[Ed Brzezowski]

Philadelphia:


Llanerch
North Hills
Lu Lu
Whitemarsh Valley

seriously?

[Jerry Kluger]

DC has very little in the way of really good golf and I lived there for a long time.  Columbia is certainly a quality course and Baltimore CC is excellent as well.  Congressional is a great experience.  Many of the others had renovations by Arthur Hills which have made them all seem kind of generic including Chevy Chase which removed any semblance of its heritage, Bethesda, Woodmont, Belle Haven, etc.  Four Streams is very good and overlooked by many but TPC Potomac(Avenel) was a course which is on a very good piece of property and could have been great but the obsession with it being a "stadium" course left much to be desired.  I was surprised that DC didn't have any courses to speak of by the great classical architects.  The original Indian Spring was a Ross course but it NLE because of highway construction.

[Mike_Trenham]

Philadelphia:


Llanerch
North Hills
Lu Lu
Whitemarsh Valley

seriously?

Si

[Joe Bausch]

In the Philadelphia area:

Berkshire
Tavistock

Although I'd like to think me and a few others have helped get both courses more pub over the last handful of years.

[Craig Disher]

DC has very little in the way of really good golf and I lived there for a long time.  Columbia is certainly a quality course and Baltimore CC is excellent as well.  Congressional is a great experience.  Many of the others had renovations by Arthur Hills which have made them all seem kind of generic including Chevy Chase which removed any semblance of its heritage, Bethesda, Woodmont, Belle Haven, etc.  Four Streams is very good and overlooked by many but TPC Potomac(Avenel) was a course which is on a very good piece of property and could have been great but the obsession with it being a "stadium" course left much to be desired.  I was surprised that DC didn't have any courses to speak of by the great classical architects.  The original Indian Spring was a Ross course but it NLE because of highway construction.

DC is also missing Beaver Dam (Flynn), Bannockburn (Ross), and Walter Travis' work at East Potomac Park. Flynn's Rock Creek is still there but it's such a mess only the purist would enjoy what's left - mainly the routing. The original Indian Spring was arguably the best course in the DC area. Ross's course was altered - some holes were lost - when the new owner closed some holes and built housing. Flynn designed a new course for him using some of the original holes and squeezing in some new ones; that course was lost in the late 50s when the beltway was built.
 

[Tim Martin]

Hartford Connecticut is not a belt notcher’s destination and really there are only four courses that people want to play in the entire state including Yale, CC of Fairfield and to a lesser degree Tamarack and TPC River Highlands. Some worthy privates to play across the state are Shuttle Meadow, Wampanoag, CC of Farmington, Waterbury, New Haven, Woodway, Wee Burn, Round Hill, Madison and Greenwich. On the public side there is Shennecossett, Keney Park, Richter, Wintonbury and Timberlin.

[David Amarnek]

Bill Shamleffer,
I'm biased, but agree that Westwood CC in St. Louis is a fine course which remains very much under the radar.  Hopefully, addressing various creek erosion issues and our long-needed bunker work, we'll soon have an even better place to play.   


Outside of St. Louis CC, Old Warson and Bellerive, which are the relatively well-known clubs, I'd have to say belt notchers would miss out on such fine courses as Boone Valley, Glen Echo and perhaps Algonquin.  Additionally, I have enjoyed the recent improvements done at The Log Cabin/Bogey Club composite course; quite a treat to play and an awesome place for a second (or third) membership in town.

[Ed Oden]

In Charlotte, Carolina Golf Club holds its own with more high profile courses in the area and Ross designs generally. It's just a terrific place to play golf.

[PCCraig]

Additionally, I have enjoyed the recent improvements done at The Log Cabin/Bogey Club composite course; quite a treat to play and an awesome place for a second (or third) membership in town.

David,


What improvements were made to the log cabin/bogey club?

[Laz Versalles]

If you're going to drive to Duluth, you might be better off driving to Brainerd. A lot more choices there.
Getting back to the actual metro area...within 5 miles of Interlachen you have the three other gems- Minikahda and Minneapolis GC and Oak Ridge CC. I'm not one to rank courses, but I'll say that all of the course I've just named are flat out great.
I'm puzzled by your Spring Hill dismissal. I think it's a really special place. Blends into the land and lake country beautifully. They've been flexible over the years with the fescue and the recent rework of the 13th hole makes it the best par 5 on the course, in my opinion. 

[David Amarnek]

PCCraig,
I couldn’t explain, with any detail, the changes that took place at the Log Cabin Club and Bogey Club (two separate clubs with 75 members each, each with their own 9-hole course; the two clubs share the maintenance staff and expenses and allow members and guests to play all 18 holes).  The courses were in splendid shape, as opposed to prior years when it looked like a marginally-maintained muni.  My host mentioned that the greens were redone with new bunkering and fairway grass.
An after-round drink on the patio at Log Cabin is such a great setting and reveals the interesting topography we have in Ladue.  Well worth seeing!

[PCCraig]

PCCraig,
I couldn’t explain, with any detail, the changes that took place at the Log Cabin Club and Bogey Club (two separate clubs with 75 members each, each with their own 9-hole course; the two clubs share the maintenance staff and expenses and allow members and guests to play all 18 holes).  The courses were in splendid shape, as opposed to prior years when it looked like a marginally-maintained muni.  My host mentioned that the greens were redone with new bunkering and fairway grass.
An after-round drink on the patio at Log Cabin is such a great setting and reveals the interesting topography we have in Ladue.  Well worth seeing!

Thanks, David. I've played the course (in fact my wife had a baby shower at the Log Cabin Club a few years back), and I'm familiar with the concept. I was just curious what the redesign work entailed.

[corey miller]

There are so many good courses in the MET NY area that the belt-notchers are missing belt notchers.

[Jason Topp]

If you're going to drive to Duluth, you might be better off driving to Brainerd. A lot more choices there.
Getting back to the actual metro area...within 5 miles of Interlachen you have the three other gems- Minikahda and Minneapolis GC and Oak Ridge CC. I'm not one to rank courses, but I'll say that all of the course I've just named are flat out great.
I'm puzzled by your Spring Hill dismissal. I think it's a really special place. Blends into the land and lake country beautifully. They've been flexible over the years with the fescue and the recent rework of the 13th hole makes it the best par 5 on the course, in my opinion.

Welcome Laz!


 I am probably the leader of the anti-Spring Hill crowd.  I think they tried to squeeze that course into too little land to the North of the Road and the course sits very awkwardly to the South of the road.  Throw in a number of mediocre or very awkward holes (1, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16 and maybe 18) and you wind up with a course that in my opinion is nowhere near a top 100 in the country as several of the magazines have it listed.  I would take any of the courses you identified over Spring Hill in a heartbeat.


What about Palm Springs or Southern California? 


   

[David_Tepper]

The two Alastair Mackenzie courses in the SF Bay Area that tend to get overlooked are the Meadow Club (Fairfax, Marin County) and Claremont (Oakland). Both have undergone sensitive restorations in the past 5-10 years.

[Sinclair Eaddy]

Ira and Tommy and the DC voices,


Generally agree with comments. Chevy and Columbia stand in the shadows of Congressional and BT.


I would like to comment the North Course at Woodmont. It should not be lumped in with the other Arthur Hills redos. I think the course is more than worthy of "belt notchers" and purists and it is always in immaculate condition. Just ask Obama who considered joining. The course has hosted the US Open Sectional Qualifier for the last 30 years and usually gets great reviews. Accessing the course though is not easy so they don't get the play and they don't care to have it.

[Ryan Hillenbrand]

PCCraig,
I couldn’t explain, with any detail, the changes that took place at the Log Cabin Club and Bogey Club (two separate clubs with 75 members each, each with their own 9-hole course; the two clubs share the maintenance staff and expenses and allow members and guests to play all 18 holes).  The courses were in splendid shape, as opposed to prior years when it looked like a marginally-maintained muni.  My host mentioned that the greens were redone with new bunkering and fairway grass.
An after-round drink on the patio at Log Cabin is such a great setting and reveals the interesting topography we have in Ladue.  Well worth seeing!

Thanks, David. I've played the course (in fact my wife had a baby shower at the Log Cabin Club a few years back), and I'm familiar with the concept. I was just curious what the redesign work entailed.

Pat, there's a previous thread where I posted some photos. You can see how much more manicured Log/Bogey is now. There is much more short grass around the greens and in many cases it extends to the next tee boxes. Overall its in great condition and a very tight walkable routing.

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,55379.msg1518156.html#msg1518156

[Joe Zucker]

Going back to my hometown of Cleveland, the obvious answer is Sleepy Hollow by Stanley Thompson.  It's an affordable public track that sometimes shows up on lists for best munis, but it could use a little cleaning up.  There are too many trees and mowing lines could be better, but the course is a blast and the greens are treacherous with modern speeds.  Manakiki (Ross) is another muni that is worth a play, but it suffers from the same over growth that Sleepy Hollow has.


On the private side, the best courses are on the east side with Canterbury, Kirtland, and Pepper Pike.  The near west side of Cleveland has Westwood (Alison) and Lakewood (Tillinghast), which receive a lot less attention.  They are certainly not as good, but there are some good holes on each course once you get away from the flat land the club houses.

[V_Halyard]

When golfers think about the Twin Cities, they immediately think about Hazeltine and Interlachen. Those courses have been on a variety of ranking lists for years and have hosted many national & international golf championships. Therefore, when "well-traveled" aka belt notching golfers plan a trip here, their itinerary begins and end with getting access to those two clubs.

While they are fine clubs and courses, they are not anywhere near the best golfing experiences in Minnesota. 

For example, these people are missing some wonderful things.

They aren't hitting a mid-iron over a 100+ year old tree that sits between the tee and green on the 4th at Keller.
They aren't checking out the great Tillinghast courses like Golden Valley & Rochester
Many work hard to access Interlachen, but how many golfers drive two hours north to play Northland in Duluth?
Are they experiencing the unique quirkiness of Town & Country?
Are they clamoring to visit the Raynor designs at Somerset, Midland, and Minnesota Valley?

Nope, no thank you...they would rather go out of their way to visit Spring Hill, a run of the mill but exclusive Fazio which just pegged itself on a top 100 list.

What are these people missing in your town while in never ending pursuit of bag tags and twitter followers?

Or is the answer..."who cares let them have Hazeltine and keep them off my course!"

Should we agree to share only here?  LOL

[V_Halyard]

Sean,

  Most notchers criticize other notchers because they are notchers themselves.

"Notcher-cism by a "Notcher-cist?"

[Mike Schott]

The two Alastair Mackenzie courses in the SF Bay Area that tend to get overlooked are the Meadow Club (Fairfax, Marin County) and Claremont (Oakland). Both have undergone sensitive restorations in the past 5-10 years.

It's tough when the competition is so fierce but I had the fortune to play The Meadow Club about 5 years ago and it's an amazing place. Great setting below the hills and very low key. It plays pretty firm and I believe the membership contains some extremely fine golfers.

[Terry Lavin]

Sean,

  Most notchers criticize other notchers because they are notchers themselves.

"Notcher-cism by a "Notcher-cist?"

Indeed.

[Rick Lane]

Hartford Connecticut is not a belt notcher’s destination and really there are only four courses that people want to play in the entire state including Yale, CC of Fairfield and to a lesser degree Tamarack and TPC River Highlands. Some worthy privates to play across the state are Shuttle Meadow, Wampanoag, CC of Farmington, Waterbury, New Haven, Woodway, Wee Burn, Round Hill, Madison and Greenwich. On the public side there is Shennecossett, Keney Park, Richter, Wintonbury and Timberlin.

Brooklawn!  But I am biased.  Just had a chance to play Black Hall and loved every inch of it, particularly the last few holes.   Ridgewood in Danbury has some crazy sloping greens and is quite fun. Of course there is Stanwich, which got “fixed”some years back, a few of the greens were over the edge.

[Tim Martin]

Hartford Connecticut is not a belt notcher’s destination and really there are only four courses that people want to play in the entire state including Yale, CC of Fairfield and to a lesser degree Tamarack and TPC River Highlands. Some worthy privates to play across the state are Shuttle Meadow, Wampanoag, CC of Farmington, Waterbury, New Haven, Woodway, Wee Burn, Round Hill, Madison and Greenwich. On the public side there is Shennecossett, Keney Park, Richter, Wintonbury and Timberlin.

Brooklawn!  But I am biased.  Just had a chance to play Black Hall and loved every inch of it, particularly the last few holes.   Ridgewood in Danbury has some crazy sloping greens and is quite fun. Of course there is Stanwich, which got “fixed”some years back, a few of the greens were over the edge.

Black Hall is a typical RTJ of the time period. Push up the greens, ramp up the speed, add false fronts and then lather, rinse repeat. Stanwich is just too hard for the average player with green speeds north of anything that's reasonable. I would substitute Wethersfield and Racebrook in the fun department.

[Ryan Hillenbrand]

Sean,

  Most notchers criticize other notchers because they are notchers themselves.

"Notcher-cism by a "Notcher-cist?"

Indeed.

Self Loathing Notchers

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()