise of the bunch, mainly based on no expectations whatsoever.
A good mix of playability (increasingly rare on links courses lately) interest, fun, and variety.
A very good course I had not heard of.
Runnerup: Knickerbocker in NJ in qualifier for the Met Open- interesting layout with a tempting closing stretch of dogleg holes
Most disappointing course
Woodhall Spa, though it must be said I do like the course, just had high expectations.
Previous pictures had me drooling and though I really liked the front nine a lot, felt like I played the same hole 4-5 times on the back.
A great experience however as i was able to pick Mark Rowlinson's brain up close and personal, rather than over the internet as I have many times.
Runnerup:Augusta CC-along with its neighbor, probably the only GCA loved course that's ADDING trees (to its detriment) and also found the softness of its green surrounds very offputting, compared to say Palmetto and other local courses played at similar times.
Best new play
Brancaster
both courses at Streamsong
Most surprising second look
Aiken Golf Club (5th look)
runnerup:
Old Westbury-MET Open site
Century -MET PGA site
Favorite Links:
Brancaster
Hunstanton
Seacroft
Favorite Inland course
Glen Head:classic unheralded course on Long Island-fascinating, undulating and tilted greens, along with an interesting, rolling layout.
winning this year's Long Island Senior Open there didn't hurt, and have had past tournament success there.
runnerup;Southampton,
second runnerup Goat Hill
Best affordable course
Aiken Golf Club
Goat Hill
Best moderately priced
Seacroft
Best Course
Merion-high expectations that were met
Maidstone
Brancaster