How many courses have you played?

[Ed Tilley]

Being a sad accountant, I like to keep a list of the courses I have played. I've been stuck in the 90s for a while due to a few years of playing very little golf for family reasons. I'm just back starting to play and realised that, in the next few weeks I am moving from 97 to 100. Having played Westward Ho! and Saunton West to take me up to 99 I am bringing up my 100 in (horrific) style at The Oxfordshire.

For those that may be interested my full list is below - forgive the fact that I can't remember the names of 3 courses. These were either at University or on cricket tour and memories are a bit hazy of these periods! Please also don't be too hard on me for my placing of Huntercombe at number 50. I know I could be expelled from this site for placing it so low but I just find the course far too claustrophobic and don't particularly enjoy it for this reason.

My questions are:

- How many courses have you played (I know 100 will be dwarfed by some on this site)
- What is the best course you've played (Royal County Down for me)
- What is your favourite course - not the same question! (St. Enodoc)
- What is the best value course you've played - on the normal visitor's green fee. (Silloth on Solway)
- What was the biggest surprise both good and bad (Royal St.Georges good (I was expecting stern and tough, not for it to be so much fun), Aberdovey bad (I was expecting rolling dunes and great fun and, whilst I liked it, the overwhelming feeling was disappointment)
- If you were told you could play only one more round of golf where would it be and why (Leaving aside St.Enodoc, for totally sentimental reasons I would play the nine holes over the road on the Green course at Frilford Heath on a sunny summers evening, trying to cram as many holes in as I could before it got dark. I used to do this all the time with a friend of mine in my late teens - life was much simpler then!)

The list:

1   Royal County Down
2   Royal Dornoch
3   Royal St. Georges
4   Ballybunion Old
5   Sunningdale Old
6   Turnberry
7   Pebble Beach
8   Royal Portrush Dunluce
9   St. Enodoc
10   Carnoustie
11   Waterville
12   Sunningdale New
13   Formby
14   Silloth on Solway
15   Saunton East
16   Machrihanish
17   Enniscrone
18   Cruden Bay
19   Tralee
20   Burnham & Berrow
21   Ballybunion Cashen
22   Carne
23   Broadstone
24   Machrihanish Dunes
25   Pennard
26   Gleneagles Kings
27   Royal Portrush Valley
28   Portstewart
29   Royal St. David's
30   Perranporth
31   Dooks
32   Tenby
33   Hardelot Dunes
34   Aberdovey
35   Gleneagles Queens
36   Boat of Garten
37   Le Touquet Mer
38   Seignosse
39   Beau Desert
40   Belle Dune
41   Forest of Arden
42   Pyle & Kenfig
43   East Berkshire
44   Killarney Killeen
45   Rosslare
46   Hardelot Pins
47   Parkstone
48   Ferndown
49   Frilford Heath Green
50   Huntercombe
51   West Cornwall
52   Frilford Heath Red
53   Denham
54   Rolls of Monmouth
55   Brocket Hall (Melbourne)
56   Frilford Heath Blue
57   Nefyn & District
58   Mullion
59   Little Island
60   Windemere
61   Killarney Mahoney's Point
62   Tadmarton Heath
63   Borth & Ynyslas
64   Bristol & Clifton
65   Bigbury
66   Bristol golf match 1?
67   Fulford Heath
68   Studley Wood
69   Westport
70   Oxford
71   Ilfracombe
72   Goring & Streatley
73   Wimereux
74   Minehead
75   Donnington Grove
76   Taymouth Castle
77   Weston Super Mare
78   Newport Links
79   Falmouth
80   The Springs
81   Truro
82   Souillac Country Club
83   Shrivenham
84   Hinksey Heights
85   Henbury
86   North Oxford
87   West Berkshire
88   Hadden Hill
89   Bicester
90   Budock Vean
91   Drayton
92   Thornbury
93   Bristol golf match 2?
94   Cricket tour 1?
95   Radley College
96   Mapledurham
97   Lyneham

[Josh Stevens]

No idea. Killed too man braincells

If anything however your splendid list shows the joys of golf in the uk where every course is accessible if you ask nicely and pay the fee. US needs to work on that a bit

[Sean_A]

How many courses have you played

I don't know.


What is the best course you've played

Always a tough question, but for a while my story has been Merion East.


What is your favourite course - not the same question!

North Berwick West Links displaced Kington this year.


What is the best value course you've played - on the normal visitor's green fee.

Kington.


What was the biggest surprise both good and bad.

On the good side of the ledger, Cleeve Cloud.  On the bad side of the ledger, Royal Lytham.


If you were told you could play only one more round of golf where would it be and why?

There is likely a different answer every time the question is asked, but today I would say Augusta National simply because I can't think of a better way to go out.

Ciao

[Bart Bradley]

Sean

What happened to Alwoodley?🎃

[Michael Felton]

I've played 278 courses

Best course I've played Pine Valley

Favourite course probably also Pine Valley, although if I can't do that, National Golf Links of America

Biggest surprise good was playing Winged Foot West from the white tees. I had only played it from blacks or blues and it was a beast, but from the whites it's actually quite friendly. Because this is looking a little name droppy at the moment, an honourable mention to La Tourette in Staten Island. It's a city course and actually has some pretty good holes on it. I really enjoyed it.

Biggest surprise bad was getting to play Merion East, only to find that the greens had been hollow cored and top dressed the day before.

Best value course Bethpage Black at $75 in state.

One more round - Cypress Point, because I haven't seen it and I want to. I'd play with my mum and dad and my brother.

[Sean_A]

Sean

What happened to Alwoodley?🎃

Dr B

Whatever do you mean? 

Ciao

[Chris DeToro]

255 by last count

Best is probably Royal County Down

Favorite is St Andrews, Prairie Dunes in the US

Biggest surprise--that the Bandon experience could exceed my extremely high expectations

Biggest surprise not as good--how far back from the cliffs most of Torrey Pines is set

Best value--my student pass at St Andrews

One more course--Augusta since I haven't been yet

[Jon Cavalier]

I've played 405 courses.

Best is Merion East over Oakmont.

Favorite, depending on the day, is Merion, Fishers Island, Maidstone, Garden City or Myopia.

Biggest surprise - how much I enjoyed, and continue to love, Sleepy Hollow.

Best value - probably Kiawah Ocean late on a perfect weekday afternoon at twilight, carrying my own bag, for $50.

One more round - without question, National Golf Links (which I've seen but not played)

[Paul Gray]

Mr Arble,

One day you'll have to talk me round Hockley.

Liphook, Broadstone, Camberley and Burnham no less gone. My place, Hayling, never even qualifying in the first place. Hockley however still there.

[Sean_A]

Paul

When they finish what they are doing at Hockley I will go back.

Ciao 

[Mac Plumart]

- How many courses have you played?

220


- What is the best course you've played?

St. Andrews (Old)


- What is your favourite course?

Augusta National


- What is the best value course you've played?

Aiken Golf Club



- What was the biggest surprise both good and bad?


Good...Mountain Park (The Cliffs)...stunningly good.

Bad...who knows?



- If you were told you could play only one more round of golf where would it be and why?

Dismal Doak---amazing golf in a place that is special to me.

[Emil Weber]

Interesting, just recently I asked myself that question and started to make a list and tried to remember every course ever played, also going through the list of courses in my home area. I came up with over 160, but I'm pretty sure there will be+10/20 if I try to trace it back more deeply. So about 180, I'm quite proud of that actually  .

Best: Barnbougle Dunes
Favourite: Prestwick
Biggest surprise (+): Durness, it is the most fun I can imagine on a golf course!
Biggest surprise(-): Turnberry (Ailsa)
Best value: Rustic Canyon ( )
One more course: Brora

[Pete_Pittock]

Based on my logo golf ball document it is 452, nearly 30% in Oregon.

Best; Cypress Point

Favorite: Tie - Prestwick, Pacific Dunes

Most suprising: The back nine at Milton Freewater

Lead balloon: Lakeside Par 3 challenge, Grand Cypress


Best Value - Pebble Beach- played in 1969. 2d round after Vietnam tour (Spyglass Hill was warm-up)

[Thomas Dai]

Burnham - ..... but this year its conditioning has been suspect and I can't figure out why

Seemed like this year, and I don't recall it being an issue before, that playing the ground game from 80-60-40 yds out just wasn't really on, and it hasn't been a particularly wet summer. Amount of H2O used on the fairways and approaches maybe?

atb

[Frank Kim]

Count 439

Best Eastward Ho! recently passed Crystal Downs

Favorite  Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards in South Carolina

Biggest Surprise  Dunes Course at Prairie Club in Valentine, Nebraska

Biggest Disappointment  South Course at Torrey Pines

Best Value  Arrowhead Pointe in Georgia

One more course  Cypress Point

Best course nobody has heard of:  Tie between Wuskowhan Players Club in Michigan and the River Club in Georgia

[Ian Mackenzie]

I have played ~ 300 courses on three continents.

- What is the best course you've played: Cypress Point/NGLA tie
- What is your favourite course : Royal Dornoch
- What is the best value course you've played : Lawsonia
- What was the biggest surprise both good and bad: Bad = Harbor Town.  Good = Western Gailes
- If you were told you could play only one more round of golf where would it be: On my home course with my three best friends

[Matthew Petersen]

How many courses have you played

211, give or take


What is the best course you've played

Pebble Beach


What is your favourite course - not the same question!

Probably Kapalua Plantation. It's such a unique course in a unique place. Can play so differently day to day with the wind and the width. I also played here on my honeymoon and Maui always has good vibes about it.


What is the best value course you've played - on the normal visitor's green fee.

Probably Apache Stronghold. Sure, the conditions are wanting, but it was absolutely playable and if the course was in just a bit better shape and was in Scottsdale, it would command the same hefty prices of anything in that area. And it's a better golf course.


What was the biggest surprise both good and bad.

For a good surprise I'll go with a course that's NLE called Emerald River in Laughlin, NV. Years ago I had a job where I travelled all over the state. I was up near Laughlin and had a free afternoon so I checked out two courses there. The other was a Landmark inland course that just looked like everything you've seen before. Then there was this course that looked like it had been scratched out of the desert by someone who barely knew what they were doing, but boy was the golf fun. Blind shots, fantastic holes that went up and down the canyon down to the river, along it, and back up again. No hole remotely the same. Maybe I was spoiled by one round there, but I'll never know.

Bad surprise? I have trashed this place before but ... The Crossings at Carlsbad. I fell into the trap of thinking that an essentially brand new course in a great location would be a winner. It's not. The front nine is a bore and the back nine is comically bad.


If you were told you could play only one more round of golf where would it be and why?

Probably has to be Augusta.

[Matt Bielawa]

I'm at 237.

Best:  Merion East and/or Sand Hills

Favorite:  U of Michigan

Biggest Surprise:  Classic: Brae Burn (Boston) Modern: TPC Deere Run

Biggest Disappointment:  World Woods Pine Barrens

Best Value:  World Woods Pine Barrens (Yes, best value AND biggest disappointment relative to the hype and what I expected)

One more Round to play:  Realistically, Inverness.  Unrealistically, Augusta, and since it's a crazy hypothetical,  why not make it as a marker with Rory on Sunday of the Masters.  Can't do much better than Jeff Knox did!

[Brad Sheridan]

Most will not know many on my list but those who have played public golf in Massachusetts, Upstate South Carolina, or Lexington KY will get a few laughs or perhaps some nostalgia. In no particular order except for perhaps starting in MA then heading south and then west. Probably missing a few as well.

Winchester CC
Mount Hood GC
Peabody Meadows
Bradford CC
Stoneham Oaks
Unicorn
Stone Meadow P&P
Butter Brook GC
Woburn CC
George Wright
Franklin Park
Putterham
Red Tail GC
The International Oaks
Shining Rock GC
Shaker Hills
Fresh Pond
Triggs Memorial
Allendale CC
New England CC
Wentworth Hills
Ledges GC MA
Firefly
Equinox GC
Hiland Park CC
Eagle Crest
Westchester Hills CC
Fairchild Wheeler Black
Greenville CC Chanticleer
The Cliffs Valley
The Cliffs at Glassy
The Cliffs at Mountain Park
The Cliffs at Keowee Springs
The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards
The Cliffs at Keowee Falls
Cleghorn Plantation
Connestee Falls
Etowah Valley
High Vista
Cherokee Valley
Cobb’s Glen
Crosswinds GC SC
Hejaz Shrine GC
Links O’ Tryon
Oconee CC
River Falls
Saluda Valley
Village Greens
Willow Creek
The Preserve at Verdae
Furman University
The Walker Course at Clemson University
Boscobel
Anderson CC
River Islands
Cherry Blossom
Griffin Gate
University Club of Kentucky Big Blue
University Club of Kentucky Wildcat
Kearney Hill Golf Links
Gay Brewer at Picadome
Lakeside KY
Meadowbrook KY
Divi Village Golf Aruba

I have played ~70 courses

Best - Greenville CC Chanticleer

Favorite - Winchester CC

Best Value - Oconee CC $21 peak rack rate and often cheaper than that. There are a couple poor holes but 1, 7, 8, 10, 12, 15, and 17 are really great holes. It also has firm turf and some phenomenally conditioned greens.

Good Surprise - Equinox in VT for $23, wish i could have snuck over to Ekwanok though.

Bad Surprise - Probably The Cliffs at Mountain Park which is funny because someone just above me said that was their good surprise.

1 round - TOC, Myopia Hunt, or Cypress Point

[Carson Pilcher]

My questions are:

- How many courses have you played: I couldn't begin to guess.  I've been playing on a regular basis all over the world for 33 years.

- What is the best course you've played: The Old Course (although Cypress is right there with it).

- What is your favourite course - The Old Course (Settindown Creek is my close second on this question).

- What is the best value course you've played - Lookout Mountain

- What was the biggest surprise both good and bad:
Good: Lookout Moutain (and looking forward to Sweetens Cover)
Bad: Blackwolf Run River Course - about 12 holes in, I wanted to walk off.

- If you were told you could play only one more round of golf where would it be and why: The Old Course...there are no words for me to be able to tell you why.  I would drink it in and then walk in and have a great glass of scotch and call it a day.

[Andy Treen]

- How many courses have you played?
    I've played 105 courses (64 in Massachusetts) I'm sure I've forgotten a couple.
- What is the best course you've played?
    National Golf Links of America
- What is your favourite course?
    Sankaty Head GC
- What is the best value course you've played?
    Taconic GC - Non-member fees are steep, unless you're affiliated with Williams College, but membership is very reasonable.
- What was the biggest surprise both good and bad?
    Good - Naples Grande GC - Reese Jones
    Bad - Being in the industry I prefer to voice positives.  
- If you were told you could play only one more round of golf where would it be and why
    Fishers Island Club - Ranks as my best overall golf experience and would go back in a heartbeat
    
- Andy

[astavrides]

967. Do I win?

[Howard Riefs]

967. Do I win?

No. Cory Lewis is at 1,050+ based on this exercise last year:
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,24913.175.html

Cory's related post on the journey:
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,52954.0.html

[Pat Burke]

Best          Royal Melbourne
Favourite   Kingston Heath
Best Value  Goose Creek    In an area of overpriced garbage, Goose is a fun, good value, for your time and money.
Biggest Surprise (good)  New South Wales   I just didn’t know anything about it.  Wow.
Biggest Surprise (not good)  Hilton Head    Was excited to get there, was, personally, a letdown.  Probably more about expectations though.
One More Round    Cypress Point

[Wayne_Kozun]

Best Value course I have played is likely TOC even though I think I paid about £120 when I first played it in 1998 and that was a lot of money for me at the time.  I will remember that round more than any other round that I have played given the quality of the experience of playing on such a hallowed spot.