Experience vs Course

[PrincipalsNose]

When playing a top 100 golf course, what metric do you use on a personal ranking system? Is it simply rating the best golf course and overall architecture or do you take the overall experience into account? Curious on how others view this topic! 

Edited April 16, 2024 by PrincipalsNose

[Golferpaul]

I consider the entire experience including practice facilities.

[hammergolf]

For me, it’s all about the course design. To each his own, but amenities and surroundings (houses) to me have no effect on the shot quality or architecture. Pasatiempo for me is a perfect example. Obviously an incredible MacKenzie design, gets dinged by some because there are houses lining the holes. For me, I tend to have tunnel vision and only see the golf hole.

[knock it close]

They're two completely separate rankings for me. Golf course does play into the "experience" ranking, but I try very hard to not rate a course by the extras. So yes I do have separate lists but a handful play at each. 

[Octopus Golfer]

I am able to separate the two, but when I speak generally of my favorite courses, it’s a combination of the course design, course conditions, and the overall experience. Take Riviera for example. It’s a great design to be sure, but it’s way up on my list of favorite courses to play because of the ambience, clubhouse, surrounding area, history, and exclusivity. Contrast that with the Ocean Course at Kiawah. That may be my favorite course of all time from a design perspective, but if I had to choose between the Ocean Course and Riv for a round tomorrow, I’m taking Riv. 

[MountainKing]

I don't really rank things because I don't think everything has to be ranked.  Overall I just want a good golf course, if the course can't stand on it's own, the rest doesn't matter.

[puttnforthe8]

You can't do really do this with golf...imo just not possible.

 

There are many great courses where there isn't even a range or a huge clubhouse and amazing facilities.  The golf is amazing.  And vice versa.

[Pepperturbo]

My wife and I travel multiple times per year to golf resorts; just got back from a five day.  It's all about the golf experience for us, other facilities are nice, but secondary.  We don't book based on facilities. 

[klebs01]

I just look at the course. I even exclude conditioning so long as it meets a reasonable, but low, standard. Everything else may go into whether I want to return or stay at a site but not how I view the course. 

[Chanceman]

We choose the courses on reputation (how else) and then just enjoy what comes up. If the clubhouse etc is good then that’s a plus. I would never play a course just because someone said the facilities/ambience were great but the course was ordinary.

[Mullenboy]

On 4/15/2024 at 7:12 PM, PrincipalsNose said:

When playing a top 100 golf course, what metric do you use on a personal ranking system? Is it simply rating the best golf course and overall architecture or do you take the overall experience into account? Curious on how others view this topic! 

I don't have a personal ranking system per se... but if you're asking how much I enjoyed a course, would I go back, how do I value it against others... then it seems wholly logical that every part of the experience would matter.  Does one play with his eyes and heart closed?  I sure don't.

 

If you are asking about ranking the "architecture" (not something I care much about, but I can do it)...it's also logical that only on-course factors should be assessed.  Of course to me this would include views extending from the course... Doak and Coore (and I believe others - I have only heard/read specifically from these two) have each confirmed that such matter to them as they do routings - that is, where positive views are available they sure do try to maximize such.  If it matters to them that's good enough for me.

 

 

[david.c.w]

Things I take into consideration when "ranking" a course:

• History
• Famous architect?
• Location
• Conditioning
• Overall experience (non-golf related)
• How I played that day

The weight of each category is not fixed. 

• St. Andrews was 90% history.   
• Shoreacres was 75% architecture.
• Bandon was 90% experience
• Carnoustie was 100% how I played.  I sucked and it was 100% the fault of the course, not me
• Pebble was 50/50 experience and location.

[monty09]

Oakmont is my fave golf course in USA, Bluejack National is my fave day at a golf course 

[Abh159]

If I'm staying on the property or if it's a club I'm considering joining, the "experience" definitely plays a factor. The clubhouse, amenities, attitude of the staff, and so on are all important. 

 

If I'm just playing the single round (as a guest or on vacation), I couldn't really care less about the "experience". The course is my top priority since that's why I'm there.

[Argonne69]

I generally factor in things other than the course design itself. I've played beautiful courses with stunning views that had boring designs, and I played layout with excellent designs, but crummy views and other amenities.

 

Since I rarely spend time on a course's range, I usually don't factor that into my rating.

 

Clubhouse gets a small piece of the score, as I tend not to hang out after the round. Now, if I can't find the pro shop I'll ding them. Lol. One of my pet peeves is showing up at a course for the first time and wandering around like an idiot trying to find the shop. Walked into large, empty dining halls, bars, and cart storage areas. You have those massive clubhouses where sometimes the pro shop is on the bottom floor, and other times its on the upper floor. A simple sign out front with an arrow pointing to the pro shop would be nice. 

 

Conditioning falls into the experience category. I'll certainly give a course a pass if the area has seen unusual weather recently. However, if I'm paying top dollar for a top 100 course, I expect bunkers to be back in shape several days after the rains. 

 

Staff interactions typically get ignored, unless it's something out of the ordinary, good or bad. They're in the customer service business, so I expect a basic level of civility. It's possible that you catch someone on a bad day, but I've had a few bad encounters that left a sour taste in my mouth.

 

[caniac6]

We recently were driving to Northern Virginia, and stopped at Poplar Grove in Amherst, Va. The course looked beautiful, with a lot of elevation changes, and beautiful views of the mountains. Just a tremendous setting. The facilities were very simple, but nice. The pro shop was a small log building, with bathrooms behind it. They were very clean, but I didn’t see any locker facilities. The food operation was based in a trailer. There was a large tent with tables adjacent. You also had the option of using a room in the manor house. Our sandwiches were outstanding, and they had a nice selection. If you go there, you go for the course. The facilities were adequate, but, certainly, not luxurious.

[Malvern]

On 4/17/2024 at 1:09 AM, hammergolf said:

For me, it’s all about the course design. To each his own, but amenities and surroundings (houses) to me have no effect on the shot quality or architecture. Pasatiempo for me is a perfect example. Obviously an incredible MacKenzie design, gets dinged by some because there are houses lining the holes. For me, I tend to have tunnel vision and only see the golf hole.

Hammer, wish I could be more like you but after playing so many resort/housing estate courses and those near highways over the years I like my golf in more peaceful surrounds. I'm guilty of saying the front few holes at Pasa annoyed me because of the incursion of the housing.

 

Do enjoy a train.

[hammergolf]

16 hours ago, Malvern said:

Hammer, wish I could be more like you but after playing so many resort/housing estate courses and those near highways over the years I like my golf in more peaceful surrounds. I'm guilty of saying the front few holes at Pasa annoyed me because of the incursion of the housing.

 

Do enjoy a train.

That’s the beauty is that there are no wrong answers.

[me05501]

I've only played a few courses that are usually included in any Top 100 list: The Honors Course here at home and Shoal Creek in Birmingham. 

 

The experiences couldn't be more different. 

 

As long as you respect the rules at the Honors Course everyone there will treat you like more of a "member for a day" than a guest. Everyone is congenial and seems to want you to enjoy your experience.

Shoal Creek is the opposite of that.  

 

The courses, amenities and conditions are more or less interchangeable but the vibe couldn't be more different. And that makes me value one experience much more than the other. 

Edited April 23, 2024 by me05501

[robin_w]

vibe is so so important, that's why I love golfing in Wisconsin. 

[Golferpaul]

On 4/17/2024 at 7:35 AM, Mullenboy said:

I don't have a personal ranking system per se... but if you're asking how much I enjoyed a course, would I go back, how do I value it against others... then it seems wholly logical that every part of the experience would matter.  Does one play with his eyes and heart closed?  I sure don't.

 

Exactly!!!

[act0fgod]

Currently listening to a podcast and they talked about someone in the media winning the lottery for the Monday round at Augusta and getting paired with 3 members of the press from other countries that didn't speak english.

 

I enjoy playing golf on my own and playing Augusta National would be amazing but that would be a tough situation.

 

I love courses but playing partners, pace of play and overall experience can't be ignored.

[TexasTurf]

2 hours ago, act0fgod said:

Currently listening to a podcast and they talked about someone in the media winning the lottery for the Monday round at Augusta and getting paired with 3 members of the press from other countries that didn't speak english.

 

I enjoy playing golf on my own and playing Augusta National would be amazing but that would be a tough situation.

 

I love courses but playing partners, pace of play and overall experience can't be ignored.

That is an interesting opinion, because that would be my dream scenario. The game being universal but not having to make useless talk the whole time just playing golf.