Nicest Golf Course You’ve Played

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VeloClone

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Jan 19, 2010
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Some places warn visitors of the desert. “If your ball goes into the desert, leave it for the rattlesnakes”. At Colfax CC? Corn poison is the killer around that track, per locals.
That was the case at Cabo del Sol. We got a visual cue that the guy in the clubhouse wasn't kidding when we saw a dead rattler on the cart path right next to the driving range on the way to the first tee.
 

mywayorcyway

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Mar 1, 2012
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Chambers Bay (really enjoyed, played summer before US Open)

Dying to know - do the greens look as splotchy all the time as they did during the US Open, and how did they roll?

If you played it after the US Open you may have heard Dustin Johnson's ghost near 18....can't believe that's been almost five years already.
 

04clone

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Dying to know - do the greens look as splotchy all the time as they did during the US Open, and how did they roll?

If you played it after the US Open you may have heard Dustin Johnson's ghost near 18....can't believe that's been almost five years already.

The USGA did Chambers Bay dirty. Prior to the US Open, the greens weren't in that bad of shape. It was only after the USGA tried to dry them out that there were significant problems. In any case, Chambers ended up replacing the greens entirely in 2018-19. The new greens are still a little soft as compared to the fairways, but roll nicely. Don't judge by what the USGA did to it. Chambers Bay is a very nice course and a ton of fun to play, both for low handicappers and less skilled players.
 

mywayorcyway

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The USGA did Chambers Bay dirty. Prior to the US Open, the greens weren't in that bad of shape. It was only after the USGA tried to dry them out that there were significant problems. In any case, Chambers ended up replacing the greens entirely in 2018-19. The new greens are still a little soft as compared to the fairways, but roll nicely. Don't judge by what the USGA did to it. Chambers Bay is a very nice course and a ton of fun to play, both for low handicappers and less skilled players.

I'm not judging, just curious. It still looked like a blast to play, even with the shenanigans.

I honestly don't care what a green looks like as they as they roll true. There is a course here in Phoenix that lets their greens go dormant in the winter (bermuda grass). They have a purpleish tint, they're almost black. Looks odd, but those things roll like glass. Fast as hell, but where you hit it is where it's going to go. No weird bumps or grains to push a ball right or left.
 

cycopath25

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Wolf Creek in Mesquite, NV is up there for me. Pretty tough course too

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bozclone

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I spent several weeks in Carlsbad California for work many years ago. One of the engineers at the company I was buying equipment from let me borrow his proof of residence card. This allowed me to play Torrey Pines at twilight rates several times. All the holes you can play from 4pm until dark during the week for $10. Maybe not the nicest course I have played, but it was beautiful and an unbelievable deal.
 

CyCrazy

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Dec 17, 2008
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Ames
The USGA did Chambers Bay dirty. Prior to the US Open, the greens weren't in that bad of shape. It was only after the USGA tried to dry them out that there were significant problems. In any case, Chambers ended up replacing the greens entirely in 2018-19. The new greens are still a little soft as compared to the fairways, but roll nicely. Don't judge by what the USGA did to it. Chambers Bay is a very nice course and a ton of fun to play, both for low handicappers and less skilled players.

Well the greens were pretty much poa annua so not sure how the USGA did them dirty.
 

enisthemenace

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Well the greens were pretty much poa annua so not sure how the USGA did them dirty.

They did something to that course to **** it up. Remember the videos of people bouncing their golf balls as though they were basketballs on the fairways? Poa doesn’t grow even as it is. Can’t imagine how jacked up it would be if not being watered.
 

ISUCubswin

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Mar 3, 2011
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My Playhouse
Never really been a big golfer and haven’t even left the state but Timberline in Peosta, Iowa is my favorite of the four courses I’ve golfed on in my life.
 

Hoggins

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They did something to that course to **** it up. Remember the videos of people bouncing their golf balls as though they were basketballs on the fairways? Poa doesn’t grow even as it is. Can’t imagine how jacked up it would be if not being watered.

For pros, the conditions of the course don’t matter. The goal is to determine the best player and Chambers Bay did that.

And Sand Valley is the nicest I’ve played
 

VeloClone

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For pros, the conditions of the course don’t matter. The goal is to determine the best player and Chambers Bay did that.

And Sand Valley is the nicest I’ve played
Just as big of a goal is to maximize television viewership and beautiful, pristine looking courses help to build the PGA brand and keep viewership up. Crappy looking courses don't help the PGA brand.
 

enisthemenace

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For pros, the conditions of the course don’t matter. The goal is to determine the best player and Chambers Bay did that.

And Sand Valley is the nicest I’ve played

I’m not sure I agree or disagree with the thought that conditions of the course don’t matter to the pros. I think they do, but certainly not as much as to the average Joe. I lean that way because there is no way they would have ****** up Chambers Bay the way they did if conditions didn’t matter. The USGA wants the US Open to show that “par” is a good score. They don’t want people going out there and posting a -25 to win that tournament, so they make the courses as demanding as possible.

Fact is, they ****** Chambers Bay. People view that course negatively based solely on that one US Open, and to me, that is completely unfair. I’ve never played there, but I guarantee it’s a MUCH better track than what everyone saw. The USGA did them dirty, and I’m not sure there is a counter argument.
 

mywayorcyway

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Mar 1, 2012
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I've thought about this question since the thread opened. I've played too many courses in too many areas and can't pick one. I've dedicated a good chunk of my life wasting money on golf. I should have picked a cheaper hobby.
 

VeloClone

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Jan 19, 2010
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I've thought about this question since the thread opened. I've played too many courses in too many areas and can't pick one. I've dedicated a good chunk of my life wasting money on golf. I should have picked a cheaper hobby.
At one point I was pretty interested in golf even though I am terrible at it and I had a decision to make. Either I sink some money into golf or continue to sink money into cycling only. I decided to go all in with cycling since I don't have to pay every time I go out on the bike so a decent bike was a better investment in a hobby than a decent set of clubs for me. I really haven't golfed much since.