What Are Your Favourite 3 Courses You've Played

[Links R Best]

So tell me what are some of your favourite golf courses and what makes them so good?

1. Royal Birkdale , great layout,tough bunkers and fantastic greens.
2. Wallasey ,great links,good views,real test of golf in the wind ( nearly always windy )
3.Formby ,another great course in the NW of England,great natural course and you have to be good and straight off the tee,excellent greens

[Andy_79]

Hmmm, tough one !

Think I'll go for the 3 courses in my own country of N.Ireland, actually.

1) Royal Portrush: Host of many top Professional & Ameteur events, most notably The Open in 1951, Portrush is a superb golf course.
RPGC is a real 'thinker's' Links and is one of the most 'fairest' Links courses that you will ever play. Some superb holes, and although a tad short in today's game (although the wind can make it v.long), the pressure on shots all the way around the course makes it a real cracker.
The run of holes 4,5,6 & 7 are nothing short of outstanding, and 12, 13, 14 are again, first-class.
Is only 4 miles from me, so I get to play it a fair bit

2) Royal County Down: "Where the mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea."
One of the most picturesque settings for a golf course anywhere on this planet, and features one hole (#9) that is one of the most photographed holes in the world.
The Front nine here is one of the most toughest and best you are ever likely to play. The turf is the finest you will play off and the bunkers are so very unique. I believe this course to be a "must-play" for any golfing enthusiast on God's green earth.

3) Portstewart GC: This is my wee club and if I had to play anywhere for the rest of my days, I think it would have to be this one. Such an enjoyable golf course.
This course offers breathtaking views and one of the finest first 9 holes anywhere.
The next 2-3 years will prove to be exciting times ahead with plans to build a £4 million clubhouse and a development of new bunkers, tees and other improvements made to the course to bring it right into the fold with the very best in Links courses in the British Isles.

[Rockford35]

1. Dakota Dunes Golf Course, Saskatchewan, Canada
2. Trail G&CC, Trail, British Columbia, Canada
3. Falconhead GC, Austin, Texas, USA

R35

[demon]

1. LaPurisma, Lompoc, CA, USA
2. Troon North, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
3. Olympic Club, San Francisco, CA, USA

[julie2golf]

I think I would have to go for my home golf course first!!
1. Mossman GC Qld Australia.
2. Brookwater GC Qld Australia. (I think it is Greg Norman designed)
3. PalmMedows GC Qld Australia. (this gc, is not as trendy and upmarket, as some in the Gold Coast area are, but I just really enjoyed playing there! )

[Dave Ireland]

1. Carnoustie (Host of Open 2007)
2. Ring of Kerry (Fantastic scenery and a gem of a course hard, long but fair
3. European Club it's just so challenging

[Eracer]

In no particular order:

Pebble Beach
St. Andrews
Whistling Straights

A close runner-up is a little course in Ocala, Florida called "Golden Ocala". It's "million-dollar-mansion" private now, but back in the day, it was the very definition of hidden gem. In the woods - no houses, no cars, no roads - with nothing to spoil the golf. Never crowded. In fact, it usually felt like we were alone on the course. A mix of eight very accurate replica holes, including Augusta's Amen Corner, Troon's Postage Stamp, and Augusta #16, along with 10 equally varied and interesting holes.

I consider myself very lucky to have been able to play this course many times. Never again, but oh well...

Of course, I'm very lucky to have been able to play my top three.

[ManchesterGolfer]

1). Bull bay golf club. I'd be suprised if anybody here has ever heard of this course? It's a little links on Angelsea, Wales. It isn't a Championship course but plays like one for the average golfer with roughly 10 out of the 18 holes having huge risk and reward shots over dog legs or hazards.

Joint 2nd). Southport and Ainsdale. Neihbour to Royal Birkdale this course hosted 2 Ryder cups and is a great traditional links with many tees built into sand dunes. Superb.

Joint 2nd). St.Annes Old Links. Great course, best greens I've ever played on. Really great looking club house and a real challenge.

Links courses are a firm favorite of mine now. Give me a Links over a parkland anyday.

[Links R Best]

[quote=ManchesterGolfer;90427]1). Bull bay golf club. I'd be suprised if anybody here has ever heard of this course?

Funnily enough I played here few years ago,I remember it being quite a tough course a little exposed on the first few holes,loads of sheep droppings and tonnes of gorse everywhere.

[dave.]

Hillside
Elgin
Alwoodley

[Links R Best]

[quote=Eracer;90421]In no particular order:

Pebble Beach
St. Andrews
Whistling Straights

Of course, I'm very lucky to have been able to play my top three.

What great courses you've played,I must admit I'm envious that you played Pebble Beach,I think it's probably one of the courses I would like to play before I die.

[dave.]

Cyprus Point would come before Pebble in my wish list

[Links R Best]

Cypress Point,what a fantastic looking course,it's very similar to Pebble.
But I think with the 18th at Pebble,it just shades it for me.

[kwcsports]

Not many people outside of Canada have probably heard of the first 2, but they are among the 20 best in our country. the 1st is The Highland Links in beautiful Cape Breton, the 2nd is The Links at Crowbush Cove on Prince Edward Island and the 3rd is the Gary Player Course in Sun City, South Africa. They Play the Nedbank Million Dollar Tournament there. I think it was on TV a few weeks ago.

[Eracer]

[quote=Links R Best;90495]

Originally Posted by Eracer

In no particular order:

Pebble Beach
St. Andrews
Whistling Straights

Of course, I'm very lucky to have been able to play my top three.

What great courses you've played,I must admit I'm envious that you played Pebble Beach,I think it's probably one of the courses I would like to play before I die.

Pebble Beach should be on your must play list. I would love to play Cypress Point (and many others that I see listed in this thread) as well. It looks stunning. But Pebble is like the Basilica, to Cypress Point's Louvre. Both are beautiful places, but playing Pebble was like a religious experience. St. Andrews was like that as well. Not many memorable holes (except 16-18), but a very memorable experience.