best course in your state?

[costanza]

Has anybody played the PB Dye course in MD. My dad turns 50 this May and wants to play there. When I graduate I plan on taking him out to Oregon.

[samm980]

Living in RI I would have to say Sakonnet, very private and very nice.

the Pebble Beach of New England.

Working in MA right across the line

Kittansett by far is the best!

 

 

Wannamoiset?

 

Newport CC?

 

Carnegie Abbey?

 

I'd find it hard to put a 5900 yard course ahead of any of those. Not saying it's not nice, just hard to believe it's the best in RI.

 

 

Marc is right! A course has to be 8,000 yards to be any good.

[XYB34A]

The best course in the state of kentucky. Is of course Valhalla. I played it one time with a caddie. Its easier to walk than it is to ride. You have to have a caddie regardless and you cant get off the cart path. So if you ride you walk twice as far. Persimmon Ridge is no 2. It was built by the Just Bro's who founded and own Louisville Golf a fine maker of persimmon woods to this day. The hardest hole in the whole state is no 1 at the Bowling Green Country club. The wind blows on that hole on a windless day. I am a memeber of a course that was built in 1937. There are several of these that are tree lined, narrow fairways, small greens, in the mid 6000's from the back tee. They are a lot of fun to play. Kearney Hills in Lexington, Ky home of the UK Wildcats and the Kearney is the former home of a senior tour event. The greens there are so huge that a 3 putt is common. My all time favorite is in Greenville SC. It was built in the early 60's and is a fairly close copy to the Masters. It was a cotton farm, the man that built it went to the masters in 1960, came home and built a golf course with all his farm hands over the next two years. And I wont say the name of it. I have been to the Masters in 86 and in 93 and dont want to step on any toes. So anyone from that area just guess. GOLF IS A GAME OF A LIFETIME

[ajk278s]

Best Missouri public course flat out is Branson Creek. Another great public course is Eagle Knoll.

 

I do believe Springfield, where Payne Stewart grew up, needs a better Payne Stewart Golf Course. The place is just bad.

[mpman32]

best course in MA= Taconic Country Club

[tripleplay1223]

PINE VALLEY in NJ

[tripleplay1223]

PINE VALLEY in NJ

[Carolina Golfer 2]

Has anybody played the PB Dye course in MD. My dad turns 50 this May and wants to play there. When I graduate I plan on taking him out to Oregon.

 

It's a love it or hate it course. I've played it many times. It got a rap when it opened as being too difficult. It was. They have softened it up some. But it is still a very difficult course. Not off the tee, it gives you plenty of room to hit driver and you'll need it, as it can be pretty long. The toughness comes in the approach shots, and the undulations of the greens. Some say they buried some dead elephants under some of the greens.

 

But it is generally in excellent excellent condition, during the season. Be prepared for slow pace of play due to the difficulty and it is busy.

 

TIP: Make sure you save time and room for a pretzel dog after the round, don't rush it at the turn you'll want to enjoy it.

 

Have fun!!!

[g8a_golf]

Living in RI I would have to say Sakonnet, very private and very nice.

the Pebble Beach of New England.

Working in MA right across the line

Kittansett by far is the best!

 

 

Wannamoiset?

 

Newport CC?

 

Carnegie Abbey?

 

I'd find it hard to put a 5900 yard course ahead of any of those. Not saying it's not nice, just hard to believe it's the best in RI.

 

 

Marc is right! A course has to be 8,000 yards to be any good.

 

Lake Of Isles is the #1 course in New England... end of story

[treatdog]

The two best courses of many in Okla IMHO

 

Tulsa, Ok - Southern Hills Country Club

 

Stillwater, Ok - Karsten Creek (home of OSU Cowboy golf team)

 

 

 

Agreed, close 2nds would be the Golf Club of Oklahoma in Broken Arrow, OK and the Oak Tree Championship Course in Edmond, OK.

[seasuks]

Living in RI I would have to say Sakonnet, very private and very nice.

the Pebble Beach of New England.

Working in MA right across the line

Kittansett by far is the best!

 

 

Wannamoiset?

 

Newport CC?

 

Carnegie Abbey?

 

I'd find it hard to put a 5900 yard course ahead of any of those. Not saying it's not nice, just hard to believe it's the best in RI.

 

 

 

 

Marc is right! A course has to be 8,000 yards to be any good.

 

Lake Of Isles is the #1 course in New England... end of story

 

You'd think it would at least be ranked #1 in CT then...didn't realize you were the end all be all authority on all of New England.

[g8a_golf]

Living in RI I would have to say Sakonnet, very private and very nice.

the Pebble Beach of New England.

Working in MA right across the line

Kittansett by far is the best!

 

 

Wannamoiset?

 

Newport CC?

 

Carnegie Abbey?

 

I'd find it hard to put a 5900 yard course ahead of any of those. Not saying it's not nice, just hard to believe it's the best in RI.

 

 

 

 

Marc is right! A course has to be 8,000 yards to be any good.

 

Lake Of Isles is the #1 course in New England... end of story

 

You'd think it would at least be ranked #1 in CT then...didn't realize you were the end all be all authority on all of New England.

 

Look Here

[seasuks]

Living in RI I would have to say Sakonnet, very private and very nice.

the Pebble Beach of New England.

Working in MA right across the line

Kittansett by far is the best!

 

 

Wannamoiset?

 

Newport CC?

 

Carnegie Abbey?

 

I'd find it hard to put a 5900 yard course ahead of any of those. Not saying it's not nice, just hard to believe it's the best in RI.

 

 

 

 

Marc is right! A course has to be 8,000 yards to be any good.

 

Lake Of Isles is the #1 course in New England... end of story

 

You'd think it would at least be ranked #1 in CT then...didn't realize you were the end all be all authority on all of New England.

 

Look Here

 

So because they say they are #1 in the Northeast and because you want to work there this summer, they are the #1 course in all of New England? :ok: If that's the case, then my country club is the best one in all of South Carolina even though they are ranked #48 out of all the courses in the state! :drinks:

 

Remember, the thread is "best course in your state" not "your favorite course" or "best course i've played and want to work at so I'm going to proclaim them the best in all of New England" ;)

 

Look here for what others have to say about CT.

 

Here's Rhode Island

 

Here's MA

 

Nothing wrong with being passionate about something, but to declare it "end of story" is a bit much.

[g8a_golf]

Living in RI I would have to say Sakonnet, very private and very nice.

the Pebble Beach of New England.

Working in MA right across the line

Kittansett by far is the best!

 

 

Wannamoiset?

 

Newport CC?

 

Carnegie Abbey?

 

I'd find it hard to put a 5900 yard course ahead of any of those. Not saying it's not nice, just hard to believe it's the best in RI.

 

 

 

 

Marc is right! A course has to be 8,000 yards to be any good.

 

Lake Of Isles is the #1 course in New England... end of story

 

You'd think it would at least be ranked #1 in CT then...didn't realize you were the end all be all authority on all of New England.

 

Look Here

 

So because they say they are #1 in the Northeast and because you want to work there this summer, they are the #1 course in all of New England? :ok: If that's the case, then my country club is the best one in all of South Carolina even though they are ranked #48 out of all the courses in the state! :drinks:

 

Remember, the thread is "best course in your state" not "your favorite course" or "best course i've played and want to work at so I'm going to proclaim them the best in all of New England" ;)

 

Look here for what others have to say about CT.

 

Here's Rhode Island

 

Here's MA

 

Nothing wrong with being passionate about something, but to declare it "end of story" is a bit much.

 

i'm not trying to start $hit with people. in my opinion LOI is the BEST course in CT. The fact that i want to work there has NOTHING to do with it. I have applied for jobs at numerous cc's all over my area. i'm not trying to say that all the other courses in CT are "hackers" courses. i'm saying that in my opinion, LOI is the best in CT.

[oregongolf]

Oregon:

 

Pumpkin Ridge (both courses)

Bandon Dunes (all 3 courses)

Crosswater

 

I guess that's six --- sorry I can't give you one best.

 

Ditto. I still gotta rank Bandon ahead of Pumpkin Ridge though -- amazing golf and a great experience.

 

Some of the private courses in the Bend area are incredible too.

[DarthFierce]

In Arkansas Golf Digest continually rates Isabella in Hot Springs Village #1. I am playing there Saturday, and it is nice, but it is not even the best course in Hot Springs Village. Here is the 'real' list :drinks:

 

 

 

1. Alotian Club, Little Rock - Never played there....yet. Ultra private and exclusive. It just opened a couple of years ago. It is outside Little Rock and built by Warren Stephens. He is the billionaire son of the late Jack Stephens who was chairman at Augusta. Warren is a member of Augusta but wanted something closer to home as well. Some of the caddies at Augusta come work here too. Details are sketchy, but reports are that you have to be invited and it is $250K to join. There are no monthly dues or fees. At the end of the year they divide all expenses by the number of members and that is your bill. In other words, if you have to ask, you can't afford it. Tiger has been here to play it at least once. Tom Fazio has called it his best course ever, but he probably has to say that about all of them. There is a heating and cooling system under each green.

 

2. The Blessings, Rogers (NW area). Haven't played this one yet either. This is similar to Alotian, but not quite as exclusive or expensive. It was built by the Tysons (Chicken). Apparently money was no object and they poured 1 1/2 - 2 feet of sand before laying the sod. That way it drains almost instantly. It is a Robert Trent Jones Jr. course and they told him to make it HARD. He did, and they had to go back and re-do it after the first year because it was too penal. The U of A golf team plays and practices there (in a special indoor facility) and the rumor was it didnt' do them much good because it was so hard they got demoralized, before the redesign.

 

Those two are on the very top run in this state. However, there are some incredibly good courses that I really love (and belong to some of them). This is in a semi-thought out list.

 

3. Granada, Hot Springs Village - Opened 2 years ago and is just awesome. It is very hilly with some of the most interesting holes you're likely to find anywhere. Its my favorite course in the state which I've played.

 

4. Chenal Country Club-Founders Course, Little Rock - Robert Trent Jones Jr. design and it is fabulous. Always in great condition.

 

5. Diamante, Hot Springs Village - A monster. A private club within a private community. This thing is long and hard and hosted a Nationwide event until just a few years ago. A couple of the players told me that it was one of the 5 best courses the Nationwide tour played each year.

 

6. Pinnacle Country Club, Rogers. - Fantastic track with awful rough. Very nice houses as well as many of the Wal Mart big wigs live there.

 

7. Chenal Country Club - Bear Den Course, Little Rock - Another course at this club by RTJ Jr. but totally different.

 

8. Ponce de Leon, Hot Springs Village - Old school tree lined layout. Quite difficult, but I often manage to shoot really good scores there.

 

 

9. Isabella, Hot Springs Village - They just added a new 9 late last year giving it 27 great holes.

 

 

10. Pleasant Valley Country Club, Little Rock - Quite a similar track to #8. Actually this course has 3 9s and they are all good.

 

11. Big Creek, Mountain Home (North Central) - This is a good course but not great. Its actually very very good, but Golf Digest said it was on par with Whistling Straights, Bethpage, and Pebble Beach. I don't know what they were smoking, but not even close.

 

12. Country Club of Little Rock - Very old school. Short and hilly with great greens. High on a hill with fantastic views.

 

13. Greystone, Cypress Creek Course - Conditions are sometimes not the best but the layout is great. Its much better than the other course at Greystone, Mountain Springs, where the greens are way too severe.

 

14. Magellan, Hot Springs Village

 

15. Hot Springs Country Club, Arlington Course

 

16. Eagle Trace, Alma - Great views of the Arkansas River Valley

 

17. Cortez, Hot Springs Village

[Konrad]

The Country Club.

 

I live in Massachusetts.

[nchladek]

California:

 

Cypress Point (if I ever play there it will be a miracle)

Pebble Beach

Olympic Club

San Francisco CC

Spyglass

 

Solid top 5, and they are all within 1.5 hours of me (even though I haven't played any)

[littlepingman]

Georgia

 

Augusta National Golf Club :tongue:

[KMeloney]

Pennsylvania..

 

Saucon Valley CC

 

Oakmont CC

 

Merion Golf Course

 

Laurel Valley Golf Course

 

Aronimink Golf Course

 

I would take out Aronimink and put it Gulph Mills or Stonewall, also consider Huntingdon Valley & Rolling Green

 

PA here, too. And I'd have to agree with you. I'm not a huge fan of Aronimink (though I haven't played there in a long time), and being a member of Rolling Green, I'm biased that way, too. lol I also really like the ACE course. When that grows in, it's going to be [that much more] amazing.

 

The Philadelphia area is a hotbed for some great courses. I hope to hit 'em all eventually!

 

/< / /2 /<

[golfcourseshaper]

Hello to all, I am a golf course shaper and the architect/designers us the usually get the recognition but seeing alot of the courses i've shaped on this list from the players point of veiw is reward enough.

[golfcourseshaper]

I'm going to the sand hills this weekend will post pics when i get back.

[brutus4527]

Iowa:

 

Private:

Glen Oaks CC (West Des Moines)

Davenport CC

Wahkonda CC (Des Moines)

Crow Valley CC (Bettendorf)

 

Public:

The Harvester (Rhodes)

Spirit Hollow (Burlington)

Amana Colonies GC

Tournament Club of Iowa (Polk City)

Veenker (Ames)

[HBX]

I live in Sweden but every now and then I travel to the US and never without my clubs. The best courses I´ve played are as follows:

Alabama (just two weeks ago): Limestone Springs and Ol´Colony

Arizona: The Gallery (North) and Arizona National (used to be Raven)

Florida: World Woods, Pine Barrens and Rolling Oaks

Maine: Sugarloaf and Belgrade Lakes

Massachusetts: The Country Club (best course I´ve ever played)

New Jersey: Atlantic City CC and The Architects Club

Pennsylvania: The Golf Course at Glen Mills

Texas: The Falls and The Quarry

 

I realise that they can´t hold a candle to some of the courses that have been mentioned above, but except for The Country Club they´re all accessible.

[Texsport]

Since I live in 2 locations:

 

Texas

 

Best Private---Colonial C.C.

Best Public----River Ridge G.C. Sealy Texas

 

Minnesota

 

Best Private---Hazeltine C.C.

Best Public----The Quarry@Giants Ridge

 

Texsport

[DavidR]

In Virginia

 

Private: Kinloch

 

Public: Mattaponi Springs

[sheppy335]

Oakmont CC

[ramylson]

Wisconsin -

 

Would have to be either Blackwolf's "River" Course, or Whistling Straights "Straights" Course. Both are top notch establishments, that just so happen to be owned by the same guy. Go figure..

 

Erin Hills will eventually get there as it matures. There are also a bunch of other budding course in the state that will only get better with age.

[mkb3245]

In Arkansas Golf Digest continually rates Isabella in Hot Springs Village #1. I am playing there Saturday, and it is nice, but it is not even the best course in Hot Springs Village. Here is the 'real' list :(

 

 

 

1. Alotian Club, Little Rock - Never played there....yet. Ultra private and exclusive. It just opened a couple of years ago. It is outside Little Rock and built by Warren Stephens. He is the billionaire son of the late Jack Stephens who was chairman at Augusta. Warren is a member of Augusta but wanted something closer to home as well. Some of the caddies at Augusta come work here too. Details are sketchy, but reports are that you have to be invited and it is $250K to join. There are no monthly dues or fees. At the end of the year they divide all expenses by the number of members and that is your bill. In other words, if you have to ask, you can't afford it. Tiger has been here to play it at least once. Tom Fazio has called it his best course ever, but he probably has to say that about all of them. There is a heating and cooling system under each green.

 

2. The Blessings, Rogers (NW area). Haven't played this one yet either. This is similar to Alotian, but not quite as exclusive or expensive. It was built by the Tysons (Chicken). Apparently money was no object and they poured 1 1/2 - 2 feet of sand before laying the sod. That way it drains almost instantly. It is a Robert Trent Jones Jr. course and they told him to make it HARD. He did, and they had to go back and re-do it after the first year because it was too penal. The U of A golf team plays and practices there (in a special indoor facility) and the rumor was it didnt' do them much good because it was so hard they got demoralized, before the redesign.

 

Those two are on the very top run in this state. However, there are some incredibly good courses that I really love (and belong to some of them). This is in a semi-thought out list.

 

3. Granada, Hot Springs Village - Opened 2 years ago and is just awesome. It is very hilly with some of the most interesting holes you're likely to find anywhere. Its my favorite course in the state which I've played.

 

4. Chenal Country Club-Founders Course, Little Rock - Robert Trent Jones Jr. design and it is fabulous. Always in great condition.

 

5. Diamante, Hot Springs Village - A monster. A private club within a private community. This thing is long and hard and hosted a Nationwide event until just a few years ago. A couple of the players told me that it was one of the 5 best courses the Nationwide tour played each year.

 

6. Pinnacle Country Club, Rogers. - Fantastic track with awful rough. Very nice houses as well as many of the Wal Mart big wigs live there.

 

7. Chenal Country Club - Bear Den Course, Little Rock - Another course at this club by RTJ Jr. but totally different.

 

8. Ponce de Leon, Hot Springs Village - Old school tree lined layout. Quite difficult, but I often manage to shoot really good scores there.

 

 

9. Isabella, Hot Springs Village - They just added a new 9 late last year giving it 27 great holes.

 

 

10. Pleasant Valley Country Club, Little Rock - Quite a similar track to #8. Actually this course has 3 9s and they are all good.

 

11. Big Creek, Mountain Home (North Central) - This is a good course but not great. Its actually very very good, but Golf Digest said it was on par with Whistling Straights, Bethpage, and Pebble Beach. I don't know what they were smoking, but not even close.

 

12. Country Club of Little Rock - Very old school. Short and hilly with great greens. High on a hill with fantastic views.

 

13. Greystone, Cypress Creek Course - Conditions are sometimes not the best but the layout is great. Its much better than the other course at Greystone, Mountain Springs, where the greens are way too severe.

 

14. Magellan, Hot Springs Village

 

15. Hot Springs Country Club, Arlington Course

 

16. Eagle Trace, Alma - Great views of the Arkansas River Valley

 

17. Cortez, Hot Springs Village

 

 

You gotta put Hardscrabble somewhere towards the top.....the Nationwide Tour makes a stop there for a reason.

[OldGolfer87]

There are 2 reaaly good public courses in the Pittsburgh area ..

 

Old Stonewall .. i had heard this was rated the best public course in Pa..

 

Mystic Rock at Nemacolin Woodlands .. a Pete Dye design that was home of the 84 lumber classic