Most Underrated Courses in your City/area

[Reed Kemp]

I lived in the DC area for a very long time and Columbia was my favorite of those close in while I would always be willing to take the drive up 95 to play the Five Farms course at Baltimore CC.  To me what was unfortunate was that so many clubs in the area brought Arthur Hills in to do a renovation and to me they all wound up being very similar, very green and very soft.


I now live in the Raleigh, NC area and to me the most underrated course is Chapel Ridge which is public.  It is said to be a Fred Couples course but whoever did the design created a really good course which unfortunately today is not in very good condition.  It has 4 excellent par 3s, really good risk/reward par 5s, a couple of drivable par 4s and a really good flow through some really hilly land.  Seniors can play it for $35 including cart.

Bob Moore designed Chapel Ridge, as well as Heritage Club in Wake Forest.  It’s been quite a few years since I lived in the area, but I always enjoyed these two courses, as well as Eagle Ridge. 

[Pat Burke]

In this forum, not many, but Wilshire CC flies under the radar in Southern Ca in my opinion


There are a lot of fun holes and shots.  Plus, the place just has a cool vibe about it


The locals largely fawn over the big guy Rivera and LACC and to me, it seems Wilshire is pretty ignored overall

[John Emerson]

Underrated by whom? Local players? Raters, reviewers and rankers?

Exactly!  These exercises always seem to get botched.  Half the courses that have been listed are underrated by almost no one. 

[Jerry Kluger]

I don't think we are discussing which courses are better in the rankings but those which locals don't appreciate or those which people will not bother to play when in the area.  I pointed out a course that locals don't appreciate in my area but I would also point out courses in Scotland like Golspie and Brora which people don't play when they go up north to play Royal Dornoch because they aren't on their bucket list. They will make only one trip over to the UK and/or Ireland because it is so expensive when they only play the big name courses which is a shame.

[Terry Lavin]

In this forum, not many, but Wilshire CC flies under the radar in Southern Ca in my opinion


There are a lot of fun holes and shots.  Plus, the place just has a cool vibe about it


The locals largely fawn over the big guy Rivera and LACC and to me, it seems Wilshire is pretty ignored overall

I added Wilshire to an LA trip about 15 years ago and have sung its virtues ever since. Great course, great greens and great history.

[Carl Nichols]

In this forum, not many, but Wilshire CC flies under the radar in Southern Ca in my opinion


There are a lot of fun holes and shots.  Plus, the place just has a cool vibe about it


The locals largely fawn over the big guy Rivera and LACC and to me, it seems Wilshire is pretty ignored overall

I added Wilshire to an LA trip about 15 years ago and have sung its virtues ever since. Great course, great greens and great history.

And a great walk

[Terry Lavin]

The tee shot at 9 is blind. Legend has it that Ben Hogan was playing a practice round and asked his caddie what his aiming point should be. “The El Royale Hotel sign,” he replied. “Which letter,” Hogan then inquired.

[Tal Oz]

In this forum, not many, but Wilshire CC flies under the radar in Southern Ca in my opinion


There are a lot of fun holes and shots.  Plus, the place just has a cool vibe about it


The locals largely fawn over the big guy Rivera and LACC and to me, it seems Wilshire is pretty ignored overall

I added Wilshire to an LA trip about 15 years ago and have sung its virtues ever since. Great course, great greens and great history.

And a great walk

As an LA local, Wilshire and Lakeside would be the two clubs to join that fly *slightly* under the radar of the big 3 Riviera, LACC, and Bel Air. Wilshire has a wonderful routing and the vibe is the most welcoming of any club I've played here.
Slightly farther outside of LA (technically Ventura County) The Saticoy Club in Somis and Soule Park in Ojai are more underrated and fun days.

[mark chalfant]

Long Island:


Westhampton
Rockville Links(Emmet) a great restoration by Jim Urbina with Jeff Stein. Luke Knutson CGCS does superb work there.
Huntington Crescent: Dramatic terrain and great greens


North of Town:
Century
Powelton
Norfolk in CT

[Lou_Duran]

Is Gardiner's Bay CC underrated?  I never heard of it until recently.  Raynor redo, I hear.  Worth visiting?

[Cal Seifert]

Is Gardiner's Bay CC underrated?  I never heard of it until recently.  Raynor redo, I hear.  Worth visiting?

I’d say it’s underrated. It doesn’t play like a typical Raynor due to the lack of recognizable templates. There’s also no fairway irrigation which I think is a plus and keeps the course firm and fast. There’s a really fun punchbowl par 3 green there.

[Tom Bacsanyi]

^^^^^Every course lacking fairway irrigation is underrated.


#woketake

[Cal Seifert]

^^^^^Every course lacking fairway irrigation is underrated.


#woketake

Not sure where I said that.

[Tom Bacsanyi]

^^^^^Every course lacking fairway irrigation is underrated.


#woketake

Not sure where I said that.

You didn't, I said it. I feel any course that doesn't have fairway irrigation has to be underrated.

[Cal Seifert]

^^^^^Every course lacking fairway irrigation is underrated.


#woketake

Not sure where I said that.

You didn't, I said it. I feel any course that doesn't have fairway irrigation has to be underrated.

My apologies, I agree 

[Tommy Williamsen]

Is Gardiner's Bay CC underrated?  I never heard of it until recently.  Raynor redo, I hear.  Worth visiting?

I’d say it’s underrated. It doesn’t play like a typical Raynor due to the lack of recognizable templates. There’s also no fairway irrigation which I think is a plus and keeps the course firm and fast. There’s a really fun punchbowl par 3 green there.

Underrated and understated. It's a great place to be and a nice course but nothing great.

[Paul Rudovsky]

In Metropolis of Pinehurst area I would suggest Tobacco Road and Mid Pines.  Both are well recognized...but in IMO still underrated.

[Tim Leahy]

The tee shot at 9 is blind. Legend has it that Ben Hogan was playing a practice round and asked his caddie what his aiming point should be. “The El Royale Hotel sign,” he replied. “Which letter,” Hogan then inquired.

I have seen that story told with the "HOLLYWOOD" sign as the aimimg point.

https://www-latimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-10-16-sp-57570-story.html?amp_js_v=a3&amp_gsa=1&_amp=true&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#aoh=15997896269173&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Farchives%2Fla-xpm-1995-10-16-sp-57570-story.html

[B.Ross]

The tee shot at 9 is blind. Legend has it that Ben Hogan was playing a practice round and asked his caddie what his aiming point should be. “The El Royale Hotel sign,” he replied. “Which letter,” Hogan then inquired.

I have seen that story told with the "HOLLYWOOD" sign as the aimimg point.

https://www-latimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-10-16-sp-57570-story.html?amp_js_v=a3&amp_gsa=1&_amp=true&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#aoh=15997896269173&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Farchives%2Fla-xpm-1995-10-16-sp-57570-story.html

i believe hogan's caddy said the E in the el royale, and hogan asked which one. but could be wrong.

[Tommy Williamsen]

The tee shot at 9 is blind. Legend has it that Ben Hogan was playing a practice round and asked his caddie what his aiming point should be. “The El Royale Hotel sign,” he replied. “Which letter,” Hogan then inquired.

I have seen that story told with the "HOLLYWOOD" sign as the aimimg point.

https://www-latimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-10-16-sp-57570-story.html?amp_js_v=a3&amp_gsa=1&_amp=true&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#aoh=15997896269173&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Farchives%2Fla-xpm-1995-10-16-sp-57570-story.html

i believe hogan's caddy said the E in the el royale, and hogan asked which one. but could be wrong.

Which "e"?

[Tim Leahy]

The tee shot at 9 is blind. Legend has it that Ben Hogan was playing a practice round and asked his caddie what his aiming point should be. “The El Royale Hotel sign,” he replied. “Which letter,” Hogan then inquired.

I have seen that story told with the "HOLLYWOOD" sign as the aimimg point.

https://www-latimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-10-16-sp-57570-story.html?amp_js_v=a3&amp_gsa=1&_amp=true&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#aoh=15997896269173&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Farchives%2Fla-xpm-1995-10-16-sp-57570-story.html

i believe hogan's caddy said the E in the el royale, and hogan asked which one. but could be wrong.

If you tag the super small print link under my comment it will bring up an LA TIMES story that states it was the HOLLYWOOD sign.

[Terry Lavin]

Andy Johnson (and others) tie the tale to the El Royale:


https://thefriedegg.com/wilshire-country-club-review/


https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-10-16-sp-57570-story.html%3f_amp=true


This gca review has a photo (courtesy of Tommy Naccarato), showing both signs at the 9th tee, with the hotel sign appearing to be very close, with the Hollywood sign being four miles away:


https://golfclubatlas.com/wilshire-country-club-pg-ii/

[Peter Sayegh]

In Metropolis of Pinehurst area I would suggest Tobacco Road and Mid Pines.  Both are well recognized...but in IMO still underrated.

Southern Pines trumps both in terms of being underrated.. For me MP/SP is a coin flip for my favorite course in the area.

[John_Conley]

In Minneapolis the two that come to mind are Oak Ridge & Golden Valley.

For Orlando I second the previous mention of Mystic Dunes.  Deltona Club too, although conditioning can be a major issue.

[John Foley]

IMO here in Rochester NY - it's Stafford CC about 30 min west of the city. Yes, Oak Hill, Monroe & CCR are the big three but Stafford has soo much good golf out there. It's not perfect, she has a few warts, but the good out weighs the bad by alot.