For me it would be: Winged Foot bc I was able to play it in USGA conditions Oakmont, Riviera and LACC would round out my top 4 Pine Valley didn’t make this list as the time I played it the greens were running 8-9 stimp bc it was the middle of the summer Public: Bethpage

Pine Valley Sand Hills Seminole Friars Chicago Golf Club Cypress Point

Butler National They could mow the greens/cut holes and host a major tomorrow.

Golf de Morfontaine near Paris Royal St. Georges LACC Prestwick Valderrama Sunningdale Old

In the states: Pine Valley Cypress Point Merion

Only because I probably won’t be getting back on: Sleepy Hollow King Kamehameha Hudson National You guys have a nice list! I don’t have any connects to get on at the top tier clubs unless I pay up for a charity outing which turns into client entertaining, which means casual golf. Bethpage Black I can play anytime I want with a little effort, whether it is sniping a time, looking for cancellations, or just showing the early in the morning. It is just a lot of effort for a tough day of golf.

I have smart friends who don't invite me to "top 100 pedigree courses" so in no particuar order are a few favorites where someone was silly enough to let me play... Valhalla Dormie Club Hidden Creek Club Due Process Stable Bedminster

Best course or Most Exclusive course? Rankings Wise Private: Shinnecock Hills Public: Pebble Beach Personal Favorites: Private: Hidden Creek (NJ) Public: TPC Sawgrass Stadium

Putterho if we are going off of most exclusive, my pick would be porcupine creek

Let's get back on track. Most exclusive doesn't mean best.... Ton's of amazing courses that don't sniff the top100 list. We don't need to get out the tape measures here.

Right now its Kenwood Country Club (home turf) but it soon will be the club I'm interning for this summer, Sankaty Head Golf Club

What is the best course you have ever played?

Pure745

Jaybananapantsarthur

White Mayor didn't make the list?

Jaybananapantsarthur

Pure745 I forgot a few but White Manor wasn't in there among the best other than The Mayor and his HiO.

Forgot:
Applebrook
Deal CC
Galloway National

FairwayDae

So many to consider, but here are a few on my list in no particular order.

Sand Hills
Rivera
Bandon Trails

Just curious, what makes a course great to you? For me:

Hole variety
Scenery
Challenging (but fair). A course that doesn't just use pure length to make it difficult. <-(biased here since I pound it out there 245... Maybe 260 downwind 🙂)
A course that allows for different types of shots (e.g. run ball up vs. carry it there)

ForeLeft

FairwayDae This is exactly response I was hoping for in this thread.

For me it's much of the same.

Variety: I think a great course should make you hit every club in the bag. That goes for par 3's too....I hate when a course has FOUR par 3's that are all 210 yards or more. I love a good setup of 120, 155, 180, 210+
Good conditions (but green doesn't have to mean good).
Huge fan of collection areas and bail outs. I don't mind when pins are tucked. If you can't hit it back there, hit to the bail out...and you can have a shot off some short grass, but it just might be more difficult.
Some good risk/reward holes
Good rolling greens. They don't have to be lighting...just roll pure.

Jaybananapantsarthur

Prolly easier for me to list what makes a bad course:

Poor conditions but charging top dollar
Unchecked slow play
Mickey Mouse holes i.e. forced to hit mid iron off tee and then mid iron for second shot
Staff who think they're doing you a favor by looking up

Pure745

ForeLeft

Pure745 The most subtle of flexes. My favorite kind.

mhales10

For me it would be Pikewood National.

A course most might not have heard of but is an excellent track.

dphatt

mhales10 I want to play here badly. I think I might have an invite coming in the fall. I will make sure to wear my TW gear 😂

TB3GOLF

mhales10 so you enjoy having your dick punched in

mhales10

TB3GOLF Seriously. 😂

Toughest course I have played but still enjoyed it. Feel the same way ab Bethpage. Always enjoy my round...eventhough the scorecard maybe a bit ugly.

Don, if you need a fourth let me know!

TB3GOLF

mhales10 I play it about three times a year and walk off 18 trying to figure out who kicked the shit out of me.

mhales10

TB3GOLF The term Pikewood par made sense to me after the first 9 kicked my ass.

Great collection of Par 3s.

Love how understated the clubhouse is...we had several well deserved beers after our round there🍻

gfranktw7

This is a tough one for sure...no particular order:

Cal Club (could play here every day the rest of my life and never tire of it)
Turnberry
Old Course
Pebble
Spyglass

MatthewASim

Eddie totally agree Kiawah in the wind from the PGA Tee’s is the hardest course I’ve ever played. Was 1 under thru 4 2 days in a row and shot 80/79 hitting it like a god. Had to hit 3 wood into a par 4 into the wind.

The most fun I have on a course is at Tobacco Road the course is super interesting and always a good match with the guys as low handicaps can go super low there. Great match play course. And the beers.....

dphatt

MatthewASim gotta disagree on Tobacco Road. I played there once, shot 67 and told myself I would never go back there. Too many blind shots for me.

MatthewASim

dphatt have to play it multiple
times to find out some of the lines. Always a stop for the boys and I when down that way.

bigjohntripod

Old Course. May 2005 before The Open. Best round of golf of my life, with my pops. That was a walk I enjoyed.

djaveragejoe

OG Bandon Dunes for me. That place is fucking magical.

DaHOF

No real particular order (shamefully I was too young when I played half of these to truly enjoy them):

Ocean Forest
Pacific Dunes
Prairie Dunes
Merion
Peachtree
Southern Hills
Ballyneal

ForeLeft

DaHOF I have invites to Southern Hills, peachtree, and ocean forest. Need to make time ASAP to make those happen. Lol. Hopefully next year. Trying to plan a Bandon trip too.