Oakmont

Oakmont came to my mind early in 1994, when I saw images of Arnie’s last US Open then won by Ernie on that 100C temperatures playoff against Loren Roberts and Colin Montgomerie. And it then become my dream course to play when on a sunny afternoon at...

Fox Chapel

This one came I will not say as a surprise, but at least unexpected. I have to be honest and as well as with Mountain Lake, I was not fully aware of it and the inmense quality it had. And when talking about Seth Raynor, quality is really high end gol...

The Bear's Club

Well this one was special! After the week at TPC Sawgrass I had the chance to experience this special place, Jack’s home during winter. While at Ponte Vedra the invite came and it was an immediate yes of course.I drove directly from TPC for almost 5h...

TPC Sawgrass (Stadium)

I first played this course in April 2018 on my way to the Masters, on a very cold afternoon and very windy. I had landed in Miami and drove with no stop directly to first tee. The course had not had Rye Grass over seeding as it had this year for The...

TPC Sawgrass (Dye's Valley)

After the 2 rounds at the Hall of Fame courses we followed with 4 rounds at TPC Sawgrass, 2 at the Valley Course and 2 at the Stadium. It was great to play them twice in alternate days for all the group, as they were able to get familiar with the hol...

World Golf Village (King & Bear)

It was my second time playing this course being the previous one in 2017 during The Players Week and surprised I had not reviewed it. It was played the day after we played Slammer and Squire so it is perfect to do the contrast between both of them, w...

Bay Hill (Challenger & Champion)

This one was another course I had long had in my pending to play list and the chance to do it never really came close until a Tour I did to TPC Sawgrass last May. Together with the 2 rounds in a day at Mountain Lake I followed them with a night at th...

Mountain Lake

I came to this course by surprise when hosting a LACC and Philly Cricket Member in Argentina and Uruguay last year. Since then my friend suggested me that this course was a must play and I just waited for his ok to do it. In the meanwhile I read a lo...

Sleepy Hollow Golf Course

Stanley Thompson accumulated acclaim for his series of courses complementing many of Canada’s National Parks, so it’s appropriate that when Cuyahoga Valley was incorporated into the American National Park System in 1998, it inherently ingested Thomps...

Henley

This is a course I knew nothing about, but what a pleasant surprise. Apart from 3 holes in the middle (10-12), which are rather a dull slog, it is tremendous fun. Loads of variety of design, plenty of changes of elevation, some ravishing views of qui...

West Cliffs

I can remember the first time I was taken to a golf course. I can recall the impossibly blue sky of the late morning, the gentle breeze carrying the scent of leaked two stroke petrol and slightly damp but freshly cut grass. The distant chudder of the...

Pepper PIke

Pepper Pike Club (PPC) was designed by William Flynn and touches another William Flynn course, The Country Club (Pepper Pike). This causes some confusion, even among locals. While The Country Club is the better of the two, PPC is one of the most excl...

The Golf Club

The Golf Club appeals to fans of modern courses and minimalism. The first thing that strikes you is the size of the property. The driving range requires a long cart ride, but once there you're secluded on the pristine practice area. Another great fea...

Lage Vuursche

This place is a clearly a cut above the plethora of average modern golf courses in the Netherlands (where “modern” can admittedly evoke uninspiring design on poor land). Several times during our round we felt that what we saw before us could have bee...

Trump National Doral (Blue Monster)

I had played this one a couple of times after the restoring and during a 4 days competition I was hosting last month I decided to go hit some shots to see how it was playing in order to set up the course for the following day. Played the gold tees...

Clyne

Visited today in their open week as my 39th Welsh and 418th worldwide course.It was fun to play with some amazing views of Swansea Bay. A good variety of holes and just like Brora, although NOT as good, it is fun playing with sheep and ponies wanderi...

Bowood Park

As guests of the hotel, we decided to play an afternoon round at Bowood Park as a complement to the morning at Saint Enodoc. As it is evident, they are not comparable, but we found that Bowood is an entertaining and well presented course. Undoubted...

Saunton (East)

Just back from a few days playing both Saunton courses. We played the West first and, to be honest were a little disappointed...say 6/10, but certainly not worth driving 300 miles for. We then played the East twice and it is outstanding...for me, 8.5...

Vale (Wales National)

I was a bit sceptical in what to expect when going to play the wales national as the last few reviews were not good ones but also were from back in 2012.This golf course is SEVERELY UNDERRATED!!!I have played RSD, Conwy, Pennard, Aberdovey and P&K an...

Goring & Streatley

Wow. Played here today for first time in a Seniors Open having read previous reviews. Course number 417 played for me.What a marvellous course and in superb condition.Luckily I saw the obvious quality of the practice putting green before teeing off a...

The Addington

The Addington gets varied reviews these days and I can why. It has a big reputation and it’s relatively expensive, so it’s normal to visit with high hopes.There was a mix up with my booking but thankfully as I’d requested an evening tee time they let...

Bethpage (Black)

Make no mistake, Bethpage Black is a monster of a course, it requires not only supreme accuracy from the tee and the need to work the ball both ways but also be pinpoint with your irons or you’d better ensure your bunker and short game is sharp. Beth...

Cimarron Hills

Just north of Austin is one of the best courses you can play in central Texas. Designed by Jack Nicklaus the layout works perfectly even though the nature of the facility is to max out houses which are located on many of the holes.The course starts s...

The Quarry

Tale of two different nines. The outward half plays through non-descript grasslands. The holes are fairly basic in their requirements and sufficient but far from anything that's compelling. Matters change for the inward half. Here you play holes thro...

Celtic Manor (Montgomerie)

This course is hilly; I have played courses with hilly holes (in Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, mid Wales, Herefordshire etc), but I think that overall this is the hilliest course I have played. There are also long walks between tees (a bit like Manor H...

Butterfield Trail

Tom Fazio generally prefers to design courses in the private and resort category but his effort on the taxpayer-owned side turned out especially well here in El Paso.What many people need to keep in mind is that 3-4 club wind is a daily occurrence in...

Troon (Darley)

This has to be one of the worst maintained golf courses I’ve seen. Set up on the first tee you think, this looks quite good, after you get out the home stretch you cross a road and things change, badly. Very poorly maintained tees, fairway and greens...

Seacroft

Absolutely loved this classic links course off the beaten track. Would 100% suggest people make the trip when staying in Woodhall to play the courses there There is a great selection of holes here to test the every part of your game.The course when w...

Belle Meade

Belle Meade is a nice private course set in a posh part of Nashville. The original Ross design has been modified through the years and the course as it appears today probably has little resemblance to the original design. The course is well maintain...

Bear Trace at Harrison Bay

I was able to play Bear Trace at Harrison Bay in the Tennessee senior match play championship. This was the first time I had played here even though I live less than 100 miles up the interstate in Knoxville. I thought Bear Trace was a very nice lay...

Ashridge

I enjoyed my dad at Ashrigde. The course was in excellent condition and we received exceptional service all day.The course itself however I found rather underwhelming. It made me realise that parkland golf just isn’t as good as Heathland or Links. Th...

Wild Horse

From a design standpoint this course is a failure. It fails to do what a links course ought to do, make you think and play golf differently than you normally would, this course doesn't do much of that. The course can be played brain dead, there are...

Dudsbury

Added this onto a trip to the "big five" and although it is a totally different style of course to the heathland wonders it was very good and enjoyable parkland track.Firstly staff and clubhouse were friendly and excellent - to the point we have disc...

Hartlepool

Hartlepool is a slow burner of a golf course. It takes three or four holes to really warm up but once it does it produces some excellent true links golf.There are a handful of holes at this East Coast gem that provide golf approaching the highest ord...

Royal Ashdown Forest (Old)

I liked Royal Ashdown Forest from the very moment we arrived at the parking lot through the driveway to the club. The clubhouse is elegant and simple, and perhaps these virtues define what is the club itself and the course that I had the pleasure...

Heythrop Park

It's 6 years since I last played here so I recalled bits and pieces but forgot lots too. Really glad I came back as there are quite a few really good holes on this course. Fairways were in excellent condition and firm. Greens superb and smooth, wh...

The Fort

The Pan-Am Games are a little like Justin Rose’s gold medal at the 2016 Olympics; fully deserving of respect and yet it struggles to muster viewers. They try to generate hype with gimmicks, accordingly; how a green parrot with a flaming tuft of feath...

Isle of Purbeck (Purbeck)

Isle of Purbeck was one of the most pleasant surprises on our trip to the South West of England. The location of the club gives a clue about the uniqueness of the course, since it is located on top of a peninsula to which we arrived through a ferr...

Cuscowilla

Cuscowilla is an outstanding Coore/Crenshaw design that is now over 20 years old. The course is set on the shore of Lake Oconnee about an hour east of Atlanta and is a private members club with housing around the course. Apparently Coore and Crensh...

Centurion Club

The Centurion has been open around six years and this week I had my fourth visit. Like most courses, they need time to mature, develop and bed-in and that growing period is very much on track here. In the early years, observations were that the cours...

Tiverton

If you’re looking for a decent and accessible parkland course en-route from Burnham & Berrow to Saunton or Royal North Devon (or vice versa), Tiverton is not a bad option.I wouldn’t recommend it in the winter, due its foundations being set on the wel...

Strandhill

Strandhill Golf Club is a links course that often lives in the shadow of its GB&I Top 100 near neighbour, County Sligo, and that is doing it a real disservice because this befuddling good golf course delivers with a bang and offers great value at the...

Enniscrone (Dunes)

Enniscrone manages to tread the tricky line between quirk and championship golf perfectly. The blend it creates produces a catalogue of unique, enthralling and funky holes.Holes 2, 3, 4 and 14, 15, 16, (four them par fives) all located on prime dunel...

County Sligo (Championship)

County Sligo Golf Club at Rosses Point held the Irish Amateur Open the week prior to my visit and it is understandable why a prestigious venue such as this is deemed worthy of holding a tournament of this ilk.The real beauty of Sligo, however, is tha...

Remedy Oak

Excellent course, challenging and very well looked after! Everyone at Remedy Oak should be extremely proud of the quality of the course

Prince's (Shore & Dunes)

A solid, tough, no nonsense rather utilitarian course with no histrionics. The Shore 9 has marginally more memorable holes ( 4,5,8 & 9), then the Dunes, ( 1,4 &9). Played Princes and Littlestone on consecutive days and feel that although Littlestone...

Littlestone (Championship)

Ranking is accurate; course is decent but with little wow ( flat topography and not close enough to the sea). I like the gentle opener as a design philosophy and the course has good variation. In terms of length and movement of holes. 16 ( long dog l...

Cabot Cliffs

If one were to think of a course as a child, then the Cliffs would be the result of the marriage between Coore & Crenshaw's Plantation course in Kapalua and their Trails course at Bandon. Kapalua maximizes the views to an almost dramatic degree and T...

Cabot Links

There are many courses in North America that offer a links-like experience but it isn't until you play the real thing at Cabot Links that you see how those other courses fail to measure up. There is something about the Links that just feels rooted in...

Thorndon Park

I can understand why Thorndon Park is rated #1 in Essex (#95 in England), the scenery is stunning, you wouldn’t think you were 30 minutes from East London. Every hole is completely different and totally isolated from each other by the trees. At 6216...

Royal North Devon

Having played a single round of golf at Westward Ho !, I can not understand how some of the previous reviewers may dislike the course. Well, to be honest, I can understand it, since the course and its presentation may not be the taste of all kinds of...

Tavistock

While walking to the third tee at Tavistock early one sunny April morning, I was lucky enough to snap a photo of a pony basking in a gorse-sheltered hollow with her newborn foal just behind the tee. Golf has delivered many magical moments down the ye...

West Cliffs

As you get older, there is a perception that time passes quicker and quicker with every year – I can only agree with that as it is already two years since the opening of Portugal’s latest quality course opening at West Cliffs – that time really has f...

Chantilly (Vineuil)

I just want to start by saying that the Paris golf courses that we played have been fantastic. Talking about Chantilly, I just wont to point out that the Vineuil golf course is amazing from the 1st hole to last one. Even thought I started very good....

Whittington Heath

Following on from my first visit to Whittington Heath in 2017, I went again in 2018 and liked it even more and so thinking it was one of those under-rated courses that just grows on you I have just revisited in June 2019. Despite the wet weather in t...

Goring & Streatley

Goring & Streatley has a reputation for good greens and this was certainly borne out the couple of times I have played it (the last in 2017). Clubhouse and opening hole are at the bottom of the hill and you then rise up the fairly steep hill to the 5...

Donnington Grove

I have to concur with most of the previous review especially with regard the long walks between tees and sometimes over the bridges of the noisy A34. I played in early October 2017 and it was fairly wet underfoot which combined with some seemingly lo...

Maidenhead

Maidenhead is a mature parkland course where you get a warm welcome, a well presented course and very good greens. You wouldn't really notice you are close to the centre of Maidenhead and hemmed in by houses, and on a couple of visits I have seen dee...

Reading Golf Club

Reading is a pleasant mature parkland course. Holes around the clubhouse (the first few and last couple) are very flat but the middle stretch of the course is more undulating and therefore more interesting. The 5th is a nice looking downhill short pa...

Delamere Forest

A top 100 heathland course is always something to be looked forward to and this was enhanced by a very warm welcome and a course that looked very apetising from the clubhouse. The course was in good condition, and although greens were very good they...

Imperial

You play the course and think, "some of that was pretty different", but it's when you get a look at the layout via Google maps 'Satellite View' that you really understand just how different it is. I make no judgement on whether it is the 'mickey mous...

Windsong Farm

Throughly enjoyed my round as the course did a really nice job of using the land. Greens had plenty of movement but were playable. A few holes that stuck out were the well protected up hill 5th and the short par 4 13th where the angle was a key to ha...

Troy Burne

Troy Burne is in my mind one of the top three publics in the MSP area. The front nine is a bit easier with the short par 4 4th and par 4 7th being the highlights for me. The back plays over more rolling land and has significantly more water in play....

Prairie View

Afforded a fairly flat piece of property in the middle of Indiana, the settings for Prairie View left something to be desired. Considering that this was to serve as the sole public route in Carmel, a wealthy suburb of Indianapolis, it’s only natural...

Cardiff

Very nice attractive, lush green, tree lined course with obviously hard working and conscientious greenstaff. Obviously being nice Wales it rained but that didn't spoil our day out. Couldn't fault condition of the course. The first is a great startin...

Tucker's Point

I played a round here in mid-June 2019, had a wonderfully sunny and clear day to enjoy the spectacular views the course affords from numerous holes. It's a parkland layout which is extremely hilly, impossible to walk in the warmer months unless you e...

Orchardleigh

Visited this afternoon for £20 online green fee as 281st course played in England and 414th worldwide. It was WELL worth £20 and a fair bit more.Very impressive piece of land with a very luxurious looking hotel bit and a separate clubhouse. Ourvstana...

Philadelphia Cricket Club (Wissahickon)

I have been very fortunate to have played a number of very good courses in the Philadelphia area over the years but Philadelphia Cricket Club has always been high on my list. After some rooting around to find a sponsor to propose us we finally manage...

Appleby

I’m easily pleased. All I ask for is good turf, natural movement in the land and engaging greens. Simply give me all of those on a golf course and I’m a happy bunny.Sadly most courses don’t offer any of the above. A relatively small number have one o...

Donnington Grove

The pros for the course are length, good greens, some interesting holes 4, 6, 8 and 10 spring to mind and great value for money as a visitor in June on a Saturday morning.The cons are massive walks between 1 and 2, 8 and 9, 9 and 10 and 18 to club ho...

Gardagolf (Rosso & Bianco)

We played yellow and red on a recent trip. An enjoyable course in good condition. Yellow shorter but still worthwhile. Red very hilly, but comes with great view across Lake Garda. Pleasant clubhouse, good facilities.

Bergamo-L'Albenza (Blue and Yellow)

We played Bergamo on a four day trip in Lombardy in early June. It was just about the pick of a strong bunch. We played the Blue and Yellow nines. A consistently strong selection of holes, a peaceful and secluded tree-lined course. Everything in exce...

Taconic

Taconic is a hidden gem situated in Williamsberg, Massachusetts. The course which was reconfigured back in 2006 by Gil Hanse is great fun with lots of elevation change and sloping green complexes. To play Taconic well you need to have very good contr...

Quarry Golf Club - Ohio

Quarries have made for popular golf course locations, especially in North America, due to the dramatic man-made contrast they provide to a location's typical topography—i.e. Tom Fazio's Black Diamond route within the pancaked coasts of Florida. The Q...

Formby

Why is Formby loved by so many and why should you play there rather than try to squeeze in Birkdale, RLSA and Hoylake into one trip?Immediately, I can think of two reasons. (If you take the trouble of reading some of the many Formby reviews on this s...

Laytown & Bettystown

I play the course in June 2019. L&B is a true links course with everything in it you would expect from a links. It is a beautiful course with high dunes, big elevation changes, strong undulations and wonderful views. It has got a nice clubhouse with...

Woking

In the summer of 2019 I returned to Woking after a 20-year absence. Much has changed over the last two decades but the atmosphere of the club and the strategy of the course have not budged an inch.For architecture buffs, golf historians and those wit...

Effingham

The inclusion of Effingham in Golf World Magazine’s recent “Top 100 golf courses of England” peaked my interest in this Surrey downland course located just outside the London Orbital.If ever there was an example of bunkering on a golf course that ele...

European Club

I played the European in June 2019. Our first impression was surprising: no cars on the car park! We were told we could start whenever we want, there are only two other groups. The clubhouse is rather small and simple but nice and the food was good....

Carne (Kilmore)

I was so disappointed last time we were here in 2017 when they told me the Kilmore course was closed, but so happy this time (June 2019) when they told me it had opened and we could play it after our round at the Hackett course! Very generously the c...

Goring & Streatley

Having not played at Goring and Streatley for 5 years I was pleasantly surprised by the condition of the course, particularly the greens which were exceptional, both true and quick. Some tricky flag positions made positional play onto the green imper...

The Virtues

Virtues Golf Club was once the namesake club for the Longaberger Basket Company, a now defunct business based out of a seven-story building, shaped like a basket. That sort of eccentricity is reflected in the Longaberger's (now the Virtues after an o...

Barnbougle Lost Farm

It took me a while to write this review. Of course my Tassie pilgrimage wouldn't have been complete without having played the Lost Farm as well as its bigger sister next door. Thanks BB for making me realize this just in time. Playing all 38 holes in...

Llandrindod Wells

Atop a large hill in Mid Wales, above the Victorian spa town of Llandrindod Wells, lays a topsy-turvy, rough-and-tumble, bags-of-fun sort of golf course.It was originally laid out by six-times Open Champion Harry Vardon then subsequently altered by t...

Castletown

If you’ve got an itch sometimes you’ve just got to scratch it… even if it’s in a hard-to-reach place! And in my personal quest to play all the true links golf course in the British Isles that was exactly the case with Castletown.It’s sad I know, but...

Winston (Links)

I had my doubts when I came to visit Winston. Arriving at the car park and having passed the countless man-made pyramids of earth demarcating the boundaries of the course, I thought this would be the antithesis of Falkenstein, which we also paid a vi...

Western Gailes

Initial impressions after playing any course for the first time can often be influenced by preconceptions. My visit to Western Gailes was no exception. I already knew it would be good, and so it came to pass, but this meant it could struggle to blow...

Ohio State University (Scarlet)

Every year, golf media repeats similar praise for the maintenance at the Muirfield Village Golf Club, home to the Memorial Tournament and—perhaps more notably—Jack Nicklaus himself. Another route in the Columbus area deserving recognition is another...

Anfi Tauro

Anfi Tauro is the furthest golf course from the airport on Gran Canaria but it’s easily accessed via the autopista GC-1 highway, allowing you to go the extra mile to play here. It was the final Gran Canarian course that I played on a 7-day visit to t...

Salobre (New)

I’ve seen the Salobre Sur (now the Old) course previously marketed as “The Beauty Course,” with the Salobre Norte (now the New) course termed “The Beast course,” and having played both of them now, I can understand why some golfers will like the Old...

Salobre (Old)

Currently listed 14 out of 14 in the Canary Islands regional chart on this site, the Old course at Salobre – formerly known as the South course – deserves a far better ranking position! I was told that Dave Thomas was involved here when the original...

Real Las Palmas

It takes a wee bit of effort to get to Real Las Palmas – or Bandama as it’s known locally – and, to prove the point, a local taxi driver taking one of the guys I was playing with got lost on his way from the airport to the clubhouse! Most of the o...

Hamburger Falkenstein

Falkenstein is in a class of its own in Germany. This course is very consistent, varied, gorgeous and challenging. Colt and his mates and German Von Limburger really did a sublime job here, and the club is doing an equally sublime job in maintaining...

El Cortijo

El Cortijo was the first course I played last week during a visit to all the golf facilities on Gran Canaria. First impressions count for a lot when arriving at a club and the place looked rather run down as I parked up in front of the clubhouse. It...

Maspalomas

Maspalomas celebrated its 50th anniversary last year so, along with the course at Real Las Palmas, it’s one of the more established golfing layouts on Gran Canaria. It was also designed by the same well-respected architect, Philip Mackenzie Ross, eve...

Lopesan Meloneras

I played Meloneras last week during a visit to all the golf facilities on Gran Canaria. For some strange reason, this course isn’t currently listed in the Top 100 Canary Islands rankings but that will be rectified when the regional Spanish charts are...

St Dionys

St. Dionys is a surprisingly good golf course in a beautiful dense forest with sand drifts. It ticks all the boxes to challenge players of all abilities and is maintained with great care. The course is not overly long, but there are some narrow tee s...

Carne (Kilmore)

The talk of tagging the Kilmore 9 (which does have a couple of routing issues) onto the back nine of the Hackett to make the main 18 would be an error in my opinion. The reason is that this almost over-the-top, maze-like layout is much better as a st...

Carne (Hackett)

The Hackett 18 is currently the main configuration although the addition of the Kilmore 9 in 2013 (but closed until recently) may change this in the future. Either way if you are going to make the effort to travel all the way to remote Belmullet, sit...

EagleSticks

Imperfection takes on a positive spin while playing Eaglesticks Golf Course. Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry drove the hour from Columbus to examine small parcel of land packed with jarringly abrupt hills, and probably had a small budget for moving eart...