University Golf Courses

[Kpkelsey]

I've played the two Kampen courses at Purdue, the Warren course at Notre Dame, Finkbine (U of Iowa), the University of Michigan golf course, Eagle Crest (U of Eastern Michigan), University Ridge (U of Wisconsin), and Stone Creek (U of Illinois).

 

IMHO, University Ridge is the top of the bunch.

 

FYI, Stone Creek is likely closing at the end of the year. We played in May and it was okay. There's 2 or 3 other courses in the area that I would much rather play, but I like easy.

[Kpkelsey]

Played at Florida State University when I was in grad school. Played at University Ridge at UW-Madison when I was a PhD student.

 

Prefer the latter.

 

They did a rebuild at FSU last year. I haven't played it since but I hear that it's great. I liked the old course but it wasn't always in great shape.

[rnewm003]

New Mexico State is an amazing track

[Naptime]

Katke Cousins at Oakland U in Michigan.

[Go_Blue!]

Katke Cousins at Oakland U in Michigan.

 

OU alum here and played that course a ton during my time there. Great track.

[Naptime]

Katke Cousins at Oakland U in Michigan.

 

OU alum here and played that course a ton during my time there. Great track.

 

They have a second course now.

[gvogel]

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.

 

That depends upon what you enjoy. If you want longer and difficult, Yale is your course. If you want shorter and sportier, you can't beat Taconic. I've played both, and I am partial to Taconic. But I'm biased.

 

Taconic might be the best secret in the country.

[MichiganMan]

Katke Cousins at Oakland U in Michigan.

 

OU alum here and played that course a ton during my time there. Great track.

 

I went to a Tiger Woods clinic at the Katke Cousins practice facility with a couple buddies the Monday before the 2004 Ryder Cup. Only experience with the facility but the place looked mint. Surprised it took this long to get mentioned.

[jli2636]

I’m a “member” at AL Gustin at the University of Missouri. It’s nothing special, but it does the job. I don’t think I have ever played a hillier course to be honest. Fairways and greens are usually in pretty good shape. Not great but good enough.

[NCLancer]

GroupGolfer has an $18 deal for St. Lawrence University's Appleton Golf Course. Price includes golf, cart, and range balls. Great bargain for a course I really loved playing when we lived in the area.

[1puttTUT]

Katke Cousins at Oakland U in Michigan.

 

OU alum here and played that course a ton during my time there. Great track.

 

I'll take Sharf and it isn't even close for me

[Fairwindsgolfer]

I've played Yale about a half-dozen times and it is a wonderful course.

Taconic is on my must-do list and I'm hoping to get out there next year.

I played Penn State's blue course and found it very average

[golfandfishing]

I’ve seen ASU Karsten mentioned in this thread a few times and I’m simply astounded. It is, well ..... it’s not good. No.

[Fairwindsgolfer]

I’ve seen ASU Karsten mentioned in this thread a few times and I’m simply astounded. It is, well ..... it’s not good. No.

I agree..

I went to ASU and was unpleasantly surprised with it's course.

[TerpFangolfer]

I've only played 1...Univ of Md...played many times as a student back in the 80s. Probably average ~1/year since then. It's a solid course - has hosted Web.com tour before...but now due to land issues there is actually a proposal (stupid as it may be) to reduce the course to 14 holes! I have no idea what that means - they are going to play 4 holes 2x to make it an 18 holer? How would that work logistically with tee times...just crazy

 

My daughter is at UGA, and definitely want to try to play there on one of our trips down to Athens

[SilverBullets]

The Nicklaus reno of OSU Scarlet kind of ruined the course for me. While it was in need of an update and some modernization, he really took away most of the classic design elements and IMO went over the top and make it feel too modern. Now it's just another long, boring, well conditioned course with gigantic greens and deep bunkers.

 

ASU Karsten is terrible as others have mentioned. I am glad they are moving to Papago. Papago, while being a bit boring, is a much better course and as I local I enjoy playing it.

[duffer987]

I can think of the following I've played to this point. Maybe a couple others I didn't realise (or forgot) were colleges' home courses.

Yale is waaaay ahead of the rest. It's way ahead of most courses, full stop.

Stanford and UNM are cool old school tracks.

Rawls ahead of a pretty pedestrian Warren course in a head to head of the 'minimalist' design doyens. And the Huskies home track is not noteworthy at all IMHO.

• The Course at Yale
  
• Stanford
  
• UNM Championship Course (New Mexico)
  
• The Rawls Course (Texas Tech)
  
• Warren (Notre Dame)
  
• Washington National (UW)
  

[TUGolfer06]

I played the Robert Trent Jones Course at Cornell last Thursday, 9/20. I thought the layout and greens were fantastic. The overall course conditions weren't as refined as I expected but overall they were still solid. Especially given the amount of rain we've gotten in recent months. I would definitely play there again.

[AlecEmersonGolf]

Played both courses @ Notre Dame when I was there. The Burke course has a special place in the heart, could see it from dorm window.

 

Other college tracks I have played- UGA, UNC, NC State, Duke, Wake Forest*, GA Tech*, U Miami*...

 

*these aren't on campus

+1 to warren at ND

[youraway2]

Many wonderful great courses mentioned here, but I'd like to add a Gil Hanse remake at the College of the South, in Suwanee TN, near Monteagle, a beautiful challenging track just off I-24.

 

Also, not a college course, but Sweetens Cove is 17-miles south, play both!

[thejuice]

I've only played 1...Univ of Md...played many times as a student back in the 80s. Probably average ~1/year since then. It's a solid course - has hosted Web.com tour before...but now due to land issues there is actually a proposal (stupid as it may be) to reduce the course to 14 holes! I have no idea what that means - they are going to play 4 holes 2x to make it an 18 holer? How would that work logistically with tee times...just crazy

 

My daughter is at UGA, and definitely want to try to play there on one of our trips down to Athens

 

Your daughter picked a fine school! I look forward to your review of the UGA course!!! I love it!!!!

[jerebear21]

how good is taconic? Trying to squeeze in a couple rounds at yale and possible make the hike to taconic mid october between two weddings.

[kgeisler13]

I really enjoyed University of Michigan golf course.

[raynorfan1]

how good is taconic? Trying to squeeze in a couple rounds at yale and possible make the hike to taconic mid october between two weddings.

 

It's legitimately in the same category as Yale.

 

Yale gets more love because of its Raynor / CBM pedigree; but Taconic is the masterwork of Wayne Stiles (/John Van Kleek). Pound for pound, unless you get a particular arousal from identifying template holes, they're peer courses.

[duffer987]

how good is taconic? Trying to squeeze in a couple rounds at yale and possible make the hike to taconic mid october between two weddings.

 

It's legitimately in the same category as Yale.

 

Yale gets more love because of its Raynor / CBM pedigree; but Taconic is the masterwork of Wayne Stiles (/John Van Kleek). Pound for pound, unless you get a particular arousal from identifying template holes, they're peer courses.

Not to speak for New England, but when does the weather start to turn all things being equal in that neck of the woods? Mid-Oct?

[raynorfan1]

New England, but when does the weather start to turn all things being equal in that neck of the woods? Mid-Oct?

 

Autumn weather in New England is pretty variable by location.

 

By the third week in October, you could be skiing at Killington or having a very pleasant day of golf on Cape Cod.

 

Yale? I think you'd be comfortably golfing most days until maybe the first week of November.

 

Taconic? You'll get some absolutely gorgeous days through about the third week of October...then it will be pretty rare.

 

Anywhere north of the NH seacoast is probably done just after Columbus day.

[TUGolfer06]

how good is taconic? Trying to squeeze in a couple rounds at yale and possible make the hike to taconic mid october between two weddings.

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.

 

That depends upon what you enjoy. If you want longer and difficult, Yale is your course. If you want shorter and sportier, you can't beat Taconic. I've played both, and I am partial to Taconic. But I'm biased.

 

Taconic might be the best secret in the country.

 

Taconic is a must play imo! Here's some pics from my round there last May.

 

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/873082-share-your-personal-course-pictures/page__st__1050__p__15504498#entry15504498

[Jarlaxle]

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.

Another quick vote for the Dye Course at Virginia Tech, especially in the fall.

 

[burnsniper]

Three issues with the VT course:

 

(1) it’s in Radford not Blacksburg like the old on campus course (only the back nine is left at the original on campus course)

 

(2) the holes are really jammed together - one can litterly hit the ball over an adjacent fairway and land in a third fairway on a couple of stretches; the course could use 50% more land

 

(3) it’s alway super wet due to poor drainage design and it’s location on the New River flood plain; drives never roll out, balls are always plugging, and the course is designed as a links...

[Sixcat]

Three issues with the VT course:

 

(1) it's in Radford not Blacksburg like the old on campus course (only the back nine is left at the original on campus course)

 

(2) the holes are really jammed together - one can litterly hit the ball over an adjacent fairway and land in a third fairway on a couple of stretches; the course could use 50% more land

 

(3) it's alway super wet due to poor drainage design and it's location on the New River flood plain; drives never roll out, balls are always plugging, and the course is designed as a links...

 

Some very good points! Are you from the area? I live less than an hour southwest of the The River Course. I miss the old campus 18 hole course. The Skelton Center really put a damper on that place.

 

I'm not certain any level of stormwater management would be able to alleviate the drainage issues. The course is built along side a pretty large river with only a few feet in elevation gain above the water table. Almost any rainfall will seep up to ground level and cause wet, soggy conditions to be pervasive. Those wet conditions makes an already long course play ridiculously long. The course doesn't feel cramped to me but I can easily see where some may feel that way.

 

I still feel a lot of people, even locals, forget this was a redesign for Pete Dye. The original course was called Heron's Landing. It was designed and build by Ault, Clark and Associates in the 90's as part of a housing development. The original course closed a long time ago and was bought by a wealthy Virginia Tech alumni who hired Pete Dye to renovate the course and donated it to Virginia Tech.