Best golf course you've ever played

Pebble Beach. The 7-10 along the ocean along with 17 and 18 are just magical. Other 12 holes are nice but those six are overwhelming.

Spyglass is underrated.

 

Best course I've played -- La Purisima in Lompoc, Calif. (hosted an LPGA event years ago and has been a top course for qualifying events too).

Wish I could play -- Riviera CC, Pebble Beach and Augusta National

 

Probably The Links at Crowbush Cove on Prince Edward Island, second best would be Dunderave also on PEI. third would be some course on the Vineyard. I've never played anywhere "famous", but my friend who has played Doral, a number of the Florida courses, and South Carolina many times, said the courses on PEI are as good or better than anything else he'd ever played. The island has some great courses, they're never crowded, cheap as hell and you can spend your nights eating fresh lobster and mussels.

If you're into golf vacations I'd consider heading up there for something different.

(brought to you by Prince Edward Islands office of tourism)

 

Good call, AL. I have family in Maine who have vacationed there, and they swear the PEI courses are gorgeous. I'm going to look into it next New England vacation.

 

PEI is tremendous. Crowbush especially.

Couple of Ontario courses that warrant a mention... Legends (especially the Battlefield Course) in Niagara Falls... Owned and operated by the government, which means that money is no object, which means that the conditioning is some of the best I've seen. I also love Taboo, which is Mike Weir's "home course," in Muskoka. Ribbons of granite running across some fairways, and greens with cliffs looming behind them. I played them like backboards, mostly because I'm a terrible golfer.

But easily the most blissful time I've spent on a course was at beautiful Doonbeg, Ireland. Went for a week on a junket, staying in castles, flying in helicopters, drowning myself in fresh Guinness after each round. And still, the golf eclipsed all of it. A new, tremendous, Greg Norman designed links course stretched along the ocean. Rain or shine, a good swing or not -- with colorful Irish caddies and a bartender out of Central Casting -- that week was one of the most enjoyable of my whole entire life, and that isn't overstatement. Sincerely, it was dreamlike.

 

So far it's Mystic Rock at Nemacolin Woodlands (home of the 84 Lumber Classic for one more year) for me, although a buddy said he can get us on at Oakmont either late this year or next.

 

I'm partial to a course I've played about 40 times in the last ten years, average cost over the span, 35 bucks.

Bethpage Black.

And no, I've never slept in my car. Get there around 5am as a single. Usually get out around 8am.

 

Bay Hill and the Old Course at St. Andrews.

 

It's not up there with the big boys, but Disney's Magnolia is a nice course, and played a newer Nicklaus course once in Cape Giradeau, Mo., called Dalhousie, and it was awesome. 18th green was about 80 yards long.

 

Didn't get to play at St. Andrews, but I walked by the Old Course every day for a semester as I trudged to class. For anyone how hasn't been there, go if you get a chance. Just don't go in the winter like I did unless you grew up in Portland and moved to Canada because the weather was too nice for you. In that case, you'll love the winter there.

 

In order, my Top 5: Cypress Point, San Francisco Golf Club, Pebble Beach, Sand Hills and Bandon Dunes. Augusta isn't that difficult for a decent player from the member tees. Only when it's tricked up for the tournament and the greens are turned to glass. Same with Shinnecock ...

 

Pine Valley.

Merion is a distant second, but would be first if Pine Valley didn't exist. Haven't played Augusta or St. Andrews yet.