What's more important to you?

[Voyager EMH]

If I play a course and give it ratings for design and condition, then the design will be a fairly static figure, but the condition could vary month by month or year by year.
7 out of 10 for both and I'll probably have an enjoyable experience.

9/10 and 4/10, whichever way round and then it will probably be something of a disappointment.

Both important in equal measure in that case, for me.

 

[Crow]

I don't like courses that are immaculately presented, if I wanted to see that then I can go to the city park and look at the flower beds etc.

Give me something that looks like nature has played a part in its design.
I'm not fussed about a bit of sheep here and there.
When did a bit of unkempt grass ever ruin my day?
As long as there are no rocks under the fairway or too many stones in bunkers then I'm good to go.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I don't like courses that are immaculately presented, if I wanted to see that then I can go to the city park and look at the flower beds etc.

Give me something that looks like nature has played a part in its design.
I'm not fussed about a bit of sheep here and there.
When did a bit of unkempt grass ever ruin my day?
As long as there are no rocks under the fairway or too many stones in bunkers then I'm good to go.

I don't like courses that are immaculately presented, if I wanted to see that then I can go to the city park and look at the flower beds etc.

Give me something that looks like nature has played a part in its design.
I'm not fussed about a bit of sheep here and there.
When did a bit of unkempt grass ever ruin my day?
As long as there are no rocks under the fairway or too many stones in bunkers then I'm good to go.

I'd agree with you on condition - but in the context of it being an aspect of the course and it's location. I love playing where sheep and cattle or kangaroos and emus roam free - that is part of the charm and challenge. But where that is not the case and the course is just a mess and my shots are subject to the vagaries of the poor condition - vagaries that I cannot simply accept or put aside as part of the charm and challenge - then I get frustrated and cheesed off. I don't want or need condition to be immaculate - I just want it to present a fair environment (and yes - who said that golf was meant to be fair..) for what it is and as the course designer would have intended.

Couple of days ago I played a very well known and renowned track in Wltshire/Glos area built relatively recently, and I was frankly quite shocked at the state of the bunkers and how stony they were. Rest of the course was splendid - but goodness knows whats happened to the bunkers - just as well I was only in a couple.

 

[Mel Smooth]

Design over condition for me - I want something that stimulates me as I go round, not a course where you knock it one way, then back down the next adjacent fairway and so on.
Our course is lovely, lots of water, wildlife, and trees especially on the front nine, but it's a bit of a bogfest in winter - but when you walk round it in the condition it's in now, there's nowhere I'd rather be playing golf.

 

[Deleted member 15717]

Having this debate at the minute.

my current place is dry, horrible and just unpleasant. Every summer it is the same.

on a waiting list at another place, but it’s a lot longer drive. Conditioning, however, is spot on….and the design is pretty good as it is.

the drive is the only real downside, especially in today’s fuel prices!

 

[Foxholer]

Design is more important to me. Condition can always be improved, but poor/dull design is there to stay.
Poor condition bunkers are just tougher hazards. As long as greens are good and other aspects aren't diabolical, I'll forgive a lot of scruffiness on an interesting design but will quickly be bored by a dull design. There's a couple of other 'C' words that are factors too - Convenience and Cost. I'm happy to pop down to a fairly dull, but cheap, 9-holer every now and again as it's almost within walking distance.

 

[KenL]

I'll go for the design (good views crucial too) and hope that the condition improves.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

For all of those going design and hoping the condition improves, that wasn't the option. If it was then surely we would all do that. The question only really works if things stay as they are. If not, I could go condition, which I did, but then hope for a re-design ?‍

 

[KenL]

For all of those going design and hoping the condition improves, that wasn't the option. If it was then surely we would all do that. The question only really works if things stay as they are. If not, I could go condition, which I did, but then hope for a re-design ?‍

Sorry for upsetting "your" thread. ?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I'll go for the design (good views crucial too) and hope that the condition improves.

In the context of the op I don’t consider location, and hence such as views, as being part of course ‘design’, even though location will determine design, but design being delineated by the course boundary. I could probably put up with a course being in pretty much any condition if it’s setting is stunning with spectacular views out and beyond. Take away the views and leave just what the course presents to me to play and I will mostly change that view.

 

[r0wly86]

throwing a different question at you then.

you have 20 points to spend.

Condition 1-10 (10 being Augusta National during Masters week and 1 being a council goat track during a heavy winter)
Design 1-10 (10 being the best Colt/Braid etc however you personally enjoy a course, 1 being 350 yard par 4 straight, flat greens etc for 18 holes)
Scenery 1-10 (10 being breath taking views and vistas and 1 being you can't see anything but the golf course)

for me I would have
Design - 9
Condition - 6
Scenery - 5

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Sorry for upsetting "your" thread. ?

I did wonder if my reply was going to come across as a bit prissy. It was not meant to, not my thread either .

I think it is a really good question in its purest form. If we bend the question then it becomes too easy to answer. I'll get back in my box now

 

[Deleted member 29109]

Design for me.

I’d very quickly get bored of a course that was boring (in my opinion) even if it was presented like Augusta during Masters week.

 

[CountLippe]

throwing a different question at you then.

you have 20 points to spend.

Condition 1-10 (10 being Augusta National during Masters week and 1 being a council goat track during a heavy winter)
Design 1-10 (10 being the best Colt/Braid etc however you personally enjoy a course, 1 being 350 yard par 4 straight, flat greens etc for 18 holes)
Scenery 1-10 (10 being breath taking views and vistas and 1 being you can't see anything but the golf course)

for me I would have
Design - 9
Condition - 6
Scenery - 5

Condition would be even further down for me... tempted to put scenery as 10.. it would mean I lived somewhere fab!!
Design - 8
Condition - 4
Scenery - 8

 

[Slab]

Condition would be even further down for me... tempted to put scenery as 10.. it would mean I lived somewhere fab!!
Design - 8
Condition - 4
Scenery - 8

I'm lucky to be playing my golf with some stunning scenery, you’d be surprised how quickly you don’t see it anymore in your field of vision (especially if you had to play your next shot off a patch of bare dry mud!)

Design - 6
Condition - 8
Scenery - 6

 

[Orikoru]

throwing a different question at you then.

you have 20 points to spend.

Condition 1-10 (10 being Augusta National during Masters week and 1 being a council goat track during a heavy winter)
Design 1-10 (10 being the best Colt/Braid etc however you personally enjoy a course, 1 being 350 yard par 4 straight, flat greens etc for 18 holes)
Scenery 1-10 (10 being breath taking views and vistas and 1 being you can't see anything but the golf course)

for me I would have
Design - 9
Condition - 6
Scenery - 5

10, 10, 0. Could not give a rat's backside about views and scenery, I only care about the golf course I'm playing. And if it was 10/10 for design and condition I wouldn't be looking anywhere else!

 

[Crazyface]

Easy. Condition.

A great design, in poor condition, still leaves an unsatisfactory experience. You are almost giving it credit for what it could be, rather than how really not so good it was to play.

A lesser design, in top shape, I find leaves me more with a satisfied - that was nice, I enjoyed it - feeling.

If its a greenfee round, poor condition always leaves the feeling that you didn't get value for money, or that the course is trading on reputation and not really providing the quality.

And greeting in the pro shop and state of the car park. And there you have it. ??

 

[evemccc]

Based on that criteria of Augusta 10 and Goat Track 1:

Condition 7
Design 8
Scenery 5

 

[Deleted member 1147]

To me they are equally important.
Walk off a great course in bad nick and you'll be disappointed.
Walk off a dull course in great nick you'll be disappointed.

I only want good to great courses that are in good to great nick.

 

[RichA]

throwing a different question at you then.

you have 20 points to spend.

Condition 1-10 (10 being Augusta National during Masters week and 1 being a council goat track during a heavy winter)
Design 1-10 (10 being the best Colt/Braid etc however you personally enjoy a course, 1 being 350 yard par 4 straight, flat greens etc for 18 holes)
Scenery 1-10 (10 being breath taking views and vistas and 1 being you can't see anything but the golf course

I currently have
Design - 7
Condition - 3
Scenery - 10
Our club has the space and location to be a serious Top 100 contender, but it would take some extremely serious cash and ambition.
I'm currently looking around. Other local courses score highly on design and condition, but I don't know if I'm willing to double my yearly subscription for a Braid course that's next to a motorway service station and 2 miles from the end of the runway of the UK's 3rd and Europe's 10th busiest airport.