Most Overrated Golf Courses I’ve Played

[DomJones]

Just wanted to make a running list of courses that disappointed. 

Pinehurst (played them all but #8, I assume it’s not any better)

Torrey Pines (North and South)

East Lake

Pebble Beach (and related courses)

Ohoopee

[caniac6]

What courses do you like?

[DomJones]

1 minute ago, caniac6 said:

What courses do you like?

Seminole

Merion

Philly C

Most Long Island courses 

[StudentGolfer4]

33 minutes ago, DomJones said:

Seminole

Merion

Philly C

Most Long Island courses 

Based on your post about Atlanta clubs and calling Pinehurst #2 ans Ohoopee “dog tracks” I feel like I shouldn’t, but I’ll bite. 
 

Interesting that you like Seminole but aren’t a fan of Pinehurst 2. Whenever someone claims a course is overrated I always ask, what rating did you expect it to be, and where did it fall short of your expectations. 
 

Did you play it before or after the renovation? Given that you don’t like Ohoopee either, is it the style of sandy waste and native areas that rub you the wrong way? 

 

(Talked to a well traveled golfer recently that he said Augusta National was overrated and it was the 7th or 8th best course he has played. Well really the problem was he expected it to be the best course ever and given some of the others he had played that was going to be a tall task. That’s why it’s important to note what ranking you expected going in.)

Edited January 12, 2023 by StudentGolfer4

[DomJones]

21 minutes ago, StudentGolfer4 said:

Based on your post about Atlanta clubs and calling Pinehurst #2 ans Ohoopee “dog tracks” I feel like I shouldn’t, but I’ll bite. 
 

Interesting that you like Seminole but aren’t a fan of Pinehurst 2. Whenever someone claims a course is overrated I always ask, what rating did you expect it to be, and where did it fall short of your expectations. 
 

Did you play it before or after the renovation? Given that you don’t like Ohoopee either, is it the style of sandy waste and native areas that rub you the wrong way? 

 

(Talked to a well traveled golfer recently that he said Augusta National was overrated and it was the 7th or 8th best course he has played. Well really the problem was he expected it to be the best course ever and given some of the others he had played that was going to be a tall task. That’s why it’s important to note what ranking you expected going in.)

Pinehurst was just overly expensive for what it is and probably my fault for coming in with too high of expectations. Charging hundreds of dollars when the clubhouse is dark and smells of mold rubbed me the wrong way. I should’ve gone into it with the mindset that it is a retirement resort for folks from up north. 
 

Seminole is windy and has a casual feel with few on the course compared to the amusement park attendance on every tee box at #2. 
 

Just my opinion don’t want to offend. 

[mci711]

22 minutes ago, DomJones said:

Pinehurst was just overly expensive for what it is and probably my fault for coming in with too high of expectations. Charging hundreds of dollars when the clubhouse is dark and smells of mold rubbed me the wrong way. I should’ve gone into it with the mindset that it is a retirement resort for folks from up north. 
 

Seminole is windy and has a casual feel with few on the course compared to the amusement park attendance on every tee box at #2. 
 

Just my opinion don’t want to offend. 

 

So you aren't rating golf courses.. The clubhouse being dark, or the cost of a tee time has nothing to do with the layout and architecture of a course. When you make a list of disappointing courses and almost all of them are highly regarded by the majority of golfers (Torrey Pines sucks, no argument there), you might be wrong 😂

 

My most overrated would be Blackwolf Run River course. 

Edited January 12, 2023 by mci711

[charli]

These are bad takes. If you think the course isn’t great I’m fine with that, it’s your opinion.  But bringing up the clubhouse and what they charge doesn’t make a course overrated. I’m more curious as to why you don’t like pebble. Course only. 

[charli]

But my most overrated is Atlantic City country club. 

[abh00]

Spyglass makes my most underrated list

[DomJones]

2 minutes ago, charli said:

These are bad takes. If you think the course isn’t great I’m fine with that, it’s your opinion.  But bringing up the clubhouse and what they charge doesn’t make a course overrated. I’m more curious as to why you don’t like pebble. Course only. 

I fell asleep on the back nine until 18. 

[ReidE5]

4 minutes ago, DomJones said:

I fell asleep on the back nine until 18. 

youre a savage.  I like it 

[Jayjay_theweim_guy]

22 minutes ago, DomJones said:

I fell asleep on the back nine until 18. 

10, 14, and 17 bored you to sleep, huh?

 

OK.  

[mci711]

6 minutes ago, Jayjay_theweim_guy said:

10, 14, and 17 bored you to sleep, huh?

 

OK.  

 

15 and 16 are good too. Honestly, not a bad hole on the back. People just like to make hot takes regarding Pebble. Everyone of this guy's post have been negative or complaining about something. 

[DomJones]

3 minutes ago, mci711 said:

 

15 and 16 are good too. Honestly, not a bad hole on the back. People just like to make hot takes regarding Pebble. Everyone of this guy's post have been negative or complaining about something. 

I’ve stated multiple courses that I enjoy playing. I enjoy playing Cypress down the road.  

[Jayjay_theweim_guy]

1 minute ago, mci711 said:

 

15 and 16 are good too. Honestly, not a bad hole on the back. People just like to make hot takes regarding Pebble. Everyone of this guy's post have been negative or complaining about something. 

I'm not a fan of a lot of the back.  Even though I've done well on 11 and 12 (11 due to a house carom, believe it or not.  And I personally like 16.  

 

But 10, 14, and 17, especially 17, are kind of a Thing, you know?  And Tom Watson'ing 17 is even more fun than it sounds. (Rough was a teensy bit lower when I did it, tbf...)

 

I mean, consider the source when evaluating just how bad some of these courses are claimed to be.

[Tummy Phleetwood]

I have never played Pine Valley, but it seems they let anyone in that place.

[SteelieD]

59 minutes ago, mci711 said:

 

Everyone of this guy's post have been negative or complaining about something. 

Seriously. 

Edited January 12, 2023 by SteelieD

[hollabachgt]

2 hours ago, StudentGolfer4 said:

Whenever someone claims a course is overrated I always ask, what rating did you expect it to be, and where did it fall short of your expectations. 

 

This should be the question everyone has to answer when they classify a course as overrated. If you go into a course expecting it to be the greatest course in the history of the game and it just really good you're going to find it overrated.

 

But without knowing someone's expectation going into a round, and what that expectation was founded on, its hard to qualify the perspective.

 

For example, prior to the First time I played East Lake, the best description of the course I'd heard was it was like an exceptionally good bowl of vanilla ice cream. That was my expectation going into the day, and my experience qualified it as accurate. Its a good course, but is missing some of what you may expect from the home of Bobby Jones, a former Ryder Cup venue, and the longstanding home of the Tour Championship. So it's easy to see if someone was expecting rocky road and was given a bowl of vanilla, even if it was a really really good bowl of vanilla, they could find themselves disappointed.

 

 

[straightshot7]

1 hour ago, mci711 said:

 

So you aren't rating golf courses.. The clubhouse being dark, or the cost of a tee time has nothing to do with the layout and architecture of a course. When you make a list of disappointing courses and almost all of them are highly regarded by the majority of golfers (Torrey Pines sucks, no argument there), you might be wrong 😂

 

My most overrated would be Blackwolf Run River course. 

How, specifically, does Torrey Pines (South) suck?

I've played it a few times per month for the past 6 months and I don't think it's amazing but I think it's solid.

I haven't played the Augusta Nationals of the world but I've played a lot of high end courses and I wouldn't say Torrey "sucks".

 

If you're comparing to all US Open venues then I can see why it would not seem great. But compared to all golf courses I don't think it sucks. 

I'm not a big fan of the North Course, but the South has a lot of good, fair, challenging holes and some fantastic views.

 

 

[DomJones]

3 minutes ago, straightshot7 said:

How, specifically, does Torrey Pines (South) suck?

I've played it a few times per month for the past 6 months and I don't think it's amazing but I think it's solid.

I haven't played the Augusta Nationals of the world but I've played a lot of high end courses and I wouldn't say Torrey "sucks".

 

If you're comparing to all US Open venues then I can see why it would not seem great. But compared to all golf courses I don't think it sucks. 

I'm not a big fan of the North Course, but the South has a lot of good, fair, challenging holes and some fantastic views.

 

 

/cdn-cgi/mirage/40f8c14453b8ee25a1fd081fbbb3875722c9d353898ecb80c110cb6e6432d8aa/1280/cdn-cgi/mirage/40f8c14453b8ee25a1fd081fbbb3875722c9d353898ecb80c110cb6e6432d8aa/1280/https://wrxcdn.golfwrx.com/uploads/monthly_2023_01/586367395_ScreenShot2023-01-11at7_11_04PM.png.db2a985ce4d2384c308bc3a0b23d118f.png

/cdn-cgi/mirage/40f8c14453b8ee25a1fd081fbbb3875722c9d353898ecb80c110cb6e6432d8aa/1280/cdn-cgi/mirage/40f8c14453b8ee25a1fd081fbbb3875722c9d353898ecb80c110cb6e6432d8aa/1280/https://wrxcdn.golfwrx.com/uploads/monthly_2023_01/446014326_ScreenShot2023-01-11at7_12_13PM.png.5b409fc2142b82c40263ec031f54b1f7.png

/cdn-cgi/mirage/40f8c14453b8ee25a1fd081fbbb3875722c9d353898ecb80c110cb6e6432d8aa/1280/cdn-cgi/mirage/40f8c14453b8ee25a1fd081fbbb3875722c9d353898ecb80c110cb6e6432d8aa/1280/https://wrxcdn.golfwrx.com/uploads/monthly_2023_01/383634264_ScreenShot2023-01-11at7_11_42PM.png.4c2d3c62de1988efc23753a7b0c0bd45.png

/cdn-cgi/mirage/40f8c14453b8ee25a1fd081fbbb3875722c9d353898ecb80c110cb6e6432d8aa/1280/cdn-cgi/mirage/40f8c14453b8ee25a1fd081fbbb3875722c9d353898ecb80c110cb6e6432d8aa/1280/https://wrxcdn.golfwrx.com/uploads/monthly_2023_01/1452928561_ScreenShot2023-01-11at7_11_32PM.png.74a8e8ea593d94bb7c355ff413d0dc3e.png

I won’t disrespect the dead as we have already assassinated his character on this website, but Rees Jones. 

[straightshot7]

10 minutes ago, DomJones said:

I won’t disrespect the dead as we have already assassinated his character on this website, but Rees Jones. 

Okay, as I said, how specifically does Torrey South suck?

Who designed it or whatever is a side matter.

 

I mean, what about the holes sucks for you?

It does depend what time of year you play it, as they do somewhat ruin the course in preparation of the tournament(s).

[stanford88]

I gotta say that this thread is far more interesting than I thought it was going to be. 

I thought Pebble exceeded my expectations as a fun and playable course that demanded all different types of shots. It was also in great shape. 
Pinehurst #2 is a true test but I could see people complain about the bad bounces. 

 

[Young Provolone]

Harbour Town was far and away the most underwhelming/overpriced round of my life. TPC Scottsdale & Spyglass Hill are up there too.

 

 

[grm24]

3 hours ago, mci711 said:

Everyone of this guy's post have been negative or complaining about something. 

No kidding. Another newb thats been a member for like 15 minutes going on a post run to get to 75 posts for BST access.

Edited January 12, 2023 by grm24

[hammergolf]

Medinah #3.

[StudentGolfer4]

1 hour ago, Young Provolone said:

Harbour Town was far and away the most underwhelming/overpriced round of my life. TPC Scottsdale & Spyglass Hill are up there too.

 

 

I was going to say Scottsdale but then again it’s not really rated highly or at all by any/many publications. Golf digest says 29th best in AZ. Top 100 golf courses has is 35th. Golf week says 4th best public in AZ, which is much to high, but you get my point. They get a ton of press off of the waste management and for some reason trick people into thinking it’s a special course because the pga stops there. 

What was the disappointment about Spyglass. I haven’t played it but it’s always polarizing when I talk to people that have. Logistics aside, do you think the round would be more enjoyable if they somehow flipped the front and back 9? The first 4-5 holes seem all world but the inland holes appear to run together

 

 

[Seamus_MacDuff]

Congressional (pre-renovation)

[st1800e]

30 minutes ago, hammergolf said:

Medinah #3.

Not sure the number I played, but it was the Ryder cup/tournament course.  Couldn’t be in worse shape. Mud, on the dirt lies, patchy slow greens, and they insisted we had to have an asst pro play with us, and caddies.    Totalled $710 per player. We were introduced by a tour player.   Nevermind the snotty attitude in the proshop.  Ryder cup next year, so no play on the course the entire season of the Ryder cup.  Not spectacular, just a nice course.  My most underwhelming experience on a golf course, ever.  

[DomJones]

8 hours ago, grm24 said:

No kidding. Another newb thats been a member for like 15 minutes going on a post run to get to 75 posts for BST access.

Yeah I’m on a marathon of posting so I can then have the ability to buy used equipment? Another positive review I’ll give is to Stonewall in Chester County. What’re some of your favorite courses?

[delftw]

Torrey Pines South