I see this is all Orange County, but Cresta Verde absolutely belongs on that list too hahaha
I haven't played nearly as many courses as most, so, in no particular order:
Emerald Canyon
Troon North Monument
The Boulders
Rams Hill
Indian Wells Celebrity
Desert Willow Mountain View
Goose Creek
Links at Riverlakes Ranch (was in good condition that day!)
The Refuge
Soboba Springs
[[Edited by evildrummerhb on Wednesday July 12, 2017 1:52 PM]]
Message #84758 - This was a reply to message #84747
Like many of you on this forum, I've also played a few of the "marquee" courses...Pebble Beach, Spyglass, Torrey Pines...yet wouldn't place any of them on my Top Ten List. Basing my selections more on personal appeal and other intangibles as opposed to "Bucket List" criteria, they are as follows:
1. Newport Country Club, Newport, RI
2. Belgrade Lakes, Belgrade, ME
3. Stow Acres-North, Stow, MA
4. Stow Acres-South, Stow, MA
5. New Seabury-Ocean Course, Cape Cod, MA
6. Crosswinds, Plymouth, MA
7. Shadow Ridge, Palm Desert, CA
8. Barona Creek, Lakeside, CA
9. Rams Hill, Borrego Springs, CA
10. Bajamar, Ensenada, Mexico
Message #84760 - This was a reply to message #84736
mhendu
RE: Your Personal Top 10 Golf Courses?
Member Since: August 12, 2016
Favorite Golfer: N/A Favorite Golf Course: N/A
Wednesday July 12, 2017 4:34 PM
I havent played a ton of courses but I've been fortunate enough to play some amazing courses.
1. Cypress Point
2. Pebble Beach
3. Monterey Peninsula CC Shore/Dunes Course
4. Pacific Dunes / Bandon Dunes
5. Spyglass
6. Old Macdonald / Bandon Trails
7. The Preserve (Monterey Peninsula)
8. Spanish Bay
9. TPC Las Vegas
10. Tehama
[[Edited by mhendu on Wednesday July 12, 2017 4:50 PM]]
Message #84761 - This was a reply to message #84736
Rat-Patrol
RE: Your Personal Top 10 Golf Courses?
Member Since: April 20, 2013
Favorite Golfer: My Grandpa was Favorite Golf Course: Balboa Park GC
Wednesday July 12, 2017 4:43 PM
WOW! Those are a whole list of tough acts to follow! I feel like I've led a sheltered golf life!
Message #84762 - This was a reply to message #84761
My primary criteria is based on course design and the difficulty factor compared to the fun level of playing there. I like a reasonably difficult course, around a 130 slope... but not so difficult that it's not fun to play.
Other factors considered:
1-The beauty of the course and immediate area.
2-The uniqueness of the individual golf holes. If too many are been there, done that = a - in my mind.
3-How fun was this course to play?
4-The playing conditions I have experienced.
5-Final consideration is price. A $300 course SHOULD/BETTER be a FAR superior playing experience than a $30 course?
I could not come up with a Top 10, way too many outstanding courses not getting a mention that are just not that far apart IMO. So I came up with an overall Top 25.
25 Favorite Courses/Designer:
1-Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, CA (Jack Neville and Douglas Grant)
2-Poppy Hills, Pebble Beach, CA (Robert Trent Jones, Jr.)
3-Maderas, Poway, CA (Johnny Miller)
4-Sherwood Country Club, Thousand Oaks, CA (Jack Nicklaus)
5-Aviara, Carlsbad, CA (Arnold Palmer)
6-Rams Hill, Borrego Springs, CA (Tom Fazio)
7-Desert Willow (Firecliff), Palm Desert, CA (Dr. Michael Hurdzan, Dana Fry, John Cook)
8-Ventana (Canyon), Tucson, AZ (Tom Fazio)
9-Ventana (Mountain), Tucson, AZ (Tom Fazio)
10-Olivas Links, Ventura, CA (Forrest Richardson)
11-SilverRock, La Quinta, CA (Arnold Palmer)
12-Pumpkin Ridge (Ghost Creek), North Plains, OR (Robert Cupp and John Fought)
13-Hunter Ranch, Paseo Robles, CA (Kenneth Hunter and Mike McGinnis)
14-Kapalua (Plantation), Lahaina, HI (Ben Crenshaw)
15-PGA West (Stadium), La Quinta, CA (Pete Dye)
16-Presido Golf Course, Arguello Gate, CA (Robert Wood Johnstone and William McEwan)
17-Classic Club, Palm Desert, CA (Arnold Palmer)
18-Bayonet Black Horse GC (Bayonet), Seaside, CA (Robert McClure, Gene Bates)
19-Indian Wells (Players), Indian Wells, CA (John Fought)
20-Mission Hills Country Club (Dinah Shore), Rancho Mirage, CA (Desmond Muirhead)
21-Indian Wells (Celebrity), Indian Wells, CA (Clive Clark)
22-Bayonet Black Horse GC (Black Horse), Seaside, CA (Gene Bates)
23-The Reserve (South Course), Aloha, OR (John Fought)
24-Marriott Shadow Ridge, Palm Desert, CA (Sir Nick Faldo)
25-Monarch Dunes (Old Course), Nipomo, CA (Damian Pascuzzo & Steve Pate)
And the worst courses I have ever played, based on a combination of poor layout &/or poor to terrible playing conditions:
1-Eagle Creek, Eagle Creek, OR
2-Verdugo Hills, Tujunga, CA
3-Saticoy Regional Golf Course, Ventura, CA
4-Real Del Mar, Tijuana, MX
5-Cherry Hills, Sun City, CA
6-Mountain View, Santa Paula, CA
7-Shorecliffs, San Clemente, CA
8-Alondra, Lawndale, CA
9-Mesquite Golf & Country Club, Palm Springs, CA
10-Links Course @ Paso Robles, Paso Robles, CA
11-Cathedral Canyon C.C., Cathedral City, CA
12-Blacklake Resort (Oaks Course), Nipomo, CA
13-Sunset Hills C.C., Thousand Oaks, CA
Several of these are now closed, and most of the others should be for impersonating a golf course.
[[Edited by Nickesquire on Tuesday February 2, 2021 2:38 PM]]
The goal has always been long and straight! But since I can no longer hit them long, hopefully straighter could be achieved more than occasionally?
Message #84767 - This was a reply to message #84736
dconnally
RE: Your Personal Top 10 Golf Courses?
Member Since: October 6, 2003
Favorite Golfer: Arnie Favorite Golf Course: Oak Quarry; Tobiano
Wednesday July 12, 2017 8:21 PM
I'd be interested to see weber's list.
Remember, we could be at work!!
Message #84768 - This was a reply to message #84767
tcmae
RE: Your Personal Top 10 Golf Courses?
Member Since: February 4, 2008
Favorite Golfer: Anyone except for Rory Favorite Golf Course: Los Verdes
Wednesday July 12, 2017 10:25 PM
Been playing the game for about 10 years now, I started playing the par 3 courses back in January '07, and played my first regulation course in mid July '07, so it's been almost 10 years since I've started playing the regulation courses. Throughout these past 10 years, I've played every "budget" 18 hole regulation course in LA County except for Rancho Vista in Palmdale. Ever since starting the game, it also allowed me to play when on vacation, and out of town, so I have played some tracks during some out to town trips to San Diego, Northern California, Palm Springs, and Ventura. I also have taken a trip to Hawaii, and played some tracks there as well. Although I haven't played any of the high end expensive courses in LA County, sometimes I do go out and play some high end expensive courses when out of town and on vacation. So here is my top 10 in all the courses I've played at over the 10 years based on my favorites, scenery, difficulty, value, and conditions of the courses.
1. Los Verdes-my favorite golf course because of scenery and value
2. Makena North in Maui-most difficult & expensive, and best course conditions & scenery I've played in, unfortunately it closed down for renovations, and reopened as a private course
3. Shadow Ridge in Palm Desert-best course conditions I've played in, and fastest greens I've played in
4. The Crossings at Carlsbad-one of the most difficult layouts I've played in, and shot one of my highest rounds there, a 110 which was my 2nd round at this course during a totally free round on my 24th birthday
5. Olivas Links
6. Pacific Grove-one of the best sceneries in the back 9, but course overall is short, and kind of overpriced
7. River Ridge-Victoria Lakes
8. Simi Hills
9. San Dimas Canyon
10. Mountain Meadows-very challenging, and best value in LA County next to Los Verdes
Honorable Mentions
Los Serranos-both North/South
Knollwood
Brookside #1
Griffith Park-Wilson
Rio Hondo
El Dorado Park
Rancho Park
Some high end expensive courses I've played not on this list, basically disappointing courses I've played at
Rancho Bernardo-pretty overpriced especially if not a So Cal resident, layout and scenery was disappointing for a course in a luxury resort, which the resort was great
Ko Olina in Oahu-pretty overpriced, and although there was lots of water in the layout, the layout was too flat and too wide open for a $200 course, but fortunately I was able to play there for free which included rental clubs
Riverwalk-again pretty overpriced, and although Presidio/Friar 9's has some good challenging holes, the conditions were not up to expectation for a $100 course, and the Mission 9 layout is not worth the $100, but fortunately I got a big birthday discount when I played Riverwalk thanks to this website
Skylinks-well maintained but very overpriced, layout is not that challenging for the $58 green fee I paid for, I believe it's just that overpriced because of the waterfall in the course, El Dorado Park is a better more challenging course than Skylinks and way cheaper too
My NOT Top 10 lol courses I don't like because of having the worst course conditions but not all, some actually well maintained but are on this list because of the course being too short and simple layout, and overpricing their green fees
1. Azusa Greens-"Azusa Browns" lol-worst maintained course in LA County
2. El Prado-just played the Butterfield Stage course-has good potential though, good layout but poorly maintained, almost as worse as Azusa, but have to comeback to play the Chino Creek course
3. Alondra-not a good layout but at least the front 9 was renovated with new tees, fairways, bunkers, and greens, but the back 9 still looked very old and outdated
4. Alhambra-well maintained but too short, a "wannabe" course, they think they are the best golf course in the area, but it's short, but I did play lots of rounds there as a junior since it's only $1 for juniors
5. Encino/Balboa-Sepulveda-poor course conditions, and my last round at Balboa, golfers behind and in front of us were yelling at us, and wanted to start a fight
6. Poplar Creek-like Alhambra well maintained but a too short layout for an overpriced $58 green fee which I paid there
7. Buenaventura-like Alhambra and Poplar Creek well maintained but too short, just go to Olivas or River Ridge next door which is almost the same price
I can't name more 18 hole regulation courses for my NOT Top 10, so I'll finish it off with executive/Par 3 courses
8. Arroyo Seco-too simple Par-3 layout
9. De Bell Par 3-my first round was played at this course back in January '07, greens were terribly maintained, during my 2 times I played there, one hole didn't even have a flagstick lol, a short branch was used as the "flagstick" which you can't even see from the tee mat lol, and the tee mats had a weird design
10. Verdugo Hills-unfortunately already closed, and didn't find out until it was closed so I wasn't able to play it one more time before it closed, terrible fairways and greens, but at least I saw workers mowing the fairways so at least they are trying lol, but it is also the most challenging par 3 course I've played
Some courses which I would put on this NOT Top 10 List, but I've seen or heard of drastic improvement
De Bell 18 Hole-has the nicest clubhouse, but when clubhouse first opened, the course was poorly maintained, and didn't match the nice clubhouse, but the course has changed their tee signs, renovated their tee boxes, and now looks well maintained and now matches the nice clubhouse. De Bell is also pretty challenging, don't be fooled by the course length lol, it took me 5 times to play this course to break 100.
Marshall Canyon-nice scenery layout and views, but an outdated clubhouse and the tee boxes, fairways, and greens were the worst when I first played here and I would put this course on this NOT Top 10 list next to it's neighbor, Azusa, but improved when I came here a year ago, and it would be nice to see a new clubhouse and tee signs
Los Amigos-I avoided playing this course before the renovation because I heard that it was too outdated, and poorly maintained, but after the renovation, I played it for the first time and was amazed with the renovation and the maintenance, I have came back for 2 more rounds, and it is getting better everytime I come back especially the new green on hole #11
[[Edited by tcmae on Wednesday July 12, 2017 11:19 PM]]
[[Edited by tcmae on Wednesday July 12, 2017 11:23 PM]]
Message #84769 - This was a reply to message #84736
UNCLEDDBOY23
RE: Your Personal Top 10 Golf Courses?
Member Since: June 15, 2014
Favorite Golfer: Phil Mickelson Favorite Golf Course: Whistling Straits
Thursday July 13, 2017 12:10 AM
Alex326 ... Nice Thread
The top 10 courses that I have played at ... in no particular order
1. Whistling Straits - Straits Course ... Haven, Wisconsin
2. Blackwolf Run - River Course ... Kohler, Wisconsin
3. Rock Hollow ... Peru, Indiana
4. Rams Hill ... Borrego Springs, CA
5. Indian Wells - Celebrity Course ... Indian Wells, CA
6. Classic Club ... Palm Desert, CA
7. Aviara ... Carlsbad, CA
8. Old Corkscrew ... Estero, Florida
9. Wolf Creek ... Mesquite, Nevada
10. We-Ko-Pa - Cholla Course ... Fort McDowell, AZ
Honorable Mention: Sewaillo, Golf Club at Dove Mountain, Purgatory, Stoneridge, Quintero and Paa-Ko Ridge
[[Edited by UNCLEDDBOY23 on Thursday July 13, 2017 12:20 AM]]
[[Edited by UNCLEDDBOY23 on Thursday July 13, 2017 9:07 PM]]
Message #84773 - This was a reply to message #84736