2017 - where did you play? How many rounds?

[BG5]

Gents,

 

Waw curious how many rounds you guys played and some of your favorite locations this year. As for me I was able to play 33 rounds which is a lot less than normal but I have 2 young kids and we are starting to do more family things which is great. Here's where I played this year.

 

1. Arcadia Bluffs

2. Bay Harbor

3. Forest Dunes

4. Lochenheath

5. Black Lake x 2

6. Treetops Signature

7. Treetops Fazio x 2

8. Threetops Masterpiece

9. Threetops

10. A-Ga-Ming Sundance

11. A-Ga-Ming Torch

12. Warren Golf Club - South Bend

13. Blackthorne

14. Hawkshead

15. The Ravines

16. Stoatin Brae

17. Island Hills x 2

18. Angels Crossing

19. The Medalist

20. Pilgrims Run

21. Hampshire

22. Heritage Glen

23. Pineview x 2

24. Indian Run x 2

25. Old Mille

26. States

27. Red Arrow

28. Ridge view

 

Another great golf season in the "Mitten". Can't wait to hear your lists ?

[knickerbocker]

Seems like you went for variety and some great courses!

 

I had a great year starting with a week in Scotland and some good golf around the Mitten

 

Courses I had not played before:

St. Andrews New Course

St. Andrews Old Course x 2

Carnoustie

Kingsbarns

Turnberry

Butler National

Stoatin Brae

Fort Myers Country Club

 

Places I had played before:

Cedar Creek x Many (where I play a lot)

The Dunes Club x2

Stoatin Brae x2

Gull Lake Country Club x3

Battle Creek Country Club x2

Stonehedge North x3

Stonehedge South

Milham Park

Forest Akers West

Thornapple (Kalamazoo)

Otsego Tribute x2

Belvedere

Michawye Pines

The Natural

 

Lowest Index Rounds:

 

Battle Creek CC 73

Otsego Tribute 74

Cedar Creek 69

Stonehedge North 74

Carnoustie 80 (course is so hard!)

 

My index has hung around 4 the whole year with a slight decrease lately as my ball striking has been the best in years. Sad to see season end now that my swing is really in a groove.

 

I am in a slight dilemma heading into next year if I want to consolidate investment of golf into joining Battle Creek CC. I love the course and it would give me a place for the kids to learn golf and tennis, but it would be hard for me to justify playing other places with people that are not members at a club or going on trips to places like Scotland, Ireland or Bandon Dunes. I will think about it.

[smith851]

GAM handicap portal says ive played 42. thats with prob 50% at my home club, Twin Lakes

 

* - first time playing

 

1. Kingsley Club* (cant say enough good things about that place, pure golf, loved it)

2. Boyne Highlands - Arthur Hills (personally think its the best course in the Boyne family, so many great holes)

3. Bay Harbor - Preserve/Links (have played Links/Quarry multiple times, had never played Preserve. that nine left a lot to be desired, felt like a usual Arthur Hills nine holes ive played at many other public tracks)

4. Hidden River Golf and Casting Club (if you are in the Boyne Highlands area looking for a track nearby that isnt in the family, this is the one. absolute treat to play, strategic design with a great variety of holes)

5. Washington County (Wisconsin)* (awesome Arthur Hills designed muni right by Erin Hills, check it out if you are in Milwaukee, peak walk rate $59 was a steal)

6. Detroit Golf Club - North (one of my rounds there with my member buddy we were behind Justin Timberlake and Kid Rock, which was pretty neat ha)

7. Boyne Highlands - Ross Memorial

8. Boyne Highlands - The Heather

9. Stoatin Brae* (reviews have been mixed, found the greens to be fascinating and the back 9 was prob my favorite 9 hole stretch i played this year. also played in pretty strong winds that made for a brutal score but still thoroughly enjoyed the round)

10. The Orchards

11. Detroit Golf Club - South (completed a bunker and tee renovation this year and it looks awesome, not often you play a par 68, but its a treat. when you get the chance to play Ross greens that are private club maintained, dont pass that up)

12. Twin Lakes (always say im biased, but the conditioning is so solid and variety from the 3 nines cant be beat in metro detroit.)

13. Fieldstone

14. Brown Deer (Wisconsin)*

15. Lakes of Taylor* (took advantage of their early bird weekday walking rate and really liked the track. good mixture of fade friendly green approaches and draw friendly ones. pretty solid conditioning for a city owned track)

16. Greystone*

17. Coyote Preserve* (a lot of buddies had been talking this track up to me for a while. finally played it and felt underwhelmed. conditioning was patchy, tee boxes were bumpy as hell, and felt a lot of the holes were so gimmicky and forced. the par 5 horseshoe 16th might be the worst golf hole ive ever played lol)

18. Lyon Oaks (just wanted to note this is prob one of my favorite courses in metro detroit, but the 3 times i played there this year rounds were about 6 hours. 2 peak weekend time, but once on a freaking tuesday late morning! its soured me)

19. Glacier Club

20. TPC Michigan* (ive officially decided to avoid all Jack Nicklaus designs, havent played one ive enjoyed in years. The Bull at Pinehurst Farms in WI is about the only exception)

21. Boyne Highlands - The Moor

 

Ive dropped my handicap in the last 18 months from a 5.5ish to a 2.2... id argue that ive become a better Twin Lakes golfer, have the dreaded local course handicap of 1.5 and everywhere else is more 4-5ish. even so, game is much more consistent during this period, which makes the game less frustrating

 

2018 plan is to play in a couple of GAM event qualifiers just to get my feet wet with competitive golf again and see what happens. Would love to play 50+ rounds next year ha! would also like to break par in the near future, broken ratings scores 6 or 7 times year but still have not shot a 18 hole round in the red

[Timbo Slice]

Started April 1 @ the Mines.

Boulder Creek- underrated

Diamond Springs- underrated

St.Ives- love more than most people

Island Hills- underrated

Ravines

Shanty Creek Cedar River

Treetops Masterpiece- father son trip

Treetops Threetops- father son trip

Stoatin Brae- lots of people bash it, I personally love it, in my top 5

Maple Hill- practice course, buy equipment

Ironwood- worst course in America

Stonehenge South

Gull Lake East

Bedford Valley

Bay Harbor (Quarry/Preserve) best golf experience I've had

Saskatoon- Gold and White are better two

Grand Haven GC- stupid course, overrated

Pilgrims Run

Angels Crossings- overrated, rude staff

Thoroughbred- the hardest course I've played

[kalamazoo]

My list is comparatively short, but with 4 kids I feel like I played a fair amount of golf this year. I've also been in the same boat as @Knickerbocker debating on joining the nearest country club; however, I joined GLV instead. Six courses for a fraction of the price...I'll definitely be playing a lot of golf next year! And thanks to global warming, it doesn't look like my 2017 season is over yet.

 

My 2017 List:

 

- Arcadia Bluffs

- Tullymoore

- Bay Harbor (The Quarry/The Preserve)

- Boyne (The Monument, The Ross, The Alpine)

- Crooked Tree

- Hidden River

- Stoatin Brae

- All of the other Gull Lake View Courses...many times.

- Angel's Crossing (for the last time)

- The Medalist

- Hastings Country Club

[krzeczowskimatt]

This has been one of the best years of golf in my life. I have 108 posted rounds so far with more to come!

Here are some of the courses ive played this season by state.

 

IL-

Crystal Tree Golf and Country Club (My Home Club)

Butler National

Medinah Country Club

Blackstone

Ridge CC

Mt Prospect Golf Club

Sanctuary

Cinder Ridge

Cog Hill #2 and #4 "Dubsdred"

Ravisloe

Calumet Country Club

Ruffled Feathers

Harborside

 

MI-

Lost Dunes

Whittacker Woods

Ravines

Point O Woods

 

WI-

Sand Valley

 

SC-

Thornblade Club

The Reserve

The Springs

The Vineyards

The Cliffs

Mountain Park

Greenvillie CC

Golf Club of Spartanburg

Musgrove Mill

Cross Creek Plantation

The Walker Course

 

NC-

Dormie Club

Tobacco Road

Mid Pines

 

GA-

Currahee Club

East Lake Golf Club

 

FL-

Fiddlers Creek

The Rookery

Calusa Pines

Streamsong Red

 

These are just a few of the courses that stand out from this season. I am going to try and get Whistling Straits this October or early Nov then possibly a Florida trip in Dec. Im upset i did not get up to Crystal Downs and Arcadia Bluffs went in 2016 and it was Great!!!

[Phreddy]

Peeble Beach

Spy Glass

Streamsong (Both)

Crandon

We-Ko- Pa

Troone North

TPC Scottsdale

 

TPC Deere Run

The Bridges CC

The Glen Club

University Ridge

Hawks Landing

Wild Rock

Sentry World

Sand Valley

The Straits

The Irish

Erin Hills

Washington COunty

Currie Park

Brown Deer Park

Me Kwon Park

Ozaukee CC

Milwaukee CC

The River CLub

Wisconsin Club

Beloit CC

Hayward Golf

Telemark

Turtleback

Troy Burne

 

Huh. Maybe my wife is correct...I'm gone a lot.

[stringbean502001]

I normally travel a bunch, so my 40 rounds or so included a lot outside the US...

 

Limited to My favorites

 

Outside US:

England

Royal Birkdale

Royal Lytham St Annes

Hillside, Formby

Australia

Barnbougle, Dunes and Lost Farm

New Zealand

Cape Kidnappers

Jack's Point

Canada

Banff Springs

Jasper

 

In US, Sand Valley, both courses... Rich Harvest Farms,.. Mossy Oaks in MS...were very good as well IMO

 

Of this group, Royal Birkdale tops the list and for me not even close. GREAT reception to a visitor, a course that is a true classic, great course and also playable/enjoyable for an old broken down 10-12 HC. Don't miss it if you are in UK

[MI517]

I didn’t venture out too far from metro Detroit this year. A lot of rounds on Orchards, Glacier, Blackheath, Moose Ridge, Coyote Preserve, Pheasant Run, Tanglewood, Cattails and Pine Trace.

 

I did knock off a few new courses and got back to some old favorites:

 

Pilgrim’s Run/Thornapple Pointe - PR is one of my fav MI tracks

Shanty Creek Resort courses - some of the most amazing views, I love heavy wooded up north type courses and was really impressed.

Arcadia - It was 40mph sustained for a few holes and 25+ the rest, but its Arcadia, love it.

Kingsley Club - First time here, can’t say enough good things, though it rained a bit. Great golf experience, maybe they’ll get that new clubhouse soon!

Oakland Hills North - played South last year, North was in terrible condition around some greens. Felt like wasted money.

Manistee National courses - pleasantly surprised by these. Felt like great value. Will definitely be going back.

 

Well with the season nearing an end, I’m at 81 rounds and a bunch of scrambles. Index from 9.8 to 7.7, still work to do in offseason!