Favorite Courses You Have Played

Discussion in 'Golf' started by Matt in the Hat, Oct 7, 2010.

  1. Matt in the Hat

    Matt in the Hat Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 21, 2002
    Brooklyn
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Let's talk about the courses we love. They don't have to be Augusta, just courses and clubs that we love for any reason...

    Lake Mohonk Golf Course - New Paltz, NY

    http://www.mohonk.com/recreation/golfholes_description.cfm

    It's a 9 holer but it's the most beautiful and complex 9 holer I have ever been to. The first hole starts with a par 3 straight up in the air. It's officially 210 but it plays an extra 25 years easily. And if you hit it right, the green is littered with bunkers.

    Green Tees 118 (Slope)/66.6(Rating)/70 (Par)
    White Tees 108/63.2/66
    Red Tees 111/66.8/70

    Gwinnett Country Club - Snellville, GA

    http://www.clubcorp.com/club/script...E=CCGWI&APP=80&DN=LD_G_COURSE_CCGWI&SUBGRP=26

    Just a beautiful, well manicured course. It's a bit short but since it's new all the design is challenging (something in the way at 200 off the tee on every hole). About the friendliest staff ever.

    Blue Tees 118.0(Slope)/68.6(Rating)/72(Par)
    Gold Tees 128.0/70.4/72
    Green Tees 118.0/68.3/72
    White Tees 121.0/67.6/72

    Weequahic Park Golf Course - Newark NJ

    http://www.worldgolf.com/courses/usa/newjersey/newark/weequahic-park-golf-course-public.html

    Weequahic Park Golf Course is the oldest public golf course in the United State. And it is small and a little trashy. But it is one of the few places in the NY area that you can get on immediately on a Saturday during the summer. Also, being in Newark it's also the only course I have ever been to where white people are the minority. Gotten to play with some very cool people there. A great course to practice on.

    Forward Tees 113(Slope)/67.9(Rating)/70(Par)
    Middle Tees 108/66.3/70
     
  2. Bluto11

    Bluto11 The sky is falling!

    May 16, 2003
    Chicago, IL
    Blackwolf Run - Kohler, WI

    Got to play there this past summer for work. They have two courses River and Meadow Valley, but the only playable course right now is a combo of the two called the Championship Course (which apparently was the original set up)

    I reall like the Palmer course at Geneva National in Lake Geneva, WI. They have three courses (Palmer, Player, and Trevino) but I like the Palmer one the best. Has a hole along Lake Como that looks like 18 at Pebble Beach and since I slice most of my drives I don't have to worry about the water!!

    And for pure practice and hacking the ball around, I like playing the municipal course in Spring Green, WI (gf's family have a place nearby). $12 for 9 holes, $15 for 18! The first four are dead straight Par 4s starting at 310 and getting about 10 yards longer each hole. The 5th is a Par 3, which you think would be really short but it is 215 yards! Made me laugh the first time I played it. Easy course, but cheap and good place to hack it around for a few hours.
     
  3. DoctorJones24

    DoctorJones24 Member

    Aug 26, 1999
    OH
    Lake Mohonk is gorgeous; didn't know they had a golf course. That must be a pretty great place to play a round.

    Probably the best courses I've played:

    Royal Dar Es Salaam, Rabat, Morocco
    I think we played the less prestigious blue course, so I didn't get to check out the Roman ruins in the middle of the back 9 on the red course, but still damn fine layout. Feel a bit like an imperialist twit, of course, playing golf on the King's private course on the edge of the desert, with the lush fairways surrounded by dry brush.

    Monte Mayor, Andalucia, Spain
    Crazy mountain course my dad dragged me too. Valleys and ravines that look like those golf posters with mythical holes. Fun stuff, though bring extra balls.

    The Links at Hiawatha, Binghamton, NY
    I've never had any luck playing links golf, so this place probably gets bonus points as I somehow hit 10 fairways that day. Great layout with lots of strategic plays. Really well manicured course.

    Ottawa Park Golf Course, Toledo, OH
    Really short and easy (only rated 65), but the oldest course off the eastern seaboard and just a great old muni. Beautiful mature weeping willows line some of the ponds, and the 2 closing holes can really screw your round after you've waltzed through an easy scoring first 16.

    Others:
    Raspberry Falls, Leesburg, VA
    Sugarloaf Resort, Sugarloaf, Maine
    Montaup Country Club, Portsmouth, RI
     
  4. HerthaBerwyn

    HerthaBerwyn Member+

    May 24, 2003
    Chicago
  5. StiltonFC

    StiltonFC He said to only look up -- Guster

    Mar 18, 2007
    SoCal
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Played Pebble Beach, Cog Hill #2, Bandon Dunes ( the first two courses there ), Bear Creek ( in Wildomar, CA ), Turnberry, Royal Troon, Carnoustie, St. Andrews, Royal Dornoch, Ballybunion ( Old Course ), Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, Portmarnoch, and Spyglass Hill.

    Ballybunion was my favorite.
     
  6. StiltonFC

    StiltonFC He said to only look up -- Guster

    Mar 18, 2007
    SoCal
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    My mom's younger brother lived in Toledo, and I played there twice. Nice muni.

    My favorite local muni is Recreation Park 18 in Long Beach CA.

    Here's the scorecard. 6-7-8 are a nice sequence of holes.
     
  7. stanger

    stanger BigSoccer Supporter

    Nov 29, 2008
    Columbus
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    A few of my favorites that I have played are

    Muirfield Village, Dublin, Ohio. Lived here my entire life but was only privileged enough to play it once. Incredible from the Blues, impossible from the tips.

    Harbour Town, Hilton Head Island. Even if you hit the somewhat generous fairways, overhanging trees force you to play to a certain side of the fairway to have a chance for the green in regulation.

    Arcadia Bluffs, Arcadia MI. If you are anywhere close with your clubs, it is a must. The most incredible layout I have ever played.
     
  8. Captain Splarg

    Apr 25, 1999
    Pacific Grove, CA
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Pacific Grove Golf Links is my municipal course. Best thing about it is that during the offseason (Oct-May) As a resident of Pacific Grove, I can play there during the week for $15 or $28 on the weekend. During the season it is $30 weekday $35 weekend. This is about 2 miles down the coast from Pebble Beach, so same ocean, only about $450 cheaper.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Course is pretty fun to play, with the back 9 going along the ocean.

    http://www.pggolflinks.com/
     
  9. J 10

    J 10 Member

    Oct 15, 2009
    Meri-Lapin Golfklubi Finland

    Located on the Finnish and Swedish border in Tornio and Haaparanta. Some holes a located on the Finnish and some on the Swedish side. The sixth hole is straight on the border. It's a par 3 so basically when you tee off from Sweden and the green is in Finland your ball flyes for 1 hour and a few seconds :)

    http://www.golf.fi/portal/seurat_ja_kentat/seurat/meri-lapin_golfklubi/
     
    1 person likes this.
  10. John Jagou

    John Jagou BigSoccer Supporter

    Feb 8, 2006
    Austin, Texas
    Club:
    Pumas UNAM
    I am a big fan of lay of the land courses, and have a particular affinity for Donald Ross courses (but have not been to pinehurst).

    The most recent one I played was Dunedin Gold Club near Tampa. Very nice, but humid.

    Around here (Austin) we have a great collection of munis, and my two favorites are Pine Forest in Bastrop and Delaware Springs in Burnet.
     
  11. Bluto11

    Bluto11 The sky is falling!

    May 16, 2003
    Chicago, IL
    Played a scramble last weekend at Lost Marsh in Hammond, IN. Very easy to get to from Chicago, 30 minutes in no traffic because it is right off the Skyway. Tough course with a lot of water for the first 5 holes. #4 stunk, water right and OB about 10 yards from the fairway on the left. Better hit the tee shot straight! Would really like to play it for real and not in a scramble. Wouldn't be using the driver much on the first 5 holes.
     
  12. StiltonFC

    StiltonFC He said to only look up -- Guster

    Mar 18, 2007
    SoCal
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Have you played Heritage Bluffs in Chahannon, just near Joliet? Loved it. And Pine Meadow in Mundelein is sweet, too.
     
  13. HerthaBerwyn

    HerthaBerwyn Member+

    May 24, 2003
    Chicago
    I went to grade school right across the street from the entrance from Pine Meadow. Before 1986 it was a semi-maintained course used by St. Mary of the Lake Seminary. The original course was designed by Bill Flynn, who did Shinnecock. They took out a few interesting features but made an outstanding layout. Pine Meadow is a Joe Jemsek (Cog Hill, etc) course. Beautiful range too.

    I havent played it for a long time. there seem to be some recent negative reviews.

    http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-...&ved=0CAQQtgM&iwloc=cids:16123563611361461502
     
  14. StiltonFC

    StiltonFC He said to only look up -- Guster

    Mar 18, 2007
    SoCal
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    hmmmm.

    i did play there a long time ago. i was by meself, and i was first off the first tee. i don't remember rudeness, and the greens fee was about 40 bucks. but when i played St. Andrews, the greens fee was 37 pounds, which was around $70. that was 1992. times have changed.
     
  15. Bluto11

    Bluto11 The sky is falling!

    May 16, 2003
    Chicago, IL
    Haven't played either, but I'll have to check them out!
     
  16. StiltonFC

    StiltonFC He said to only look up -- Guster

    Mar 18, 2007
    SoCal
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    for sure, Heritage Bluffs. the greens fees at Pine Meadow are twice what i paid, but that was 15 years ago, and it might be the course mgmt isn't as solid as then. but Pine Meadow is Jemsek, who is the Cog Hill guy. i played at Dubsdread twicet. man is that a great track. i scraped out an 86 from the whites the second time i played there. the first time, it was early and wet. the rough hadn't been cut so any ball in the rough was at most a 7 iron, which you could hit 80 yards, with roll. i stopped keeping score after the 9th hole. but i did par 11 -- had a decent roll at a birdie -- and 13, which is a hole with about a 40 yard deep green. the second time i played, i double bogeyed 13. hit my drive into the rough and my approach -- after i hit a short iron out of the rough -- went into the bunker left of the green.

    11 was only playing about 475 yards cuz you can come over the trees and hit the green. i wasn't on in 2, but i had a pitch and a putt, from about 8 feet. not a good pitch.
     
  17. Bluto11

    Bluto11 The sky is falling!

    May 16, 2003
    Chicago, IL
    I may get a chance to play Dubsdred with a co-worker in the next few weeks, have never played any of the courses at Cog
     
  18. StiltonFC

    StiltonFC He said to only look up -- Guster

    Mar 18, 2007
    SoCal
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    this time of year, unless it rains, the course ought to be in great shape. they will be getting ready for the BMW Championship in mid-September.
     
  19. Bluto11

    Bluto11 The sky is falling!

    May 16, 2003
    Chicago, IL
    Yeah, I think we are trying to get on after that, end of Septemberish
     
  20. StiltonFC

    StiltonFC He said to only look up -- Guster

    Mar 18, 2007
    SoCal
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    a buddy of mine played the Monday after the Buick at Torrey Pines. he said that the greens were pretty scary.
     
  21. HerthaBerwyn

    HerthaBerwyn Member+

    May 24, 2003
    Chicago
  22. StiltonFC

    StiltonFC He said to only look up -- Guster

    Mar 18, 2007
    SoCal
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    the course looks very simple and straight-forward, except for the bunkering. not much water, not many trees. i would guess it's fairly flat.

    the par 3s look tough, but the yardage is only 6500 from the whites.

    i played Cantigny, just down the street.
     
  23. Bluto11

    Bluto11 The sky is falling!

    May 16, 2003
    Chicago, IL
    That would be awesome. I have a friend who is an associate member at Medinah. They take one Friday a year and play all three courses, I get to join in next summer. Of course, #3 will probably be shut down in Ryder Cup prep-mode. S
     
  24. Talart248

    Talart248 New Member

    Jul 8, 2008
    Club:
    Adelaide United
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
  25. John Jagou

    John Jagou BigSoccer Supporter

    Feb 8, 2006
    Austin, Texas
    Club:
    Pumas UNAM
    Over the past few months, I have gotten to play:
    Stevens Park. A timeless muni in Dallas that has recently been retro fixed (square greens are back).

    Briggs Ranch - a veddy private club west of San Antonio in the Hill Country. A Fazio design that was more than fair, especially considering the terrain. I wish I could say the same about the enhanced interrogator, Robert Trent Jones. I needed a birdie on 18 to break 90, and I got it.

    Roy Kizer - The crown jewel of Public courses in Austin. Winter rains have filled the ponds and lakes that make up this links-style course which doubles as a bird estuary. If any of y'all make it down this way, I highly recommend it.

    And a few years ago, my bro in law and I did a tour of Donald Ross courses in Western Carolima. That was fun.
     

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