What's Your Ten Favorite Courses?

[Tyrus Webb]

1. Peachtree (Atlanta, GA)
2. Erin Hills (Hartford, WI)
3. Pinehurst #4 (Pinehurst, NC)
4. John's Island West (Vero Beach, FL)
5. Torrey Pines South (San Diego, CA)
6. The Honors Course (Ooltewah, TN)
7. Settindown Creek (Roswell, GA)
8. Cherokee T&CC - North (Atlanta, GA)
9. Whistling Straits - Straits (Kohler, WI)
10. Riomar Golf Club (Vero Beach, FL; admittedly a nostalgia pick)

 

[BG5]

1.  Pacific Dunes - (Bandon Oregon)

2.  Bandon Dunes - (Bandon Oregon)

3.  Bandon Trails - (Bandon Oregon)

4.  Sheep Ranch (Bandon Oregon)

5.  Whistling Straights (Kohler Wisconsin)

6.  Mammouth Dunes (Rome Wisconsin)

7.  Kingsley Club (Kingsley Michigan

8.  Arcadia Bluffs (Arcadia Michigan)

9.  Sand Valley (Rome Wisconsin)

10.  Black Lake (Onaway Michigan) & Bay Harbor (Petoskey Michigan)

 

[ESOX ZO]

On 1/22/2023 at 10:29 AM, tad950 said:

In no particular order. 
 

The Old Course

Cruden Bay

Royal Dornoch

Pebble Beach

Bandon Dunes

North Berwick West Links

Royal Lytham & St. Annes 

Mauna Kea

Dooks

Tralee

 

Honorable Mentions

 

San Juan Oaks, my old home course. Now closed.

Nanea

 

 

You got on Nanea and it's not even in your top 10? How come? 

[ESOX ZO]

Angel Park (Las Vegas) - first time ever golfing out of my home state and it's forever embedded in my golf shrine
Poipu Bay - Honeymoon golf course and we had an absolute blast

Manele - Best conditions and most scenic views I've ever seen

Washington County WI - best value I've ever played and its a yearly rotation for our Ryder Cup Sunday Match play, links style course

Harbour Town - last tee time of the day a couple weeks before the tourney, crazy fun and different course 

Ocean Course - challenging and only 2 holes weren't rememarable to me

Lakewoods Forest Ridges Golf Course - Up north local muni, quirky holes made it fun and one par 3 over a mini lake that had an elevated green was a standout

Troon North Pinnacle - First dedicated golf trip with the wife and we both played really well and the modelos tasted exceptionally good that day

Mariana Butte - First time playing golf in Colorado and still remember the mountain backdrop, loved it and decent track

Kapalua Plantation - Incredible track, very forgiving and played really well

 

[DoughBack18]

In no particular order…

 

Lancaster Country Club

Bethpage Black

Royal Isabella

Spyglass Hill

Royal New Kent

Poppy Hills

Philadelphia Cricket Club (Wissahickon)

Country Club of York

Trump National DC

American Legion CC (Mt. Union)

 

Honorable mentions- Dauphin Highlands, Iron Valley, Sunset, Shawnee, Seaview (some due to sentimental value)

[tad950]

9 hours ago, ESOX ZO said:

You got on Nanea and it's not even in your top 10? How come? 

Nanea was great. The customer service was the best. Super views of the Kohala Coast. The course conditions were tops for any course that I’ve played in Hawaii. But I really can’t think of a “Signature” hole. Then again, I’m old, and it’s been a few years since I’ve played it.

[Mullenboy]

Why is "favorite" different from "best"?

How do you define each?

 

 

[ESOX ZO]

24 minutes ago, Mullenboy said:

Why is "favorite" different from "best"?

How do you define each?

 

 

This is how I define my favorite vs best.

 

Favorite to me is memorable whether it be for how I scored, the company I was with or the overall atmosphere.

 

The best is how the course conditions were, the hole layouts and if they challenged you and made you think about your next shot at all times. 

[Mullenboy]

3 hours ago, ESOX ZO said:

This is how I define my favorite vs best.

 

Favorite to me is memorable whether it be for how I scored, the company I was with or the overall atmosphere.

 

The best is how the course conditions were, the hole layouts and if they challenged you and made you think about your next shot at all times. 

That's cool - makes sense.  It just does always make me scratch my head when people make this distinction.  For me, favorite and best are the same thing.  But I also try to just think about the golf course... not things that are not part of the actual course, like how I scored and who I was with.  if you ask me favorite golf experiences and where those happened, all of that would matter big time.  But if you ask me just "favorite golf courses" none of that does.

 

It's a silly difference but it's an issue that has been batted around for YEARS in forums such as this.  🙂

[ESOX ZO]

41 minutes ago, Mullenboy said:

That's cool - makes sense.  It just does always make me scratch my head when people make this distinction.  For me, favorite and best are the same thing.  But I also try to just think about the golf course... not things that are not part of the actual course, like how I scored and who I was with.  if you ask me favorite golf experiences and where those happened, all of that would matter big time.  But if you ask me just "favorite golf courses" none of that does.

 

It's a silly difference but it's an issue that has been batted around for YEARS in forums such as this.  🙂

My favorite thing to eat is pizza, but it isn't the best thing I've ever ate lol. I totally get where you are coming from and it's so subjective, that is why I think the top 100 rankings can be a little skewed.  Hearing the different stories behind the ratings of someone's favorite course is far more intriguing to me no matter what the course is they played.

[Schley]

Favorite to play, not highest ranked etc.

 

North Berwick

The Old Course

Shoreacres

Valley Club at Montecito

Cape Wickham

Austin Golf Club

NGLA

Bandon Dunes

The Sacred Nine (look it up)

Reserved for a Japan trip later this year 

 

 

[AltC]

1. Hillside

2. Kingston Heath

3. Royal County Down

4. Formby

5. Kawana Fuji

6. Royal Dornoch

7. Carnoustie

8. The Old Course

9. Royal Melbourne West

10. North Berwick

 

Personal selection - top rated for me at least are the ones I would love to play again…..and again! 

[Faucette]

Pinehurst #2

Wade Hampton

Royal Aberdeen

Carnoustie

Dormie Club

Beech Mountain GC- nice, easy and elevated. Could play this course in my late years of life

Sedgefield-played the week before The Wyndham

Royal Dornoch

Haig Point

Harbor Town

 

[Schley]

On 6/16/2023 at 5:36 AM, Faucette said:

Pinehurst #2

Wade Hampton

Royal Aberdeen

Carnoustie

Dormie Club

Beech Mountain GC- nice, easy and elevated. Could play this course in my late years of life

Sedgefield-played the week before The Wyndham

Royal Dornoch

Haig Point

Harbor Town

 

What is Beech Mountain?  Haven't heard of this place?  Tell us more.

[Golferpaul]

Listing only ten is difficult, but here goes;

 

1. Augusta National
2. Pebble Beach
3. Royal County Down
4. Cabo del Sol
5. Castle Pines Golf Club
6. Whistling Straits
7. The Ocean Course
8. Trump Turnberry
9. Bandon Trails
10. Cherry Hills CC

[Faucette]

On 6/18/2023 at 7:46 AM, Schley said:

What is Beech Mountain?  Haven't heard of this place?  Tell us more.

Beech Mountain is a short golf course on the top of Beech Mountain. It's mostly flat minus a few elevation drops but it's nice, simple and a course you could play into your later years. It will not make top 10 list but I thoroughly enjoy it and could play it the rest of my life as it's , fairly easy, relaxing and enjoyable. I'm a good golfer but hate getting beat up round after round. I put Beech Mountain  in there over Grandfather and Linville CC FWIW for that reason. No notoriety but I always enjoy it. 

 

https://beechmtn.club/the-course/

Edited June 20, 2023 by Faucette

[Chanceman]

On 6/20/2023 at 6:16 AM, Golferpaul said:

Listing only ten is difficult, but here goes;

 

1. Augusta National
2. Pebble Beach
3. Royal County Down
4. Cabo del Sol
5. Castle Pines Golf Club
6. Whistling Straits
7. The Ocean Course
8. Trump Turnberry
9. Bandon Trails
10. Cherry Hills CC

What exactly did you like (and not like?) about Augusta National?

[monty09]

 

top 10 faves in no order 

 

 

sleepy hollow 

angc 

eastward ho

bel air 

ballyneal

praire dunes 

bluejack national 

fishers island

chambers bay

Ohoopee 

Edited June 23, 2023 by monty09

[Golferpaul]

12 hours ago, Chanceman said:

What exactly did you like (and not like?) about Augusta National?

I did not like the fact that I only played it once and will never get another opportunity to play it again.

Whats to like?  Everything.  The course, the clubhouse, the par three course, the dining room, the locker room, the caddies, etc.

[monty09]

On 6/22/2023 at 12:49 AM, Chanceman said:

What exactly did you like (and not like?) about Augusta National?

 

 

its good but not in my top 5 personally.    there is so much great golf out there 

[david.c.w]

In no order

 

Pebble

Old Course

PInehurst #2

Murfield

Medinah #3

Kingsley Club (my only ace)

Ocean Course

Old Mac

Mammoth Dunes

Streamsong Blue

 

 

 

 

 

[golfday]

Old Course

Royal Dornoch

Merion

Sleepy Hollow

Oakmont

Bethpage Black

Peachtree

Southern Hills

Creek Club

Cruden Bay

 

 

[golfday]

On 6/16/2023 at 6:36 AM, Faucette said:

Pinehurst #2

Wade Hampton

Royal Aberdeen

Carnoustie

Dormie Club

Beech Mountain GC- nice, easy and elevated. Could play this course in my late years of life

Sedgefield-played the week before The Wyndham

Royal Dornoch

Haig Point

Harbor Town

 

This has got to be the highest praise ever bestowed on Beech. I read your explanation though and totally get it. 

[vandyfan]

I like width, typically

 

Farm Links - Pursell Farms (AL)
True Blue (SC)
Greystone (TN)

Tobacco Road (NC)

Pinehurst No. 4 (NC)

We Ko Pa - Saguaro (AZ)

Sweetens Cove (TN)

Charlotte Country Club (NC)

Wailea Emerald (HI)

Pine Lakes (SC)

[CDM]

No specific order, but courses I could play all the time:

 

Wilderness Club

Barnbougle Dunes

Kinston Heath

Mid Pines

Paririe Dunes

Pinehurst No.2 

Pacific Dunes

Caledonia

Sand Hills

Forest Dunes 

 

*I woud note Royal Melbourne, but we played the composite course, such an amazing 18 holes but it was way way hard for our talent level. Enjoyed it 110% but would not want to play it everyday. 

Edited July 6, 2023 by CDM

[monty09]

20 hours ago, golfday said:

Old Course

Royal Dornoch

Merion

Sleepy Hollow

Oakmont

Bethpage Black

Peachtree

Southern Hills

Creek Club

Cruden Bay

 

 

 

 

great list.... 

[MattSTL88]

In no order, except #1
Punta Espada - DR
Kapalua Plantation - Maui
Corales - DR
Harbor Shores - Benton Harbor, MI
Mountain Shadows - Scottsdale, AZ- Not the same as the rest, but fun, "high-end" Par 3 course with great views
Country Club at Castle Pines - Castle Rock, CO
Arthur Hills at Boyne - Harbor Springs, MI
Hidden River Golf and Casting Club - Brutus, MI
Country Club of St. Albans - Lewis and Clark - St. Albans, MO

 

Some of the following will surely replace some of these after this season: Kingsley Club, Belvedere, Bay Harbor
 

[Gdane]

(Kind of) in order:

 

Arcadia South

Mid Pines

Dormie Club

Arcadia Bluffs

Greywalls

Conway Farms

Tot Hill Farm

Quintero

Fyre Lake

Washington County

 

 

Playing Lawsonia next week have already sold myself on it making it onto the list.

[Golferpaul]

5 hours ago, MattSTL88 said:

In no order, except #1
Punta Espada - DR
Kapalua Plantation - Maui
Corales - DR
Harbor Shores - Benton Harbor, MI
Mountain Shadows - Scottsdale, AZ- Not the same as the rest, but fun, "high-end" Par 3 course with great views
Country Club at Castle Pines - Castle Rock, CO
Arthur Hills at Boyne - Harbor Springs, MI
Hidden River Golf and Casting Club - Brutus, MI
Country Club of St. Albans - Lewis and Clark - St. Albans, MO

 

Some of the following will surely replace some of these after this season: Kingsley Club, Belvedere, Bay Harbor
 

I also like the Castle Pines Country Club, but I like the Castle Pines Golf Club even more.  Have you played it?

 

And Punta Espada......Stunning!

[gaspasr]

1.  Ballyneal- never had more fun on a golf course. Vibe is 12/10. The only rule of the club is “Don’t be a dick”.  Golf course is engaging, beautiful, and remote.  Scale is immense.  

2. Prairie Dunes- biased as a native Kansan, but top class in every way.  Awesome greens and awesome people

3. Punta Espada-fun holes in an unbelievable setting in great condition.  The beauty of the DR is just unreal.  We were chatting with the grounds crew (in broken Spanish) while waiting on a hole and they chopped us down a few coconuts, hacked them open for us, and we drank coconut water and stared at the ocean while we waited.  It didn’t suck.  

4. Seminole- historic, place just oozes class.  Feel like you’re on hallowed ground when there.  Ross’s routing is sublime.

5. Pinehurst 2- love the simplicity of the golf course-no rough, no water, no BS-just one great hole after another.    

6. Nanea- amazing views, lots of width, paspalum in perfect condition, and lots of really fun holes.  The tuna poke bowls are the best food I’ve ever had at a golf course.  

7. Old MacDonald-as a golf architecture/history nerd this was my favorite at Bandon.  Loved #3 and #7.  So cool to see Doak’s interpretation of template holes.

8. Colorado Golf Club- my favorite Coore/Crenshaw so far.  Every hole is memorable.

9.  Frederica- width, short grass everywhere, and huge greens.  So much fun to play and great atmosphere. 

10.  Mid Ocean Club-template holes and beautiful ocean views.