Courses that are just plain fun to play, great or not

[Gib_Papazian]

Jeff,


Excellent choice.


I've also been singing the praises of the main Monarch Dunes course for years.


Visually, it is quite unique - but "fun factor" is off the charts all the way around. Strange decision to have flipped the nines - since the original #10 is fabulous and unlike anything except #7 at Pac Dunes (sort of) - but as an opener, confusing at best.


I'd also nominate Eagle Point, outside of Medford, Oregon. It is so beautifully thought out  . . . . each hole is a unique pleasure to experience. Bobby told me he put his heart, soul, blood and guts into it - and it shows. Too bad, it almost killed him financially as Jones II had heavy skin in the game.


He did admit that after Eagle Point, he learned to have a lot more respect for the money end of course development. When your nuts are on the chopping block, different game.
 


   

[Ash Towe]

Arrowtown, great fun and one of the best courses inNZ.

[Pete Lavallee]

You had me at #1, but you lost me at #2 and #3. I'd love to know what is fun about the later two, as perhaps I'm missing something. #2 isn't Gil's; he did a restoration/renovation. I think it is a bit constrained by its property. Tall Grass was enjoyable, but no more fun than others I could mention.

Gil Hanse has mastered the “fun to play golf course”. Rustic Canyon holds the top spot. To think a top name designer claimed the site was unsuitable for a good course is quite humerus. Soule Park in Ojai sits comfortably at #2. Tall Grass on Long Island had a firm grip on #3 before it closed. My regular golf group did a Monterrey trip in September and we finished off at Rustic Canyon. Our overall winner on the trip aptly called it: “sometimes less is more”.

Ron,


Although I didn’t articulate it well, I think the real fun in golf starts when the ball hits the ground. Whether it’s catching a speed slot on the drive, bouncing in a second shot off a green side feature or navigating the slopes around a putting green; these are the features that make golf fun!


Surely Rustic Canyon fills all these requirements in spades. The green side aprons really help in that respect.


I played the original Soule Park course once and it was a nice setting but as “vanilla” as a course could get; typical Billy Bell Jr. Although Gil kept the routing intact the greens and bunkers were all changed for the better. They also incorporate the extended aprons like Rustic Canyon. Again lots to think about once the ball hits the ground.


Although I only played Tallgrass once it reminded me very much of Rustic Canyon. The mix of long and short par 4’s was exceptional.


I think an important factor in both Gil and Tom Doaks courses are reflected in their year of study in the UK on the Cornell program. Incorporating the ground game options of the UK go a long way to making a golf game less of a game of darts and more like British Lawn Bowling!

[Thomas Dai]

Plain fun to play, great or not.
Made me think of a recent visit to Painswick in just about perfect autumnal weather. Bright and sunny and hardly any wind. Delightful fun. In the wind and rain though? Well, maybe not so sure!
atb
Below - some Painswick enthusiasts enjoying a snack in front of the par-3 12th tee

[Gib_Papazian]

Jeff,


I do not want to swell your head (you might turn into another TD), but your Wildhorse (even with the hinky-ass pair of neighborhood housing holes) was good enough we decided to crash up there and play it again in the morning.


#10 sealed the deal, I just liked its brazen shaping decisions . . . . but I loved Harbottle's Alps at Stevinson Ranch.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Gib,


Good to know it met it's main objective of being good for every day (or stay a second day) golf!  I'll try not to go all TD, but seriously, I doubt most would consider that one of my finest, given the tight, flat site, but it does have some nice stuff.  And last time I was there, maintenance was poor, which never contributes to a first impression.

[BCrosby]

Catching up with this thread. Two big misses:


Chechessee Creek. A delight to play whether you are playing well or badly. Clubhouse and atmosphere are among the best anywhere. Defines elegant, low-key.


The Fields. The course is spread over beautiful rolling terrain. Generous fw's, funky greens/surrounds, and firm conditions mean that angles matter. Great fun. The best golfers in the region seem to hang out there to play the course and drink the beer. The kind of place MY would love.   




Bob

[Gib_Papazian]

Bob,


Fabulous call . . . I once described Chechessee Creek as "the most elegant golf course I had ever played."


And as I get older, it makes the short list of American courses I could retire on and never look back.

[Brian Finn]

Gullane 3 is very high on my all-time most fun list.  It was one of only three courses that we played multiple times on a trip to East Lothian a couple of years ago (along with Muirfield and North Berwick).  We hadn't originally planned to play it more than once, but Gullane 3 (along with Kilspindie) was so much fun that we had to have another go.  Sadly, Kilspindie couldn't work us into the schedule for another round.  That stretch of land East of Edinburgh is just filled with fun courses. 

[Ronald Montesano]

Thank you, Pete. I appreciate the expansion.


I played Tall Grass once (before it became a farm of sorts) and it was soaked. It had a tendency to hold water, which made it very non-Hanse. If folks caught it during fast-firm season, it certainly would have been a blast.


I'll suggest two notions for folks to consider from here on out, in this thread.


One: how prepared are you to TinCup your way to a bunch of lost golf balls? Fun for me (at age 56, with no current need to compete, but current need to hit quality shots) is found in taking on ridiculous but manageable challenges. I'll always hit driver, if there's a chance that I can make the carry or thread the needle. It's even better when friends are along for the journey, and they take the same pleasure in taking a rip at it.


Two: how patient are you? If the wind, the rain, the sun, the cold are over the top, are you still able to find the fun? I'm getting better at this.

[archie_struthers]

 


Hideout is fun , good vibe all about golf


The Shore Club fun if easy....great greens and firm and fast


Indian Creek   classic Flynn

[cary lichtenstein]

Regardless of whether I'm playing good or bad, I've never not had fun playing Tobacco Road.

I thought Tobacco Road was pure fun and very scoreable. I loved the architecture, the uniqueness, one person's poison is another person's candy...loved the course

[Bob Jenkins]

I have said this before on this site but I have taken a great pleasure to host probably 40 or so GCAers at Sagebrush and it was so much fun to be able to point out how to approach several greens and otherwise watch the reaction of someone watching their ball roll out across a green. I am so pleased Sagebrush will be back this coming may and having played the course this past summer, it looks as though it will be in great shape once again.

[Jeff Schley]

A course in Temecula, california called Temecula Creek Inn I really enjoyed playing whole living in the area. 3 nines and in a quaint setting as part of a resort. Typically not what you would think of fun golf, but it was the big difference between the newest Stonehouse nine to the other 2 nines Oak and Creek which is contrasting.




It has been 13 years since I have been there, but from memory the setting is relaxing and thr holes aren't packed in with no houses anywhere.   They have weddings there adjacent to one hole on the Stonehouse and you feel secluded.  The greens have variety in terms of size for sure. Some such as hole 2 I think on the Creek is tiny for a par 3 over water. They could benefit from taking some trees down and it wouldn't lose its character.




So fun yes and not a top 100 course but wanted to pick something under our radar perhaps.

[Anthony Gholz]

Winter Park 9

[Frank Kim]

Wine Valley!