Top 5 Courses You have played...

[Righty to Lefty]

1. Royal New Kent

2. Saadiyat Beach 

3. Trump Pine Hill

4. PB Dye

5. Education City GC

 

Honorable Mentions:

 

Prairie Dunes

Terradyne

Hallbook GC

Yas Links

Shadow Glen

Montgomery Maxx Royale

Els Club Dubai

Trump Links Ferry

 

 

 

 

[vangolf]

1. Pine Valley

2. Muirfield

3. Old Course

4. county down

5.  Riviera 

[BG5]

On 12/17/2023 at 9:24 PM, RedWolfWay said:

Pebble Beach

Kingsley Club

The Ledges

Sand Valley

Mirabel

 

Kingsley is one of my all time favorites....I hope to retire in TC someday and be a member as membership rates are pretty reasonable

[tad950]

Pebble Beach

The Old Course

Royal Dornoch

New South Wales

Te Arai Links South

 

I’m a sucker for ocean views.  

[bazzle18]

Depends on the day... Today I'll go with 

 

Prairie Dunes

Pasatiempo

Chicago Golf

Mid Pines

Ballybunion

[mikedejong33]

I would break it down amongst the trips I have done. So here would be my favorites:

 

1. Scotland trip: Royal Dornoch
2. Pinehurst trip: Tobacco Road with Mid Pines / Pine Needles as runners up
3. Bandon trip: Bandon Dunes / Bandon Trails
4. Phoenix / Palm Springs trips: probably Indian Wells Celebrity and Players / Southern Dunes
5. Cabo trip: Diamante Dunes / Quivira
6. Home (Canada): Tobiano

So a bit over 5, but these are my favorite courses I have played.

[Seamus_MacDuff]

Pine Valley

Merion

Sand Hills

Shinnecock

St. Andrews - Old

 

Honorable Mentions

Royal County Down

Friar's Head

Muirfield

Oakland Hills

Inverness

Sleepy Hollow

Cruden Bay

Machrihanish

 

[angler99]

1. Bandon Trails

2. Pacific Dunes

3. Ballyneal

4. Kukio

5. PGA West Stadium

[Chanceman]

Honorable mentions for me are:

R Melbourne

Barnbougle

R County Down 

Lahinch

Waterville

Sunningdale old

St Andrews old

St George’s Hill

R Cinque Ports

 

 

 

[ChipNRun]

1. Pebble Beach Golf Links, Monterey, CA

2. Il Picchiolo Etna Golf Club, Catania, Sicily, IT

3. Cape Fear Country Club, Wilmington, NC

4. Glen Echo Country Club, St. Louis, MO

5. TPC Deere Run, Silvis, IL

 

[act0fgod]

Pretty much impossible for me to narrow it down to 5 courses.  How do you compare a course in the desert to one on the ocean?  A links course to a parkland?  One I played 30 years ago to one I played yesterday.

 

I could probably give you my 5 favorite from this year but it's subject to change tomorrow.

[jci13]

Chicago Golf Club

ShoreAcres

Crooked Stick

Philadelphia CC

Pine Canyon

[Chanceman]

On 12/25/2023 at 5:04 AM, act0fgod said:

Pretty much impossible for me to narrow it down to 5 courses.  How do you compare a course in the desert to one on the ocean?  A links course to a parkland?  One I played 30 years ago to one I played yesterday.

 

I could probably give you my 5 favorite from this year but it's subject to change tomorrow.

Ok let’s have the 5 from 2023.

[act0fgod]

15 hours ago, Chanceman said:

Ok let’s have the 5 from 2023.

Carne

Ballyneal

Old Barnwell

Peachtree

Ocean Course

 

[pdakc]

1.  Shoreacres

2.  Chicago Golf

3.  Prairie Dunes

4.  Pebble Beach

5.  Pinehurst #2

[Chanceman]

23 hours ago, act0fgod said:

Carne

Ballyneal

Old Barnwell

Peachtree

Ocean Course

 

Very nice list! I have played the first two which are both top shelf. 
My 2023 list:

 

Kingston Heath

Narooma (a little Aussie coastal track)

Royal Cinque Ports

St George’s Hill

Ganton

 

[act0fgod]

6 hours ago, Chanceman said:

Very nice list! I have played the first two which are both top shelf. 
My 2023 list:

 

Kingston Heath

Narooma (a little Aussie coastal track)

Royal Cinque Ports

St George’s Hill

Ganton

 

How'd you end up in Narooma?  Looks like it is kind of in the middle of nowhere.  My first trip to Australia (no golf more backpacking as it was right after college) we drove from Sydney to Cairns and really loved the drive seeing the rural but beautiful parts of the country.

[hammergolf]

Been thinking about this one a while. Here’s my list:

 

Carne

Pasatiempo

Turnberry

The Ocean Course

Tralee

[Chanceman]

40 minutes ago, hammergolf said:

Been thinking about this one a while. Here’s my list:

 

Carne

Pasatiempo

Turnberry

The Ocean Course

Tralee

Ooh that’s lovely!!

 

1 hour ago, act0fgod said:

How'd you end up in Narooma?  Looks like it is kind of in the middle of nowhere.  My first trip to Australia (no golf more backpacking as it was right after college) we drove from Sydney to Cairns and really loved the drive seeing the rural but beautiful parts of the country.

Just a late summer trip with the wife. Narooma is about 200 miles south of Sydney. Ben Hogan played there and they named their signature hole after him - it’s a 160 yard par 3 uphill across a rocky inlet with the surf crashing in front of you. Not unlike Cypress Point.

[ode]

I won't bore anyone with my top 5, but I mostly follow this thread to see if there are lesser known courses folks put in their top 5 and then research them as potential options once I hit retirement....especially enjoy the GB&I courses and looking at the websites and course pictures, and hence my ?.....were you blown away by the links courses in that area when you first (or subsequent visits) experienced it? .... Or did your other travels and playing the great US (and elsewhere) courses prepare you for what was to come?

[hammergolf]

20 minutes ago, ode said:

I won't bore anyone with my top 5, but I mostly follow this thread to see if there are lesser known courses folks put in their top 5 and then research them as potential options once I hit retirement....especially enjoy the GB&I courses and looking at the websites and course pictures, and hence my ?.....were you blown away by the links courses in that area when you first (or subsequent visits) experienced it? .... Or did your other travels and playing the great US (and elsewhere) courses prepare you for what was to come?

I played Carne Golf Links last October after reading a lot about it. It absolutely blew me away. Simply unlike anywhere on earth. I’m going back to Ireland this coming August and already counting the days until I’m there….

 

 

[ode]

11 hours ago, hammergolf said:

I played Carne Golf Links last October after reading a lot about it. It absolutely blew me away. Simply unlike anywhere on earth. I’m going back to Ireland this coming August and already counting the days until I’m there….

 

 

That's great....look forward to any pics, reviews, etc after your trip!

 

I'll check out the vid when I get some time.

[Roody]

Top 5 all time:

- Spyglass Hill

- TPC Sawgrass

- Pasatiempo

- Oak Hill

- Pebble Beach

 

Top 5 in 2023:

- Mizner CC

- Gleaneagles CC - Legends Course

- Doral Blue Monster

- Turning Stone Kaluyhat

- Tie between Doral Red Tiger and Doral Golden Palm

[sabram]

13 hours ago, ode said:

I won't bore anyone with my top 5, but I mostly follow this thread to see if there are lesser known courses folks put in their top 5 and then research them as potential options once I hit retirement....especially enjoy the GB&I courses and looking at the websites and course pictures, and hence my ?.....were you blown away by the links courses in that area when you first (or subsequent visits) experienced it? .... Or did your other travels and playing the great US (and elsewhere) courses prepare you for what was to come?

Visits to GB&I have been my favorites. I try to make one visit per year.

 

Yes, the true links are mind blowing (not just the first time, but also on each replay), and the English heaths are also really great.

 

The "lesser known" courses are well worth playing even if most don't make anyone's top 5 list. With so many visitors now to GB&I it's hard to say if these are still "lesser known", but each is worth including in your itinerary if you plan a trip to their respective area:

 

In Scotland look into Fraserburgh Corbie Hill, Brora, Golspie, Tain, St Olaf, Panmure, Monifieth, Ladybank, Elie, Crail Balcomie, Lundin, Leven, Dunbar, Gullane#3, Kilspindie, Musselburgh Old, Irvine Bogside, Glasgow Gailes, Prestwick St Nicholas

 

In England check out New Zealand, West Hill, Reigate Heath, Camberley heath, Royal Ashdown Forest, Hindhead, Hayling, Bearwood Lakes, Coombe Hill, Littlestone, Perranporth, Seaton Carew, Huntercome, Tandridge, Piltdown

 

In Ireland/NI check out, The Valley course at Royal Portrush, Corballis, Portsalon, Cruit Island, Howth, Sutton, Strandhill, Northwest, Killarney Kileen, Dingle, Seapoint, Laytown& Bettystown, 

 

Links to photo tours of a few of these courses:

 

English Heaths

 

English Links

 

Irish Links

 

Scotland - East Lothian

 

Scotland - Highlands & Aberdeen

 

Scotland - Fife

 

Scotland - Ayr

 

PS - Here's a link to El Gringo's "Nifty 50" list for 2022 and top 20 in England. He has  great taste in golf courses. Not all of the first list are in GB&I and not all of them are "lesser known" but these are all worth looking into. S A's Nifty 50 list 2022. The English list has a lot of "lesser known gems: Gringo's English list

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2023 by sabram
To add GCA Link Nifty 50 & English lists

[ode]

7 hours ago, sabram said:

Visits to GB&I have been my favorites. I try to make one visit per year.

 

Yes, the true links are mind blowing (not just the first time, but also on each replay), and the English heaths are also really great.

 

The "lesser known" courses are well worth playing even if most don't make anyone's top 5 list. With so many visitors now to GB&I it's hard to say if these are still "lesser known", but each is worth including in your itinerary if you plan a trip to their respective area:

 

In Scotland look into Fraserburgh Corbie Hill, Brora, Golspie, Tain, St Olaf, Panmure, Monifieth, Ladybank, Elie, Crail Balcomie, Lundin, Leven, Dunbar, Gullane#3, Kilspindie, Musselburgh Old, Irvine Bogside, Glasgow Gailes, Prestwick St Nicholas

 

In England check out New Zealand, West Hill, Reigate Heath, Camberley heath, Royal Ashdown Forest, Hindhead, Hayling, Bearwood Lakes, Coombe Hill, Littlestone, Perranporth, Seaton Carew, Huntercome, Tandridge, Piltdown

 

In Ireland/NI check out, The Valley course at Royal Portrush, Corballis, Portsalon, Cruit Island, Howth, Sutton, Strandhill, Northwest, Killarney Kileen, Dingle, Seapoint, Laytown& Bettystown, 

 

Links to photo tours of a few of these courses:

 

English Heaths

 

English Links

 

Irish Links

 

Scotland - East Lothian

 

Scotland - Highlands & Aberdeen

 

Scotland - Fife

 

Scotland - Ayr

 

PS - Here's a link to El Gringo's "Nifty 50" list for 2022 and top 20 in England. He has  great taste in golf courses. Not all of the first list are in GB&I and not all of them are "lesser known" but these are all worth looking into. S A's Nifty 50 list 2022. The English list has a lot of "lesser known gems: Gringo's English list

 

 

 

 

 

 

🤔😳😉Thank you!

[ode]

7 hours ago, sabram said:

Visits to GB&I have been my favorites. I try to make one visit per year.

 

Yes, the true links are mind blowing (not just the first time, but also on each replay), and the English heaths are also really great.

 

The "lesser known" courses are well worth playing even if most don't make anyone's top 5 list. With so many visitors now to GB&I it's hard to say if these are still "lesser known", but each is worth including in your itinerary if you plan a trip to their respective area:

 

In Scotland look into Fraserburgh Corbie Hill, Brora, Golspie, Tain, St Olaf, Panmure, Monifieth, Ladybank, Elie, Crail Balcomie, Lundin, Leven, Dunbar, Gullane#3, Kilspindie, Musselburgh Old, Irvine Bogside, Glasgow Gailes, Prestwick St Nicholas

 

In England check out New Zealand, West Hill, Reigate Heath, Camberley heath, Royal Ashdown Forest, Hindhead, Hayling, Bearwood Lakes, Coombe Hill, Littlestone, Perranporth, Seaton Carew, Huntercome, Tandridge, Piltdown

 

In Ireland/NI check out, The Valley course at Royal Portrush, Corballis, Portsalon, Cruit Island, Howth, Sutton, Strandhill, Northwest, Killarney Kileen, Dingle, Seapoint, Laytown& Bettystown, 

 

Links to photo tours of a few of these courses:

 

English Heaths

 

English Links

 

Irish Links

 

Scotland - East Lothian

 

Scotland - Highlands & Aberdeen

 

Scotland - Fife

 

Scotland - Ayr

 

PS - Here's a link to El Gringo's "Nifty 50" list for 2022 and top 20 in England. He has  great taste in golf courses. Not all of the first list are in GB&I and not all of them are "lesser known" but these are all worth looking into. S A's Nifty 50 list 2022. The English list has a lot of "lesser known gems: Gringo's English list

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interesting this made it👇

 

Eagle Springs, WIS

 

that's close to my old stomping grounds!

 

who is El Gringo on Club Atlas?......I'm either missing something or missing some crucial DNA🙃

[sabram]

2 hours ago, ode said:

who is El Gringo on Club [Club]Atlas?.

Sent you a PM

[hammergolf]

11 hours ago, ode said:

That's great....look forward to any pics, reviews, etc after your trip!

 

I'll check out the vid when I get some time.

Here’s pics and reviews from my trip 2 yrs ago:

 

‘Here’s pics and review from my ‘21 trip

 

 

Edited December 30, 2023 by hammergolf

[davbrucas]

1. Shadow Creek

2. Kapalua

3. Augusta National

4. Cascata

5. Whispering Pines

[ESOX ZO]

Manele

The Ocean Course

Streamsong Red

Balsam Mt Preserve

Erin Hills