Great question for sure. My first pick would be Pine Ridge too just because I think it’s an awesome course with great bones that could be spectacular with some TLC. Also lots of nostalgia for me out there, remembering days of learning the game with my Dad. We’d go out for twilight and he’d put a couple cut down clubs in his bag and wait til we were out of sight of the clubhouse to let me hit a few. It was the best.
But for the sake of argument I guess I’ll go with Mt. Pleasant. I would love to see it restored back to the pre-Perring Parkway routing with 14 and 15 reversed. There were some big ponds in front of the 6th green as well. Hopefully my lottery money would cover a complete redo of the highway haha.
Also shoutout to @uglypar Wakefield Valley. Used to play there fairly regularly after work before it shut down. Heard plenty of stories about the ownership and just massive amounts of debt. From what I gathered the guy basically just ran it into the ground. Definitely a shame, the course had some fun holes, and with 27 you could mix it up however you wanted. Haven’t been that way in a long time though, I’m assuming it’s just houses now.
This would be high on my list too because it’s so close to my house. Interesting to think about what I’d do to it, though. Definitely blow up No. 3 and No. 10. Completely rebuild/restore the 6th green to its glory days. Provide an actual landing area on No. 13. Make 15 green complex look less like an abandoned bombing range. Make 18 fairway not a blind shot, so you can have the satisfaction of seeing your last drive land.
I’m literally at pine ridge now. You are spot on. There is no other course around with the setting PR has along the reservoir and the available land. An innovative architect that understands and has dealt with drainage issues (like was done at sweetens) could make this the best course in the state.
[quote=“KVV, post:1076, topic:623, full:true”]
Perhaps the best question for the group is, if you had won, which golf course would you have purchased and renovated? The easy answer is you’d build your own, but for the purposes of this game, which current course would you buy and completely remake to your standards?
For me it would be Pine Ridge, which could have absolutely amazing views if you could cut down a bunch of trees to you could see the reservoir.
EDIT: Obviously the conditions would also get a big upgrade.
[/quote]
Ditto to this… I can offer reciprocation at Piney Branch! Ha.
I’m not too proud to admit how much I long to play all of the private courses in the area. I’ve never even sniffed the C Suite in my 25 years playing around Baltimore. Never’ve played Hayfields, BCC, Caves, CC of Maryland, Eagles Nest, Elkridge, Suburban, etc.
Enough about my lack of networking skills, though. It would be great to do a very loose interclub competition within the refuge- private and public courses alike. I wonder if we could get enough interest going on here?
Was thinking of Bay Hills as well. Only living 10 minutes away I’d love to play it more but for all the reasons already mentioned it just doesn’t happen.
I would also offer $10 for every goose carcass. Pine ridge and bay hill have more goose shit than any courses I’ve seen. At least pine ridge tries to blow it into the rough. Bay hills gave up a while ago
I also live 3 minutes from Bay Hills. Pre-COVID the Tuesday night league was awesome. 2-man shamble, $30 each, and included dinner. Fun times and a lot of birdies. Course hasn’t been terrible last couple years and it can get baked out and fairways start to run.
With that being said, it is not my top choice in the area.
Yeah I’m looking to get in to a twilight league somewhere this year if they have them. The greens at Bay Hills can be ok but everything else IMO stinks
I would extend the tee back on #2 closer to #8’s green so it’s a long dogleg right. I like #3, not sure how you fix that, unless you move the green back towards #4. #4 is one of my favorite holes. Agree with re-damming the stream and fill in the water, asle re-build the trench that surronded the #6 green. They should blow up the lower tee boxes on #7 & #11…
I imagine Forest Park could be converted into a pretty sweet “Golden-Age” architecture course. It’s a great walk and the course has good bones IMO (I understand that it’s not for everyone). The land already has plenty of features, movement and undulation. There’s a lot of property that is seemingly unused and could add new complexes/holes/routing.
4 meaty par 3’s already (reno 2 to Biarritz, 3 to Redan, 11 is already eden-ish or make it the short and 15 the eden).
Double-plateau on the 5th green. Driveable 8 is already a very cool hole. Some fairway adjustment to make 12 an Alps, make the infamous Icarrito 13 hole a cape green, punchbowl up the par 5 14 green since it’s an uphill shot to the green anyway. Need some help on 6/7, 16/17.
Blow up 18 all together. Hole sucks.
4 rounds on the books already this January, hope to meet up with more of you!
