Do we have better courses than the USA or do we just have more history on ours?

[jim8flog]

One big advantage that a lot of the courses you get to see on the TV have over the UK is the weather.

 

[CliveW]

Tha
It’s all good. Am just new to golf was just wondering I stay in East Lothian and we have beautiful courses

great place to play golf. I have friends who are members at Gullane and Dunbar so play there regularly.

 

[garyinderry]

America has an unbelievable variety of courses. The tour courses might be one dimensional but there is a wealth of fantastic courses over there.

Parkland, clifftop, desert, linksy, swamp land etc.

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

It terms of courses they are neither better nor worse, just different.

The only UK courses that I've seen much on TV are the Open rota courses, and they would eat me up and spit me out.
They offer the advantage of very few trees but the disadvantage of horrific wind (now with a bigger, less dense ball) and brutal fairway bunkers.
I'm not especially afraid of the gorse because it just replaces the trees in terms of stealing balls, and unlike trees, you can curve shots over it.
The huge double greens look like fun. We have one at our club.

The rota courses certainly look like great fun to play, but only if one doesn't keep score.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Hard. Some superb courses in the US including Pebble Beach, Sawgrass etc and equally we have our own classics. I think clearly the weather can have an influence more often than in the US bit it's so hard to be conclusive.

 

[Jigger]

I’ve been listening to the chasing scratch podcast and for single figure handicappers they seem all over the place. It makes me wonder how wide the fairways are over there but it’s all relative. There’s gems all over the world.

 

[Grizzly]

America has an unbelievable variety of courses. The tour courses might be one dimensional but there is a wealth of fantastic courses over there.
.

Think there is a lot in that - the PGA Tour does seem to have a very particular brand of course that it features almost to death - and it is interesting to note how few of the 45 or so courses used in the mainland States during a season feature in the Golf Digest Top 100 there. I suppose the problem is similar to the one Turnberry now faces (no, not the man in charge!) in that a well attended tournament does need logistics and enough space to put people.

 

[Jacko_G]

USA has a better variety of courses and great courses that fit all budgets unlike here where top courses certainly do not fit all budgets.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

USA has a better variety of courses and great courses that fit all budgets unlike here where top courses certainly do not fit all budgets.

Surely that’s very subjective and what a persons budget is and what is a great course

There are loads of great courses in the UK that are very accessible and at great prices

If you then look at places in the USA the equivalents seem a hell of lot more expensive- for example how much is Peeble Beach compared to a top links in the UK ? Or somewhere like Sunningdale or Woodhall compared to the same level in the US ?

Open courses in the UK can be played for under £100 - can the same be said for US Open courses ?

 

[Deleted member 23270]

The top courses in the USA are largely inaccessible as they are private and do not accept visitors. The top tier of public courses ain't cheap either. Pebble is over $500, places like Sawgrass, Bandon, Whistling Straits etc are all on a par or more expensive than our top courses too.

So, some of our courses are silly money now but at least we can get on them.

 

[Jacko_G]

The top courses in the USA are largely inaccessible as they are private and do not accept visitors. The top tier of public courses ain't cheap either. Pebble is over $500, places like Sawgrass, Bandon, Whistling Straits etc are all on a par or more expensive than our top courses too.

So, some of our courses are silly money now but at least we can get on them.

And some we can't just on a lesser scale due to being a much smaller nation.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

And some we can't just on a lesser scale due to being a much smaller nation.

How many courses are there in the UK that someone can’t get onto ? Can’t be that high a number ?

 

[IanM]

There's are a variety of courses in both places from the wonderful to the awful. More similarity than you think, although the older ones in the UK are "older!" There's megga exclusive and munis.....in both places.

The US PGA Tour don't play many events in the UK for a different reason!

 

[ferenezejohn]

One thing for sure the golf courses in the states make you more welcome.
Last year I visited Sawgrass, I was not playing just asked if we could have a look around.
One of the staff said no problem and went and got a buggy and took us around the course,
after getting some photos at the 17th he then gave us a tour of the locker room where all the past winners donate a club they used.
After a nice lunch I offered the the guy who took care of us a tip which was politely refuse but I could make a small donation to there charity if I wished.
There are also many good course in the US you can play for around $35 which includes a buggy.

 

[sunshine]

One thing for sure the golf courses in the states make you more welcome.
Last year I visited Sawgrass, I was not playing just asked if we could have a look around.
One of the staff said no problem and went and got a buggy and took us around the course,
after getting some photos at the 17th he then gave us a tour of the locker room where all the past winners donate a club they used.
After a nice lunch I offered the the guy who took care of us a tip which was politely refuse but I could make a small donation to there charity if I wished.
There are also many good course in the US you can play for around $35 which includes a buggy.

I imagine if you wandered into the clubhouse at Muirfield or Royal St Georges you would get a different response

Although to be fair, if you strolled into a private club in the States like Brookline I doubt they would be so welcoming.

Sawgrass is a resort. You are equally welcome at resorts in the UK eg Celtic Manor.