[Mike Lacey]

Who owns TPC Scottsdale?

It sits on land owned by the Federal government (Bureau of Reclamation).  It is located in a floodplain created by the Central Arizona Project aqueduct.

Land is leased to City of Scottsdale. Operated by PGA Tour as part of TPC network.

[Jerry Kluger]

Kind of a stretch to call it a muni

[Mike Lacey]

Agreed.

When it first opened, the Desert Course was priced and presented as a muni. Stadium Course has never fit that description.

[JLahrman]

The Presidio?  Are you kidding me?  Worst course on the peninsula!  San Jose Muni should have been voted higher than the Presidio!

It was a surprise to see the Presidio that high. But the worst course on the peninsula? Surely you jest.

[HarryBrinkerhofDoyleIVakaBarry]

If you like 6.5 hour rounds and playing in the mud, the Presidio is the course du jour.

Golf Course architecture wise, I will be the first to admit, it is not the worst on the peninsula. 

Everything else about it, IMO, is the absolute worst on the peninsula.  Worst drainage, worst maintenance, longest rounds I've ever played.  Would you agree that Sharp Park is the better of the two muni courses in SF?  Shocking that the Presidio made this list ahead of so many better muni's.

[JLahrman]

If you like 6.5 hour rounds and playing in the mud, the Presidio is the course du jour.

Golf Course architecture wise, I will be the first to admit, it is not the worst on the peninsula. 

Everything else about it, IMO, is the absolute worst on the peninsula.  Worst drainage, worst maintenance, longest rounds I've ever played.  Would you agree that Sharp Park is the better of the two muni courses in SF?  Shocking that the Presidio made this list ahead of so many better muni's.

I've only played it a couple of times, and when I've played it mud and pace of play have not been an issue (though I don't doubt your account). I'm not sure what the rankings factored into the equation. Holding pace of play and course condition constant, I would probably prefer Sharp Park over Presidio though it would be maybe a 6-4 split. But when you say it's the worst course on the Peninsula you're putting it ahead of, for instance, Poplar Creek? I don't mind playing Poplar but the Presidio is a far better layout.

[Howard Riefs]

Magic. The online list now includes 50 courses just like in the print magazine:

http://golfweek.com/news/2013/may/08/golfweeks-best-municipal-courses-2013/

A few mentioned above are included:

32.  ThunderHawk
37.  George Wright
42.  Montauk Downs
43.  Murphy Creek
47.  Shepherd's Crook
49.  Papago

[Sam Morrow]

Nice to see Max Mandel on there, it's on my list of places I want to see very soon.

[David Davis]

If Chamber's Bay is already 2nd and Torrey Pines comes in at 4th I'll happily skip the rest thank you.

[astavrides]

If Chamber's Bay is already 2nd and Torrey Pines comes in at 4th I'll happily skip the rest thank you.

I'm with you, Diamond Jim Brady, those US Open courses are dumps. 

[Brian Finn]

I looked at this list and thought how great it is that there are some high quality golf courses that are extremely accessible (perhaps with the exception - due to cost - of a TPC).  I believe Bethpage Red is an outstanding golf course, and one that I would gladly play repeatedly (despite the 5+ hours we all know it typically takes).  So, if in the view of X # of raters (however many necessary to get a course on this list) there are 26 'better' municipal golf courses in the country, that gets me excited to go see some more munis.  I am sure I will like some and perhaps dislike some, and certainly will not rank them in this exact order.  To me, that is the beauty of these lists and the discussions and debates they spark.   

I've played 9 of these courses - (1) Bethpage Black, (4) Torrey Pines South, (5) TPC Scottsdale, (17) Torrey Pines South, (27) Bethpage Red, (33) Desert Willow - Firecliff, (34) Breckenridge GC, (42) Montauk Downs, (44) Blackthorn.  I would say virtually all of these courses are 'above average' among the roughly 300 courses I have personally played. 

I am a member at a private club, and pay dues so that I can play a solid course, in good condition, at a reasonable (4hr max) pace.  I know I won't get all of those things at most of the courses on this list, but I bet most of them provide great bang for the buck and a pretty darn good experience.  I am reminded that I am overdue to see Sleepy Hollow up in Cleveland, haven't been out to Montauk in a few years, and still really want to play Pinon Hills. 

[astavrides]

. 

[Andy Troeger]

Interestingly, the scoring difference between course #5 and #50 is only 0.7 while the gap between #3 and #5 is 0.45 and the gap between #2 and #3 is 1.2 (!)

Not much difference between most of these courses, but only a couple that are really exceptional.

[Richard Choi]

If Chamber's Bay is already 2nd and Torrey Pines comes in at 4th I'll happily skip the rest thank you.

You should add Bethpage Black on your list as well, because I promise BPB is even worse slog than Chambers.

[Matthew Essig]

If Chamber's Bay is already 2nd and Torrey Pines comes in at 4th I'll happily skip the rest thank you.

You should add Bethpage Black on your list as well, because I promise BPB is even worse slog than Chambers.

+1

[Garland Bayley]

What's this Chambers Bay slog stuff? It's a walk in the park!

[Jeff Goldman]

I would put Swope Park pretty high on a list if munis I have played, especially in comparison to Chicago's. Bit of a hilly goat track but also has some really fun "little Tilly" holes that resemble big brothers at the Black and other courses (especially a cool short par 5 that tracks BPB 4).  $25 bucks, $32 on weekends.  I suspect it doesn't have near enough votes to qualify.

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