How good is the course.......

[Nigel Islam]

How good is the course named after your city? I am always intrigued by courses with the city name and country club after it. Chicago Golf, SFGC and LACC would be three pretty good examples.  I'm not sure if the word "National" qualifies, but I'll leave that up in the air.  When was it built, by who, and is it the best course in the city?

I will go first:

Evansville CC 1901
Redesign by Bill Diddel
Second best course in city to Victoria National, I think Doak gave it a 4 which I would agree with. Good bunkering, bold features, but several non descript holes.

[Andy Troeger]

Albuquerque Country Club is a John Van Kleek design. It is pretty flat and short for the elevation here. It is near the river and seems much more like a midwestern park style design than most of the desert style clubs in New Mexico. I've only played it once, but it seems like a nice enough club on a small site. The architecture is ok--the course played longer and harder than it originally looks. I wish they had a better range--it is stuck between two holes with huge nets on both sides. I'm perfectly capable of lofting shots over the nets in either direction--a little too dangerous for me.

[Bill_McBride]

Pensacola CC is a very solid Jerry Pate design from 2005 after Hurricane Ivan tore up the 1925 original course.   My profile is in "In My Opinion" section. 

[Jim Hoak]

I don't think there is any tie between the name and the quality of the course--
My old hometown--Des Moines.  Des Moines Golf and CC was generally considered a less good golf course than Wakonda Club, where the US Amateur was held in the early '60's.
Currently--Dallas.  Dallas CC is a great club in a prime location, but the golf course is not as good as someothers.

[Keith Grande]

Bayside Links (NLE), Bayside, NY- Mackenzie course that he seemed very proud of.  Has anyone on here played it before the property was sold to a developer for housing in 1956?

[Philip Caccamise]

Good question.

In the places I've lived:
Queens, NY: OK, there is no Queens Golf Club. Until I'm uber rich, move back home, and buy up enough land to build one.
Buffalo, NY: Country Club of Buffalo: Outstanding Donald Ross, best course in the city.
Rochester, NY: Country Club of Rochester: Excellent Donald Ross, probably 3rd best in the city.
Philadelphia, PA: Philadelphia Country Club: Outstanding William Flynn, a tier 1 club just behind the 1a's we all know.
New York, NY: there is a New York Country Club in Rockland County. Never played it, don't know if it counts anyways.
Lexington, KY: Lexington Country Club: Decent Tom Bendelow. 2nd in town.

All in all, pretty strong.

[PCCraig]

Minneapolis Golf Club is a pretty good Park/Ross parkland course.
Obviously Chicago Golf Club is pretty good.

[Brad Tufts]

Boston Golf Club!  Hanse, 2007ish.

Although it is located in Hingham about 12 miles south of the city.

Also TPC Boston....in Norton down near Gillette Stadium 26 miles from Boston.

[Jason Topp]

Pat Craig has covered Minneapolis,  Here are some others from prior residences:

Des Moines Country Club - 36 Hole Pete Dye club which a pretty funky version of his work on a pretty good piece of land.  The 18 used for the US Senior Open (they may have been the original 18 but I have always known it as having 36 holes) is better than either of the 18s alone.

Tucson CC - Traditional Bell design (not sure which one) that is all grass and a solid course.

Phoenix CC - I have not played but it looks good fron the nearby hotel.

[Sean_A]

Detroit GC: Two 18s, both good and pleasant flat Ross designs.  I prefer the less heralded South course; less changes over time.  CC of Detroit: Alison design (making it a fairly rare pedigree in N America).  Again, good, pleasant and flat.  I never thought either course was better than where I grew playing Downriver, but the clubs and houses are at a much higher echelon.  I haven't seen either course in many years.  

Ann Arbor G & OC: A rather non-descript 9 holer.  Ironically, photos and claims of UofM football game parking are usually this place and not the UofM course next door.  I haven't played this course in years and I bet very few collectors ever play here.

Droitwich G&CC: A short parkland course with some mild interest here and there.  

All in all, a mixed bag.

Ciao

[Edward Moody]

Austin Country Club...Pete Dye, doesn't suit my eye all that much.  There are some cool holes down on Lake Austin (aka the Colorado River) but the majority of the course plays through canyons and homes so there are some forced carries and OB.  Folks tend to like it a lot or not very much.

Austin Golf Club...pure.  The golf course is understated but very, very good.  It takes a few visits to really appreciate it.  The greens are superb.  Just what you would expect from Crenshaw's home club.

[Nigel Islam]

Thanks guys. Anybody know anything about Cincinnati CC. Low profile Robert White? Never anything about it that I see.

[Pete Lavallee]

Rancho Santa Fe CC:  This Max Behr design has been fiddled with but still has great bones and is both fun for the club golfer from the white tees and challanging enough for the sticks to have hosted the Cal Am a couple of years ago.

San Diego CC:  Thanks to a presentation by a couple of GCAers, the club ahs embraced its Willie Watson heritage; they had insisted it was a Billy Bell design. Again fun from the whites and challanging enough from the tips to challange elite players. Will host a USGA event in the next few years.

La Jolla CC:  This Billy Bell design has a great location, close to the Pacific in the toney village of La Jolla. Did cohost the Cal Am for the medal play qualifying rounds.

Barona Creek GC:  Named for the Indian reservation that the Barona tribe was banished to when a dam eliminated their original reservation. Indian gaming gave them the wherewithall to creat a first class modern design which hosted the Nationwide Tour Championship several years ago.

[Adam Warren]

Louisville Country Club-  Here it is great but very exclusive.  Don't talk to too many that have been there.   It's a Walter Travis.  On my to-do list.  
I live outside of Louisville though so....

Oldham County Country Club-  decent, short track.  About 6200 all the way back I think.  Up and down with some tight holes.  Weird greens.  Not bad, just break is weird.  You have to play there a lot to putt well.  

I will include other places I have lived....
Middlesboro CC-  No idea who designed, but it has been open since the 1800's and is "The Oldest Continuously Played Golf Course in America."  Decent nine hole track when it is in good shape.  Some tight holes, but kind of short.  

Lexington CC- As stated previously, It is a Bendelow and is the second or third best in/around town.  Worth a look if you are in the area.

Bardstown CC- two separate courses involved in this CC.  Maywood is the flagship. I believe Pfaff designed it, with major renovations by Spencer Holt.  Could be wrong or backwards on that.   Long and tough and it can get windy.  One of the longest in Kentucky.  Not great greens.  They look nice but never roll as fast as they look.  Woodlawn Springs is the other course.  It has some quirky holes that meander through a neighborhood.  Presents some interesting shots.  Much shorter.  Something about it that I like.  I guess the "little brother" reputation it gets.

[Jon Cavalier]

Philadelphia Country Club (Flynn) and Philadelphia Cricket Club (Tilly) are both excellent courses.

[Adam Clayman]

Omaha CC is the best golf for many many miles in any direction.

[David Whitmer]

Thanks guys. Anybody know anything about Cincinnati CC. Low profile Robert White? Never anything about it that I see.

Nigel,

I am not a fan of Cincinnati Country Club. It's on a poor piece of land. It has very bland bunkering. It's filled with short holes that dogleg, with trees between the tee and green...the only play is to hit it 220 off the tee! Its straight holes are utterly forgettable.

What I don't understand is the membership...it's filled with many influential people. I don't get why they join there. The head pro is also, according to rumor, far and away the highest-paid pro in the area. The current head pro came there from Colleton River, where he was the director of golf.

The bottom line? Great club, great membership, very vanilla golf course.

[Bryan Icenhower]

Atlanta Country Club – technically in Marietta, GA – Willard Bryd, Nicklaus Redesign
Atlanta Athletic Club, Highlands – Johns Creek, GA – RTJ (back 9), Joe Finger (front 9), redesign Rees Jones
Atlanta Athletic Club, Highlands – Johns Creek, GA – RTJ, redesign Rees Jones
Atlanta National – Alpharetta, GA –  Pete  & PB Dye

[Paul Gray]

All rather different in Britain where courses were traditionally just named after the town they were located in.

Any course not named after the location is likely to be, very broadly speaking, a bucket and spade affair which has either held the Ryder Cup or has a membership that thinks any such course is automatically one of the very best in the world.

[HarryBrinkerhoffDoyleIV_aka_Barry]

[REMOVED]

[Chris Cupit]

Atlanta Country Club – technically in Marietta, GA – Willard Bryd, Nicklaus Redesign
Atlanta Athletic Club, Highlands – Johns Creek, GA – RTJ (back 9), Joe Finger (front 9), redesign Rees Jones
Atlanta Athletic Club, Highlands – Johns Creek, GA – RTJ, redesign Rees Jones
Atlanta National – Alpharetta, GA –  Pete  & PB Dye

Atlanta CC is a blast to play.  Fun, interesting, always in terrific condition.  Since Nicklaus, Mike Riley has been doing work there the last ten years or so--minor stuff mostly (additonal tees, bunker re-dos).  Maybe my favorite place to play when I get the chance.  Also, Atlanta CC was the site of my dad's first job in Atlanta when he was an assistant pro under Davis Love Jr. so it gets bonus points

Atlanta Athletic Club--Highlands is just too damn hard and I have no desire to play a course where three of the four par threes are pretty much identical--hybrid, 3-wood or driver over water to a green surrounded by bunkers.  The one par three that is not a hybrid is also over a pond to a well bunkered green but it may only be a 6 iron.  (Unless of course they built another back tee which I am guessing they did).

I simply feign an injury even when asked to play as I just don't enjoy shooting 85.  Riverside was a more fun and more interesting course to me but I havent played there since they converted the greens to bermuda.  AAC is the best facility in town if you want swim, tennis, dining, raquetball, basketball, practice facility, barbershop (really) but I can't say I'd go there for the golf.

Atlanta National--Doak gave it a zero and it was pretty awful.  First Atlanta course to have zoysia fairways and the greens used to be the best in town but that was 20 years ago.  Course has softened quite a bit over time.  It's a least a 2 now.  

Alpharetta Athletic Club--Michael Riley did the heavy lifting for this, ahem, "Curtis Strange" design.   Early on it was in great shape and lots of fun.  Over the years the housing development encroached and its pretty cramped in spots and I think they are on third or fourth different ownership group now.  A real shame as the design is solid.    

[Chris Cupit]

Omaha CC is the best golf for many many miles in any direction.

Was there last year and thought it was terrific.  Very interesting property and very rolling terrain which surprised me.  Ony two holes that I thought were a bit "blah" (two and eight) but overall an awesome place.

[BShannon]

Chicago Golf Club - Never played it, but I hear good things. 

Long Beach Country Club (Indiana) - I learned the game on this course.

Designed by a local amateur named Dr. William Hall in the 1920's and a second club for most of the members. A few fun par 5's and difficult par 3's. The course was re-routed several years back such that there are now 3 Par 3's in the first 5 holes which I have never seen anywhere else (5-3-3-4-3-5 start, in fact).

 Improvements were made last fall - new bunkers and some tree removal. Anxious to get back there and see how the work turned out.

 

[BCowan]

Toledo CC,
 
    A willie park jr course.  Oldest private course in town 1897.  Has the last 3 holes on the river.  You have to cross the road for the last three holes.  I like the old school feel.  Small greens, classic bunkering.  Too many changes, A Hills added a 3 tier green that doesn't fit into the course.  A large pond added on #6 prob 40 years ago or so, wish I could of played original design.  Rick Smith was an Asst pro there in his early days. 

[Jonathan Sirois]

Fall River Country Club (MA)

Founded in 1895. Original nine designed by Arthur Fenn; second nine by Geoffrey Cornish in the 70s.

Played by the likes of Vardon and Jones. A real gem with character to spare. Water views can be enjoyed on fourteen holes. Ever-present wind keeps you thinking. What a fun track.