Top 10 Courses for the $$$$

[Jud_T]

No way Thunderhawk belongs on this list.  Hell, there's 2 courses right up the street that are better and better value IMHO- Shepherd's Crook and Spring Valley CC.  Yes, the Spring Valley CC where on the summer solstice you can play 72 holes of untouched original Langford on a better piece of property than anything in Chicago this side of Shoreacres for 25 cents a hole. For that price I'll do without the country club conditioning or the bunkers, thank you...

[John McCarthy]

Jud:  Thunderhawk is more swamp and tall grass than golf course.  Shepherd's Crook is much better.  And I walked at Warren Course for $40 this week, full weekday rate. Conditioning was perfect.  I guess nonprofit golf is the way to go.

[Andy Troeger]

I haven't played it lately, but played Bear Trace at Cumberland Mountain a few times when it was new and always enjoyed it. Lot of good holes without Nicklaus' penchant for excessive difficulty at some of his other courses. Definitely worth a play if in the area.

[Max Sternberg]

Thunderhawk is a solid track but it is way overrated. On pure golf alone, Shepherd's Crook blows it away and for about half the price most times of the week. The Crook gets slammed because it lacks a range and sits next to a working landfill but it is easily the best value north of Chicago.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

By the way, the author of this article:  "His  home course is Shennecossett Golf Course in Groton, Conn., a Donald Ross-designed municipal facility where he plays to a 12 handicap and serves on the Board of Advisors. "


http://theaposition.com/brianmccallen/about

[Lynn_Shackelford]

A poor man’s Sand Hills? Wild Horse, etched across sandy, wind-scoured terrain in the middle of Nebraska, has nearly as much giddy-up as its more famous neighbor. Laid out by a pair of construction crew cornhuskers who built nearby Sand Hills,




Once Dan Proctor lived in Nebraska, but is a Texan.  Dave Axland lives in Kansas.[/color]

[Lynn_Shackelford]

Why has Rustic Canyon disappeared from these lists?!

Location matters. In LA dollars Rustic is the best value in the country.  The story of the fall of Rustic is a curious one. Klein poo poos about a view of some housing and everything goes to hell. Gotta be a back story.

You are on to something.  I am impressed that you remember Klein's comment about homes behind the 4th green.  They are about 300 yards back and it was widely laughed at by GCA members when he wrote that.
He must hate Riviera which has homes a pitching wedge above many holes.

[Lynn_Shackelford]

Played Rustic once, with Tommy Nacc.
He will disown me, but I think it is good,
but not really interested in the 2 hour drive to see
it again.

Like the concept of it though

Usually Tommy reappears at the death of a key member or similar type occasion, but this might be enough for the Emperor to make a brief appearance.
Pat, in your one round either you missed a lot or aren't interested in subtle strategy.  I suspect it is the latter.

[Jon Wiggett]

Wick Golf Club. Solid links for £30 in the main season and £15 through the winter.

[Pat Burke]

Played Rustic once, with Tommy Nacc.
He will disown me, but I think it is good,
but not really interested in the 2 hour drive to see
it again.

Like the concept of it though

Usually Tommy reappears at the death of a key member or similar type occasion, but this might be enough for the Emperor to make a brief appearance.
Pat, in your one round either you missed a lot or aren't interested in subtle strategy.  I suspect it is the latter.

Said it was good, like the concept.  Just not going to fight LA to get there.
When people are nearby, I recommend it.  Do you feel I denigrated in some way?

[Lynn_Shackelford]

Played Rustic once, with Tommy Nacc.
He will disown me, but I think it is good,
but not really interested in the 2 hour drive to see
it again.

Like the concept of it though

Usually Tommy reappears at the death of a key member or similar type occasion, but this might be enough for the Emperor to make a brief appearance.
Pat, in your one round either you missed a lot or aren't interested in subtle strategy.  I suspect it is the latter.

Said it was good, like the concept.  Just not going to fight LA to get there.
When people are nearby, I recommend it.  Do you feel I denigrated in some way?

My mistake.  I don't blame for avoiding a 2 hour drive in SoCal.  You said it was good.  I mistook that for implying that it is overrated.  Naturally it is hard for me to be unbiased, but I think it is better than good.
When Ran said, "The only problem?  Securing a tee time-both private and public golfers will be jostling for tee times because Rustic Canyon is simply that much more fun and thought provoking to play than just about any course- public or private-that one cares to name," a long discussion ensued on GCA about the negatives.  I thought you might be joining that crowd.

[Jerry Kluger]

We have some good value golf in NC.  Chapel Ridge and the Preserve can be played for $37 during the week including cart and both are really good.  We played the Sanford course as an extra round during the Dixie Cup last year and I believe it was originally a Ross course although the only thing remaining which is Ross is the routing but it was $15 to walk.

[Pat Burke]

My mistake.  I don't blame for avoiding a 2 hour drive in SoCal.  You said it was good.  I mistook that for implying that it is overrated.  Naturally it is hard for me to be unbiased, but I think it is better than good.
When Ran said, "The only problem?  Securing a tee time-both private and public golfers will be jostling for tee times because Rustic Canyon is simply that much more fun and thought provoking to play than just about any course- public or private-that one cares to name," a long discussion ensued on GCA about the negatives.  I thought you might be joining that crowd.
[/quote]


No worries.  My favorite courses I've ever played are Kingston Heath, Royal Melbourne, and CPC.
Obviously a Dr fan, but there is some good subtleties and strategies there I believe!!

[John Crowley]

Rustic gets my $ for a value near a Metro. The drive really isn't that bad from say, Westwood - caveat is time of day.

Would not expect Rustic to make the cut on "Links" - not enough deep green photos to be had and no real estate sales ops.

Wildhorse gets my $ for rural venue.

[Sean_A]

For a rural area, The Gailes at Lakewood Shores still takes my cake. 

For urban, its probably a tie between Lulu and Lederach. 

Ciao

[Mac Plumart]

Arrowhead Pointe is really good value.

[Nigel Islam]

I haven't played it lately, but played Bear Trace at Cumberland Mountain a few times when it was new and always enjoyed it. Lot of good holes without Nicklaus' penchant for excessive difficulty at some of his other courses. Definitely worth a play if in the area.

I liked it too. Peaceful setting.

[Adam Clayman]

J.B., WH board has been bitten by the $$ bug. They are floating the idea of providing lodging, and have gone so far as to put out questionnaires asking directly if people would stay. Spend more? etc. etc.

I suspect they'll need more money to pay for the consequences of their maintenance meld preferences. I'll predict they'll soon fall off the Top 100 lists, again, as a direct result of their committee decisions.

[Lynn_Shackelford]

J.B., WH board has been bitten by the $$ bug. They are floating the idea of providing lodging, and have gone so far as to put out questionnaires asking directly if people would stay. Spend more? etc. etc.

I suspect they'll need more money to pay for the consequences of their maintenance meld preferences. I'll predict they'll soon fall off the Top 100 lists, again, as a direct result of their committee decisions.

"Call something paradise, you can kiss it good bye."  Don Henley

[Jonathan Mallard]

Wick Golf Club. Solid links for £30 in the main season and £15 through the winter.

But, can you get there from here? Here = anywhere.

Isn't it way up the coast

[Jason Thurman]

$40 in Southern California is like $17 in Nebraska. A 2 hour drive in Southern California is like a 10 minute drive in Nebraska. Rustic Canyon really is an amazing value when you consider the location.

The worst part about Wild Horse's pricing structure is the lack of a replay rate. What the hell else is somebody going to do if they show up in Gothenburg at 10 AM? You have two choices - play 18 and then go visit the Platte River Road Arch, or play 36. Every time someone drives in with an out-of-state tag prior to 1:30 PM, the club accountant probably just pencils in $100 worth of greens fees.

The best value I know is Gibson Bay in Richmond, KY. Peak green fee of $24. Weekday green fee of $15. Twilight is $10. It's arguably a top five public course in Kentucky, which admittedly is a bit like being one of Nickelback's top five songs, but it really is a very good course that is extremely playable for beginners but also stretches to 7100 yards and can challenge anyone. More than that, it's a tremendous facility that welcomes those beginners and offers a lighted par 3 course and a good practice facility and does as much to grow the game as any course I know of.

[Duncan Cheslett]

Wick Golf Club. Solid links for £30 in the main season and £15 through the winter.

Next time I'm passing through Wick I must check it out.

 

[Tim Leahy]

When you consider the cost of the other courses up the street and the back nine, Pacific Grove Muni should be on the list.

[Sean_A]

Whenever I read these value threads I am unsure if folks are placing value above quality.  To me, if I am paying money to golf, there must be a a reasonably high threshold of quality to bother playing at all.  Are all the courses mentioned ones people would happily recommend and to what degree?  Bottom line, just as when one plays a big gun, the most important element of good value is good quality. 

Ciao 

[Jon Wiggett]

Wick Golf Club. Solid links for £30 in the main season and £15 through the winter.

But, can you get there from here? Here = anywhere.

Isn't it way up the coast

Jonathan, you just made all the suggestions here invalid as all courses are a long way from somewhere. I must have missed your suggestion in this thread, oh well maybe not