Best courses in the Worl

[papperlapub]

Alright, time to start a new thread here.

What do you guys think are the nicest courses you have played ever?

I think about taking some holidays and travel around playîng some golf.

Now, would not that be nice?

[Eracer]

The nicest course I've ever played was Pebble Beach. But that was when it cost $175 to play. Now I think it's close to $500.

But if money is no object, then a trip to Carmel, California would be wonderful. Golf at Pebble, Spyglass Hill, Spanish Bay, and Cypress Point (I think if you stay at the resort you are allowed to play Cypress - not sure though). Maybe then drive down the Pacific Coast Highway for some breathtaking scenery. Head to Napa Valley for some great wine. If you go there, make sure to do a Calistoga mud bath. Not to be missed. There are good golf courses in that area as well.

I've done Scotland, and it was pretty great, but the weather...

Never played Hawaii, or Thailand, or Spain - all great golf vacation destinations from what I hear. I think those three would be at the top of my list. But only because I've already played three of the Carmel courses. If you've never been there (and have the $$$), then California would be my number one choice.

I may be too provincial, though. I'd like to hear what others think about how the Carmel courses compare to other top golf spots.

[Bravo]

I missed a great Scotland trip with my friends a year ago. We are now planning an Ireland trip for 2007 including Ballybunion and several others there...

[justsomeguythatgolfs]

ermmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......................

[MISHIT]

Atunyote at Turning Stone Resort.

I haven't played to many courses but I played this one 2 days after the B.C. open left and it was magnificient.

2 of the guys in my foursome said that it was better than any course they have ever played in Myrtle beach and they have played over 40 courses down there.

[Andy_79]

Originally Posted by Bravo

I missed a great Scotland trip with my friends a year ago. We are now planning an Ireland trip for 2007 including Ballybunion and several others there...

Get yerself up north and play with myself and IG and a few others. Save ya loads on G/fees, too. Some real belter courses in Northern Ireland; it would be a shame to miss playing them. They are more reasonable than many in the Rep. of Ireland, too !

Most of the Americans I speak to much prefer playing here than in Scotland in my experience...

[cypressperch]

would ever want to have. My dad was in the Air Force and we were stationed in Japan. We lived by Showa Golf Course, and I could play as much golf as I wanted. My record is eighty-one holes in one day, played with a seven-iron and putter, and we ran a bunch of those holes. They had over a hundred people carring for that course. I remember seeing around 25 or 30 Japanese workers crawling fairways and replacing divots.
Each hole had two greens, a winter and a summer green. There were over 120 bunkers with the most beautiful sand ever. They had a great practice area, and I had an instructor named Ichikawa who was like a Japanese Ben Hogan. He dressed and swung just like Hogan. And they had the best cheese-burgers. I caddied for some really good players, and learned a lot from that. In my mind, that whole course, especially the front nine, seems like one huge Japanese garden with everything in perfect place. I did cut my foot open on a broken beer bottle while raiding the waterhole on number six, but hey, I brought home over 200 balls. I started playing the summer after I was in the fifth grade. I got to play that course for three years. By that time, I was shooting in the low eighties, and fairly often I would break eighty. I was on my way to maybe becoming something in golf, but I did not realize it. I played basketball and baseball and other stuff, and some of that took away time from golf when we got back to the states. But golf is number one now, and in many ways I am probably playing my best golf right now. As you can tell I have a case of Mad Cow. In my mind, Showa Golf Course is still the best course in my mind after having played perhaps a couple of hundred courses.

Others that I have played and liked: Dub's Dread or Cog Hill #4. Eagle Sticks in Zanesville, Ohio. Big Creek in Mountain Home, Arkansas. And not just because of the coincidental name, Cypress Bend on the Louisiana side of Toledo Bend lake. (Most unique hole--Don't laugh but there is a course in Texas, Turtle Hill, that has a hole with the green down in a gorge. That hole should be famous, really!)

Thanks for activating some very fond memories. Scotland sounds like an adventure. Sincerely, Cypressperch

[Andy_79]

Remember, guys:

"You haven't played golf until you have played in Ireland."

Really wanting to come to the States to get a game. Tried getting some of the lads to go there in late March/early April, but they're set in their ways about going to the Algarve in Portugal. Nothing wrong with the courses there at all, but would really love to go to Unniversial Studios, ETC. (!), and eat like f**k if we went to Florida. One day I shall get to your end of the big pond....

[JEFF4i]

Golf Magazine still loves Paako Ridge, eh, I'm so so about it. It's absolutely stunning and worth the money to play, but if you want a well designer difficult course, UNM Championship is where to go.

This all in the Great Albuquerque(New Mexico) area, mind you.

[Kilted Arab]

Loch Lomond - superb course, as close to perfection as I can imagine.

I'm comparing that with Muirfield, St Andrews, Wentworth, Turnberry, Royal Dornoch, Portstewart, Gleneagles, Carnoustie, Belfry, Kingsbarns and courses of that calibre...so not a bad peer group to beat.

The only problem with the Loch is that the Americans who own it have turned it into an Augusta equivalent in terms of getting on to play now.

Bastards, utter bastards - and it was a disgrace they were ever allowed to do so - it is totally against how golf should be in my opinion.

[VtDivot]

Has anyone ever played Pine Valley the private club in NJ that GD has rated #1 in the US for a million years in a row?

Interesting note I pulled off the wiki:

Although it is regarded as one of the greatest courses in the world, Pine Valley has not played host to any major golf tournaments. This is because there is not enough room on the course to accommodate tens of thousands of spectators. In fact, the only time Pine Valley has ever had mainstream exposure was a 1962 Shell's Wonderful World of Golf match between Gene Littler and Byron Nelson. The club does allow the public in for one day in late September to watch their club championship match, the "Crump Cup."

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by Andy_79

Remember, guys:

"You haven't played golf until you have played in Ireland."

Really wanting to come to the States to get a game. Tried getting some of the lads to go there in late March/early April, but they're set in their ways about going to the Algarve in Portugal. Nothing wrong with the courses there at all, but would really love to go to Unniversial Studios, ETC. (!), and eat like f**k if we went to Florida. One day I shall get to your end of the big pond....

I sometimes take it for granted that I live close to the great theme parks like Universal, Disney, Islands of Adventure, Busch Gardens, Sea World, etc.

As much as I despise Orlando, I admit that it is a great vacation destination. The theme parks, great food, and some pretty decent golf all add up to a good time. The only problem is that you really have two choices regarding the time of year: Beautiful Weather with Huge Crowds, or Hot as Hell with Smaller Crowds.

You can't go wrong staying at Disney. They have a couple of beautiful hotels, and the Disney courses are really, really nice. Another new opening is called Reunion. It's a bit west of Disney, and has courses by Nicklaus, Palmer, and Watson. Supposed to be a beautiful, upscale property (courses not open to the public, unlike Disney courses).

[JEFF4i]

Originally Posted by VtDivot

Has anyone ever played Pine Valley the private club in NJ that GD has rated #1 in the US for a million years in a row?

Interesting note I pulled off the wiki:

Although it is regarded as one of the greatest courses in the world, Pine Valley has not played host to any major golf tournaments. This is because there is not enough room on the course to accommodate tens of thousands of spectators. In fact, the only time Pine Valley has ever had mainstream exposure was a 1962 Shell's Wonderful World of Golf match between Gene Littler and Byron Nelson. The club does allow the public in for one day in late September to watch their club championship match, the "Crump Cup."

Eh, I'm not too impressed with courses like this. If they want to think of their course as that great, then let them, I'd much rather give my business to a course that doesn't think they are God's gift to golf.