What course if any has blown you away ?

Really don't understand the Carnoustie love in???

Its a long tough track and that's it. It has no views, no fun holes and lacks character. I'd play any of the Ayrshire Links ahead of Carnoustie every day. Certainly never even came close to blowing me away as a venue.
 
DCB said:
I'll throw another one into the ring since some people seem to have had multiple choices in their answer. Shiskine on Arran. It's only a 12 hole course but the views from every hole are different and on a beautiful day are simply stunning out over the Kilbrannan Sound to Kintyre. It's also a course that makes you play golf the way golf is supposed to be played.

If you don't know what that is.... then you'll just have to head over and play Shiskine ;) Played it with the mother of a friend who must have been in her mid 80s at the time and she could still hit the shots required to put together a score. If Heaven has a golf course it'll be like Shiskine :D And Mem will be on the first tee every day.
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http://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk/sh...aig-Robert-the-Bruce-Cave!&highlight=shiskine :whoo:
 
The obvious one is Lytham for me. Just one really good hole after another with a brutal finish. As someone else mentioned you realise how good the pro's are when you play places like that.

Less obvious one (and on a slightly less grand scale) is Gullane No 2 when I played it for the first time. Other than a shockingly poor 1st and 18th the holes over, up and down the dunes are great fun. Played there hundreds of times in all weathers and enjoy it each time.
 
NWJocko said:
The obvious one is Lytham for me. Just one really good hole after another with a brutal finish. As someone else mentioned you realise how good the pro's are when you play places like that.

Less obvious one (and on a slightly less grand scale) is Gullane No 2 when I played it for the first time. Other than a shockingly poor 1st and 18th the holes over, up and down the dunes are great fun. Played there hundreds of times in all weathers and enjoy it each time.
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Gullane no.2 is one of my all time favourites of all time!
 
Never played any really elite courses so to speak.

But the best I have played by far is the Nicklaus at St Mellion. Really demanding course with some stunning holes, great scenery and always in perfect condition.
 
Monte Mayor in Spain. How they managed to build such a beautiful golf course up there is beyond me.

I am with Craw on Carnoustie,great golf course but it is in many places as ugly as sin.

And Steve you will love RCD but I thought more this time of Royal Portrush Dunlace as it is all in front of you as opposed to RCD's many blind shots and RCD is also one very dangerous golf course so make sure you are insured up.
 
tyke said:
Not really played a lot of top quality courses but one that really did stand out for me was the Hotchkin at Woodhall Spa.
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That is a top quality course. Looking forward to playing it in the summer, hopefully not in the rain and wind (again)
 
richart said:
No I am safe as I always let Paul beat me to boost his confidence.
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I knew you were just helping my feelings!

My introduction to top courses probably started at Woodhall Spa - and I absolutely loved it - I am slightly more balanced now, still love it but it is flat and slightly less interesting than some peers - although it is a stunning achievement for a flat site - even if I now prefer others, particularly Hankley Common - my idea of heaven and the best site for an inland course I have ever seen. To me, it rivals Sunningdale as the best of the heathlands. And 2 that really impressed me, way above their rankings were Beau Desert and Broadstone, which I am playing again on Saturday. Swinley, the Berkshire and St Georges Hill were all highlights - Wentworth West - was a great experience first time as I had not played many others at the time but following other visits and playing many other courses, I thought it overrated (waiting for cars to cross the roads several times can take the edge of the experience!); similarly, I couldn't believe how Walton Heath was circa 20 in the rankings and Hankley nearer 100 at the time (the reverse surely) - and, for a very similar set up, thought Woodhall Spa far better. I was more impressed with the slightly less well known heathlands like Blackmoor (a peach with awesome greens and magical use of a small and relatively flat site), North Hants and New Zealand - all of these are behind the top ones, but not by very much and certainly no where near the difference in fees. Staying 2 nights at Loch Lomond was something I will never forget but my one play was not enough to get a proper opinion of the actual course as it was dull and a bit wet - setting awesome, but clearly a site that was unsuitable for a course unless you had limitless pockets - they did and still went bust. I know Snelly thought it over-ratad and I am still not sure where I place the actual course - the back 9 is clearly better and there were only 2 really good holes on the front - 3 and 5, so I am on the fence. Queenwood an awesome experience and an amazing job on what would have been an average site but I didn't think the par 3s were great and the drives on some of the par 5s were unmemorable and not exciting) although second and third shot were very good.

As for links, I haven't really played a bad one but do find it hard to place the best - loved the Old course (at least as much for the experience) but would have to say that my favourite would probably be tied between Saunton (the West at least as good for at least two thirds with a couple of weaker holes), Formby (maybe the best of all worlds) and Porthcawl (caught it on a magical sunny 1st of November with surfers out in force), closely followed by Hillside and RSG.

I still love Bearwood as much as anywhere and it lifts my spirits just turning into the site each Saturday - and think the latest Golf World England Top 100 was quite wide of the mark with this and a few others (I must play Ferndown at 28 - 48 better than Bearwood - as it must be considered awesome by some people, I just have not heard anyone say that and can't believe that it is better than Broadstone or even Parskstone, having had a quick look when passing a few years ago). Although nice to see Kings Lynn make the list as it is a cracking course where I used to be a junior member! Just looking at Golf monthly again and seeing Walton Heath at number 6 above Sunningdale New (and many others) - that is so way off the mark to be laughable - I think Sunningdale New between 4 and 10 is possibly the best set of holes I have played anywhere. I am sure that repeat visits are needed, especially for certain course that are "growers" but first impressions count for a lot!
 
PNWokingham said:
I knew you were just helping my feelings!

I was more impressed with the slightly less well known heathlands like Blackmoor (a peach with awesome greens and magical use of a small and relatively flat site), North Hants and New Zealand - all of these are behind the top ones, but not by very much and certainly no where near the difference in fees.
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I meant to add Camberley Heath to this group - a great course and site (lots of variation similar to St Georges Hill) that could be ranked much higher especially if conditioning improves and a bit more tree/undergrowth clearance (and maybe some changes to the pond on 16)
 
PNWokingham said:
I still love Bearwood as much as anywhere and it lifts my spirits just turning into the site each Saturday - and think the latest Golf World England Top 100 was quite wide of the mark with this and a few others (I must play Ferndown at 28 - 48 better than Bearwood - as it must be considered awesome by some people, I just have not heard anyone say that and can't believe that it is better than Broadstone or even Parskstone, having had a quick look when passing a few years ago). Although nice to see Kings Lynn make the list as it is a cracking course where I used to be a junior member! Just looking at Golf monthly again and seeing Walton Heath at number 6 above Sunningdale New (and many others) - that is so way off the mark to be laughable - I think Sunningdale New between 4 and 10 is possibly the best set of holes I have played anywhere. I am sure that repeat visits are needed, especially for certain course that are "growers" but first impressions count for a lot!
Click to expand...

The latest GW rankings are a joke, I started a thread to highlight some of the anomalies.

Bearwood is way above Ferndown, it's not even close! In fact, Broadstone and Parkstone are both better than Ferndown as well, much more variation in the holes and better views from both courses as well. I've read Frank Pont's comments on Broadstone and he rates it as a UK top 50 course once all his changes are in place.

I also can't see why Walton Heath is rated above Sunningdale New. I'm a big fan of the Old, I rate it the best inland track in the UK but it's easy to see why people are split between the two courses. Both are streets ahead of WH though.
 
This is always so subjective, but here's a few that impressed me:

Royal Cinque Ports
Hunstanton
Aldeborough
Queenwood
Kingsbarns
 
PNWokingham said:
I knew you were just helping my feelings!

My introduction to top courses probably started at Woodhall Spa - and I absolutely loved it - I am slightly more balanced now, still love it but it is flat and slightly less interesting than some peers - although it is a stunning achievement for a flat site - even if I now prefer others, particularly Hankley Common - my idea of heaven and the best site for an inland course I have ever seen. To me, it rivals Sunningdale as the best of the heathlands. And 2 that really impressed me, way above their rankings were Beau Desert and Broadstone, which I am playing again on Saturday. Swinley, the Berkshire and St Georges Hill were all highlights - Wentworth West - was a great experience first time as I had not played many others at the time but following other visits and playing many other courses, I thought it overrated (waiting for cars to cross the roads several times can take the edge of the experience!); similarly, I couldn't believe how Walton Heath was circa 20 in the rankings and Hankley nearer 100 at the time (the reverse surely) - and, for a very similar set up, thought Woodhall Spa far better. I was more impressed with the slightly less well known heathlands like Blackmoor (a peach with awesome greens and magical use of a small and relatively flat site), North Hants and New Zealand - all of these are behind the top ones, but not by very much and certainly no where near the difference in fees. Staying 2 nights at Loch Lomond was something I will never forget but my one play was not enough to get a proper opinion of the actual course as it was dull and a bit wet - setting awesome, but clearly a site that was unsuitable for a course unless you had limitless pockets - they did and still went bust. I know Snelly thought it over-ratad and I am still not sure where I place the actual course - the back 9 is clearly better and there were only 2 really good holes on the front - 3 and 5, so I am on the fence. Queenwood an awesome experience and an amazing job on what would have been an average site but I didn't think the par 3s were great and the drives on some of the par 5s were unmemorable and not exciting) although second and third shot were very good.

As for links, I haven't really played a bad one but do find it hard to place the best - loved the Old course (at least as much for the experience) but would have to say that my favourite would probably be tied between Saunton (the West at least as good for at least two thirds with a couple of weaker holes), Formby (maybe the best of all worlds) and Porthcawl (caught it on a magical sunny 1st of November with surfers out in force), closely followed by Hillside and RSG.

I still love Bearwood as much as anywhere and it lifts my spirits just turning into the site each Saturday - and think the latest Golf World England Top 100 was quite wide of the mark with this and a few others (I must play Ferndown at 28 - 48 better than Bearwood - as it must be considered awesome by some people, I just have not heard anyone say that and can't believe that it is better than Broadstone or even Parskstone, having had a quick look when passing a few years ago). Although nice to see Kings Lynn make the list as it is a cracking course where I used to be a junior member! Just looking at Golf monthly again and seeing Walton Heath at number 6 above Sunningdale New (and many others) - that is so way off the mark to be laughable - I think Sunningdale New between 4 and 10 is possibly the best set of holes I have played anywhere. I am sure that repeat visits are needed, especially for certain course that are "growers" but first impressions count for a lot!
Click to expand...

Top, top post from Paul. I agree with everything you've said.
 
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