[David Davis]

Favorite list - top 25 - no order


Cypress Point
Pine Valley
Ardfin
Tara Iti
Utrecht de Pan
NGLA
Morfontaine
Crruden Bay
RCD
Royal Melbourne
Barnbougle Dunes
Pac Dunes
Santapazienza
North Berwick
Shinny
St. Enodoc
Oakmont
Chicago Golf Club
Fisher's Island
Turnberry
Royal Portrush
Kingston Heath
Sunningdale Old
Prestwick
Royal Dornoch

[Tom_Doak]

Windswept Dunes   Florida

I had never heard of this one, so I was compelled to look it up.  I thought it was probably a re-branding, but no.


The architect is Doug O'Rourke, fondly known in Michigan as "Dozer Doug" for the days when he would design / build from the seat of the dozer.  [He also shaped a bunch of courses as a contractor.]


Seeing his course place one spot above Prairie Dunes made the nature of this list really hit home for me.

[Ira Fishman]

Windswept Dunes   Florida

I had never heard of this one, so I was compelled to look it up.  I thought it was probably a re-branding, but no.


The architect is Doug O'Rourke, fondly known in Michigan as "Dozer Doug" for the days when he would design / build from the seat of the dozer.  [He also shaped a bunch of courses as a contractor.]


Seeing his course place one spot above Prairie Dunes made the nature of this list really hit home for me.

This is exactly why it is Favorite, not Best. The Warriors is one of my favorite movies. I readily concede it is not one of the best movies. I also am fond of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (the original).


Ira

[Doug Bolls]

Tom - As I understand it this course was designed and built as you describe - get on the dozer and move stuff around until you're happy with the result.  Hole by hole, day by day, week by week.


In the spirit of this list, it was a fun place to play.  I'm smiling as I recall my day there - generous fairways off the tee - well defined green complexes with plenty of sand dunes to catch an errant shot.  I remember the greens being very large and receptive.


The pictures on the website (a couple of them are mine) show some of the character. 


It's a laid back place in a partial housing development with a double-wide as a pro shop / snack bar.
I think Doug's wife is the GM.


If you're ever around the Destin / Freeport area of the panhandle, it's a worthwhile stop.

[Chris Mavros]

Pine Valley

• NGLA

• Garden City GC

• Merion East

• Somerset Hills

• Plainfield

• Old Macdonald

• Congaree

• Prairie Dunes

• Yale

• Rolling Hills CC

• Pasatiempo

• Dismal River Red

• Wilshire

• Huntingdon Valley

• Bethpage Black

• LedgeRock GC

• Hidden Creek

• San Gabriel CC

• Chambers Bay

• Black Sheep

• Desert Forest GC

• Engineers CC

• Bandon Trails

• Fox Chapel

• Maidstone

[Ira Fishman]

Quite a few people have sent me their lists or have posted in the thread, but the more the merrier. irafishman@verizon.net.


Thanks,


Ira

[Tim Leahy]

Here's my westcoast centric list in order of fav:


Olympic Club Lake
Pebble Beach
Spyglass Hill
Kapalua Plantation
Stone Eagle
Diamonte Dunes
Cabo Del Sol Ocean
Pasatiempo
Cal Club
Lake Merced
Sherwood
PGA West Stadium
Rustic Canyon
LACC
Torrey Pines South
Sandpiper
La Purisima
Yoche de he Cache Creek
Clear Creek Tahoe
Edgewood Tahoe
La Quinta Mountain
Oak Valley
Pacific Grove
Pelican Hill Ocean
Granite Bay CC
Bayonet
Angeles National
Palos Verdes CC
Industry Hills Eisenhower
Barona Creek
Koolau
Coronado
Lake Chabot
Poppy Hills
Spanish Bay
Coyote Moon
Valencia CC
Presidio
Del Paso CC
Winchester CC
The Ridge
Dark Horse
Kaneohe
Grey's Crossing
Del Rio CC
Saddle Creek
La Contenta
Hunter Ranch
Steele Canyon
Chardonnay

[Matthew Rose]

I tried making one, but it dropped off pretty significantly in quality after 20 or so.

[Richard Fisher]

OK. A top-of-the-head Favourite 25-ish

TOC
Muirfield
Harlech
Porthcawl
Huntercombe
Brancaster
Westward Ho!
Alwoodley
Macrihanish
Hoylake
Portrush
Prestwick
Swinley Forest
Woking
Rye
Formby
Silloth
Walton Heath Old
St Enedoc
RStG Sandwich
Deal
Luffness New
Goswick
The Sacred Nine
Aberdovey
Notts
Burnham

[Jeff Schley]

Top 30 into groups of ten, no order.

Top 10

TOC,
NGLA,
Royal Melbourne,
Oakmont,
Merion,
Fisher's Island,
Chicago GC,
Sunningdale Old,
Cape Wickham,
North Berwick

Top 20

Turnberry,
LACC, 
Ballybunion, 
Pacific Dunes,
Friars Head,
Riviera,
Royal St. Georges,
Plainfield,
Valley Club at Montecito,
Winged Foot

Top 30

Pebble Beach, 
Innwood Golf Course,
Bel Air, Lahinch,
Shoreacres,
Maidstone,
Olympia Fields, 
Kankakee Elks,
Sleepy Hollow,
Royal Cinque Ports
I give up with the formatting.

[Joe_Tucholski]

I thought I updated my list somewhat regularly but went back and looked at the whip it out thread and only found my first post
https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,42584.msg1103796.html#msg1103796



Luckily as Mark recommended I got my passport.  This website has helped guide me on my architectural education and moved me away from chasing the golf digest top 100 places you can play list (I have no chance at any of the real top 100 lists). 


Trying to come up with a list of favorites is really hard.  Situations and memories really make life what it is and I think of golf similarly.


Well here is a current list of 25, in order I've played them (sorry it makes it meaningless for you Ira but I figure this list is pretty meaningless for anyone but me anyway) and a quick reason why it's on my list.


York Golf and Tennis Club - Learned to play here.  Golf was definitely a secondary sport at the time but planted the seed.
Del Monte Golf Course - High school home course and played it a ton.
Bayonet and Black Horse - Worked in the cart barn.
Pebble Beach - Favorite course.  Worked the AT&T.  Mom took a second job at the spa so got to play it once a month.
Spanish Bay - Friends caddied here and playing a twilight round here is magical.
Eisenhower Golf Course (USAFA) - Blue - Got me through college.
Homestead - Cascades - First anniversary trip in the fall.  Really pretty setting for a trip like that.
Chambers Bay - Family lives in the Seattle area and it's great fun.
Rustic Canyon - My intro to this site.
Bandon Dunes - First round at the resort and I loved it.
Old Mac - Intro to templates.
Pennard - First round in the UK.  Played with some members who were great guys.
Borth and Ynysla - Played with a past club captain and his daughter.  Exactly what I dream of when talking about golf.
Fraserburgh - Just a great walk and again an idyllic club.
Royal Dornoch - Favorite course in the UK.
Eden - Played multiple times with locals at dawn and dusk.
Royal Hague - Netherlands has to be the most under rated golf destination.
De Pan - Have to thank David Davis for hosting Buda.  Played as the first out with David and this course belongs in a fairy tale.
Eglin - Eagle - Home course during residency.
Sung Nam - Home course while in Korea and my wife was in the middle east...spent a lot of time at the course.
NCR CC - Introduction to golf as a member of a nice club.
Portsalon - I left my clubs in the parking lot of Northwest that morning and had a bit of an argument with my wife before arriving.  The pro here could not have been nicer.  The pro and then the course helped me forget about any stress.
Carne - What I think of when talking about Irish golf.
Royal Melbourne - Speaks for itself.
Barnbougle Dunes - A course worth the journey.

[jeffwarne]

What an eclectic list Joe!
You've even made me want to play Chambers Bay now(my daughter lives in Seattle)
Nice trick leaving your clubs in Buncrana so you'd have to go back

[Kalen Braley]

What an eclectic list Joe!
You've even made me want to play Chambers Bay now(my daughter lives in Seattle)
Nice trick leaving your clubs in Buncrana so you'd have to go back

I know it was popular for everyone to defecate on it after the US Open, but it really is a terrific and fun course, especially for someone with your abilities who can take advantage of the risk/reward opportunities.  it will certainly be on my play IT again list when I get back to the area...

[Josh Bills]

My California courses are woefully inadequate.  I have played Harding Park, but it didn't make the list.  I need to find my way to LA at some point and also enjoy more in the SF Area.  This could change tomorrow as I'm sure I forgot something wonderful I have been fortunate to play.  Makes me smile thinking about all these courses. 



1-  National Golf Links of America (NY)
2-  Sand Hills Golf Club (NE)
3-  Pacific Dunes (OR)
4-  The Golf Club (OH)
5-  North Berwick West Links (Scotland)
6-  Ballyneal (CO)
7-  The Old Course (St. Andrews)
8-  Ballybunion Old (Ireland)
9-  Pebble Beach (CA)
10-  Pasatiempo (Santa Cruz, CA)
11-  Shinnecock Hills GC (NY)
12-  Ocean Course at Kiawah Island (SC)
13-  Camargo (OH)
14-  Pinehurst #2 (NC)
15-  Old Head (Ireland)
16-  Kilspindie Golf Club (Scotland)
17-  Bandon Trials (OR)
18-  Dismal River, Red (NE)
19-  Bandon Dunes (OR)
20-  Sweeten’s Cove GC (TN)
21-  Leven Links (Scotland)
22-  Kingsley Club (MI)
23-  Tobacco Road (NC)
24-  Bayonne Golf Club (NJ)
25-  Southern Pines Golf Club (NC)
26-  Mid Pines Golf Club (NC)
27-  Lundin Links (Scotland)
28-  Arcadia Bluffs – Original Course (MI)
29-  Mauna Kea (HI)
30-  Brookside CC (North Canton, OH)
31-  Urbana Country Club (OH)
32-  Tralee (Ireland)
33-  St. Andrews Eden Course (Scotland)
34-  Southern Pines Golf Club (NC)
35-  St. Andrews New Course (Scotland)
36-  North Berwick East Course (Glen Club) (Scotland)
37-  Sewanee GC (TN)
38-  Scioto Country Club (OH)
39-  Dismal River, White (NE)
40-  Congress Lake CC (OH)
41-  Woodland Golf Club (OH)
42-  Dormie Club (NC)
43-  Gullane #2 (Scotland)
44-  Point Chautauqua Golf Club (9 holes) (Dewittville, NY)
45-  Gold Canyon Resort- Dinosaur Mountain Course (AZ)
46-  Bethpage Black (NY)
47-  Oakland Hills CC, South (MI)
48-  St. Andrews Jubilee Course (Scotland)
49-  Spanish Bay (CA)
50-  Wild Horse (NE)

[Joe Zucker]

This is a fun exercise and I think using favorite, rather than best, is the key. Below in pretty random order.


Pinehurst #2 - After awhile, watching the ball roll back to your feet isn't so fun.
Sleepy Hollow (Cleveland) - The best course I played regularly growing up.  The greens are so severe for the modern age...
Barnbougle/Lost Farm - I have trouble separating these courses in my mind in a way that I don't for Bandon
Chambers Bay - As Joe and Kalen said, it's a lot of fun to play the slopes
Sheep Ranch - Playing 60 - 600 yard holes for 12 hours
Canturbury - The first course I ever played with truly good greens
The Old Course - Fun to play a course with what appears to be nothing to aim at
TPC Sawgrass - Infinitely more playable than I thought it would be.  #17 is fun
Brookside (Canton) - Very hard course, but sometimes fun means a challenge
Sweetens Cove - Possibly the pinnacle of fun, atmosphere + course
Big Met (Cleveland) - Normal routing: Doak 2, cross country routing in November, super fun
St. Andrews Beach - Probably my favorite Doak course
West Seattle - Not sure I've played a place where the fairways have more cant
Bandon Trails - The contrast to to the other courses makes me love it more each time I play
Tobacco Road - I admire anyone who takes the risks to build something so different
Cedarcrest (Everett, WA) - The best sub 6,000 course I've played. A course that plays over one big hill (and it has a double green)
Capilano - What they say is true, you don't notice the elevation change all that much
Royal Melbourne - The crispness of the bunker edges will never not be impressive to this American
Mid Pines - One of the most visually satisfying courses I've played
Troon (Portland Course) - A very good course to walk with your 70 year old father

Lookout Mountain - Any course that causes me to de-green 4 putts in a round has to be fun (or evil)
Tetherow - Similar to TR, the change of pace from most other courses stays with me
Pasatiempo - The 16th green, but so much more
Fowlers Mill - Home course in college, I must have played 600 rounds
Lawsonia - The greens and bunkers confounded me, but I still wanted to go back

[Cal Seifert]

Some of my favorites.

NGLA - speaks for itself
Yale - Love the greens and the scale of the course.  Could hit shots into greens like 2,8,9,10,17 all day.
Belvedere - Unexpectedly good greens and seriously fun, laid back vibe. 
Goat Hill (Shelter Island) - Always empty, Always cheap, Always fun. Takes a few plays to even understand what is going on.
Harbour Town - Challenges all types of golfers and trying to shape shots into pete dye greens is always fun.
Old Town Club - Fastest, firmest course I ever played. Emphasized the movement of the greens and loved all the irregular lies that forced weird shots into them.
Quogue Field Club - Pretty much flat as can be but the design sparks interest. 

[jeffwarne]

Some of my favorites.

NGLA - speaks for itself
Yale - Love the greens and the scale of the course.  Could hit shots into greens like 2,8,9,10,17 all day.
Belvedere - Unexpectedly good greens and seriously fun, laid back vibe. 
Goat Hill (Shelter Island) - Always empty, Always cheap, Always fun. Takes a few plays to even understand what is going on.
Harbour Town - Challenges all types of golfers and trying to shape shots into pete dye greens is always fun.
Old Town Club - Fastest, firmest course I ever played. Emphasized the movement of the greens and loved all the irregular lies that forced weird shots into them.
Quogue Field Club - Pretty much flat as can be but the design sparks interest.

2 Goat Hill mentions
didn't see that coming
Quogue is another I play frequently and I whiffed on adding

[John Kavanaugh]

My California courses are woefully inadequate.  I have played Harding Park, but it didn't make the list.  I need to find my way to LA at some point and also enjoy more in the SF Area.  This could change tomorrow as I'm sure I forgot something wonderful I have been fortunate to play.  Makes me smile thinking about all these courses. 



1-  National Golf Links of America (NY)
2-  Sand Hills Golf Club (NE)
3-  Pacific Dunes (OR)
4-  The Golf Club (OH)
5-  North Berwick West Links (Scotland)
6-  Ballyneal (CO)
7-  The Old Course (St. Andrews)
8-  Ballybunion Old (Ireland)
9-  Pebble Beach (CA)
10-  Pasatiempo (Santa Cruz, CA)
11-  Shinnecock Hills GC (NY)
12-  Ocean Course at Kiawah Island (SC)
13-  Camargo (OH)
14-  Pinehurst #2 (NC)
15-  Old Head (Ireland)
16-  Kilspindie Golf Club (Scotland)
17-  Bandon Trials (OR)
18-  Dismal River, Red (NE)
19-  Bandon Dunes (OR)
20-  Sweeten’s Cove GC (TN)
21-  Leven Links (Scotland)
22-  Kingsley Club (MI)
23-  Tobacco Road (NC)
24-  Bayonne Golf Club (NJ)
25-  Southern Pines Golf Club (NC)
26-  Mid Pines Golf Club (NC)
27-  Lundin Links (Scotland)
28-  Arcadia Bluffs – Original Course (MI)
29-  Mauna Kea (HI)
30-  Brookside CC (North Canton, OH)
31-  Urbana Country Club (OH)
32-  Tralee (Ireland)
33-  St. Andrews Eden Course (Scotland)
34-  Southern Pines Golf Club (NC)
35-  St. Andrews New Course (Scotland)
36-  North Berwick East Course (Glen Club) (Scotland)
37-  Sewanee GC (TN)
38-  Scioto Country Club (OH)
39-  Dismal River, White (NE)
40-  Congress Lake CC (OH)
41-  Woodland Golf Club (OH)
42-  Dormie Club (NC)
43-  Gullane #2 (Scotland)
44-  Point Chautauqua Golf Club (9 holes) (Dewittville, NY)
45-  Gold Canyon Resort- Dinosaur Mountain Course (AZ)
46-  Bethpage Black (NY)
47-  Oakland Hills CC, South (MI)
48-  St. Andrews Jubilee Course (Scotland)
49-  Spanish Bay (CA)
50-  Wild Horse (NE)

There would be no harm in posting pictures that you painted of the above courses.

[Michael Wolf]

full warning: I change my mind, a lot...even on courses I haven't played in awhile...especially when given only "favorite" as a criteria.


The Old Course
Augusta National
Cypress Point
Royal Melb West
St Georges Hill
Crystal Downs
Valley Club
NGLA
Barnbougle
Ohoopee


SFGC
Royal Dornoch
Sand Hills
Shinnecock
Pinehurst #2
Rye
Chicago Golf
Seminole
LACC North
Old Macdonald


Oakmont
Swinley Forest
North Berwick
Fishers Island
Pine Valley
Muirfield
Pacific Dunes
Royal County Down
Shoal Creek
Pasatiempo


Clovernook
Lahinch
Lawsonia
Hirono
Lawsonia
Cruden Bay
Peninsula Kingswood North
Prestwick
Royal St George
Kawana


Ballybunion
Old Elm
Royal Melbourne East
Gunnamatta
Meadowbrook
Kapalua (riding only)
Yeamons Hall
Riviera
Falkenstein
Whichever one I've forgotten




Michael

[Joe_Tucholski]

Nice trick leaving your clubs in Buncrana so you'd have to go back

I also lost the rental car keys out on the course during the round.  I clearly didn't want to leave the area.


Pretty sure it was your recommendation (among others) that got me out to Northwest.  There are some others on your list that are in my sights for this summer depending on how the world turns.

[Thomas Dai]

Glancing through the courses listed and wondering in relation to the other currently ongoing thread* how many of the courses listed could the poster recall each and every hole? Also wondering what the average green fee of the courses mentioned would be?
Atb


* [size=78%]https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,68126.msg1631170.html#new[/size]

[mike_malone]

Pine Valley
The Old Course
Oakmont
North Berwick
Ballybunion
Royal County Down
Lahinch
NGLA
Prestwick
Royal Saint George’s
Muirfield
Royal Porthcawl
Royal Dornoch
Portmarnock
  This is the A group in order

B group

Myopia
Rolling Green
Deal
Rye
Merion
Royal Portrush
Yale
Rustic Canyon
Friars Head
Pennard
Winged Foot West
Swinley Forest
St.George’s Hill
Lehigh
St. Enedoc
Lancaster
Indian Creek
Atlantic City
Plainfield
Bethpage Black
County Sligo
Royal North Devon
Burnham Berrow
Huntingdon Valley
Dunbar
Beechtree
Brora
Baltray
Island
Royal Dublin
Philly CC
Manufacturers
Goswick
Narin Portnoo
Porstewart
Twisted Dune

There go Musselburgh and Leven for Rustic Canyon and St.Enedoc. I’m no Cirba. I can’t remember much.





This is my best guess of my favorites. The B list could be different if I got out of bed differently. I forgot Winged Foot West and Prestwick. They are added.

[Sandy Smith]

Here’s what I sent to Ira. I can’t believe I forgot Pasatiempo. Forgive me Jim!


PV
CPC
ANGC
Pebble
TOC
Dornoch
Turnberry
North Berwick
Bandon
Pacific
Stadium
Lytham
Birkdale
RCD
Capilano
Atlantic City
Trails
National in Toronto
Spyglass
Whilshire
Tobacco Road
Sweeetens Cove
Rustic Canyon
Royal Colwood

[Stewart Abramson]

Favorites, not necessarily best courses played:


first 25 alphabetically. (including a few "two-fers" where my favorite places have two courses that aren't materially different in enjoyment) 

Ballyneal

Berkshire  Red and Blue

Cabot Cliffs

County Louth (Baltray)

County Sligo (Rosses Point)

Garden City GC

Los Angeles CC North

Merion East

Mid Pines

North Berwick West Links

Pinehurst #2

Punta Espada

Sand Hollow

Sleepy Hollow

St Georges Hill

Sunningdale Old & New

Teeth of the Dog

The Island

The Old Course

Turnberry Ailsa

Walton Heath Old & New

Western Gailes

Winged Foot East & West

Woking

Yale 2nd 25 alphabetically Addington Arcadia Bluffs Bayonne Bethpage Black Caledonia Cuscowilla Gleneagles Kings Golden Horseshoe Gold Greenbrier - Old White Kiawah Ocean Kingsley Club New Zealand Old Macdonald Orchard Lake Pacific Dunes Pasatiempo Pine Valley Rock Crek Cattle Royal County Down Royal Portrush Dunluce Sagamore True Blue We-Ko Pa Saguaro Whipoorwill Wolf Point

[Josh Bills]

John,


One of those course paintings has you in it.  Was a pretty amazing day on The Old Course and the weather was perfect, way to take your medicine.





I have been fortuante to paint quite a few on my list looking back.  I'm so happy and appreciative that others enjoy the paintings as well. 


Josh

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