Tell me your Top 10 courses played!

[Golf2Much]

I saw this older thread and couldn't resist to take a stroll down memory lane.  

1. Oak Hill East (the last day it was open before it shut down for the Ryder Cup)
2. Ballybunion, Ireland
3. Torrey Pines (I think we played the South, but both are great)
4. Mid Ocean, Bermuda
5. Champions Golf Club, Houston
6. Old Head, Ireland
7. Firestone North, Akron
8. La Costa Champions (was the North), Carlsbad
9. George Wright Municipal, Boston 
10. Detroit Golf Club (North and South)

Honorable mention:  Leatherstocking, Cooperstown, NY, Turnberry Isle Soffer, Miami, FL and The Dunes, Myrtle Beach

This will likely change come early July when I get to play Gullane No. 2 and 3 in Scotland!

 

[Albatrass]

On 5/2/2022 at 9:45 PM, Lmerrick said:

Bethpage Black

Oak Tree National

Karsten Creek

Paynes Valley

TPC Craig Ranch

OU Jimmie Austin

Golf Club of Houston 

Memorial Park

Woodlands CC Tournament Course

Kapalua Bay Course

 

This is an impressive group of courses.  Hope you played them well.

 

[300threewood]

In no particular order:

 

Kirtland CC - Kirtland, OH

Brookside CC - Canton, OH

Virtues GC - Nashport, OH

Hermitage GC (President’s Reserve) - Hermitage, TN

Sleepy Hollow - Brecksville, OH

Elyria CC - Elyria, OH

*Boulder Creek GC - Streetsboro, OH 

Beechmont CC - Beachwood, OH

Mayfield CC - Mayfield, OH

Diamondback GC - Abilene, TX

Scheduled to play Caledonia and True Blue in July. I’d venture to say they make an appearance on my list after.

*Many complaints with operations/management but the golf course is unique for NE Ohio public golf

 

 

 

 

[Ben_Howell34]

Payne’s Valley

Buffalo Ridge

Ozarks National

Old Waverly

Farmlinks

Fallen Oak 

Ledges CC

Greystone CC (Legacy)

Kiva Dunes

Old Edwards Inn

 

[WaffleHouseTour]

When I travelled a lot I checked off the Golf Magazine Top 100 Public 2004 list. (is it weird I kept this?) 

 

My Top Ten that doesn’t show up in that list (the Pebble, Bandon rotas are already included) would be:

1) Pine Valley

2) St Andrew’s Old Course

3) Sand Hills

4) Oakmont

5) Turnberry

6) Old Head

7) Ballybunion

8 ) Ballyneal

9) Cruden Bay

10) Sand Valley - Mamouth Dunes 

 

 

 

[ncwoz]

Still chipping away at a lot of more local bucket list courses in Michigan, haven't even started thinking about the big boys across the country yet. Here's my list so far:

1. Arcadia Bluffs - Bluffs Course

2. Arcadia Bluffs - South Course

3. Pilgrim's Run

4. Thornapple Point

5. Ravines GC

6. Lakewood Shores - The Gailes

7. Boulder Creek GC

8. Diamond Springs

9. The Falls at Barber Creek

10. Lakewood Shores - Blackshire

[Dodgerfan]

Kingsley Golf Club,  Kingsley, MI

Arcadia Bluffs Shore Course,  Arcadia, MI

Pacific Dunes, Bandon, OR.

Bandon Dunes,  Bandon, OR.

Belvedere Golf Club,  Charlevoix, MI

Palmetto Golf Club,  Aiken, SC

Kiva Dunes,  Gulf Shores, AL.

Belleair Country Club,  Belleair, FL.

TPC Stadium Course,  Sawgrass, FL

The Los Angeles Country Club,  Los Angeles, CA

HONORABLE MENTION: Caledonia Golf and Fish Club, Pawleys Island, SC

This list could change as I’m headed in September to Ireland to play: Waterville, Tralee, Dooks, LaHinch, County Sligo, Narin & Portnoo and finishing with St Patricks Links.

UPDATE as I got back from my trip to Ireland:

Wonderful first trip to Ireland, if you haven’t been go! Don’t wait fifty years like I did.  Anyway my top 10 course list has to be separated into US/North America and the Europe/Ireland because everyone one of the courses in Ireland exceeds any of the courses that I had listed.  
My Ireland ranking:

Lahinch

St. Patrick’s Links

Waterville

Dooks

County Sligo

 Narin & Portnoo

Tralee  (down graded due to over booking tee times)

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 15, 2022 by Dodgerfan
Updating my play list

[record1010]

Pinehurst #2

The ocean Course kiawah island

Harbour Town

Bethpage Black

Eagles Nest 

TPC Sawgrass

Bay Hill

Streamsong red/blue

Big Win Island 

Kawartha G and CC

[WaffleHouseTour]

As the 2022 season draws to a close for many of us its worth reflecting back on just this year....

My Top 10 for 2022 would be: 

Old Town Club
Maidstone
Sheep Ranch and the Bandon Rota (Pacific/OldMac/Trails/Bandon)
Prairie Club
Landmand
Crooked Stick

[vandyland]

On 5/28/2022 at 2:53 PM, 300threewood said:

Hermitage GC (President’s Reserve) - Hermitage, TN

Love that course! Lucky to have it in my hometown. 

 

On 8/7/2022 at 12:13 PM, Dodgerfan said:

Caledonia Golf and Fish Club, Pawleys Island, SC

did you get a chance to also play True Blue? Caledonia vs TB is one of my favorite golf arguments!

[vandyland]

Updating this through 2022:

Pursell Farms (AL)
Sweetens Cove (TN)
The Golf Club of Tennessee (TN)
Charlotte Country Club (NC)
Blowing Rock Country Club (NC)
Tobacco Road (NC)
Pinehurst #4 (NC)
Windswept Dunes (FL)
True Blue (SC)
We-ko-pa Saguaro (AZ)

Notably left off this list despite being critically acclaimed golf courses:

Harbour Town - awesome conditions, very cool last two holes but the rest of the course is....dare I say it....kind of a letdown. The par 3s are excellent but overall the golf course is incredibly claustrophobic and not a ton of fun to play, in my opinion. But it is a great PGA Tour test as it is so much different than most other stops.

Caledonia Fish and Golf Club - a BEAUTIFUL golf course. Like visually stunning. But, similar to HT, at some point you are PLAYING golf not taking pictures or looking at the surroundings. I just don't love super tight golf courses that are really penal off the tee and that is Caledonia on repeat. 

Pinehurst #8 - Heard so many great things about this course but ultimately found it rather unfun. The back 9 felt like a slog and overall the course is exceptionally difficult. 

[MmmmmmBuddy]

On 7/5/2019 at 8:17 AM, MmmmmmBuddy said:

Not ranked at all

• Pacific Dunes
• Bandon Dunes
• Old Macdonald
• Medalist
• Pinehurst #2
• Pinehurst #4
• Riviera CC
• Eugene CC
• Tokatee GC
• The Cradle at Pinehurst. - perhaps the most fun I've had playing golf in years.

Time to update.......

Still unranked, my top 15

• Pacific Dunes 
• Bandon Dunes
• Old Mac
• Medalist
• Pinehurst #2
• Pinehurst #4
• Riviera CC
• Waverley CC
• Nanea (Sooooo amazing)
• Kukio (best golf experience of my life)
• Hualalai (Fun and scoreable)
• Gearhart Golf Links
• Pronghorn - Fazio
• The Cradle
• The Preserve

 

I have Pebble and Monterey Peninsula on the calendar for next spring. (and maybe Cypress if my hookup comes through) 

[Albatrass]

In no specific order:

1. Saint Andrews (Old)

2. Saint Andrews (New)

3. Saint Andrews (Castle)

4. Pebble Beach

5. Sommerset Hills

6. Baltusrol

7. Plainfield

8. TPC Sawgreas (Stadium)

9. Bide-A-Wee Golf Course

10. Sleepy Hole Golf Course

[GaDawg]

Not Ranked

• St. Andrews - The Old Course
• Kingsbarns
• Gleneagles - Championship Course
• TPC Sawgrass -  Stadium Course
• Pinehurst #2
• Pinehurst #4
• Pinehurst #8
• Pine Needles
• Mid Pines
• Doral - Blue Monster
• Sea Island - Seaside
• Wolf Creek
• PGA West - Stadium
• Reynold's Lake Oconee - Great Waters
• Ballyliffin
• Portstewart
• Royal Portrush
• Royal County Down

[Tom the Golf Nut]

On 5/3/2022 at 9:31 AM, Tom the Golf Nut said:

TPC Southwind

Golden Horseshoe

Bethpage (all 5 courses)

Lake of Isles

PGA Village, Ryder and Dye

Caledonia

Tallgrass

Heritage

Kings North

Rio Secco

And I should get out on Southern Hills in the next month or two.

 

Update: I have played Southern Hills. I’ll take Lake of Isles out and replace it with Southern Hills.

[GolfSpy_APH]

Oddly enough as of right now none of the Swiss courses I have played would make my top 10. Guess I need to do a bit more traveling and find some more which maybe crack that list for me!

[wbn]

In no order:

Lahinch

Ballybunion

Waterville

Pinehurst #2

Doral

Kingsmill

Pine Needles

Drumoland Castle

Ballyhack

Caledonia Golf & fish Club

 

[Peaksy68]

Cape Wickham

Royal Melbourne West

Barnbougle Dunes

Barnbougle Lost Farm

Metropolitan

Barwon Heads

Ocean Dunes

Bougle Run

Commonwealth

13th Beach Beach Course

All courses are in Australia, and in Victoria or Tasmania 

Bougle Run is a 14 hole short course and makes me think there should be more of these on the right land

 

 

 

[TJ1975]

1. Royal Dornoch

2. pine valley

3. black Diamond ranch quarry course

4. the ocean course Kiawah 

5. congressional

6. Mid Pines

7. pinehurst 2

8. Brora 

9. Linville

10. The Old Course

HM. The Dunes Club

HM. The Legends heathland

 

 

 

 

[TigerHoods]

1) National Golf Links of America

2) Shinnecock Hills

3) Fishers Island

4) Pebble Beach

5) Kiawah (Ocean) 

6) The Creek 

7) Sleepy Hollow

8- Winged Foot

9) Mid Ocean

10) Garden City

 

 

[Jack Jordan]

10 best courses I can remember:

1.Wingedfoot East

2.wingedfoot West

3.Oak hill East

4. Oak Hill West

5.Saratoga National

6.Scarsdale

7. Sleepy Hollow

8.Enjoie

9.Westchester CC

10. Grossingers GC 

[DiscipleofPenick]

On 5/28/2022 at 3:53 PM, 300threewood said:

In no particular order:

 

Kirtland CC - Kirtland, OH

Brookside CC - Canton, OH

Virtues GC - Nashport, OH

Hermitage GC (President’s Reserve) - Hermitage, TN

Sleepy Hollow - Brecksville, OH

Elyria CC - Elyria, OH

*Boulder Creek GC - Streetsboro, OH 

Beechmont CC - Beachwood, OH

Mayfield CC - Mayfield, OH

Diamondback GC - Abilene, TX

Scheduled to play Caledonia and True Blue in July. I’d venture to say they make an appearance on my list after.

*Many complaints with operations/management but the golf course is unique for NE Ohio public golf

 

 

 

 

Glad to see CLE so well represented from another local on the forum. How are you so lucky to play all those clubs?

[DiscipleofPenick]

My list, everything but one is in the Cleveland, OH area

1. Chagrin Valley CC

2. Sleepy Hollow 

3. Manakiki

4. EagleSticks (Zanesville, OH)

5. Fowler's Mill

6. StoneWater CC

7. Grey Hawk

8. Chardon Lakes

9. Shale Creek

10. Windmill Lakes

[Old Joe]

Cypress Point, Olympic Club Lakeside, Old Course-St Andrews, Tobacco Road, Pebble Beach, Ballybunion, Lahinch, Country Club of Charleston, Castle Course-St Andrews, San Francisco Golf Club (Muirfield Village, Winged Foot combined honorary alternatives)

Edited August 25, 2023 by Old Joe

[Guido723723]

1-Isleworth-FL

2-Diamond Creek-NC 

3-Grandfather Mtn-NC

4-Linville Ridge-NC

5-Bay Hill-FL

6-Lake Region-FL

7-Pinehurst#2-NC

8-Jefferson Landing-NC

9-Boone Golf Club-NC

10-Lake Nona-FL

[EJW]

In no particular order, just as they come to mind:

1. Cypress Point Club

2. Pebble Beach

3. Seminole Golf Club

4.  The Country Club

5.  Pinehurst #2

6.  St. Andrews, Old Course

7.  Carnoustie

8.  Muirfield, Scotland

9.  Royal County Down

10.  Royal Port Portrush

I could keep going….

 

 

Edited August 25, 2023 by EJW

[Nbar]

St Andrews Old Course

Royal Troon

Turnberry

Prestwick

Carnoustie

TPC Sawgrass

DYE'S VALLEY

English turn

TPC Louisiana

[RockerFCC]

I don't think I have 10 that qualify compared to those on most of these lists LOL, but I have gotten to play some nice courses, many while I was abroad in the Navy. Got to play Sentosa in the early 90's (no way I am getting on there now LOL) when we were visiting Singapore. Played Royal Hong Kong when we were there, and one of my favorite courses was one in the Philippines, I may get this wrong, Binictican I think it was called. Literally in a jungle. In the states not as heralded of names, but some decent military courses around the country, especially on Oahu. And in the SW played a couple good ones, Vistoso and Starr Pass in Tucson, Indian Wells in Palm Springs. Near me now, I like Thunderhawk, Bittersweet and a cool links course, Shepherds Crook. All 3 of those I would recommend to anyone at any level.

[Hoff]

1-Royal Melbourne

2- Oakmont 

3-Pine Valley

4- Augusta National

5-Spyglass Hill

6-Pasatiempo

7-Los Angeles CC

8-Cypress Point

9-The Quarry at LaQuinta

10-Bel-Air CC

[oldguy819]

This question is too broad.  I've played 60+ years.  I've not had the privilege of playing the peninsula in CA and other areas, but have played some.  From the most iconic to the worst cow pastures around.  I'll break mine down but won't be able to fill ten spots in each category. Most difficult: Troon Pinnacle, AZ.. The Bear, GT Resort MI.. Arcadia Bluffs north, MI.. Reflections, Garland Resort, Lewiston, MI..  TPC Scottsdale, AZ..  Lochenheath, TC, MI.. The Don Ross Memorial at Boyne Highlands, Harbor Springs, MI..  Most Iconic: The Old. St Andrews, Scotland.. TPC Scottsdale.. Balcomie Links, Crail, Scotland. Maybe, Kingsbarns, Scotland.. Most Scenic: Little Traverse Bay, Harbor Springs, MI..  Arcadia Bluffs North Arcadia, MI.  3 of the 4 courses at Garland Resort.  We-ko-pa, AZ.. The Alpine, Boyne Mountain.  Boyne Falls, MI..  Some more or less but these stand out in my memories.