Courses to Play in 2025

NLU Content Discussion
61

Are you playing the Loop and FD on the same day? If on sequential days, I’d easily skip FD to play the other Loop routing. Alternatively, can you do a day of 36?

The Loop is so damn good but I don’t think you can fully appreciate it playing it just one way.

If I had ten rounds at Forest Dunes I’d play Black 5, Red 4, FD 1 (at most).

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62

That’s the plan: Take advantage of the replay rate and we were going to hit both FD and the Loop in one long, epic day. Your feedback has me thinking though…

63

@soly and @tron should check out Stillwater. There’s some weird moments out there … starting with the range and first te not being anywhere near the clubhouse. Definitely had to work around the housing plan.

But there are some really cool holes and some great greens. The stretch of 3-7 is so good that it’s a shame it comes so early. Drivable 4 at the third with a tiny little bunker in front that just swallows everything. 5 is a par 5 with a bunker in front like nothing I have ever seen. 6 is a little drive and pitch hole with the green just bulkheaded on the water so you pick your poison as to how close you want to get or what you want your second shot to be. And then 7 has a huge tilted green. All in this fun little pocket away from homes. It’s awesome.

After that you have a long run of holes that feel a lot more like Florida golf. A little more interesting because Bobby Weed added bunkers and ground humps and hollows but still, the corridor is dead straight and there’s water and homes on one side, mostly.

The finish (14on? if I remember correctly) is pretty fun, though.

Short drive from Jax. Certainly worth it.

64

Is there an accompanying blog with all of these rankings/postings? don’t see one on the site.

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65

Love the exercise and awseome to see everyone’s reply!

Close to home
Play all 4 courses?

Day trip
Red Feather
Rawls
Austin Golf Club
Stevens Park
Childress Hall

Golden Age
Shoreacres
Sleepy Hollow
Somerset Hills
Myopia Hunt
Crystal Downs

Wildcard
Rye Golf Club
Cape Wickham
Jockey Club
Visby
Leopard Creek Country Club

Bucket list
Tara Iti
North Berwick
Santapazienza
Bandon
NGLA

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66

To follow up on the conversation regarding confusing course names. In the greater NYC area alone we have the following:

Garden City Country Club
Garden City Men’s Club

Cherry Valley Club (LI)
Cherry Valley Country Club (NJ)

Spring Lake Golf Club (Public)
Spring Lake Golf Club (Private)

Ridgewood Country Club (NJ)
Ridgewood Country Club (CT)

The Bridge
The Bridgehampton Club

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67

I leaned a bit on ‘go big or go home’ for these

Close to Home:

  • East Lake Golf Club (played in 2008 but would love to go again post-renovation)
  • Hendersonville Country Club

Day Trip:

  • Waynesville Inn & Country Club (I drove by on a road trip last year and wanted to hop out of the car to play immediately. looks approachable and incredibly fun)
  • Ohoopee (because why not)

Golden Age

  • Public: Pasatiempo
  • Private: The Creek (tentatively scheduled to play this summer)

Wild Cards

  • Tot Hill Farm

Bucket List

  • Ocean Forest
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68

adding The Olde Farm to the bucket list

i’ve heard its a 10/10 experience

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69

I believe it is Garden City Country Club, a typical private club, and apparently an original Walter Travis design though one not very well cared for over the years.

Just like a mile north and east of there is Garden City Golf Club, sometimes referred to as the Garden City Men’s Club since it is men only. It is truly one of the most private clubs in the country. I think it was originally designed by Devereux Emmett pre-1900 but the known course is a Walter Travis design. Golf Digest currently has it as #64 in the country.

(And Cherry Valley Club is right in the neighborhood, too. Also an Emmett and Travis design, had a nice touch up not too long ago. Looks awesome and at least reasonably accessible if you know some people.)

Quite a neighborhood, Garden City, NY.

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70

You’re correct, my tired brain at the airport this morning caused that typo.

I’ve been fortunate enough to play both Garden City courses, haven’t checked off Cherry Valley yet.

Garden City Country Club is, to me, a perfect B to B+ private golf course depending on what you’re looking for. Flat piece of land overall but good variety of distances and green shapes. No holes you’ll walk away remembering but no awful holes either.

Garden City Golf Club has a similar land issue that it’s dead flat. However, the care and attention with bunkering and visual tricks with man made ridges/knolls keep you on your toes. The first two holes for me are the perfect start to a round. A 300 yard Par 4 where you can play as aggressive or conservative as you like, followed up by a very short Par 3 with an extreme penalty for missing the green.

Fun Fact: My dad, while volunteering with the Met Golf Association got clipped on the ear by a tee shot from Johnny DelPrete (Jess Korda’s husband) during a U.S. Mid-Am qualifier at Cherry Valley.

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71

Only including places I haven’t been yet (and US only)…

Close-ish to home

  • Lido
  • Sedge Valley
  • Ozaukee CC
  • Green Bay CC
  • Stevens Point CC
  • Anywhere else with Supper Clubbers

Day trippers / Wildcard

  • Kingsley
  • White Bear YC
  • Troy Burne

Bucket List

  • Oakmont
  • Crystal Downs
  • Sand Hills
  • Prairie Dunes
  • Pine Valley
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72

It’s against my best interest to keep this place under the radar, especially since it’s becoming overrun w/ Stoolies after Barstool did a video there. Great value, best everyday public that’s accessible from the city imho.

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73

I’m sad to not see our hypothetical-shared-future round at Minocqua on here.

74

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75

This place?

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76

Helu’s list
Close to Home:

  • Colorado Golf Club (caddying here this summer, should be doable)
  • City Park (local muni that I hear great views, also might need a hard hat)
  • Pole Creek

Day Trip:

  • Wild Horse (should be playing with my dad on our way out to Cornstalk)

Golden Age

  • Public: Chambers Bay (playing in OP5!), Rustic Canyon (playing on backend of Dbl Dbl)!
  • Private: Ballyneal (might also play on way out to Cornstalk since family knows a member), Sandhills (cousin is a member)

Wild Cards

  • Bayside Golf
  • Players Club (Omaha NE)

Bucket List

  • Bandon, Rodeo Dunes, Rehobeth CC, Erin Hills
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77

I’m going to attempt to do this specific to my region. Every island is technically close to home as every neighbor island flight is less than an hour, but I’m going to group those to daytrips and leave close to home as whats on Oahu.

Close to Home

I should preface this by saying my 2024 goal was to play every course in Oahu. There are roughly 40 courses total on this island. I’ve banged out most of them but there are a few stragglers.

  • Waialae CC
  • Kaneohe Klipper (Been saving this for a visit from my brother who’s military but I’m not going to wait forever)
  • Makaha Valley CC

Day Trips

  • Manele GC (Lanai)
  • Poipu Bay GC (Kauai)
  • Hapuna GC (Hawaii)
  • Kapalua (Maui - I played it years ago but want to go back. It’s like 125 for locals and I need to take advantage)

Golden Age

  • Mid Pacific CC (Oahu - Seth Raynor designed. Although not much exists of his original routing)

Wild Cards

  • Koolau GC (Oahu - Owned by a church. Allegedly the hardest GC in Oahu. Played it last year a few times but want to give it a run again)

Bucket List

  • Nanea (Hawaii. Literally my only golf goal for 2025 is getting on this course)
  • Kuki’o (Hawaii. A close 2nd to Nanea)
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78

Rustic Canyon is awesome! One of my favorites that I’ve ever played

79

Have you really not played this yet?

80

that’s the one

seems like a place i could play every day and never get bored

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