University Golf Courses

[Fade to Black]

Seeing a lot of Lonnie Poole. Just don't personally enjoy this track, to be honest. I never come off the 18th feeling like I've enjoyed myself, usually feel like I've been roughed up in a dark alleyway somewhere. Very penal, for me, and not quite visually striking.

[MichiganMan]

Purdue - Kampen Course

MSU - Forest Akers (West)

UNC- Finley Course

Grand Valley St - The Meadows

Ferris State - Katke

 

 

I loved the Kampen Course. Thought it was incredible. Forest Akers is solid too. Course conditions at Finley were solid, but thought the course was very "meh". I always play The Meadows hoping I'll enjoy it and every time I have the same reaction "why did I just waste my money playing here?" And my alma mater, Ferris State has redesigned Katke a little and is much better now than when I was there.

 

Hoping to get over to NC State to play Lonnie Poole this summer and my brother-in-law has been talking up VT's River Course for a while.

[AUTIGER07]

Auburn University Club and UGA GC are the only two I've played and as an Auburn alum the choice is easy.

[2ball]

This is a little off topic but when I played high school golf back in the day we would always play Carmel High School and Robert Louis Stevenson High School. My coach set up these matches because Carmel's home course was Pebble Beach and RLS was Spyglass Hill. Now those are some amazing courses tied to schools.

 

winner!

[runningdog]

Kampen Course at Purdue and Rawls at Texas Tech. Would be happy to play either of them all the time.

[bill.ig]

In central NC I'd rank them:

1. Duke

2. Keith Hills (great driving range and practice area, third 9 lacking compared to original two)

3. Lonnie Poole (echo comment above that sometimes feel like I've been beaten up after playing, rewarding when I scored well)

4. Finley

Played Duke for many years and it is my home course.Good iron play is necessary here.

[cbole22]

Played

Ackerman-Allen Course and Kampen Course at Purdue and thought both were great.

Indiana University Golf Course wasn't very good but had potential I heard they are renovating it so we'll see.

[BloctonGolf11]

Without a doubt Ol' Colony in Tuscaloosa which is the home course of the University of Alabama but is technically not a "university course" as it is owned by the city. It is a really great public course!

[gatorpedsMD]

Love my home course at UF but UMich has a really cool alister mackenzie track.

[lawst4days]

I played at UNC Finley a lot when I went to school there. But honestly I like Lonnie Poole and Duke just as much.

 

In my opinion Lonnie Poole is very different than the other 2. But I only played Duke once. As it's the most expensive of the three. Only reason I played it was they were nice enough to accept my UNC student id to give me a massive student discount. Lonnie Poole would not let me do that.

 

[Thunder Dan]

I’ve only played Warren at ND and Ohio state Scarlet (many times) - Warren is fantastic, Scarlet is pretty boring but it’s always in nice shape.

 

Ive parked my car on michigan’s

 

I’d love to play Yale

[stevopagolf]

The Golf Course at Yale

 

University of Michigan

 

Cornell RTJ

 

only three I have played ranked in order

[titleist_chris]

The UW Ridge in Madison, Wi is top notch and also host a Senior event.

[TUGolfer06]

Great thread!!

 

I'm a member at Seven Oaks at Colgate University. It's a terrific Trent Jones Sr. design.

 

I've also played Bucknell Golf Club which is also very nice. Penn State's Blue and White courses are solid but not really spectacular.

 

My favorite is collegiate course is Taconic at Williams College. I played there last May and loved it. I plan on playing there again this summer.

 

I was suppose to play Yale last September but it fell through. I was in contact with their Director of Golf who seemed quite welcoming.

 

I want to play Virginia Tech's, Virginia's, Notre Dame's, Michigan's, Mt Holyoke's and Purdue's in the not too distant future.

[MichiganMan]

Great thread!!

 

I'm a member at Seven Oaks at Colgate University. It's a terrific Trent Jones Sr. design.

 

I've also played Bucknell Golf Club which is also very nice. Penn State's Blue and White courses are solid but not really spectacular.

 

My favorite is collegiate course is Taconic at Williams College. I played there last May and loved it. I plan on playing there again this summer.

 

I was suppose to play Yale last September but it fell through. I was in contact with their Director of Golf who seemed quite welcoming.

 

I want to play Virginia Tech's, Virginia's, Notre Dame's, Michigan's, Mt Holyoke's and Purdue's in the not too distant future.

 

Played Virginia's course two summers ago while I was up for a buddy's wedding. Course was in decent shape, but there are some really stupid holes on the back 9.

[clp34vmp]

 

 

I want to play Virginia Tech's, Virginia's, Notre Dame's, Michigan's, Mt Holyoke's and Purdue's in the not too distant future.

 

Virginia's (Birdwood) is about to get blown up, although I keep hearing contradictory info on when the new project is going to start. The plan is to replace the whole course with a new Davis Love design. I don't love the current layout. They keep it in nice shape and it has some good holes, but it also has a few I'll be happy to never see again.

[me05501]

I'm partial to The Course at Sewanee.

http://www.thecourseatsewanee.com/

 

It's a mountaintop nine with some great vistas. It was nothing special until a few years back when it was renovated by Gil Hanse, apparently one of first jobs after going solo.

 

They have two sets of tees on several holes so you can loop it twice and have some different shots.

[MichiganMan]

I want to play Virginia Tech's, Virginia's, Notre Dame's, Michigan's, Mt Holyoke's and Purdue's in the not too distant future.

 

Virginia's (Birdwood) is about to get blown up, although I keep hearing contradictory info on when the new project is going to start. The plan is to replace the whole course with a new Davis Love design. I don't love the current layout. They keep it in nice shape and it has some good holes, but it also has a few I'll be happy to never see again.

 

Very interesting. It's a good piece of land. Certainly they could find 18 better holes than they have now. The front 9 is pretty solid, IMO, but the back 9 is a dang cluster. 11 is awful, 13 is wonky, 15 is wonky, and 17 is odd too. They do keep it in good shape but the layout leaves a lot to be desired on the back 9.

[krzeczowskimatt]

Clemson Walker course

[clp34vmp]

I want to play Virginia Tech's, Virginia's, Notre Dame's, Michigan's, Mt Holyoke's and Purdue's in the not too distant future.

 

Virginia's (Birdwood) is about to get blown up, although I keep hearing contradictory info on when the new project is going to start. The plan is to replace the whole course with a new Davis Love design. I don't love the current layout. They keep it in nice shape and it has some good holes, but it also has a few I'll be happy to never see again.

 

Very interesting. It's a good piece of land. Certainly they could find 18 better holes than they have now. The front 9 is pretty solid, IMO, but the back 9 is a dang cluster. 11 is awful, 13 is wonky, 15 is wonky, and 17 is odd too. They do keep it in good shape but the layout leaves a lot to be desired on the back 9.

 

Could not agree more about the back 9 being a nightmare. I truly hate both of the par 5's. The short par 4 around the water gets me all the time, although I guess that doesn't necessarily make it a bad hole!

[Sixcat]

I've always felt like the Pete Dye river course at Virginia Tech is a tamer Dye design that's fun, scenic and flies somewhat under the radar.

 

I live about 25 miles from "The River". It's a "tamer Dye design" because it's a renovation, essentially. A wealthy benefactor bought the original defunct Ault, Clark and Associates design, donated it to Virginia Tech and hired Pete Dye to renovate.

 

My vote would easily be Yale!

[jsixman]

Most underrated: Finkbine, Iowa city. You could sleep on their fairways, and when they have their greens running at an 11 or 12, what a track.

Most overrated: Both University of Michigan golf courses

[Mike_C]

Lived in Michigan, Illinois, New Mexico, NC, and Texas.

 

In Michigan played:

 

MSU Forest Akers,

U-M, and Radrick farms

Katkie at Ferris St

 

Liked them all really

 

Played the Scarlett Couse (before the changes) and Grey course at Ohio State many, many years ago. Scarlett was great, Grey very hum drum...

 

NC

 

Duke

UNC Finley

Lonnie Poole

Keith Hills at Cambell U

 

I would put Duke 1st, then FInley, didn't care for Lonnie Poole, Keith Hills, just OK

 

Also played a tournament once at Furman's course in Greenville SC, OK at best

 

UNM Albuquerque, like it, but its hard.

[Tim_Gavrich]

Yale is not just the consensus-best college course in the country but one of the best golf courses in the country, period.

 

Taconic is really good in its own right, especially since Gil Hanse's work, from what I hear (I played it pre-renovation and it was terrific). But it's not in the same, uh, league as Yale.

 

The other two I've played are UNC/Finley and Duke. They're pretty close but I'd give Finley the edge. If you gave me 10 rounds I'd go 6-4 in Finley's favor. They're a good bit the other two, though.

 

Kampen, Ackerman-Allen, UM (incl. Radrick Farms) and Warren are high on my wishlist. Also interested to see how Steve Smyers' renovation of Indiana's course comes out.

[caniac6]

I want to play Virginia Tech's, Virginia's, Notre Dame's, Michigan's, Mt Holyoke's and Purdue's in the not too distant future.

 

Virginia's (Birdwood) is about to get blown up, although I keep hearing contradictory info on when the new project is going to start. The plan is to replace the whole course with a new Davis Love design. I don't love the current layout. They keep it in nice shape and it has some good holes, but it also has a few I'll be happy to never see again.

 

Very interesting. It's a good piece of land. Certainly they could find 18 better holes than they have now. The front 9 is pretty solid, IMO, but the back 9 is a dang cluster. 11 is awful, 13 is wonky, 15 is wonky, and 17 is odd too. They do keep it in good shape but the layout leaves a lot to be desired on the back 9.

 

Could not agree more about the back 9 being a nightmare. I truly hate both of the par 5's. The short par 4 around the water gets me all the time, although I guess that doesn't necessarily make it a bad hole!

The Dagwood sandwich in the grille is about the best club sandwich I've ever had. I have a pretty fair appetite, but I couldn't finish it.

[cpriceAP2]

Don't have much experience, but loved both the Rawls (Lubbock - Texas Tech) and Finkbine (Iowa City - University of Iowa).

 

Gotta agree with the Rawls Course in Lubbock.

[ThinkingPlus]

Stanford and UNM. Slight nod to UNM.

 

Played Stanford back in 1992 or 3, would love to play it again when I head back to the Bay Area. Playing UNM next month for the first time

Most putts break towards the river even when they don't look like it much. It's a really good design, but is not always in good shape. Hope you have a good time.

[TUGolfer06]

I've always felt like the Pete Dye river course at Virginia Tech is a tamer Dye design that's fun, scenic and flies somewhat under the radar.

 

I live about 25 miles from "The River". It's a "tamer Dye design" because it's a renovation, essentially. A wealthy benefactor bought the original defunct Ault, Clark and Associates design, donated it to Virginia Tech and hired Pete Dye to renovate.

 

My vote would easily be Yale!

 

I was suppose to play the River Course at the end of March but got snowed out. As did the NASCAR race I was suppose to attend at nearby Martsinville the following day. That was terrible luck....

[Sixcat]

I've always felt like the Pete Dye river course at Virginia Tech is a tamer Dye design that's fun, scenic and flies somewhat under the radar.

 

I live about 25 miles from "The River". It's a "tamer Dye design" because it's a renovation, essentially. A wealthy benefactor bought the original defunct Ault, Clark and Associates design, donated it to Virginia Tech and hired Pete Dye to renovate.

 

My vote would easily be Yale!

 

I was suppose to play the River Course at the end of March but got snowed out. As did the NASCAR race I was suppose to attend at nearby Martsinville the following day. That was terrible luck....

 

The weather in this region has been abnormal this spring for sure. We got double the amount of snow in March and April than we typically see in a full year. And we don't typically get ANY snow in March or April!

[lmcconnell]

Love my home course at UF but UMich has a really cool alister mackenzie track.

 

Michigan's McKenzie course isn't even their best course.

Michigan's Radrick Farms (Pete Dye's first "championship course") is the nicest University course I've played.

Eastern Michigan's Eagle Crest is one of the most difficult.

The Michigan Blue Course (McKenzie) is nice, but it is so old that many blind shots occur as well as some quirk.

Michigan State's Forest Acres West has a great front nine.