MOST SURPRISING NEW PLAY COURSE: Jupiter Hills’ Hills Course in Tequesta, Florida. From what I heard from fellow course golf architecture buffs, I knew it would be a solid track, but I guess I went in expecting a “typical” Florida golf course: Lots of water hazards, straight holes and flat land. Boy was I wrong, and I am glad I was! There is tremendous movement in the property and some very good and strategic golf holes on the Hills Course.
RUNNER-UP: Hyde Park in Cincinnati. I had heard it was a lesser-known Ross track and that in the last several years they have been doing a lot of restoration-type work, so I went in with semi-high expectations. Again, on this course, the land movement and use of such is tremendous and very bold. The greens are fabulous. It’s every bit as good (if not a little better) than the other Ross Course in Cincinnati, Maketewah.
BEST NEW PLAY COURSE: In an effort to avoid using the same course in multiple answers here, I will say Baltimore Five Farms’s East Course in Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland. I never played this course prior to Keith Foster’s work here, but it’s a tremendous Tillinghast layout. I found it to be challenging, but very fair and also believe there to be a lot of variety on the golf course. There’s some very good use of the land forms here too.
RUNNER-UP: Philadelphia Cricket’s Wissahickon Course in Flourtown, Pennsylvania. Another amazing Foster restoration of a Tillinghast design. Again, I never played the course prior to the recent work, but today’s course is tremendous. The Wissahickon is easily as good as Baltimore’s East, but Baltimore may have just a bit more variety; in actuality though, it’s a draw.
MOST SURPRISING SECOND LOOK COURSE: Dauphin Highlands in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. I first played this course on a family vacation right after I picked up the game in 2003 or 2004, well before I appreciated golf course architecture. I liked the course then, mainly because I played well on the course and it was in great shape, so I was curious to go back and see the course. I went in not expecting as much, but was pleasantly surprised. Yes, I happened to play very well again (a season best 74), but Bill Love did some nice work on this course and I would recommend it.
RUNNER-UP: Timber Trails at Lake Naomi in Pocono Pines, Pennsylvania. Timber Trails is a short, narrow executive course tucked away in the Pocono Mountains where I worked my second PGA Golf Management internship in 2008. I went back to play it again this summer and was really pleased with the greens. I forgot how cool they were for such a little-known golf course.
FAVORITE NEW PLAY LINKS: Fishers Island (New York). Without a doubt the best course I’ve played this year (but since it’s the only course remotely close to a links design, I used it for this answer, rather than “Best New Play Course”). The designs were so good and the scenery and backdrop were so amazing, I felt overwhelmed while playing and found it hard to concentrate on hitting good golf shots. I’ll try to do a better job if I ever get the opportunity to play there again.
FAVORITE NEW PLAY INLAND COURSE: Rolling Green in Springfield, Pennsylvania. Other than Baltimore’s East, Philadelphia Cricket’s Wissahickon and Hyde Park, Rolling Green takes the cake. It’s a wonderful Flynn layout with tremendous greens. Yes, I played pretty well (77), but I found the strategy in the design quite good.
BEST AFFORDABLE COURSE: Lulu in Glenside, Pennsylvania. I can’t remember exactly what the rate was, but I do remember thinking it was reasonable, especially after I played the course; great Ross layout.
BEST MODERATELY PRICED COURSE: Makefield Highlands in Yardley, Pennsylvania. I kept it in the public category here. This is a very fun, very open Rick Jacobson design.
BEST COURSE PLAYED THIS YEAR: Fishers Island (see above). Aside from Fishers, which I used for my “Links” answer, Camargo in Cincinnati, which is another amazing Raynor design with great greens.