Best Public 9 Hole Course - State by State

[Richard Hetzel]

How about Asheboro Municipal (NC) ? 9 hole Donald Ross. I tried to stop and walk 9 but they were packed! Although not 9 holes, only 4 holes is the Practice Loop at Pine Needles.

[John Foley]

Attica-Five Stars-https://www.atticas10thhole.com/  I'd meet you here!

Did not know that existed. When I first saw it I thought there's another one like this one.


Sonyea is a 9 holer right outside the walls of the Groveland Correctional Facility near Mt Morris NY (outside of Rochester). It was a pretty weird experience. Wonder if there are any others like it.

[Brad Tufts]

Rip Van Winkle in NY? 


Never made it there, always followed arguments about unproven Golden Age pedigree.


Thendara in the Adirondacks is another Ross 9 plus a second nine that is apparently forgettable.

[Kalen Braley]

If you're ever passing thru Utah, Forest Dale in Salt Lake City is certainly worth a play, but its not worth a special trip to see it.

[Richard Hetzel]

Rip Van Winkle in NY? 


Never made it there, always followed arguments about unproven Golden Age pedigree.

I played it, it was nothing special. Pretty flat.


Culver Academy might be the best 9 holer in America. They are pretty welcoming about playing. I pretty much had the course to myself.

[Mike Worth]

Rip Van Winkle in NY? 


Never made it there, always followed arguments about unproven Golden Age pedigree.


Thendara in the Adirondacks is another Ross 9 plus a second nine that is apparently forgettable.

I grew up 5 miles from Rip Van Winkle




Like Richard Hetzel says the course is quite flat.


But there is nothing “unproven“ about its Golden Age pedigree. There’s a map hanging in the pro shop of Donald Ross‘s plan - with Walter Hatch listed on it as well.

[Richard Hetzel]

Mike,


I spent many a summer as a kid camping up at North Lake, which is fairly close by Rip van Winkle CC.

[Mike Worth]

Mike,


I spent many a summer as a kid camping up at North Lake, which is fairly close by Rip van Winkle CC.

Yup I’ve spent many days up there I grew up in Tannersville just down the road

[Jim O’Kane]

I think most folks here will enjoy the new update to the Golden Gate Park par 3 course in San Francisco. If I were recommending Bay Area 9 holers, I'd also add Corica's North Course, and obviously Northwood if you've up for a drive.

What about Gleneagles or Sharp Park? Both never seem to get enough love.

[Matt Schoolfield]

I think most folks here will enjoy the new update to the Golden Gate Park par 3 course in San Francisco. If I were recommending Bay Area 9 holers, I'd also add Corica's North Course, and obviously Northwood if you've up for a drive.

What about Gleneagles or Sharp Park? Both never seem to get enough love.

Well, Sharp Park isn't a nine-hole course, and while Gleneagles technically is, to me, it's really an 18-hole course in spirit. Anyone that knows me knows I think #1/#10, #6/#15, #7, #8/#17, and #9/#18 are top notch golf holes. The really impressive thing Jack Fleming pulls off, from my perspective, is setting up the alternate tees to allow players to utilize completely different features the second time around. But, the main reason I wouldn't recommend it in this scenario is that, whenever someone wants to know The Best^™️ course, they typically mean they want to play something manicured, and Gleneagles is the opposite of that.

[Jim O’Kane]

What about Gleneagles or Sharp Park? Both never seem to get enough love.

Well, Sharp Park isn't a nine-hole course, and while Gleneagles technically is, to me, it's really an 18-hole course in spirit. Anyone that knows me knows I think #1/#10, #6/#15, #7, #8/#17, and #9/#18 are top notch golf holes. The really impressive thing Jack Fleming pulls off, from my perspective, is setting up the alternate tees to allow players to utilize completely different features the second time around. But, the main reason I wouldn't recommend it in this scenario is that, whenever someone wants to know The Best^™️ course, they typically mean they want to play something manicured, and Gleneagles is the opposite of that.

Dang, hittin' me with "the logic" -- I can't really argue with that -- your logic is spot on. Since it has been nearly two decades since I left my employ at Veteran's Cab, I forgot that Sharp Pk is indeed 18.
And I couldn't agree more with your comments on Gleneagles. It is a beast of a layout and a blast to play...at least to me. And while the conditions may not parallel "Best" types of courses, the work that a 1 man groundscrew/bartender/owner does there is nothing short of amazing.

I miss that place terribly and never truly appreciated it as I should have when I lived there.

[Tim Martin]

I think most folks here will enjoy the new update to the Golden Gate Park par 3 course in San Francisco. If I were recommending Bay Area 9 holers, I'd also add Corica's North Course, and obviously Northwood if you've up for a drive.

What about Gleneagles or Sharp Park? Both never seem to get enough love.

But, the main reason I wouldn't recommend it in this scenario is that, whenever someone wants to know The Best^™️ course, they typically mean they want to play something manicured, and Gleneagles is the opposite of that.

Matt-I’m not sure that “the best course” is broadly thought of as “something manicured”.

[Pete_Pittock]

Thanks MikeOne 9 hole course highly thought of, Elkhorn Valley, was expanded to 18 and lost its coolness; also devastated by  forest fire a couple of years ago.  I have referenced before a few good nine hole courses -worth your time and effort if you are in the vicinity..a. Cedar Bend Golf Links (John Zoller) is near Gold Beach on the southern Oregon coast. Small streams in the valley, with a cedar covered hillside. Both the hillside and the streams play a big factor on its best holes, 1,6,7 with perched greens atop shaved slopes. Balls are recoverable.The 4th is a par 3 with tees shots vectored south and west. The greens are big enough that each has two flags, for the out and in 9s. b. Country View(Scott McKinney), near the Idaho border at Ontario is a family built course over unproductive farmland. They had no experience in golf, read a book about how to construct a golf course, said we can do that and set sail. Outside of a tight, iffy tee shot from the back tees it is a very good basic course with true, fast greens. Good design, strategy,the 5th and 6th are the best as they run capishly along and across the edge of the elevated property, thus the viewc. Crestview GC, aka Crestview Hills, is in Waldport on the central Oregon Coast. It was revitalized by Dan Hixson (Wine Valley) a few years ago. There are some drainage issue on 1&2, probably related to the housing east of the course. The heart of the course is 4,5,6. Four is a probably downhill par 3 hole fronted by a lake. It looks vicious, especially with a wind, but last year, three players in succession aced it. The 5th is a reachable par 4, slight dogleg left with jungle left,6 is a semiblind uphill par 3 with a spined green. Nine is a uphill par 3 which plays less than its yardage because, well,it is shorter than the listed yardage. That leaves you long, which is the wrong place to be.Laurelwood thread: http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,37129.msg1547640.html#msg1547640   Pineway thread: http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,65036.msg1550373.html#msg1550373

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« Last Edit: May 09, 2018, 06:43:32 PM by Pete_Pittock »

[Pete_Pittock]

A number of threads like this. Here's one from last century.
https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,8369.msg160088.html#msg160088

[Matt Schoolfield]

Matt-I’m not sure that “the best course” is broadly thought of as “something manicured”.

Ehh... call my cynical, but I see it as a necessary, but not sufficient condition for folks looking for a "the best course." I guess just don't think the vast majority of folks asking about "the best course in California" is looking for a Gleneagles-type course. I would obviously suggest it to someone asking about a "fun," "interesting," "challenging," "hidden gem," or "architecturally significant" course. But I think the vast majority of folks looking for a "the best course" have high expectations about conditioning.

I hope I'm wrong about that, but I don't think I am.

[Rob Nydick]

I find that nine hole courses are a wonderful fit when traveling as a way to see more golf without the demand of another four hours of time.  I've found some wonderful nine-hole courses in my travels, and while I won't presume to say that they are the "best", here are some of my favorites.


Hawaii - Kahuku Municipal
Pennsylvania - Phoenixville Country Club
New Jersey - Skyway Golf Course
New Hampshire - Hooper Golf Course
Vermont - Bellow Falls
New York - Spy Ring (Hay Harbor Club is a very close second)
Florida - Fisher Island Club
Michigan - Elk Rapids Golf Club

[MCirba]

Phoenixville in PA is a terrific call and I'd also add nearby West Chester Golf and Country Club to the discussion.

[mike_malone]

Phoenixville in PA is a terrific call and I'd also add nearby West Chester Golf and Country Club to the discussion.

Mike,


While these are nice choices they don’t have the cache of Clayton Park and its dogleg par three.

[Stewart Abramson]

Matt-I’m not sure that “the best course” is broadly thought of as “something manicured”.

Ehh... call my cynical, but I see it as a necessary, but not sufficient condition for folks looking for a "the best course." I guess just don't think the vast majority of folks asking about "the best course in California" is looking for a Gleneagles-type course. I would obviously suggest it to someone asking about a "fun," "interesting," "challenging," "hidden gem," or "architecturally significant" course. But I think the vast majority of folks looking for a "the best course" have high expectations about conditioning.

I hope I'm wrong about that, but I don't think I am.

You are not wrong. If you peruse just about any golf website other than this one, most non-gca "nerds" base their course reviews and commentary primarily on scenery, conditioning and amenities. I saw a review yesterday that raved about a well known  "country club for a day" type of course because of the scenery, conditioning and because they engraved his name on a tag above his locker and he got to take the tag home. The review didn't mention any of the golf holes.


edited to fix typo

[Kalen Braley]

Matt-I’m not sure that “the best course” is broadly thought of as “something manicured”.

Ehh... call my cynical, but I see it as a necessary, but not sufficient condition for folks looking for a "the best course." I guess just don't think the vast majority of folks asking about "the best course in California" is looking for a Gleneagles-type course. I would obviously suggest it to someone asking about a "fun," "interesting," "challenging," "hidden gem," or "architecturally significant" course. But I think the vast majority of folks looking for a "the best course" have high expectations about conditioning.

I hope I'm wrong about that, but I don't think I am.

You are not wrong. If you peruse just about any golf website other than this one, most non-gca "nerds" base their course reviews and commentary primarily on scenery, conditioning and amenities. I saw a review yesterday that raved about a well known  "country club for a day" type of course because of the scenery, conditioning and because they engraved his name on a tag above his locker and he got to take the tag home. The review didn't mention any of the golf holes.

edited to fix typo

I approach this issue from a different angle.

Just took a look at the top 100 list for Golf Magazine and I highly doubt any of those courses don't have very good to superb conditioning.  I'm not saying they lack interesting architecture, but are there any examples of a course on these top 100 lists that have just average, much less subpar conditions?

[MCirba]

Phoenixville in PA is a terrific call and I'd also add nearby West Chester Golf and Country Club to the discussion.

Mike,


While these are nice choices they don’t have the cache of Clayton Park and its dogleg par three.

Mayday,


Happy News Years to you and yours!


Your call-out of Clayton Park GC as the worst nine hole course shows a lack of appreciation for the combined efforts and genius of Frank Fitts, Walter Weaver, and Al Bradley back in 1963 when they conceived of those admittedly unique series of golf holes.  It took us a few years, but Bausch and I are very proud that we were finally able to run down that very special architectural heritage. 


All,


Let me add Twaalfskill in NY to the discussion, as well.   It's one of the courses I played in 2023 that keeps coming back to mind very favorably as time passes.

[Jim O’Kane]

The Clayton Park, dog leg par 3...is this it?
https://www.myphillygolf.com/uploads/bausch/ClaytonPark/pages/page_23.html?
That's pretty cool. I like that, a lot.

I like that the green is miniscule and slopes down hill and right -- has to be difficult to hold.

[Bill Crane]

New Jersey - the ones I am familiar with are:   


Merchantville C C - As I remember tight and interesting with two holes with a second green and some extra tees for back nine.   Flat.
Moorestown Field Club-  Not far from Merchantville, a bit more terrain movement interesting greens.
   Toss up between these two.


Also, Hyatt Hills  (solid),   Mt Tabor  (hilly, quirky and fun),  Lawrenceville School  (corrupted by loss of land for other uses).
We have lost a bunch of them:  Green Pond,  Woodbury Country Club and many more probably.
Have not played Skyway.

[Cliff Hamm]

In Rhode Island Pinecrest stands out.  Rolling hills, accuracy required but not too tight.  Really quite good and unheard of...might add Jamestown.  Great location and built in 1895.  Redesigned by Alex Findlay in 1901.  Links style but too green...

[Tim Martin]

In Rhode Island Pinecrest stands out.  Rolling hills, accuracy required but not too tight.  Really quite good and unheard of...might add Jamestown.  Great location and built in 1895.  Redesigned by Alex Findlay in 1901.  Links style but too green...

Cliff-Have you played Jamestown?