Top 5 Courses You have played...

[Sawgrass]

Top five in multiple-hole-overwhelming-awesomeness, alpha order:

Coeur d' Alene
Dye Fore (Dominican Republic)
Kiawah Island Ocean
Pebble Beach
Maidstone
TPC Sawgrass

(Sorry, can't count, overwhelmed by the awesomeness. Every one of those babies left me with a gaping jaw.)

[Brianm423]

Primland
The Greenbrier Course
Pinehurst #4
Osprey Cove
Spring Creek

[Major Duffer]

Pine Valley
National Golf Links
Teeth of the Dog
Pebble Beach
Quaker Ridge

I found it quite hard to rank these in order. They vary so greatly but all are simply awesome. Also hard to leave a small group of others off the list.

[DJFRY5]

-Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes

-Kapalua Plantation

-Torrey Pines South

-El Dorado (Cabo)

-Crosswater

[eugkim]

I'll give 2 rankings. I'm fortunate to have memberships that allow access to some nice courses. Based on that, I don't play much outside of those courses.
1) Huntsville
2) Saucon Valley Weyhill
3) Saucon Valley Old Course
4) Innisbrook Copperhead
5) Saucon Valley Grace

My top outside courses
1) Harbour Town
2) Doral Blue Monster
3) Wild Dunes Links
4) Glenmaura National
5) Pine Needles

I'd have to add the Saratoga Spa Course as a definite sleeper. If this were a private course, it would be a phenomenal course.

[cmullin007]

1. Bethpage Black.
2. Royal New Kent.
3. Colbert Hills.
4. Fords Colony.
5. Colonial Heritage.

Looking to replace some of those very soon. But that is what I have.

[deerseed]

1. Ocean Course
2. Stono Ferry
3. Turtle Point
4. Shadowmoss
5. Patriots Point

Honorable Mention: Karsten Creek

All mine so far are in South Carolina. I started playing courses over $20 while here.

[kiwiSouthPaw]

1 - Pacific Dunes/The Old Course at St. Andrews
3 - Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club
4 - Chambers Bay
5 - Olympic Club (Lake)

[adfrick]

1. Augusta National
2. Pebble Beach
3. Lahinch Old
4. Ballybunion Old course
5. Pasatiempo

[FSCMatt]

1) Oakland Hills
2) The Dunes Club (New Buffalo, MI)
3) Butler National
4) Pointe O' Woods
5) Kampen Course at Purdue

I'll likely be playing Streamsong in a month so I'm sure they'll be added to the list.

[ND2005]

The Old Course
Carnoustie
Seaside @ Sea Island
Ocean Forest @ Sea Island
Harbour Town

[cleatsupkeep]

No particular order:

Chambers Bay
Pebble Beach
Spyglass Hill
Bandon Dunes
Pasatiempo

With Olympic an honorable mention

[FairwayFred]

In the USA-

1. Sand Hills
2. National GL
3. Oakmont
4. Cypress Point
5. Pine Valley

Outside USA-

1. Royal County Down
2. Muirfield
3. Old Course
4. Lahinch
5. Ballybunion

[scratchswinger]

[quote name='FairwayFred' timestamp='1382410148' post='8038141']
In the USA-

1. Sand Hills
2. National GL
3. Oakmont
4. Cypress Point
5. Pine Valley

Outside USA-

1. Royal County Down
2. Muirfield
3. Old Course
4. Lahinch
5. Ballybunion
[/quote]

Pine Valley is number 5? Please explain what was better about the four others.

Incredible list. [size=4] [/size]

[FairwayFred]

[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1382412728' post='8038329']
[quote name='FairwayFred' timestamp='1382410148' post='8038141']
In the USA-

1. Sand Hills
2. National GL
3. Oakmont
4. Cypress Point
5. Pine Valley

Outside USA-

1. Royal County Down
2. Muirfield
3. Old Course
4. Lahinch
5. Ballybunion
[/quote]

Pine Valley is number 5? Please explain what was better about the four others.

Incredible list.
[/quote]

First of all I think that when you get to the top level of golf courses what is "better" is mostly a question of personal preference. I personally prefer natural, open, windy, linksy courses with little to no trees to tree lined more typical American style courses.

As far as natural, open, windy, linksy golf courses it simply does not get any better than Sand Hills which is, IMO, the best golf course in the world. Every single hole on the course could be argued is the best hole. There is no hole that is even close to weak or has any weakness. The course fits PERFECTLY into its natural terrain. Almost no dirt was moved in the building of the course and it looks like it has been there for 1000 years. It is incredibly fun to play while still being extremely challenging and will play differently every time you play it based on the bounce of the ball, wind conditions, pin positions etc. There is incredible variety in the hole lengths and has the best set of par 5s you will ever see which are a perfect example. #1 is 560 with a downhill tee shot and a shot up to an uphill green on top of a dune. #14 is 500 and very reachable to a tiny sliver of a green benched into the side of a sand dune and heavily bunkered. Best short par 5 I have ever played. $16 is 625 downhill and turning left. Looks 1000+ yards off the tee. Incredible hole. Maybe my favorite par 5 in the world and certainly the best long 3 shot par 5. I could go on and on...

National Golf Links is another open, wind swept classic golf course. It is a living breathing golf museum being the first championship course in the states and still being 99% the same today as the day it opened in 1911. I absolutely love this course and think it is as much fun to play as anywhere in the world. The strategic options that this course puts in front of you are unmatched. It is challenging and has an incredible amount of variety in shots and the looks it gives you. You could play this course twice in a day, never hit the same club (including off the tee) and shoot the same number.

Oakmont is exactly what a really hard "championship" golf course should be. The fairways are tight and heavily bunkered, the bunkers deep and penal, the greens heavily and brilliantly contoured, the ground plays firm and fast and the greens run very fast and true. It has no water hazards at all. The course is wide open with no trees in the line of play anywhere. This allows the player to choose their line and ball flight off the tee rather than the course making that decision. What really sets Oakmont apart from other "really hard" courses is the variety in hole lengths and CHARACTER that the course has. Most courses designed to be hard have a ridiculous set of par 4s that are all extremely long. Oakmont has 5 par 4s that are under 360 yards from the back tee. Some of those holes are the hardest on the course. It also has a completely unique look, feel and character that I just love.

Cypress Point is just beautiful. Thats the best word to describe it. The golf course blends in perfectly with the raw natural beauty of the surrounding ocean, sand dunes and cypress trees. The bunkering is true art work. On a nice sunny day there is no more idilic place for a game anywhere in the world than Cypress. It also has great variety in hole lengths and shots required, one of the worlds great short par 4s and the worlds best long par 3. In fact 15 and 16 are two of the best par 3s in the world, play back to back and could not be any more different and I love the convention defying decision to put them back to back in the routing. Special special place.

I also love Pine Valley. For a tree lined parkland golf course with multiple water hazards it is as good as it gets. My favorite part of PV is shapes and contours of the greens which are just brilliant. If you get to know the course you can really feed the ball off different slopes in the greens and shape your shot to get it close to different pin positions. There are just some amazing shots and some of the worlds best holes out there but there are 2 holes that I am personally not totally in love with. While visually tree lined the trees are not really in play nearly as much as they look. In fact I think the course plays a lot easier than it looks especially off the tee. It also plays firm and fast most of the time which I appreciate. Awesome golf course and I wouldn't tell someone who puts it #1 that they are wrong, just that I disagree and likes a few others better. If you take my top 10 in the world PV comes in 7th.

Most importantly to me if you offered me a game tomorrow at any of those 4 or Pine Valley I would choose any of those 4. To me thats what really determines "best".

[Sabaka]

St. Andrews
Victoria National
Valhalla
Torrey Pines
Tie between Olympic and Kingsbarns

[scratchswinger]

[size=4][quote name='FairwayFred' timestamp='1382414904' post='8038483'][/size]
[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1382412728' post='8038329']
[quote name='FairwayFred' timestamp='1382410148' post='8038141']
In the USA-

1. Sand Hills
2. National GL
3. Oakmont
4. Cypress Point
5. Pine Valley

Outside USA-

1. Royal County Down
2. Muirfield
3. Old Course
4. Lahinch
5. Ballybunion
[/quote]

Pine Valley is number 5? Please explain what was better about the four others.

Incredible list.
[/quote]

First of all I think that when you get to the top level of golf courses what is "better" is mostly a question of personal preference. I personally prefer natural, open, windy, linksy courses with little to no trees to tree lined more typical American style courses.

As far as natural, open, windy, linksy golf courses it simply does not get any better than Sand Hills which is, IMO, the best golf course in the world. Every single hole on the course could be argued is the best hole. There is no hole that is even close to weak or has any weakness. The course fits PERFECTLY into its natural terrain. Almost no dirt was moved in the building of the course and it looks like it has been there for 1000 years. It is incredibly fun to play while still being extremely challenging and will play differently every time you play it based on the bounce of the ball, wind conditions, pin positions etc. There is incredible variety in the hole lengths and has the best set of par 5s you will ever see which are a perfect example. #1 is 560 with a downhill tee shot and a shot up to an uphill green on top of a dune. #14 is 500 and very reachable to a tiny sliver of a green benched into the side of a sand dune and heavily bunkered. Best short par 5 I have ever played. $16 is 625 downhill and turning left. Looks 1000+ yards off the tee. Incredible hole. Maybe my favorite par 5 in the world and certainly the best long 3 shot par 5. I could go on and on...

National Golf Links is another open, wind swept classic golf course. It is a living breathing golf museum being the first championship course in the states and still being 99% the same today as the day it opened in 1911. I absolutely love this course and think it is as much fun to play as anywhere in the world. The strategic options that this course puts in front of you are unmatched. It is challenging and has an incredible amount of variety in shots and the looks it gives you. You could play this course twice in a day, never hit the same club (including off the tee) and shoot the same number.

Oakmont is exactly what a really hard "championship" golf course should be. The fairways are tight and heavily bunkered, the bunkers deep and penal, the greens heavily and brilliantly contoured, the ground plays firm and fast and the greens run very fast and true. It has no water hazards at all. The course is wide open with no trees in the line of play anywhere. This allows the player to choose their line and ball flight off the tee rather than the course making that decision. What really sets Oakmont apart from other "really hard" courses is the variety in hole lengths and CHARACTER that the course has. Most courses designed to be hard have a ridiculous set of par 4s that are all extremely long. Oakmont has 5 par 4s that are under 360 yards from the back tee. Some of those holes are the hardest on the course. It also has a completely unique look, feel and character that I just love.

Cypress Point is just beautiful. Thats the best word to describe it. The golf course blends in perfectly with the raw natural beauty of the surrounding ocean, sand dunes and cypress trees. The bunkering is true art work. On a nice sunny day there is no more idilic place for a game anywhere in the world than Cypress. It also has great variety in hole lengths and shots required, one of the worlds great short par 4s and the worlds best long par 3. In fact 15 and 16 are two of the best par 3s in the world, play back to back and could not be any more different and I love the convention defying decision to put them back to back in the routing. Special special place.

I also love Pine Valley. For a tree lined parkland golf course with multiple water hazards it is as good as it gets. My favorite part of PV is shapes and contours of the greens which are just brilliant. If you get to know the course you can really feed the ball off different slopes in the greens and shape your shot to get it close to different pin positions. There are just some amazing shots and some of the worlds best holes out there but there are 2 holes that I am personally not totally in love with. While visually tree lined the trees are not really in play nearly as much as they look. In fact I think the course plays a lot easier than it looks especially off the tee. It also plays firm and fast most of the time which I appreciate. Awesome golf course and I wouldn't tell someone who puts it #1 that they are wrong, just that I disagree and likes a few others better. If you take my top 10 in the world PV comes in 7th.

Most importantly to me if you offered me a game tomorrow at any of those 4 or Pine Valley I would choose any of those 4. To me thats what really determines "best".
[/quote]

Wowzers!!!! You knocked it out of the park with post and thank you for sharing a little of your experiences. I obviously have never played any of those courses but Sand Hills has always intrigued me the most and the reason why is because of the mystique and how unknown that it is.

I think I have watched this YouTube clip 100 times.

[media=]http://youtu.be/jCXQmH48CZs[/media]

And I always found this to be really cool. Is this really the road that leads to the course? Just the middle of nowhere...

[attachment=1921509:Sand Hills.jpg]

[scratchswinger]

Here is another shot showing how remote Sand Hills is.

[attachment=1921511:Sand Hills 2.jpg]

[FairwayFred]

[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1382415728' post='8038525']
[size=4][quote name='FairwayFred' timestamp='1382414904' post='8038483'][/size]
[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1382412728' post='8038329']
[quote name='FairwayFred' timestamp='1382410148' post='8038141']
In the USA-

1. Sand Hills
2. National GL
3. Oakmont
4. Cypress Point
5. Pine Valley

Outside USA-

1. Royal County Down
2. Muirfield
3. Old Course
4. Lahinch
5. Ballybunion
[/quote]

Pine Valley is number 5? Please explain what was better about the four others.

Incredible list.
[/quote]

First of all I think that when you get to the top level of golf courses what is "better" is mostly a question of personal preference. I personally prefer natural, open, windy, linksy courses with little to no trees to tree lined more typical American style courses.

As far as natural, open, windy, linksy golf courses it simply does not get any better than Sand Hills which is, IMO, the best golf course in the world. Every single hole on the course could be argued is the best hole. There is no hole that is even close to weak or has any weakness. The course fits PERFECTLY into its natural terrain. Almost no dirt was moved in the building of the course and it looks like it has been there for 1000 years. It is incredibly fun to play while still being extremely challenging and will play differently every time you play it based on the bounce of the ball, wind conditions, pin positions etc. There is incredible variety in the hole lengths and has the best set of par 5s you will ever see which are a perfect example. #1 is 560 with a downhill tee shot and a shot up to an uphill green on top of a dune. #14 is 500 and very reachable to a tiny sliver of a green benched into the side of a sand dune and heavily bunkered. Best short par 5 I have ever played. $16 is 625 downhill and turning left. Looks 1000+ yards off the tee. Incredible hole. Maybe my favorite par 5 in the world and certainly the best long 3 shot par 5. I could go on and on...

National Golf Links is another open, wind swept classic golf course. It is a living breathing golf museum being the first championship course in the states and still being 99% the same today as the day it opened in 1911. I absolutely love this course and think it is as much fun to play as anywhere in the world. The strategic options that this course puts in front of you are unmatched. It is challenging and has an incredible amount of variety in shots and the looks it gives you. You could play this course twice in a day, never hit the same club (including off the tee) and shoot the same number.

Oakmont is exactly what a really hard "championship" golf course should be. The fairways are tight and heavily bunkered, the bunkers deep and penal, the greens heavily and brilliantly contoured, the ground plays firm and fast and the greens run very fast and true. It has no water hazards at all. The course is wide open with no trees in the line of play anywhere. This allows the player to choose their line and ball flight off the tee rather than the course making that decision. What really sets Oakmont apart from other "really hard" courses is the variety in hole lengths and CHARACTER that the course has. Most courses designed to be hard have a ridiculous set of par 4s that are all extremely long. Oakmont has 5 par 4s that are under 360 yards from the back tee. Some of those holes are the hardest on the course. It also has a completely unique look, feel and character that I just love.

Cypress Point is just beautiful. Thats the best word to describe it. The golf course blends in perfectly with the raw natural beauty of the surrounding ocean, sand dunes and cypress trees. The bunkering is true art work. On a nice sunny day there is no more idilic place for a game anywhere in the world than Cypress. It also has great variety in hole lengths and shots required, one of the worlds great short par 4s and the worlds best long par 3. In fact 15 and 16 are two of the best par 3s in the world, play back to back and could not be any more different and I love the convention defying decision to put them back to back in the routing. Special special place.

I also love Pine Valley. For a tree lined parkland golf course with multiple water hazards it is as good as it gets. My favorite part of PV is shapes and contours of the greens which are just brilliant. If you get to know the course you can really feed the ball off different slopes in the greens and shape your shot to get it close to different pin positions. There are just some amazing shots and some of the worlds best holes out there but there are 2 holes that I am personally not totally in love with. While visually tree lined the trees are not really in play nearly as much as they look. In fact I think the course plays a lot easier than it looks especially off the tee. It also plays firm and fast most of the time which I appreciate. Awesome golf course and I wouldn't tell someone who puts it #1 that they are wrong, just that I disagree and likes a few others better. If you take my top 10 in the world PV comes in 7th.

Most importantly to me if you offered me a game tomorrow at any of those 4 or Pine Valley I would choose any of those 4. To me thats what really determines "best".
[/quote]

Wowzers!!!! You knocked it out of the park with post and thank you for sharing a little of your experiences. I obviously have never played any of those courses but Sand Hills has always intrigued me the most and the reason why is because of the mystique and how unknown that it is.

I think I have watched this YouTube clip 100 times.



And I always found this to be really cool. Is this really the road that leads to the course? Just the middle of nowhere...

[attachment=1921509:Sand Hills.jpg]
[/quote]

No problem at all. Golf courses and golf clubs are my 2 true passions in life outside of my family. (maybe cars too) One of the many things that makes the game of golf the greatest in the world is all the different courses you can see and experience that are completely different all while playing the same great game. That is totally unique to golf in the sports world.

That is the road that leads to Sand Hills. There may be no course in the world that is more "in the middle of nowhere" than Sand Hills. It is in a county of less than 500 people with a population density of less than 1 person per square mile and 5+ hours from the closest major airport.

[FSCMatt]

Man do I want to go to Sand Hills. I've been listening to guys talk about it for years and knew it was special, but never looked into it. Special is an understatement..

[mattsam]

[quote]

That is the road that leads to Sand Hills. There may be no course in the world that is more "in the middle of nowhere" than Sand Hills. It is in a county of less than 500 people with a population density of less than 1 person per square mile and 5+ hours from the closest major airport.
[/quote]


No kidding! Its an awesome experience.

[mflores]

I got lucky this year with rounds here's my best played in 2013 (I couldn't pair it down):
[list]
[*]Merion
[*]Pacific Dunes (all the courses at Bandon are awesome)
[*]Riveria
[*]Cherry Hills
[*]Castle Pines
[*]Straits
[*]Erin Hills
[/list]

[DMC123]

Sciota Country Club Upper Arlington, Ohio

Firestone South Course Akron, Ohio

Ohio State Scarlet Course Columbus, Ohio

Lakewood Country Club, Westlake, Ohio

Pine Valley, Clementon, New Jersey

[DMC123]

Here's 5 more I've been fortunate to play

Ridgewood CC, New Jersey

Keeowee, South Carolina

Univ of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI

WHISTLING STRAITS

OAKMONT

[DMC123]

Here's 5 more I've been fortunate to play

Ridgewood CC, New Jersey

Keeowee, South Carolina

Univ of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI

WHISTLING STRAITS

OAKMONT

[1ofTheseKnights]

LOLOLOL My list suuuucks compared to most of y'alls. Going to break the rules a little bit.

1. TPC Craig Ranch (for free thank you Ryan Palmer!)
2. Grand Cypress (all of them)
3. Amelia Island - Ocean Links Course
4-6 (tied). The Tribute (Colony, TX N of Dallas), Dallas Cowboys Golf Club, Tour 18 Dallas
7. Orange Lake Legends

[9ccat9]

Oakmont
Muirfield Village
Torrey Pines South
Pasatiempo
Medalist

[putts4bogey]

1. Medinah CC (IL)
2. Cog Hill (IL)
3. Wolf Creek (NV)
4. Diamond Ridge CC (NV)
5. TPC Sawgrass (FL)

Maybe not the most prestigious Top 5, but the 5 I enjoyed the most.

[OpusX20]

[quote name='1ofTheseKnights' timestamp='1383353850' post='8090672']
3. Amelia Island - Ocean Links Course
[/quote]

Personally, I wouldn't necessarily put Amelia Island in my Top 5. But, it really is a fun golf course. And very underrated. Those back to back par 3's along the ocean are fantastic.

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

Not in order....


Arcadia Bluffs
Forest Dunes
Holston Hills CC
Hackensack GC
Tobacco Road

Since I have played over 400 courses, it is tough to pick 5!