What's the best course you've played

[roper1313]

These courses have gotten some press, but due to location will forever be hidden gems.

 

Hawktree GC

 

#19 in GD 2005-2006 Top 100 you can play

 

I play Hawktree at least twice a year and it is a great experience. Tons of elavation changes and always in tip top shape.

 

Here are the two I haven't played:

 

The Links of ND

 

#53 in GD 2005-2006 Top 100 you can play. You can see the end of the world from here.

 

Bully Pulpit

 

2005 GD Best New Affoardable Course

 

You could play all three for $115 last year. That didn't include cart and you will need one at Hawktree. I walked it once to save the cash and will never again. (cool)

[IMAGOLFER]

These are my top 3 places I've played:

 

1. http://www.cdaresort.com/golf/

 

Amazing scenery and condition! Not incredibly difficult but one of the best courses I have ever played. Can't go wrong with a floating green and lakeside mountain golf.

 

2. http://www.desertmountain.com/Golf.aspx

 

5 of the best courses in AZ. With a $325,000 membership fee, it has the best conditions I have ever played on. Pretty tough courses with a ton of elevation change.

 

3. http://www.oldworks.com

 

Named the best course in the country under $50, this was practically my home course when I lived in MT. One of the best courses in the U.S. in my opinion and 7,700 yards and 76 course rating from the tips!

Check out the black slag bunkers!

[seagoose]

Bull Valley GC in Woodstock, IL

 

Bull Valley on Golfdigest.com

 

Easily one of the top 5 clubs in the entire state of IL

 

Mike

 

Bull Valley is certainly a difficult course, but it's not unknown. It has held a number of US Amateur and US Open qualifiers. Honestly, I don't know how most of the membershiop can play the course. It's really a course designed for single digit handicappers.

 

Although it hosts several qualifiers and state wide events, I would say Bull Valley is relatively "unknown" case and point it is not on golf digest top 25 in-state b/c they didn't even rate it. IMO it certainly belongs in the top 25 in the state. however (IMO) there is no way it's in the top 5. it's not so much a knock on Bull valley as a complement to other courses in the state.

 

another illinois course that has gotten some attention but not near enough is Black Sheep. it's ranked #74 (modern) by GolfWeek so it's not unknown but golf digest has it at only 24 in the state. IMO its a top 5.

[VTHOKIES]

Didn't realize there are so many Tennessee golfers here... some fav's from there include:

 

Nicklaus Bear Trace Courses-

Harrison Bay: Chattanooga

Cumberland Mtn: Crossville

Tims Ford: Winchester

 

Black Creek GC Chattanooga- Site of Nationwide tour stop

 

The Legends: Nashville

Opryland: Nashville

 

For me (living just outside of Knoxville) I would have to say the best course I have playued around home is Holston Hills Country Club. Donald Ross designed....great layout.

Hoston Hills Country Club is a great little gem from Ross. Good choice. I like to play this course which is about an hour from my house. "The Cascades Course" at the Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia. thehomestead.com is the web site. Not a long course by any means but beautiful and challenging.

[ba_priddy]

Fort Worth - Southern Oaks, Split Rail, Colonial CC

 

Central Texas - The Bandit

 

CO - The Raven, Summit Course at Cordillera, Lakota Canyon

[R Stones]

Have played there as well also Doral across from racetrack, enjoyed the Trophy Club.

[aue21]

Have played the Bridge and it is awesome, Great trak and a tough walk . Here is another one in Florida Orange Tree,perfect greens and beautiful condition.

[birdieboy52]

I get to go and play the Cal Club, in south San Francisco. It is ultra-private, but my uncle is a member, so i get to go play every once and a while. Other than that i think that our golf team might get to play Pebble Beach this year...

That would be cool.

 

peace

 

 

The Claifornia CLub is really a nice course, and truly unheard of around the country. A friend of mine is a member and I've played at least 40 rounds there. Oddly, I never had the impression of it being so exc;usive until I talked about the place to say bayarea folks and all they did was drool. I'd rate it one notch below SF GC, adn 2 notches below Olympic Lake, based solely on course course difficulty.

[phil75070]

A couple:

 

Golf Club of Illinois in Algonquin, IL - a links style course by the same designer who did Kemper Lakes

 

Stonebridge Country Club in McKinney, TX - a Pete Dye design that is one of the toughest in North Texas.

[Huskypride28]

Baywood Greens in Long Neck DE. Absolutely beautiful. Baywood

[Mike S]

Queenwood near Woking in Surrey UK is truly amazing

[lazyjc4]

Kinloch Golf Club, private course in Goochland, VA. Ranked no. 1 of VA courses. No. 33 in Top 100 courses!! Very nice!!

 

The practice facility alone makes it a great golf experience. Course is wonderful, my old buddy Pete does a great job keeping it perfect.

[GolferGal2009]

Horseshoe Bay Farms in Egg Harbor Wisconsin. Another one some of you have proabley heard of is Black Wolf Run, the River Course. I really like courses with hilly terrain and big trees.

 

Horseshoe Bay

The River Course

[Steel Ninja]

Best kept secret in Southern California is Talega Golf Club in San Clemente.......Designed by Freddy Couples.

 

Another vote for The Sanctuary in Castle Rock, CO. The most visually stunning couse I have ever played! No public play or private memberships offered. It host several charity tournaments a year and is the best chance to play it. It cost our foursome $2,500 (donated to charity)...but worth it!

[golfpro57]

;)

 

A golf course just outside of winter Haven fla, called Mt Lake estates, very private and was owned by the duponts. I was Interviewed for the position of Head Golf Professional in 1973. the position never came open as the pro who was in bad health recovered.

[Hawkeye]

Most of you guys are naming big name courses, I'll give you a couple that most on here haven't heard nor have they played.

 

1. Verdae Greens, Greenville, S.C.

 

2. Finkbine (Univ of Iowa) Iowa City, Iowa

 

3. The Blue Heron (RTJ) Portland, Or.

 

4. Bears Trace, Crossville, Tn.

 

5. Prophet Hills CC, Prophetstown, Il

 

Mac :fool: :D ;)

 

 

MrParr1Noid: I have to agree with you on Finkbine. The renovation with bent grass has made it one of the best in Iowa. However, I almost fell out of my chair that you mentioned Prophet Hills. Surely, there is a story behind that nomination.

 

The best course in the state of Iowa has be Harvester in Rhodes. The other course that came to mind is Old Kinderhook in Camdenton, MO. These are two great golf courses that most people haven't heard of.

[samm980]

Fort Worth - Southern Oaks, Split Rail, Colonial CC

 

Central Texas - The Bandit

 

CO - The Raven, Summit Course at Cordillera, Lakota Canyon

 

 

Agreed on The Bandit and Tim Spurlock the Director of Golf is a great guy.

[longdrive616]

I'm going with Black Lake (UAW) in Onaway, MI as one of my favorites. Then I would say Arcadia Bluffs along Lake Michigan, Lastly...I would have to mention Eagle Eye in Bath, MI.

[golfpro57]

;)

 

I've played Verdae Greens and the Nicklaus bear trace course. I would consider bear trace a much better coure, We locals in Greenville call Verdae Vertical Greens, when it first opened the greens were very sloping, they changed them to hold a nationwide tour event but still lost it to Cliffs.

[mikelana]

GC Fontana, Vienna Austria - one of the three best in europe

 

mike

[markus1*]

The best course I play was the Links course at Fncourt in George, South Africa where the President's Cup was in 2003. Quite hard but best design i've seen by Gary Player.

[Lord Thomas]

I agree with JHR that The Orchards is a great course.

 

But the best course I've played that no one has heard of has to be Victoria National in Newburgh, Indiana (near the Kentucky border). It's the #21 ranked course in the United States, but it is very private and in the middle of nowhere so a lot of people haven't heard of it, but it is a very breathtaking course designed by Tom Fazio.

 

-Thomas