Nicklaus golf courses (only if you like his work)

[Roadking2003]

Jack has been designing golf courses for about fifty years all over the world. His first, co designed with Pete Dye, was Harbour Town. Personally, I love his courses and think his body of work is better than any architect in history. I've now played 38 of his courses.

 

But I know some don't like his designs. I've even heard silly statements like "his courses are built for a fade" and other inaccurate generalizations.

 

So, for those of us who like his work, let's have fun with our favorite Nicklaus course lists. Here are my top ten among the ones I have played;

 

Cabo Del Sol

Castle Pines Golf Club

The Challenge at Manele

Shoal Creek

Pronghorn

Desert Mountain Chiricahua

Eldorado

Kauai Lagoons

Hualalai

Reflection Bay

[jmtbkr]

I’ve played these locally:

 

Champions course at PGA

Bear Lakes

Ibis CC

Loxahatchee Club

[raynorfan1]

Not sure I'm allowed to comment, because I don't per se "like" his work. Nicklaus Design has done 400+ courses, some are great, most are above average, and a few are meh.

 

For me, Muirfield Village and Sebonack stand out as far and away his best work. MV in particular, because you know that he is personally involved and has had the opportunity over 40 years to tweak and improve the design. There are only a few courses where an architect has had the ability to gradually evolve their work over a long period of time - Oakmont; Pinehurst; Myopia; etc. - and that evolution to a near ideal state really comes through at Muirfield.

 

Hualalai is a perfect course for its setting (four seasons resort course), but not as good a pure golf course as could have been built on the site (see Nanea).

 

Generally, I look at Nicklaus' design career a little bit like his playing career: he had 595 career starts; won 73 times, including 18 majors. Showed up, did his job, collected a check a couple hundred times. Missed the cut 89 times.

 

He's built a few "great" courses, but there are also plenty in the portfolio where he just showed up, did his thing, and collected a check.

[mckennwa]

Coyote springs in Vegas is my favorite Nicklaus track.

[Matt J]

I think I've only played the Grand Cypress and Pronghorn. Really enjoyed the Grand Cypress.

[mikpga]

I’ve only played a few, but I think Muirfield Village is very nice...

[az2au]

Desert Mountain Outlaw is by far the best Nicklaus course I’ve played. Many of the others roadking lists are somewhere in the “next tier”. I agree with Raynorfan1 pretty much 100%. The only thing I would add is that Nicklaus often gets too much credit for “nice” or money courses. I also think that’s why he gets a lot of the pushback you see. Lots of sizzle without substance.

[Manbearpig13]

Pronghorn

Coyote Springs

Kauai Lagoons

Bull at Pinehurst Farms

Club at Snoqualmie Ridge

 

Only Nicklaus courses I have played but I can say that I have enjoyed them all, with Pronghorn & Coyote Springs being ahead of the pack.

[deadsolid...shank]

Not too many of them that I’m aware of (admittedly I don’t normally pay much attention to who designed).

 

But I really like Coyote Springs and the Nicklaus course at Dismal River. The Nicklaus Tournament course in Palm Springs wasn’t especially memorable, but I enjoyed it (if he even designed it).

[BNGL]

Admittedly I don’t know who designed a lot of golf courses other than the ones I worked and designers I’ve worked with/for but Bear’s Club is perfection to me. Just absolutely flawless I fully expect Muirfield Village to meet the same standards of Bears when I trek up there late next spring.

[burritos4breakfast]

manele bay on lanai is sweet

 

 

 

 

[CMCSGolf]

I've found Nicklaus to be hit and miss. I really loved the Bull in WI, but did not care for Pronghorn at all. MV is on a whole other level. I've read a few reviews about Pronghorn since I've been there and they were very positive, which honestly surprised me because I thought the Fazio course was far superior. Perhaps I missed something. I just thought the shots weren't that interesting and found the course unmemorable. Compare that to the Bull, which is a real challenge. A lot of interesting and difficult shots are required to get around there. There is a real benefit to hitting the correct shape a hole calls for.

 

I've never really felt that Nicklaus courses require a fade, but I do think they require an aerial game. I'm a decent player so this isn't something I think about much and it's a lot of fun to hit irons into some beautiful looking greens surrounded by deep bunkers. However, the Bull looks tough for your average lady or senior.

[ceejay81]

Pinehurst #9 is a pretty good course. I really like it.

[razor_1]

I've played about 5 of his courses. Bring your air game and let the links ground game ride for another day. Loves false fronts and multi-tiered and multi-sectioned greens.

Two that stand out-

-Achasta in Dahlonega, GA- I shot -4 on the back so any course that gives me a 32 is going to stand out. Conditions were perfect.

 

-Old Corkscrew, Ft Myers, Fl- very long and difficult golf course. Played it in the rain with a west coast player who was going to try and qualify for the Sr. Tour. This has been about 3 years ago and still don't see his name. Kudos for trying but I didn't feel he had the game. Granted only 1 round, but I have played with a few tour pros and usually can tell.

[mckennwa]

I had the exact same experience at Old Corkscrew. Last day of a golf trip and only two of us left before a late flight. They paired us wjth a guy playing a senior tour qualifier in a few days. He hit it well off the tee and had a great (and I mean great) short game, but his iron play and putting were only ok at best. I think I know why his short game was so good. Lots of practice from missing greens. I checked the scores a week or so later and he WD’d after a 79.

 

I liked a few of the holes there, but it wasn’t my favorite course. Conditions weren’t that great when I was there, especially for the price.

[dpb5031]

 

 

Punta Espada at Cap Cana (near Punta Cana) in the Dominican Republic. 8 holes on the ocean with ocean views on the remaining 10. Forgiving from the tee, but requires gutsy and demanding approach shots. He gives you bailout areas, but it generally wont be an easy up and down.

[ode1]

I've only played The Bull and it is very tough, demanding, yet fun course. I don't find it extremely difficult off the tee, there are places to miss, but at the expense of having a really tough approach.

There is very little let up on approach shots and you need to be precise. And a very scenic and beautiful property. I really enjoy #5 and #16, as being good examples of visually stunning and demanding off the tee, but ince you've played them a few times, realize there is more room than what appears. A few pics of 16, from tee then getting closer to the green and the last two are a peek back from front of green-

 

 

 

 

[troublelove]

Great resort courses and lots of fun to play. However, seems to have been left behind over the last 20 years with the minimalist style of Crenwshaw, Doak etc.....

 

Monte Rei is one of the very best courses you can play.

[NoCaution]

I've played two Nicklaus courses, and I have strong opinions on both.

 

Reflection Bay is my favorite golf course of all time. I could go on and on about how perfect it is. It's by no means "easy", but it's still quite playable for all levels. To ME, it's the perfect combination of scenic, strategic, and fun course design. I've played a bunch of courses that "rate" higher to most people, but for whatever reason, none have topped the Bay yet.

 

On the other end of the spectrum is Coyote Springs. I actually like the routing of CS quite a lot, but it suffers from one big issue... It the BY FAR the most penal course I've ever played. There's barely a single flat lie in the entire place, and if there are any "safe" misses, I have yet to find them. I get why better players love it, but for a guy who shoots in the 90s most rounds, it just feels like a punishment when I play there. They have a great practice area though.

[Roadking2003]

Here is my entire list. I would love to play Muirfield Village some day. I expect to play Punta Espada some day too.

 

 

Bears Best

Breckenridge Golf Club

Cabo Del Sol - Ocean

Castle Pines Country Club

Castle Pines Golf Club

Club Campestre San Jose

Country Club of the South

Desert Mountain Apache

Desert Mountain Chiricahua

Desert Mountain Cochise

Desert Mountain Geronimo

Desert Mountain Outlaw

Desert Mountain Renegade

Eagle Bend

Eldorado

English Turn

Flintrock Falls

Glen Abbey

Grand Cypress New Course

Hills of Lakeway

Hualalai

Kauai Lagoons Kiele

La Paloma

Las Campanas - Sunset

Monte Rei

Old Greenwood

Palmilla

PGA National - Champion

PGA West - Nicklaus

Pronghorn

Puerto Los Cabos

Reflection Bay

Sherwood Country Club

Shoal Creek

Summit Rock

The Bull

The Challenge at Manele

The Eagles, Forest Course

Vista Vallarta - Nicklaus

[Lithovt]

Have played a number of his courses and have not thought that any of them were bad or poorly designed. Whenever I am in the Atlanta area I always try to play Bears Best. I really enjoy that course and think it is one of the best public courses in/around Atlanta.

[BUCKEYERBALL88]

I’m usually into minimalist design but I also have enjoyed most of the Nicklaus courses that I’ve played. I hit a slice, Jack hit a fade and we are both Buckeyes.

 

My rankings:

Reflection Bay

Dove Mountain

Coyote Springs

Old Corkscrew

PGA West-Nicklaus Tournament

OSU-Scarlet

The Bull at Pinehurst Farms

[toothysaw2]

I’ve only played 4, but am quite a fan of all of them:

 

- harbour town

- angeles national

- pronghorn

- potomac shores

 

 

[mckennwa]

Dove Mountain! I forgot that one. Some of the most severe greens I’ve ever putted.

[az2au]

I should have mentioned Monte Rei. Awesome course and it doesn't seem like most other Nicklaus courses I've played (not a good or bad thing, just what I thought).

[mallrat]

I’ve played a couple and work on one that has been mentioned here quite a few times. That said I have very mixed feelings on his courses because once I learned how he wants his courses played it changed the way I look at them. Most of his courses i’ve Played are a good challenge but personally I am not a huge fan of his style of golf. I like options and most of his courses i’ve Played there is really one way he wants a hole played.

 

But to say he designs his courses for a fade is wrong, he seems to design his courses for specific shots.

[DandyDon]

1. Challenge at Manele is simply awesome

2. Bull at Pinehurst Farms, Fantastic

3. Coyote Springs, pretty nice

4. Dove Mountain, very overrated

5. Really liked his course at Diablo Grande in Patterson Ca, but it was closed down about 4 years ago or so.

[FairwayFred]

My top 5

 

Dismal River White

Muirfield Village

Great Waters

Desert Mouinatin Outlaw

Harbour Town (if you count that as a JN)

 

To me Jack doesn't design top tier amazing courses but he also has very few duds.

[SMcGavin1]

Nicklaus courses are usually underwhelming to say the least, however, the newly renovated Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Resort is outstanding.

[Almostscratchonce]

Desert Mountain Outlaw

Dalhousie G.C.

Great Waters