What kind of course do you prefer?

[SuperDave]

Just trying to start an interesting conversation here. Answers, can be anywhere from length, more or less bunkers or water hazards to residential areas or courses in the middle of no where.

 

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[SuperDave]

When I first started golfing again my biggest fear was going to these courses that I hadn't been to before and it being like Bushwood Country Club. Not liking the outsiders, the hackers and the duffers. Luckily, I haven't actually ran into that, but some seeming to lean that way.

Now, speaking to what I like in a course is friendliness. People who greet you like you belong no matter what your skill level. Now as the years have gone by and I'm still not that good, I prefer challenging courses. Bunkers, water. I like the thrill. Like Tin Cup trying to clear the water in 2. So, what if I don't make it. I can learn from it or not and try it again. I don't like houses. I prefer to middle of no where courses with the fresh air and wildlife. Golf to me is always a getaway. Even if it's just for 4 hours. I like the disconnection. Just friends and me challenging each other at a sport that we're not that good at. Concerning length, it doesn't really matter. One friend and I sometimes play from the tips. It's not ideal for us but we figure, we paid to play, might as well get all the yards we can out of it.

 

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[Kenny B]

I am not really particular about the courses I play; I will play most anywhere.  My wife and I travel quite a bit to play golf.  So, one of the things I look for is a course that is "woman friendly".  What I mean by that is:

 

What's the length from the forward tees?  Should be less than 5400y; my wife is 60 and doesn't hit it as far as she used to.

Are there forced carries around 135-150y?  That's a tough carry distance for her.

Are there elevated greens?  Same as with forced carries as it means she can't fly it onto the green.

 

We played one course in Oregon that had multiple holes that required a 160y drive to carry a creek, so layup with less than driver was needed as the risk was too great.  However, the second shot for her was a 3W that she couldn't get to the green.  The course took the driver, her best club, out of play.  One hole like that is OK, but there were many like that.  No fun.

 

As for me, I like courses that don't have lots of houses close to play.  Not that they are in play; I just like the openness of nature; not people's backyards.  One of my all time favorite courses is River Islands just east of Knoxville, TN.  It's an out-and-back course; no turn at the clubhouse.  There's a snack bar between #9 and #10.  Plays over the river several times and includes a par 3 and two par 5's on an island.  Only one house on the course, at least the last time I played it.

[mdumble21]

This is an interesting topic, and I'm surprised no one's brought it up before.

 

I like courses that favour good putting (putting's usually one of my strong suits), wedges and iron play. They don't to be overally long (I hate courses with a lot of 400yd par 4s, for example), but they do have to make you think about shot placement and use almost every club in the bag. Two of my favourite courses encourage both of those principles - Melville Glades in Perth & Royal Queensland in Brisbane. Melville Glades is a tighter course with a few long holes (particularly on the front 9) including a 230yd (usually in wind) par 3 and the par 5s aren't really 2 shot holes (unless you hit a 300yd+ drive). Royal Queensland, in contrast, is quite open but is quite long as well. A few of the par 5s are 2 shot holes (again if you hit a 270yd+ drive), but there's enough bumps and mounds to make you really think about where to land your next shot. Both courses have fantastic greens, each one having a fair bit of slope in them without being stupidly quick.

 

Also, I do tend to like courses that have a bit of wildlife on them, be it friendly or dangerous. Melville Glades, for example, has a few mobs of kangaroos (mob = group of kangaroos), and you tend to see at least 2-3 kangaroos on every hole. Another example is Secret Harbour, near Mandurah, where one day you might see a bandicoot (quite rare marsupials) and another you might see a Dugite (a very venomous snake that would easily be in the top 10 most venomous in Australia).

[JudgeSmails]

I like courses that don't have all the fairways lined with houses...not because of hitting them, just seems more pleasing to the eye for me.

 

As far as layout, I like some variety....give me a couple short par 4's, maybe even a driveable one with some risk/reward...and some longer ones with open fairways, some doglegs, I want to have to think a bit on the tee.....always like to have a 'signature' type short par 3, surrounded by trouble.   

[SuperDave]

I like courses that don't have all the fairways lined with houses...not because of hitting them, just seems more pleasing to the eye for me.

 

As far as layout, I like some variety....give me a couple short par 4's, maybe even a driveable one with some risk/reward...and some longer ones with open fairways, some doglegs, I want to have to think a bit on the tee.....always like to have a 'signature' type short par 3, surrounded by trouble.

And no trees off the tee on the right side. Even though you never slice.

 

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[hckymeyer]

I prefer the course I can drive my golf cart to

 

Things I want in a course..

 

• Don't be overly penal on a small miss.  If you miss your target by 5 or 10 yards don't make it automatically cost me a stroke
• Some risk/reward holes.  Give me a barely reachable par 4 or a couple par 5's where you can get home in 2 with a couple great shots
• Consistent conditions.  Greens roll the same throughout the course, rough is the about the same, sand is consistent
• Greens that roll true.  I like faster greens, but speed matters less than a smooth surface.

Things I don't want in a course

 

• Gimmicky holes.  Holes where you are forced to hit to a specific spot or you're in jail.  Like a 300 yd par 4 with a 90 degree dogleg where you can only hit between 160-185 off the tee.  One is OK, but if the course has 4 or 5 holes with forced lay ups I'm not going to be coming back
• Too many blind shots.  I'd like a reasonable chance at a decent score the first time I play a course.  I don't like courses that require a high amount of "local knowledge" to figure out where you are supposed to hit your shots
• Bunkers in the middle of the fairway.  I really hate this one, you shouldn't be penalized for piping a drive down the middle.  Period.

[Kor.A.Door]

At this stage I don't mind a long course, I am still hit the ball pretty far, so the course length doesn't bother me, I like to be challenged when I play, however, I don't like gimmick holes, or holes with trees in the fairways or bunkers in the middle of the fairways with forced carries or layups, I've played courses where they have protected the green with a huge tree, 175 yards and you have to curve it from right to left, but the entire left 2/3 yard f the green is covered by tree branches, I don't mind bunkers or trees in the middle of the fairway if there are different options. Just don't put it in the landing zone, I've played a course where the hole is 280, so it's drivable, but at the 150 mark there is a huge maple tree, you either go left of it or right of it, or layup over top of it with hybrid or 5wood or something like that. There is t too much that bothers me with course lay out, just make it fair.

[Kenny B]

Things I don't want in a course

 

• Gimmicky holes.  Holes where you are forced to hit to a specific spot or you're in jail.  Like a 300 yd par 4 with a 90 degree dogleg where you can only hit between 160-185 off the tee.  One is OK, but if the course has 4 or 5 holes with forced lay ups I'm not going to be coming back
• Too many blind shots.  I'd like a reasonable chance at a decent score the first time I play a course.  I don't like courses that require a high amount of "local knowledge" to figure out where you are supposed to hit your shots
• Bunkers in the middle of the fairway.  I really hate this one, you shouldn't be penalized for piping a drive down the middle.  Period.

 

I agree with all of these.  

 

You remind me of a course in western Washington that had a straight-away blind tee shot with a tree that looked like it was in the middle of the fairway, but it was over the hill.  I had never played this course before, so really didn't know what was over the hill.  Hit it down the middle and never found my ball.

 

Not being familiar with the course has it's disadvantages.  Of all places... I was standing on the first tee at Bandon Dunes with my caddie.  He said just hit it down the middle.  Well I did, but when we got to my ball, it was in a mound of rough right in the middle of the fairway.  Nice start!!  Thank you very little.  Except for the first shot, I must say though that the caddie did a wonderful job!

[fozcycle]

I play flat courses all year long, so when I travel, I like to play courses with some elevation.  This week, I drive an hour to Ocala to play in a Senior Invitational(2 day) tourney with a frind of mine.  We have been going for almost 10 years.  Since we go up on Friday for a practice round, we spend two nights in a hotel.  Our wives drive up on Saturday to join us.  The course is sucha pleasure to play, I do not mind paying extra to stay over.  The course is a municipal course (Ocala Municipal) which was redone in 2009 and maintains a rolling hills trek that keeps you guessing.  This sorta reminds me of the rolling courses I grew up on in Central Kentucky.

[Liberty Ball Markers]

I like a challenge - elevations, water, holes that really make you think. I also like a course that's well cared for, and friendly people.

 

 

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[AH1980MN]

Any course I can afford (and some I can't) - the challenge is always there, whatever the layout, condition, etc.

[mdumble21]

I like a challenge - elevations, water, holes that really make you think. I also like a course that's well cared for, and friendly people.

 

 

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If you like water hazards and elevated greens, then you should play at a course in my city. It has a river running up the side of it (about 5 holes have it in play), and the greens are about 2 feet above the fairway on average.

[Chris O.]

My favorite courses are ones that you have to think your way around. I don't like just taking driver off every tee and short iron or wedge into every green. Forced carries can get annoying but I do like forced layups, I like that it makes you play your second shot differently and play the course how it was designed to be played. I like well placed bunkers that make you play different shots. Long hard par 3's are great. I hate unfair greens. Like what hckymeyer said, a little miss with a big penalty. I don't mean with a hazard or something, but more so with the design and undulation. Small crowned greens shouldn't be allowed, Unless it's a risk/reward hole i.e. Short drivable par 4. The Ledges GC in Southern Utah is, in my opinion, a brilliantly designed course

 

 

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[EthanSterlingPrice]

I don't necessarily have a course type I dislike but I'm not a very long hitter so shorter courses and ones you have to play position golf on fit my game better. Not to mention it's kinda fun to see a bomber lose his only advantage every once in a while, short knockers unite!

 

 

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[Kenny B]

I like a challenge - elevations, water, holes that really make you think. I also like a course that's well cared for, and friendly people.

 

 

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If you like elevation changes, come play the mountain courses in the Pacific Northwest!!  

Suncadia in the Cascade Range

[SuperDave]

If you like elevation changes, come play the mountain courses in the Pacific Northwest!!

Suncadia in the Cascade Range

IMG_4163.jpg

I wish I could. That's the kinda layout I like.

 

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[Thainer21]

Links all day for me.

 

 

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[SuperDave]

Links all day for me.

 

 

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I want to play a real links course. I know it would be hard, but it still be awsome.

 

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[Thainer21]

I want to play a real links course. I know it would be hard, but it still be awsome.

 

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ive spent just under a month in Scotland broken into two different trips.

 

Heaven on earth.

 

It's not that much different. Just more enjoyable

 

 

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[DaveP043]

I'm with Thainer21, I've really enjoyed true links courses in Scotland and Ireland.  I like the choices you can make based on wind and ground conditions.  I like having to decide whether to hit a 50 yard wedge, or a 50-yard putt.  I (kind of) like having to aim at Canada in order to have a chance to hit a fairway in Ireland.  And of course, I like the Irish and Scottish people, their adult beverages, their hospitality, the craic, (some of) their food, the whole experience.  

Aside from that, I prefer limited use of water hazards and "lost ball" types of rough. I prefer minimal intrusion by adjacent housing.  I like firm and fast more than bite and back-up.  I don't mind bunkers at all, but I prefer semi-firm sand to soft and fluffy.  I like reasonably fast greens, but I've seen that overdone to where its nearly impossible.  I like a mix of holes, short and long, straight and doglegs both directions.  I prefer strategic to punitive.  I probably have a million other preferences and opinions that I can't think of just now.  But really, I've not played many courses that I didn't enjoy.

[MmmmmmBuddy]

Dessert Course. Followed by coffee.

[Thainer21]

Dessert Course. Followed by coffee.

in bed by 8, home by 11.

 

 

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[revkev]

Anything that I've ever played by Pete Dye, Tom Fazio and Donald Ross. I do care about conditioning, no trick holes and pace of play too.

 

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[Jmikecpa]

I like course to be challenging but fair. Played too many courses over the past few years where marginal shots were punished as much of not more than terrible shots. Consistent greens are also a preference.

 

 

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[revkev]

I thought I'd start a new thread about holes that we like but didn't want to take away from Dave's excellent thread on favorite courses so thought I'd hop in with an interesting hole from my club that is full of interesting holes.  I bring this hole up because it goes to the issue of trees in the middle of the fairway which we all seem to dislike.

 

Number 8 at Bayou is 440 from the tips (not for me) and 420 from three tee boxes that will house the blue tees that I play from.  The variety of boxes give a variety of angles that change the hole's character.  There is a lateral hazard all the way down the left side and a loan tree that just over hangs into the right side of the fairway. 

 

As much as I hate that tree it's brilliant.  You tend to bail right on the hole because of the hazard left.  It's not a good play at all because it lengthens the hole and makes for a very tricky shot into the green.  There is also a water hazard right if you go too far that way.  You just need to learn to trust it and pump your drive down the left center of the fairway where it belongs.  The architect has that tree there to help make you do it!

 

I'm not a huge fan of houses on the course either.  In Florida you have to live with it.  They are visible on many holes at Bayou but really only come into play on three shots.  The approach on one.  The tee shot on twelve.  The second shot on 17 if someone is trying to knock it on the green in two.   

 

Oh yeah Bayou is a Fazio course so its on my list of favorite courses.

[Kenny B]

Links all day for me.

 

 

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I want to play a real links course. I know it would be hard, but it still be awsome.

 

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We have links style courses here in the Northwest as well.  Here is Wine Valley GC outside Walla Walla, Washington, about 40 miles from where I live.  It is a U.S. Open local qualifying course, and this is the #1 HCP hole:

 

[JAGolfore]

I prefer the older designed golf courses.  Mostly tree lined sometimes position golf.  These newer "American" courses are not fun and lack character a lot of the time in my opinion.  When you have to hit multiple types of shots off of the tee, that is a good course. 

[HeathS16]

I'll literally play anywhere, actually one my favorite courses is in a town of 700 and mostly cow pasture. Beautiful little course. Length doesn't matter at all to me. The most important thing is the condition of the greens. As long as they roll evenly I'm happy. But I also LOVE playing new course just to see what's out there.

 

 

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[cksurfdude]

I prefer the older designed golf courses. Mostly tree lined sometimes position golf. These newer "American" courses are not fun and lack character a lot of the time in my opinion. When you have to hit multiple types of shots off of the tee, that is a good course.

Agree. Not a fan of "bomb and gouge".

 

Like natural settings (and walking) and holes that differ from one to the next and where each one offers multiple teeing areas with multiple tee shot / approach options.

 

Trees are ok - if, as others have said - they're placed strategically with a specific design purpose.