What makes a Golf Course a "Good" one?

[StrokerAce]

approach shots like this...

[Placasse61]

1 hour ago, StrokerAce said:

approach shots like this...

Beautiful but trouble for me. 

[StrokerAce]

1 minute ago, Placasse61 said:

Beautiful but trouble for me. 

Channel your inner Patriot!

[ILMgolfnut]

1 hour ago, StrokerAce said:

approach shots like this...

The problem with that hole is that a storm or disease can change everything in a flash. Trees are not permanent objects.

Since I'm a low-ball player anyway, I'd just hit it under the branches and try to run it up on the green.

Edited February 13 by ILMgolfnut

[StrokerAce]

Just now, ILMgolfnut said:

The problem with that hole is that a storm or disease can change everything in a flash. Trees are not permanent objects.

certainly, but those have been around for a long long time and have survived multiple forest fires and floods.

[Placasse61]

3 minutes ago, StrokerAce said:

Channel your inner Patriot!

Unlike the Legend I have a high wedge shot even with the Edison's.

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

2 hours ago, StrokerAce said:

approach shots like this...

13 at North Conway CC?

[StrokerAce]

1 minute ago, GolfSpy_SHARK said:

13 at North Conway CC?

Nah. I've never seen trees this tall on the east coast.

One of my faves of all time - Tokatee Golf Club on the McKenzie in Oregon - https://www.tokatee.com/

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

46 minutes ago, StrokerAce said:

Nah. I've never seen trees this tall on the east coast.

One of my faves of all time - Tokatee Golf Club on the McKenzie in Oregon - https://www.tokatee.com/

Wow that looks exactly like NCCC

[KC Golf]

59 minutes ago, GolfSpy_SHARK said:

13 at North Conway CC?

Brings back memories if that’s the case… love that course…  best deal going when I was a junior…

[KC Golf]

Great courses in my mind, do not have gimmicky holes.  Have great combination of par 3, 4, and 5s.   Has great visuals and tough but fair greens.  Also a good combo of risk reward holes.  Like some drivable or shorter par 4s or reachable par 5s.  

Lastly, a good one definitely does not have to be ranked, etc. in fact the unranked but affordable courses are the really good ones…

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

5 minutes ago, KC Golf said:

Brings back memories if that’s the case… love that course…  best deal going when I was a junior…

Onto the question at hand I think NCCC is a perfect example of what I look for in a course and what makes it good for me.

-Bang for my buck, great condition not expensive. Not to say it cant be cheap or perfect but I expect the cost to directly correlate to condition

-Great views, very picturesque

-Playability. I enjoy a test but I don't want to get absolutely killed out there!

That about wraps it up for me, just give me a course that is a good cost for the condition. This is relative to me, some may think $30 is a good cost. I am ok with paying $60-$70 during the week for a good conditions.

 

[VernL4]

For me, part of the experience is being outside and enjoying nature. I like when the course works with nature. Use hills, creeks, and trees in your favor to create an enjoyable and interesting course. One course in my area has a 600 yard par 5. It's just long, straight, and flat. For me, that's boring. I don't know the difference between types of grass. Keep it in decent shape and I don't have a problem. I don't like when tee times are packed in too tightly. I need a bit of time to relax and enjoy myself. Rangers hounding people is stressful and therefore not enjoyable. (There are times that people definitely need to be sped up, though.) The staff needs to be friendly as well. I'm a paying customer. I think I deserve to be treated with some respect. Oh, one more thing- dress codes. I don't like collars on shirts. I don't want to spend my day with guys with raggedy torn pants and tank tops, but I don't understand the collar thing. I have played courses that require shirts with collars. Did it make the experience any better? I don't think so...  

[ILMgolfnut]

19 minutes ago, VernL4 said:

Rangers hounding people is stressful and therefore not enjoyable. (There are times that people definitely need to be sped up, though.)

That's why the rangers are there -- to speed up the people who need speeding. I can tell you that in other countries they are much less tolerant of slow play than they are here. Even at St. Andrews, which has a foursome going off every 10 minutes on the Old Course, you are expected to finish in under 4 hours, and other, less crowded Scottish courses are considerably under that.

I'm with you on the shirts with collars thing. I get that they don't want people playing in torn Harley-Davidson T-shirts, but there are decent looking shirts that lack a collar. Tiger's mock turtlenecks led a bit of a movement in the opposite direction, but there are still some holdouts. I played a semi-private course last year where not only did it have to have a collar, but it had to be tucked in. Since many shirts these days are designed to be worn untucked, I don't get that either.

Edited February 13 by ILMgolfnut

[RickyBobby_PR]

Don’t care about using every club in my bag or not. Value isn’t a consideration, I’ve played $60 course and a $125 course that are 30 mins or so apart and found both the be worth fun rounds.

I have played mountain courses with elevation changes on multiple holes, played narrow courses, open courses, link style to heavily treed. Courses in the northeast, southeast, mid Atlantic, southwest and California. Have found almost all courses to be fun.

Pace of play is key and the people I’m playing with. 

[VernL4]

59 minutes ago, ILMgolfnut said:

That's why the rangers are there -- to speed up the people who need speeding. I can tell you that in other countries they are much less tolerant of slow play than they are here. Even at St. Andrews, which has a foursome going off every 10 minutes on the Old Course, you are expected to finish in under 4 hours, and other, less crowded Scottish courses are considerably under that.

I'm with you on the shirts with collars thing. I get that they don't want people playing in torn Harley-Davidson T-shirts, but there are decent looking shirts that lack a collar. Tiger's mock turtlenecks led a bit of a movement in the opposite direction, but there are still some holdouts. I played a semi-private course last year where not only did it have to have a collar, but it had to be tucked in. Since many shirts these days are designed to be worn untucked, I don't get that either.

Yes, rangers have a purpose, and there are definitely people that need to keep moving. It bothers me when the course is NOT busy. There is nobody behind you, but the ranger is on your tail the whole round because you are the only ones playing. That's what irks me. 

Edited February 13 by VernL4

[aguybadatgolf]

For me it’s about the experience and the beauty of the course. I’ve played a couple fairly high end public courses and one country club here in Colorado. Arrowhead and Murphy Creek are 2 of my favorites. My most memorable round was not at one of the highest quality courses but at one of the most beautiful and fun courses I’ve played.
It’s the Collegiate Peaks golf course in Buena Vista Colorado. You’re surrounded by 14ers, very laid back and relaxing atmosphere, and zero crowds. The course itself was in decent shape considering the location and the layout was a lot of fun. Just 9 holes but they have deferent tee setups so the holes play pretty differently. 

Edited February 13 by aguybadatgolf

[GolfSpy_APH]

I believe I've said before it doesn't take much for me, but I'll add that it needs to be memorable!

[Usmcgyrene]

For me, condition means a lot. Cost is also a factor. With the guys I generally play with, layout is perhaps less important because we are playing against each other for bragging rights so, since we are all playing the same course, it's immaterial. A course in poor condition means you might hit a ball within a yard or two of your playing partner and you get a great lie, and he's in the spot they didn't bother to cut. This happens everywhere, but more so on a poorly maintained course.

[johngschulz]

A good course to me is mostly playing conditions. My home course muni was in terrible shape when I first was learning to play, unmaintained traps, dead/ground under repair fairway issues, random gashes in the far too fuzzy greens.

They really got their act together and invested in proper irrigation and maintenance and I love playing it now.

It’s $15 and 9 holes, but I consider it a “good” course now… Ozark National (most expensive course I’ve played) is a “fantastic” course.

[Josh Parker]

Prior to being a member of a course, a "good" course was all about how well the greens responded from approach shots and how well they rolled.  Yes........ I am well aware that my course doesn't fit that bill at all!  Ha

In all reality, I like courses that have:

1.  Good pace of play

2.  Offer some unique challenges/opportunities

3.  Have some scenery 

We have so many courses near me that used to have all 3 of these and over the last few years have dropped one of the 3.  It's typically pace of play.  I am on a few fb groups and I see people all the time saying some of these courses are taking 5-6 hours to complete rounds.  

[IceIce]

Challenging but not overly difficult.  In other words, fun. Well maintained.  Location and scenery. Pace of play is maintained. Holes isolated from each other.  Staff is friendly and never stuffy. 

[shailey]

First off, great greens that are cared for. One that enforces people fixing their ball marks and pays attention to certain grasses coming through especially on bent grass. 

Secondly. One that enforces pace of play. Tells members to pick it up or sit out. 

Finally when it comes to design, just work with what you have. If it's a short course that can be overpowered, grow the rough a little more. Make no-mow areas. If it's a longer course, widen things out so driver can be a solid choice but make secondary rough a little more penal. One course I like is wide open for most people, but you step all the way back where we play it, it is 7400 yards and if you get sideways, you will make a big number. Around the green is easy, but off the tee is demanding. If you play it at 6000 yards, course plays wide open.

Edited February 14 by shailey

[BigMacQue]

Probably a lot of ways to answer this, from playability to cost to challenge.

At a minimum though, a good course has to be a well maintained course with a staff that cares about the maintenance.

Nice fairways, great greens, clean clubhouse.... All of that shows a staff that cares about the conditions you play in.

 

[DiscipleofPenick]

Layout is more important than conditions as that is what adds to the challenge and fun for me. The course I called home was a little below average for a few years as they've worked on improvements, but it was far more challenging than the other local courses.

Pace of play is the next most important thing as I don't care how nice a course is if it consistently takes 5 hours to pla, I'm going to avoid it.

[Mrs. Golf]

For me it will be 

Good employees 

How the course is kept.

Course  layout

Pace of play

Porta potties or bathrooms

Price

Golf carts

 

 

Edited February 14 by Mrs. Golf

[meteorinnov8]

Courses where each hole is distinct and memorable (like Cypress Point, the Old and Castle Courses at St Andrews, Tobacco Road), that also require thinking on each shot, creativity for shots not experienced before. Enjoying the entire day for the fun, beauty, hospitality, and challenge turns good to great. 

Edited February 14 by meteorinnov8

[AlanW]

There are a number of factors for me:

1.  Variety, especially in hole length.  Nothing wrong with a long iron or hybrid/wood par 3, as long as there’s balance.  With the introduction of 5/6 sets of tees, a lot of courses have all the par threes and fours in the same 10/20 yard distance range.

2.  Conditioning is important.  Doesn’t have to perfect, but there needs to be definition…..transitions from fairway to rough, bunkers defined, etc.

3.  I enjoy what they now call a “core” course…..one where the homes are on the outside.  One thing I absolutely love at my home course, Ocala Golf Club, is walking up the 16th fairway, and at the top of the hill, you can see 11 other holes.

[ZackS]

I can’t think of a specific thing other than course condition that I know will make me enjoy a course or not. I mean you don’t want it super easy and I definitely don’t think hard means good. I do have courses I like more than others but as long as the course is in good condition I very rarely just don’t like a course because of this or that. I will say price has to do with it for sure. Maybe is because I came up playing on the local women’s college course that was probably the cheapest green fee around but was usually in decent condition. But price definitely comes into play. I still pretty much play the lower cost courses mainly. Every time I do play a more expensive course it’s not that I don’t enjoy it but my thought is usually, did I enjoy it X times more?  The answer is pretty much always no. For example I recently played a course I had been wanting to play for a long time because I had got a coupon. I really liked the layout and was in very good condition and as far as the course goes I would love to play it more. But won’t unless I get another coupon or someone pays for me, haha. The reason is with 40% off playing on a weekday it still costs about the same or a little more then little more than the courses usually play for a prime weekend spot. And because I am cheap I usually play those at twilight. So despite how much I liked the course I can’t see myself paying 3 times the price to play it on a weekend over that others. 
 

[Majmike]

1.  Cost based on condition of course.  Too many courses charge way too much for average conditions. Bunkers and greens should be in good condition.

2. Pace of play along with good player assistants

3. Courteous staff and good 19th hole.  

4. Multiple tee boxes so all handicaps can enjoy the green        

     especially for women. This also helps attract women to the 

      game.  

5.  Some contributors mentioned challenging, but              unfortunately everyone is  not single digit.   For example I hate courses designed by Jack Nicholas or Pete Dye.   I have played  several of them and find them to be punitive even from                  front  tees.  I sometimes wonder if Jack or Pete even could          get near their handicap.