What makes a good course?

[USER1999]

Ok, the obvious first, it needs to have variety (both in terrain, and length), be scenic, a bit tough, have good greens, decent bunkers, not be tricked up, in good condition, interesting par 3s, risk/reward par 5s, the odd dog leg, maybe water, some decent but fair rough.

But what else? What about the intangibles? Things that are hard to define.

What if you walk off, (having played like a tramp accepted), and have only hit 7 clubs out of 14? What if two of those were the wrong club, but taken just for the heck of it.

I liked the course today, but am not convinced that had I played well, I would have used any more than the 7 clubs I hit, may be less. I find this takes the shine off what should be a good track.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It has to make you stop and think. It isn't so much about the risk/reward on a long par 4 or par 5 but more the necessity to find the right place to make a score. It needs to be a course that can't be bludgeoned into submission

 

[Imurg]

I suppose, in a perfect world, you should need to use every club in the bag during the round. Length is a big factor in that. There's no real challenge in 350 yard par 4's one after the other. Driver, 9 iron (or thereabouts) and you're there every time. A good variety of lengths tests all the shots. Our par 4's are 385,459,318,414,402,341,437 and 429 yards. Not a bad spread especially as the first needs a 200 yards carry over a stream or a lay-up to leave 200 to go.
You need a variety of directions too. Not just one way up a field then back down the other side. Some changes in elevation are good too. A 437 yarder uphill is almost like a par 5! Short and long par 3's, short and long par 5's. Maybe a drivable par 4.
It has to be interesting and a challenge. Thinking about which shot to play and how to play it rather than knowing the formula for playing the course.

 

[JustOne]

I liked the course today, but am not convinced that had I played well, I would have used any more than the 7 clubs I hit, may be less. I find this takes the shine off what should be a good track.

I can only answer that by saying that we played right off the front tee boxes today.

Thought the course was playable though, no real gripes with it.... damn good day for a 3-club event!

 

[Putting_Green_Pro]

From what you have all said I think you should play my home course Heyrose (link below) if you are ever up in the Manchester/Cheshire region. It has a long par 3 235 yards and a drivable par 4 270. There are also a few doglegs and other hard par 3s

 

[thecraw]

I have quite a simple method when it comes to a good course.

If I can clearly remember every hole after my first visit, then its been a good course, an enjoyable course that has stuck in my mind.

Not fool proof and certainly not scientific, however it works for me!

 

[Smiffy]

I have quite a simple method when it comes to a good course.

If I can clearly remember every hole after my first visit, then its been a good course, an enjoyable course that has stuck in my mind.

Not fool proof and certainly not scientific, however it works for me!

Ditto

 

[USER1999]

Never play Whipsnade then. You can't even remeber the tee shot when you are standing over your approach.

 

[forerightagain]

From what you have all said I think you should play my home course Heyrose (link below) if you are ever up in the Manchester/Cheshire region. It has a long par 3 235 yards and a drivable par 4 270. There are also a few doglegs and other hard par 3s

I will support this post, played there in Oct and enjoyed every hole.... even the birdie long par three! Driver and three foot put wow

 

[TRS30]

I have quite a simple method when it comes to a good course.

If I can clearly remember every hole after my first visit, then its been a good course, an enjoyable course that has stuck in my mind.

Not fool proof and certainly not scientific, however it works for me!

Ditto

Double ditto

 

[viscount17]

doglegs shouldn't all go one-way, no stupid holes (Stockwood 18th) nor a run of holes in a string along the oob (Tilsworth - do not go there!). Use landscaping or planting instead of oob posts between fairways. Clearly marked hazards, hence a good, up-to-date, shotsaver (blind ditches - yech!)

 

[bobmac]

I have quite a simple method when it comes to a good course.

If I can clearly remember every hole after my first visit, then its been a good course, an enjoyable course that has stuck in my mind.

Not fool proof and certainly not scientific, however it works for me!

Ditto

Double ditto

Dittottotto

 

[Region3]

x5 for being able to remember the holes.

I wouldn't go back to a course that I never hit an approach longer than a 9 iron, no matter how good a condition it was in.

 

[RGDave]

I liked the course today, but am not convinced that had I played well, I would have used any more than the 7 clubs I hit, may be less. I find this takes the shine off what should be a good track.

Hmm.

Bad
I played the Warwickshire and hardly used anything other than woods and wedges.
I've also played courses where every darn par 3 is a 5 iron or something.
Last year I played somewhere where all the fairway bunkers were bang on my distance, yet everyone else flew them without trying.....and that was off white.....talk about not taking into account "modern hitting".

Good
Courses that mix it up nicely, some gifts and some gits!!
Courses that give a chance to use your natural shape off the tee.

These are all tangible things, I'll need to think about the others!!!