top 5 public courses in arkansas

[adamjstl]

what are the 5 best PUBLIC in the state? and how good is the hot springs village complex?

[MarkCPA]

I don't know anything about top 5 courses, but I've heard good things about this place:

http://www.bigcreekgolf.com/

Several years ago I had a dentist for a client who sold his practice in Memphis and bought another one in Mountain Home, AR just so he could go fishing more often and play golf at Big Creek. Then just recently I had a guy I met on the Golfweek Amateur Tour suggest this place for a great weekend golf trip. I'd love to hear any feedback on this place from the posters here if anyone is familiar with it.

[jahopki]

Can't speak for the entire state, but I'm a HUGE fan of Eagle Crest in Alma. For reference, [url="http://www.golfeaglecrest.com/"]here's their website[/url].

[parboy]

As for top public courses in the state, I don't have a lot of experience. Greystone in Cabot is pretty nice, and they have 2 courses there. Harbor Oaks in Pine Bluff is pretty decent with several holes running along the river. Rebsamen Park is supposed to be ok, but I haven't played it since they redid the whole course. My public golf is limited as shortly after I moved here, I bought a lot in Hot Springs Village. I've been a member there for the past 13 years and have loved every second of it. I live an hour away and feel it is worth the time to drive over. There are 8 courses in the village, of which 7 are playable by all members. The 8th course, Diamante, is a seperate membership course within the village. I've played them all and they are all very well kept and have differing layouts that will appeal to a wide range of golfers. One of the courses is a short executive course, Coronado, that I have only played once. My favorites are Granada, Isabella, Magellan, and Ponce De Leon.

To become a member you have to own property in the village. I purchased a lot for $450 13 years ago. I believe there are still some pretty inexpensive lots available. Aside from that initial purchase, there is a monthly fee charged to all property owners. I pay it in a lump sum at the first of the year and I believe it is $384. For a round of golf with a cart you are looking at $28. There are no places in AR that have golf courses this nice with prices that low.

Hope that helps.

[jahopki]

[quote name='parboy' timestamp='1314288799' post='3518510']
My public golf is limited as shortly after I moved here, I bought a lot in Hot Springs Village. I've been a member there for the past 13 years and have loved every second of it. I live an hour away and feel it is worth the time to drive over. There are 8 courses in the village, of which 7 are playable by all members. The 8th course, Diamante, is a seperate membership course within the village. I've played them all and they are all very well kept and have differing layouts that will appeal to a wide range of golfers. One of the courses is a short executive course, Coronado, that I have only played once. My favorites are Granada, Isabella, Magellan, and Ponce De Leon.

To become a member you have to own property in the village. I purchased a lot for $450 13 years ago. I believe there are still some pretty inexpensive lots available. Aside from that initial purchase, there is a monthly fee charged to all property owners. I pay it in a lump sum at the first of the year and I believe it is $384. For a round of golf with a cart you are looking at $28. There are no places in AR that have golf courses this nice with prices that low.

Hope that helps.
[/quote]


We have a very similar deal up in Bella Vista where I live. Also managed by the same company (Cooper Communities) and they reciprocate between Hot Springs and Bella Vista (I think they actually give out-of-towners preference / early tee-time privileges). 6 full courses, 2 executive courses, and all reasonably well maintained considering the low price of "membership." They replaced the 40-year-old irrigation system on the Bella Vista Country Club last fall and that course now is in as good of condition as anything else I've seen around here (but I've yet to get to play The Blessings). I bought a "member" lot for $500 12 years ago; split it with a buddy because we could get 2 "memberships" on the same lot. I later bought a house in the Village and sold my half of the lot to another buddy for $250. The Bella Vista courses are (somewhat) open to the public, but you get a reduced rate if you play with a "member."

[parboy]

I didn't realize that there was a reciprocation deal there. I may have to check that out! I also did the membership lot, split between me and a friend

[adamjstl]

[quote name='parboy' timestamp='1314288799' post='3518510']
As for top public courses in the state, I don't have a lot of experience. Greystone in Cabot is pretty nice, and they have 2 courses there. Harbor Oaks in Pine Bluff is pretty decent with several holes running along the river. Rebsamen Park is supposed to be ok, but I haven't played it since they redid the whole course. My public golf is limited as shortly after I moved here, I bought a lot in Hot Springs Village. I've been a member there for the past 13 years and have loved every second of it. I live an hour away and feel it is worth the time to drive over. There are 8 courses in the village, of which 7 are playable by all members. The 8th course, Diamante, is a seperate membership course within the village. I've played them all and they are all very well kept and have differing layouts that will appeal to a wide range of golfers. One of the courses is a short executive course, Coronado, that I have only played once. My favorites are Granada, Isabella, Magellan, and Ponce De Leon.

To become a member you have to own property in the village. I purchased a lot for $450 13 years ago. I believe there are still some pretty inexpensive lots available. Aside from that initial purchase, there is a monthly fee charged to all property owners. I pay it in a lump sum at the first of the year and I believe it is $384. For a round of golf with a cart you are looking at $28. There are no places in AR that have golf courses this nice with prices that low.

Hope that helps.
[/quote]


so you would say the 7,000 yard courses in hot springs are vacation worthy?

[parboy]

Yes indeed. I would recommend you come in the fall or spring. We have had some extremely oppressive heat this summer and the bent grass greens are showing it right now. There are several vacation type rentals inside the village, I actually stayed at one for my bachelor party. All of my out of town friends love it when I take them to the village to play! For the best views I would recommend Granada and Cortez courses. They are 2 different layouts with granada having generous fairways and big greens. Cortez has a good bit of doglegs and is tighter. 17 at Cortez and 4 at granada is where you will want to have your camera ready. I believe most of the courses are close to 7000 yards from the tips (black tees), except for Magellan which only goes back to blue tees. I normally play from the blues, so I am not 100% sure on the black yardages.

[nitram]

Mountain Ranch - Fairfield Bay
Big Creek - Mountain Home
Sage Meadows - Jonesboro
Tannenbaum - Drasco (Near Fairfield Bay)
Thunder Bayou - Blytheville
Chamberlyne - Danville
Harbor Oaks - Pine Bluff


There are plenty of other courses, especially within 50 miles of Hot Springs that are excellent. These listed just happen to be my top picks.

[adamjstl]

[quote name='nitram' timestamp='1314365158' post='3520641']
Mountain Ranch - Fairfield Bay
Big Creek - Mountain Home
Sage Meadows - Jonesboro
Tannenbaum - Drasco (Near Fairfield Bay)
Thunder Bayou - Blytheville
Chamberlyne - Danville
Harbor Oaks - Pine Bluff


There are plenty of other courses, especially within 50 miles of Hot Springs that are excellent. These listed just happen to be my top picks.
[/quote]


all the courses you listed vacation worthy?

[nitram]

Yeah.

Mountain Home and Fairfield are resort(ish) with the lake and all. There's furnished cabins and the like. There's also some nice resort tracks around Hot Springs and if you time it right you can watch the ponies run. I could take a week vacation and play them all plus a couple of others like Glenwood, Diamante, and Cypress Creek. Almost all have bent greens and zoysia or bermuda fairways. The scenery and golf are worth it to me. The only drawback is (right now) it's a HOT SOB.