Course Thread

[HDPM]

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i played stone eagle..it was very nice.

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That's Doak's new one isn't it? Can you get reciprocal play there or anything? It is private isn't it? I want to play any Doak course I can, but didn't know of I could get on there. Doak posts some on golf club atlas and I read one thing where he kind of made fun of palm springs. I like that.

[bonds]

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bonds - never played Gross, how does it compare to Meadowbrook/Wirth etc. for Minneapolis courses or to Braemar, which is where I usually play.

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I like Gross about 1000x better than Meadowbrook (ugh). I don't find Meadowbrook to be interesting at all, but I have to admit I haven't played it in a long time now.

Gross is also a lot better than Hiawatha, which really should be a good course. It just isn't. I've only played Wirth once and it was eons ago, so I can't really compare it. Have never played Braemar, no idea why.

Gross reminds me a lot of the U of M (Les Bolstad) Course. Not real long, lots of trees, not target golf, smaller greens. Old style.

Some thoughts on a few of the other Minneapolis/St. Paul area courses I've played:

Willingers in Northfield. I haven't played here for a couple years, but I've always been a fan. Well maintained, lots of wetlands and elevation changes for visual interest, challenging. The price is also a plus, under $50 green fee.

Chaska Town Course in Chaska. Arthur Hills design - maybe it's just me, but if you've played one Hills course you've played them all. They all have an 18th hole that winds around a lake. Okay, I'm exaggerating. Another sub-$50 value.

Eagle Valley in Woodbury. Not bad but nothing special, used to be a really good value.

Links at Northfork in Ramsey. I've always liked this course for some reason - maybe because it's links style and wiiiiiide open. Not the best choice on a windy day.

Last but not least -- I can probably comment on at least 20 more courses, but this is enough for the moment -- here's a controversial pick. My personal favorite course in the area is Mississippi Dunes in Cottage Grove. People tend to either love it or hate it. It's kind of an unusual design - 6 par 4s, 6 par 5s, 6 par 3s. A few holes play along the Mississippi River. There are a couple blind shots. Some wetlands. Lots of trees, long grass, scrub brush and other vegetation. No houses or condos. If you post a good number, you'll feel a sense of accomplishment - or maybe it's the post-round beer on the deck.

[pokerpansie]

Leaving today for a Sandpines, Pacific Dunes, Bandon Trails, 3 day pro am with some members of my club. TR to follow. Pacific Dunes is fabulous, Sandpines is great, very excited to see Trails. Pacific and Trails are 2 of the 3 courses at the famed Bandon Dunes complex on the southern coast of oregon.

[HDPM]

yeah, hoping to get there next year sometime. Pacific is on the top of my list there. Trails next. I want to play all 3 obv. Have fun, it shouldn't be too hard to do.

[cardsharkk04]

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Leaving today for a Sandpines, Pacific Dunes, Bandon Trails, 3 day pro am with some members of my club. TR to follow. Pacific Dunes is fabulous, Sandpines is great, very excited to see Trails. Pacific and Trails are 2 of the 3 courses at the famed Bandon Dunes complex on the southern coast of oregon.

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After caddying for owner of these courses and all the members at the country club who have been there, I think Oregon would be my number one spot to golf inside the US (that's public). The place sounds [censored] amazing.

Also Fossil Trace is a badass golf course. The back nine has some sweet holes with awesome rock formations. Its one of my favorite courses.

[holeplug]

Some courses a little north of Philly...

Center Valley Golf Club - one of the nicest public courses in the area. Used to host some Nike tour event when it was still the Nike tour

Olde Homestead Golf Club - have not played here in at least 5-6 years. Only thing I remember is they always had smoking hot college girls that carry your clubs from your car to your cart.

Hideaway Hills Golf Club - this one is in the Poconos and is a nice "lets make a golf course on the side of a mountain" places to play

[TobDog]

The problems they are talking about are(imo) one- sided, for years, I know of many people that couldnt get on Torry BC it was a "locals first" place(ironically, my current job is that too, but we dont have the demand they do) the SD city residents had first crack and got the cheapest rates, the the SD county residents also had early booking opportunity and also discounted rates, leaving others that wanted to play to pay a booking company 4-5 times the guest rate to play. I know this sounds like a lot of bitching, but the golf course is(should be) making more money off the green fees now.

Oh, as for original, favorite course to play http://www.mtwoodson.com/

In north SD county, little 18 hole course, like 5800 yards, when it first opened it had a slope of 135, fun and challengind place, also no driving range.