Best course you've played/what did pay per round?

[MaxEntropy]

Hard to pick a favorite. For scenery, and overall enjoyment, Wailea Emerald on Maui was great (played in 2000). Also played Kapalua Bay Course with my dad the same trip (because of my dad's age and forced carries, it was recommended we not play Plantation).

 

Riviera Maya Golf Club in Mexico rates highly in my book. It was about $225 for greens fees, club rental, and some balls. It seemed like a very fair course.

 

Sent from my BLN-L24 using Tapatalk

[revkev]

I will go the other way:

 

I've played Pebble Beach, Both Black Wolf Run Courses, Both Whistling Straits Courses, TPC Sawgrass (thanks Jax), Black Diamond Ranch and Grand Cypress New as somebodies guest.

 

I can't begin to thank the people who took me to and paid for golf at those great places enough!!!

 

I've always said that the best course I've ever played was Black Wolf Runs championship course. It's not often available because it's amalgam of the two existing courses.

 

I've played that for $54.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Kenny B]

Boy this a tough one.

Honestly as I think about it now; some of the best courses I've played were not the most expensive which many times people seem to equate to the best. When I think of the best I tend to think of the ones I enjoyed most. This doesn't mean shooting the best scores either. Courses I'd play everyday if I had the chance. Interesting courses, great condition, score-able, fair designs, great greens, etc.

 

For example the Bandon Dunes courses. I enjoyed Pacific Dunes the most of their rotation. The Bandon courses were also the most expensive. Especially when you factor in caddy's. However, I don't think I'd enjoy playing there on a weekly basis. Our green fees were like $250+caddy. (Kenny can you get me the preferred rate next time?) Bandon definitely a fantastic golf experience and I might go again sometime. Highly recommended.

I played Bandon 7 years ago and it was during spring break.  Prices have gone up as have the number of courses and their reputation.  I grew up an hours drive from the Oregon coast and have been there every month of the year.  It can be cold and windy in the summer and mild with no wind in the winter.  Of course, rain is always possible.  The green fees for resort guest is $100 in Nov-Feb, but the weather is a crap shoot and not something I would plan for a trip.  However, I will go back, but I will look for several days of dry weather and make the 7 hour drive.  I may not get a caddie.

[cksurfdude]

I played Bandon 7 years ago and it was during spring break. Prices have gone up as have the number of courses and their reputation. I grew up an hours drive from the Oregon coast and have been there every month of the year. It can be cold and windy in the summer and mild with no wind in the winter. Of course, rain is always possible. The green fees for resort guest is $100 in Nov-Feb, but the weather is a crap shoot and not something I would plan for a trip. However, I will go back, but I will look for several days of dry weather and make the 7 hour drive. I may not get a caddie.

That's one of my golfing goals - to get good enough so I can make a trip to Bandon .. to try each of their courses .. and without requiring the use of several replacement balls per hole!

 

But of the courses I've been able to visit and play so far I'd say West Point sticks out in my mind .. lot of elevation changes, basically almost no flat lies anywhere, interesting layout and variation in holes, definitely challenging but not ridiculously so.

 

They were remodeling the main clubhouse when we were there so the temporary one was the lodge at the bottom of the ski area there! Also, next door to that was a branch of the U.S. Mint so overall a bit of a unique experience.

 

Oh, I forget the price but it wasn't all that much .. and whatever it was, it was very well worth it!

[GCSAA Supt]

As a Golf Course Superintendent I have been blessed with complimentary rounds on many courses.  Some of the more exclusive one's will have you pay a caddy fee.  (Pine Valley, Pinehurst, The Country Club etc) but most are good about extending professional rounds.

 

My favorites....Pine Valley, Banff Springs in Canada, the Teeth of the Dog in the Dominican, The Country Club, The Olympic Club, Salem....

 

I have always appreciated these rounds and oportunities!

 

Jim, the retired GC Super

[Jmikecpa]

Pebble, Pine Valley, Merion, National and Friar's Head are my top 5 that I have played. Didn't pay greens fees and played them for essentially caddie tips.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Rickp]

Shinnecock, Bethpage probably the best 2 I've played that are well known. Black Hall in Old Lyme CT is one of my favorites even though it's not. Big deal nationally known course.

Shinnecock I was a guest and have no idea cost for that day.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Brian A]

Hard to say what is the best course. Id say the most fun was World Tour in Myrtle, got to play holes from course I'll never get to set foot on in real life. 

 

Best course locally is Pheasant Ridge and its not that expensive. Very well maintained, true speedy greens

[Big money]

Hands down Shoreacres in Illinois.Was very costly but well worth it.This is truly the Pebble Beach of the Midwest as the card says.

[Golfspy_CG2]

Lots of great courses listed a few that are still in my personal "must play" list.

 

For me I would do Whistling Straits Straits course. Played it once as a Walkon and paid the going rate at the time of $250 plus caddie fee.

 

Was paired with a member that day and we struck up a nice rapport. I was his guest there everytime I went back to the area.

 

Have played Pinehurst 2, Torrey Pines, Congressional and a couple other TPC courses.

 

But if I could only play one of the above again, it would no doubt be WS. It changes so much from day to day. It's like playing a different course each time.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[DiscipleofPenick]

I caddied in high school so I was able to play a number of local country clubs for free. Most recently I got EagleSticks in Zanesville, OH for $25 through group golfer. One of the top 10 public in the state.

 

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

[Kor.A.Door]

It is official now, I am playing Dormie on Wednesday. Suppposed to be cold but it will be fun.

[Rickp]

It is official now, I am playing Dormie on Wednesday. Suppposed to be cold but it will be fun.

Have fun , play well. When you get a chance to play a special course a little cold doesn't matter

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[chisag]

... Erin Hills the second year they were open and I was lucky enough to join the guys from Scratch Golf that had played it in the morning but their Euro rep had to fly back to England so I only paid $100 for a replay rate. Back then push carts were allowed so I got to use my remote electric cart and it was just awesome. At that time you could not see anything but the course itself from every hole so it felt like we were in the middle of nowhere. 

... I have told this before I think, but I was filming a commercial for Herb Kohler and he found out I was a serious golfer and told me he was building a course that wasn't quite ready to open but all holes were completed and ready for play. He said he would love me to play it and he would be interested in my opinion. Being an idiot and not asking more questions I turned him down. In my defense, I did not have clubs with me (Herb said I could borrow a set at the clubhouse), I would have had to spend the night in a hotel with no extra clothes, I had a wife and young boys at home that were expecting me back that night. All I had was the suit I was wearing and some jeans and a golf shirt and I thought I wasn't really interested in playing some goat track built by a toilet producer next to the windy lake in Wisconsin. LOL. Herb never told me it was a Championship quality course and he was courting a Major, as I am guessing he didn't want to bias my opinion. Not playing Whistling Straights and for free no less, is one of the few regrets of my golfing life. 

[Rickp]

... Erin Hills the second year they were open and I was lucky enough to join the guys from Scratch Golf that had played it in the morning but their Euro rep had to fly back to England so I only paid $100 for a replay rate. Back then push carts were allowed so I got to use my remote electric cart and it was just awesome. At that time you could not see anything but the course itself from every hole so it felt like we were in the middle of nowhere.

 

... I have told this before I think, but I was filming a commercial for Herb Kohler and he found out I was a serious golfer and told me he was building a course that wasn't quite ready to open but all holes were completed and ready for play. He said he would love me to play it and he would be interested in my opinion. Being an idiot and not asking more questions I turned him down. In my defense, I did not have clubs with me (Herb said I could borrow a set at the clubhouse), I would have had to spend the night in a hotel with no extra clothes, I had a wife and young boys at home that were expecting me back that night. All I had was the suit I was wearing and some jeans and a golf shirt and I thought I wasn't really interested in playing some goat track built by a toilet producer next to the windy lake in Wisconsin. LOL. Herb never told me it was a Championship quality course and he was courting a Major, as I am guessing he didn't want to bias my opinion. Not playing Whistling Straights and for free no less, is one of the few regrets of my golfing life.

Oops......

Who knows, maybe you'll get another shot at it someday

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[silver & black]

Firestone North course. I was a guest, so it was free.

[HardcoreLooper]

Spanish Bay, but it was 30 years ago, so I'm not sure what my dad paid. I think it was about $75.

 

We had the choice of either playing Spanish Bay, Poppy Hills and Old Del Monte, or we could play Pebble for the then princely sum of $150 each. We went for the former. Dad and I second guess ourselves to this day, but we had a blast.

 

I got to play Dye's Valley this past Spring on business for free. The Stadium Course was getting ready for the Players.

 

The most iconic course in my mind is still Hominy Hill in Central NJ. My dad wouldn't let me play it until I could break 100 on other courses. Back before the proliferation of upscale daily fee courses, it was a regular in GD's top 100 public. It hosted the Publinx back in the 80s.

 

Sent from my SM-J727VPP using Tapatalk

[pulledabill]

Edgewood Tahoe in the early 90s was thr most Ive paid. Forget if it was $75 or $125. Nice course but not sure it was the best Ive played. Last year I played a very unkept muni course on tge north shore of Oahu. Something like $60 bucks for two nines and 2 sets of clubs. First off with a great view was priceless! Elkhorn Golf Course here in Oregon has always been my favorite course to play. Tough but doable with great scenery and always well kept. Unfortunately the newest owners let it run down and I hear not worth playing anymore. Under $40 the last time I played in in 2005.

[MDGolfHacker]

I took my clubs with me on my second anniversary to St. Kitts and played the Royal St. Kitts Golf Club then took a boat over to Nevis to play at the Four Seasons Course. Paid $125/$175 respectively in 2002. One of the first times I played next to an ocean course AND had Santa Claus holding me up on a hole! Thought I was seeing things, but sure enough, Santa was doing a promotional photo shoot on one of the greens for the upcoming St. Kitts tourist guide. Also, since the wind was blowing, one of the first times I actually aimed out into the ocean and had the wind bring the ball back in to the fairway. Of course I double bogeyed the hole because I couldn't putt, lol. On Nevis, the views were stunning, but dang, I should have double checked to see when they aerated. Playing such a nice course on bumpy greens did detract from the experience but it was cool launching a drive with a cruise ship sailing away only a few miles from shore in the background!

 

MDGolfHacker

[Kegger]

The best courses I've played so far would have to be Monterey Peninsula Country Club and Spyglass Hill. I'll be playing The Preserve in April, so I may well be adding that course to this list as well.. Not to mention still needing to go play Pebble.. I'll play there eventually... Maybe this year..

 

But going back to my current "best" list...

 

Monterey Peninsula Country Club: I paid $175 to play the Dunes course with a member this past summer. The course looks amazing after the remodel and I hope to get back out there and play again sometime.

 

Spyglass Hill: I paid $225 (Duke's club rate) + Caddie fee. Just another amazing course along 17 Mile Drive... One day I'll have played all the courses along that beautiful coastline...

[Siamese Moose]

I haven't played that many "great courses" (yet). The most expensive was the Ocean Course at Kiawah, which was something like $125 surcharge on our package (all the other courses were free), 20+ years ago. Most memorable: Jasper Park and Banff Springs, both in Alberta, though the fact that we were on our honeymoon might have had something to do with it. Here's a twist, what's your biggest disappointment? Mine would be the Cascades course at the Homestead, in Virginia. Not much variety, blind shots, and mediocre condition for such a famous place.

[Webz59]

Merion. Played there 4 times a year as my friend is a member. Played a round behind Nick Price the year Merion hosted the US Open that Justin Rose won. Makes the hair stand up on your neck when you're there with all the history. Truly a masterpiece with a natural layout

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[djahubes]

The best courses I've played so far would have to be Monterey Peninsula Country Club and Spyglass Hill. I'll be playing The Preserve in April, so I may well be adding that course to this list as well.. Not to mention still needing to go play Pebble.. I'll play there eventually... Maybe this year..

 

But going back to my current "best" list...

 

Monterey Peninsula Country Club: I paid $175 to play the Dunes course with a member this past summer. The course looks amazing after the remodel and I hope to get back out there and play again sometime.

 

Spyglass Hill: I paid $225 (Duke's club rate) + Caddie fee. Just another amazing course along 17 Mile Drive... One day I'll have played all the courses along that beautiful coastline...

Are you at NPS or something? When I was in Monterey played all of them except Cypress. You are in for a very special treat with the Preserve. It is so far off the beaten path that not too many people know it exists. Absolutely incredible.

 

Pebble is great for what it is. I was lucky enough to be close with a bunch of local industry guys and girls so was able to play it fairly regularly. I did pay once, took my dad out for Father's Day. Best day of golf I ever had! The two of us, double bag loop, a couple cocktails and cigars, all in about $1300. Worth every penny.

 

Pasatiempo in Santa Cruz is fantastic as well.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Kegger]

Are you at NPS or something? When I was in Monterey played all of them except Cypress. You are in for a very special treat with the Preserve. It is so far off the beaten path that not too many people know it exists. Absolutely incredible.

 

Pebble is great for what it is. I was lucky enough to be close with a bunch of local industry guys and girls so was able to play it fairly regularly. I did pay once, took my dad out for Father's Day. Best day of golf I ever had! The two of us, double bag loop, a couple cocktails and cigars, all in about $1300. Worth every penny.

 

Pasatiempo in Santa Cruz is fantastic as well.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Nope, not at NPS. I just live nearby in the San Jose area. Monterey is about an hour drive, so I try to golf out there as often as my schedule allows. And yes, Pasatiempo is also a great course!

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[jahren01]

Sentry World. Stevens Point, Wi. Great course.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy. Also Black Wolf Run as well in Koehler. Looking forward to playing both courses at Sand Valley this year. If you are not aware of Sand Valley look it up.

[Peterpc2828]

Spanish Bay, but it was 30 years ago, so I'm not sure what my dad paid. I think it was about $75.

 

We had the choice of either playing Spanish Bay, Poppy Hills and Old Del Monte, or we could play Pebble for the then princely sum of $150 each. We went for the former. Dad and I second guess ourselves to this day, but we had a blast.

 

I got to play Dye's Valley this past Spring on business for free. The Stadium Course was getting ready for the Players.

 

The most iconic course in my mind is still Hominy Hill in Central NJ. My dad wouldn't let me play it until I could break 100 on other courses. Back before the proliferation of upscale daily fee courses, it was a regular in GD's top 100 public. It hosted the Publinx back in the 80s.

 

Sent from my SM-J727VPP using Tapatalk

Wow! I live in Monmouth County, hominy hill is nice but now is way too over rated in my opinion but from everyone that knew the course before is became part of the County course system says it was a gem, not saying that it isn't now but way too slow/ over priced in comparison to other MOnmouth county courses and constantly crowded.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[HardcoreLooper]

Wow! I live in Monmouth County, hominy hill is nice but now is way too over rated in my opinion but from everyone that knew the course before is became part of the County course system says it was a gem, not saying that it isn't now but way too slow/ over priced in comparison to other MOnmouth county courses and constantly crowded.

Oh, I don't doubt it's way too crowded and slow to play now. And I probably remember it as being better than it actually was. It's just that we always spoke of it in hushed tones because it was the best of the best of what was available to us. It's also the course where I first beat my grandfather, and he was a 4 back then.

[Charli]

Landfall down in Wilmington. I think it was only $80 but I was with a member.

[jaxbeachpackerfan]

... Erin Hills the second year they were open and I was lucky enough to join the guys from Scratch Golf that had played it in the morning but their Euro rep had to fly back to England so I only paid $100 for a replay rate. Back then push carts were allowed so I got to use my remote electric cart and it was just awesome. At that time you could not see anything but the course itself from every hole so it felt like we were in the middle of nowhere. 

 

... I have told this before I think, but I was filming a commercial for Herb Kohler and he found out I was a serious golfer and told me he was building a course that wasn't quite ready to open but all holes were completed and ready for play. He said he would love me to play it and he would be interested in my opinion. Being an idiot and not asking more questions I turned him down. In my defense, I did not have clubs with me (Herb said I could borrow a set at the clubhouse), I would have had to spend the night in a hotel with no extra clothes, I had a wife and young boys at home that were expecting me back that night. All I had was the suit I was wearing and some jeans and a golf shirt and I thought I wasn't really interested in playing some goat track built by a toilet producer next to the windy lake in Wisconsin. LOL. Herb never told me it was a Championship quality course and he was courting a Major, as I am guessing he didn't want to bias my opinion. Not playing Whistling Straights and for free no less, is one of the few regrets of my golfing life. 

When I was working, one of my clients sponsored a corporate tent on the 18th hole at the US Women's Open at Blackwolf Run.  One of the 'perks' was an opportunity to play Whistling Straits just prior to its opening.  Shotgun start, and I was having one of my best rounds ever until the second to last hole, a par 5, when for the first time all day I drove into the 'grasses' lining the fairways.  Didn't take my medicine, tried to hack out--several times, finding all of the multitude of hazards that course offers, on my way to a 10 on the hole (had to count them all 'cause the client was looking to get all my money).  Awesome day, nonetheless, we ran into Pete Dye several times during the round as he was cruising around in his golf cart with some sort of big dog.

[jaxbeachpackerfan]

What's the best course you've played and what did it cost you to play?

 

Montego Bay Jamaica cinnamon hill $150 a day plus caddie $50

I'm not a good enough golfer to really know what the "best" golf course I've ever played.  And I"m fortunate enough to be able to say the cost of a round on a bucket list type of course never factors into the determination of whether I'll play a course or not (someone said to me once--20 years from now, will you remember you played a great course or will you miss the $xxxx dollars you paid to play that course?).  And, lucky as well, being in the corporate world, to have many, many of the rounds on fine courses comped.  But, what I would say, there are several courses in the great category that were also very fun, enjoyable and memorable to play.  Tops on the list is Kapalua Plantation.  Cascata in Las Vegas was extremely fun and enjoyable.  Like Rev, I'm a huge fan of Blackwolf Run and have played the original configuration several times and agree totally with his assessment.  Milwaukee Country Club, always high on the top 100 list, is also very fun and memorable.  Maybe not in the "great category", but the Jones course at Treetops in Gaylord, Michigan is another very fun and very enjoyable course.  And finally, since it's here, and I get to play it a lot and watch the Players every year on it, the TPC Stadium course at Sawgrass is awesome (particularly when I get to play it for $75 per round, which happens about 4 times a year!).