Your favourite type of golf course to play?

[Bodee]

For me.....any course that is tight with lots of water and sand. I don't enjoy courses that are blast it off the tee and a low iron to the green. While I don't like blind hazards (like a pond right in the middle of a hole that can't be seen from the tee), I just find that having to use my brain by exercising course management makes it more enjoyable.

[act0fgod]

[quote name='Bodee' timestamp='1331084600' post='4451805']
For me.....any course that is tight with lots of water and sand. I don't enjoy courses that are blast it off the tee and a low iron to the green. While I don't like blind hazards (like a pond right in the middle of a hole that can't be seen from the tee), I just find that having to use my brain by exercising course management makes it more enjoyable.
[/quote]


In my mind tight with lots of water and sand is the oposite of exercising your brain. You only have one option on courses like this. Keep it down the middle and then hit over the hazards if you can or short if you can't.

[Lenny Intensity]

Links for me. Also enjoy a classic tree-lined country club type. Moved to the Southeast last year and can't find either around Charleston (though Ocean Course is somewhat links-y). Courses here are fairway and penalty, either hazard or OB (more frequently the latter). I like the ability to hit recovery shots, but that's not possible hitting 3 from the tee.

[Plainbucknasty]

Haven't had the chance to play a true links style course, I've played some imitation links courses that were definitely fun but weren't my cup of tea. This may change some day if I get to play a pure links course, but as of now give me scenic rolling hills and tree lined fairways.

[XFelon]

I can tell you what I hate...... Desert courses.. Doesnt help that I live in AZ.. Im from Colorado.. I like the tree's everywhere courses.. Green green courses. Golfed in MO last year and loved it. Going back to CO in July.. Set to try some of the mountain (Keystone, Loveland) so, we shall see

[teejaywhy]

My favorite courses are built to fit into the natural setting and make interesting use of the terrain. Not so fond of the modern styles that seem forced onto the land with built up unnatural features.

My favorite courses are designed to promote strategic options. The best courses can be played differently depending on wind, pin placement and how the player is swinging the club. One needs to think about what might be the best shot. Not too fond of courses that force a singular mode of play like the linear "hit down the middle" courses or layouts that can only be attacked through the air.

My favorite courses offer a variety of hole styles. Long/medium/short; uphill/downhill; move to the left/move to the right... etc. The proverbial use every club in your bag.

My favorite courses are challenging, yet generous and fun to play. The key element is having recovery options. Not fond of the penal style where a bad shot is an automatic lost ball double bogey. The chance to make up for a bad shot with a miracle recovery is one of the greatest things in golf. Think Seve. Not fond of courses with excessive water hazards or out of bounds.

My favorite courses are maintained to play firm and fast. The ball bounces and the contours of the ground can be used to direct the ball toward (or away) from the target. Not fond of the soft, verdant green presentation that can only be played through the air and hitting the green is like lobbing darts.

My favorite courses have a core, walkable routing. Not fond of real estate rountings with holes surrounded by houses and linked together by long cart rides.

[teejaywhy]

[quote name='stevopagolf' timestamp='1331054923' post='4448341']
I like old school traditional parkland style golf courses with tree lined fairways and fast greens--like they built in the 20's - 40's. Think Firestone as an example. I also like true links like you find in Europe and Bandon primarily. Too many farm Links like courses for me--very artificial.
[/quote]

It's funny that we think of tree-lined courses as traditional. Fact is, most courses built in "golden age" were more reflections of the true traditional golf - which utilized open space. The budgets and construction equipment available in the day meant that ground unsuited for golf was mostly avoided. That means that courses were rarely ever carved out of a forest. Most of your tree-lined courses are the result of subsequent tree plantings. In some cases, trees work properly with the design but in many cases, trees added as an afterthought end up detracting from the design, taking away elements of strategy and introducing maintenance difficulties.