Favorite Golf Courses

[HardcoreClone]

I say play from the tips and embrace the struggle, gain perspective on how much better the pros are.

Haha. Yeah those 230-yard Par 3's are so enticing....

 

[brokenloginagain]

I say play from the tips and embrace the struggle, gain perspective on how much better the pros are.

the range balls at chambers bay all say "tee it forward, play faster, have more fun" otherwise they get 20 handicappers playing 6 hr rounds from the tips.

 

[tm3308]

Favorites Played in/near Iowa:
1. Harvester
2. Glen Oaks
3. Hunter's Ridge
4. Deere Run (local to me in the QC)
5. Cedar Rapids CC

Favorites played elsewhere:
1. Pebble Beach
2. Torrey Pines (South)
3. Dinosaur Mountain in Gold Canyon, AZ
4. TPC Sawgrass
5. Broadmoor (East)

Bucket List:
1. Augusta National
2. Pine Valley
3. St Andrews
4. Pinehurst 2 (playing this in a few weeks!!)
5. Spyglass

I want your life.

 

[ISUME]

the range balls at chambers bay all say "tee it forward, play faster, have more fun" otherwise they get 20 handicappers playing 6 hr rounds from the tips.

If you are playing 6 hour rounds, the tee you hit from isn't the reason.

 

[AdamJGray]

5 Played:
1. Spring Valley (Seriously a gem tucked in Livermore)
2. The Preserve at Lake Rathbun
3. The Legacy
4. Coldwater
5. Riverside Resort

5 Want to Play:
1. DMGCC
2. Brooks
3. TCI
4. Wakonda
5. Deere Run

5 Bucket List:
1. Augusta National
2. Irish Trip - Doing this in a year (Portmarnock, Royal Dublin, The Island, The Euro Club, The K Club, Baltray)
3. Midwest Trip - Will try this in a few years (Whistling Straights, Black Wolf Run, Deere Run, Hazeltine)
4. Sawgrass Trip - Will try once the lady wants to go (Valley Course, Sawgrass)
5. Pebble Beach Trip - Same as Sawgrass (Pebble Beach, Spanish Bay, Spyglass Hill)

I could go on with the bucket list...

Wife and I went to Ireland 2 years back. It wasn't a golf trip but I did get to play a couple courses, including Ballybunion. I'm jealous that you are going to play all those courses.

 

[AdamJGray]

Hahaha...yeah, Beaver South. Not sure what you don't like about it, but I know those pines have given me fits in the past. You go in there on some of those holes, and "good luck" isn't enough. I've had to just take a drop on a couple of occasions, because I couldn't even put a chunk swing on the ball...in any direction, including backwards.

I do like:

- #2 (long par 3, with 3 tiered green. There is room to bailout left, but that's it)
- #3 (tee shot looks daunting, but there is a lot more room than it looks like from the tee. Want to give yourself 130-150 to the island green)
- #7 (I like elevated tees, for no other reason than max hang time. The approach can be tricky too, but the green does give a good backboard)

I would like 6, but it takes an absolutely perfect drive, and a nutted 2nd to have any chance to reach in 2. A par 5 should be reachable, IMO, which is why holes like #14 at Bos are dumb. Again...my opinion).

The rest of that 9 require a certain level of precision due to the pine trees.

Hole #14 at Bos Landen is probably the dumbest hole I've ever played. Hate that hole. And I get to play it Saturday.......

 

[Tre4ISU]

I say play from the tips and embrace the struggle, gain perspective on how much better the pros are.

I did that once at a course called the Highlands near Chicago. I don't feel the need to gain that perspective again. Now, I didn't play well that day but 7500 yards or whatever it was was way too much.

 

[Tre4ISU]

Wife and I went to Ireland 2 years back. It wasn't a golf trip but I did get to play a couple courses, including Ballybunion. I'm jealous that you are going to play all those courses.

I'd like to do an Ireland/Scotland one but I think if I had to pick, I'd do Scotland and hit up St. Andrews and Carnoustie. I really want a piece of Carnoustie.

 

[AdamJGray]

I'd like to do an Ireland/Scotland one but I think if I had to pick, I'd do Scotland and hit up St. Andrews and Carnoustie. I really want a piece of Carnoustie.

I agree.

My bosses did one of these trips years back. Said St. Andrews wasn't that difficult but Carnoustie was a *****.

 

[ISUME]

I did that once at a course called the Highlands near Chicago. I don't feel the need to gain that perspective again. Now, I didn't play well that day but 7500 yards or whatever it was was way too much.

I think it gives you an appreciation for how great the pros are. I played Deere Run the Monday after the John Deere Classic one year, you could see all the pro landing areas. I just had to few those areas from the cart because my ball was well short of them.

 

[brutus4527]

Report back on Pinehurst, please. I'm jealous. Pine Valley and Brookline are bucket listers for me as well. Not on my original list, but I only had 5 to work with :smile:

Will do. I have a meeting there at the end of the month and generally play two or three times during that time. Great meeting, has been held at the Broadmoor and the Greenbrier in the past.

 

[brutus4527]

For those who have played some of the big name courses like Sawgrass, Pebble Beach, Whistling, etc....I am an 8 handicap at the public courses in and around Des Moines. Would I really struggle trying to play these other courses? Or are there plenty of hackers that get out and play those?

You would have no problems and be appreciated by the caddies. They normally get alot of hackers with big wallets out there.

Pebble isn't that hard. TPC and Torrey have more teeth...

 

[Nihawk]

5 Played:
1. Spring Valley (Seriously a gem tucked in Livermore)
2. The Preserve at Lake Rathbun
3. The Legacy
4. Coldwater
5. Riverside Resort

5 Want to Play:
1. DMGCC
2. Brooks
3. TCI
4. Wakonda
5. Deere Run

5 Bucket List:
1. Augusta National
2. Irish Trip - Doing this in a year (Portmarnock, Royal Dublin, The Island, The Euro Club, The K Club, Baltray)
3. Midwest Trip - Will try this in a few years (Whistling Straights, Black Wolf Run, Deere Run, Hazeltine)
4. Sawgrass Trip - Will try once the lady wants to go (Valley Course, Sawgrass)
5. Pebble Beach Trip - Same as Sawgrass (Pebble Beach, Spanish Bay, Spyglass Hill)

I could go on with the bucket list...

I am surprised it took this long for someone to mention Spring Valley. I just golfed it last week. I am in mid 50's and just started golfing but most everybody I talk to really enjoys Spring Valley.

 

[CY88CE11]

Played:
Osage National
Glen oaks
Wakonda
The Harvester
TCI

Want to play:
Des Moines Golf
Hyperion
Can't think of any others around Iowa or nearby that I haven't played but would like to


Bucket List (pretty similar to others here):
Augusta National
Whistling Straits
St. Andrews
Pebble
Winged Foot

 

[mywayorcyway]

Favorites played elsewhere:
3. Dinosaur Mountain in Gold Canyon, AZ

Good mention. That might be my favorite course in the Phoenix area. I have an 8am tee time there this Saturday. I haven't played it yet this year and cannot wait to get back out there. If I can keep it to +5 for the first five holes it will be a good day. :twitcy:

 

[cloneu]

Favorite ones played local to me in the Twin Cities.
1. Hazeltine
2. Windsong Farm Golf Club
3. The Meadows at Mystic Lake
4. Mississippi Dunes

Haven't played much in central Iowa but my favorites were
1. Veenker (mostly a nostalgic thing)
2. Briarwood
3. TCI
4. Coldwater
5. The Legacy

Bucketlist (ones that I actually could play)
1. Pebble Beach
2. Pinehurst #2
3. TPC Sawgrass
4. Bethpage Black
5. Bay Hill
6. Spyglass
7. Kapalua Plantation Course
8. TPC Stadium @ PGA West
9. Road trip through Black Wolf Run, Whistling Straights and Erin Hills
10. Blue Monster, it seems pretty good now but still overpriced

 

[brutus4527]

Favorites Played in/near Iowa:
1. Harvester
2. Glen Oaks
3. Hunter's Ridge
4. Deere Run (local to me in the QC)
5. Cedar Rapids CC

Favorites played elsewhere:
1. Pebble Beach
2. Torrey Pines (South)
3. Dinosaur Mountain in Gold Canyon, AZ
4. TPC Sawgrass
5. Broadmoor (East)

Bucket List:
1. Augusta National
2. Pine Valley
3. St Andrews
4. Pinehurst 2 (playing this in a few weeks!!)
5. Spyglass

I should have included Whisper Rock in my all time faves. Awesome place!

 

[HardcoreClone]

Favorite ones played local to me in the Twin Cities.
1. Hazeltine
2. Windsong Farm Golf Club
3. The Meadows at Mystic Lake
4. Mississippi Dunes

Haven't played much in central Iowa but my favorites were
1. Veenker (mostly a nostalgic thing)
2. Briarwood
3. TCI
4. Coldwater
5. The Legacy

Bucketlist (ones that I actually could play)
1. Pebble Beach
2. Pinehurst #2
3. TPC Sawgrass
4. Bethpage Black
5. Bay Hill
6. Spyglass
7. Kapalua Plantation Course
8. TPC Stadium @ PGA West
9. Road trip through Black Wolf Run, Whistling Straights and Erin Hills
10. Blue Monster, it seems pretty good now but still overpriced

What is Hazeltine like? Do you belong there?

 

[CloneinWDSM]

Playing Bos Landen? In Pella here shortly. Anyone play there before? I've heard good things and $25 for 18 and a cart can't be beat.

 

[RunDMCyclone]

Not quite in Iowa, but I finally got to Fyre Lake recently (IL side of the QC). Fun course (Nicklaus designed), lots of scenery, and even more hazards. I'd check it out if you're in the QC looking to golf, but you'll need to be accurate or the course will punish you. It should be a real nice course in a couple years once the new owners can put their stamp on it with better maintenance, a nicer clubhouse etc.

I've played all of the "nicer" public eastern IA (and IL QC) courses listed in here...I enjoyed the scenery of courses like Spirit Hollow and Fyre Lake over the longer courses like Deere Run and Blue Top Ridge (Riverside).