Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture => Topic started by: Jason Thurman on March 23, 2015, 11:31:44 AM
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As a Kentucky native currently living just across the river in Cincinnati, I post frequently on GolfKentuckyLinks.com. In the early 2000s, the site was a strong force in the Kentucky public golf course market as one of the best sources of information on golf in the area. The site's founders were two guys who played the courses from different sets of tees and gave their reviews. These days, the layout is a little outdated and the content isn't as current, but it's still one of the best single-state focused golf websites in the US. The forum is populated with a small but avid community of some two-dozen posters, including several GCA posters.
It gets quiet in the winter as daylight, temperatures, and play dwindle, so we often try to do a series of threads to give us something to talk about. This year, we decided to vote on Kentucky public golf's eclectic 18 best holes - in other words, we wanted to identify the best opening hole in Kentucky, the best second hole, the best third hole, and so on. We spent about 6 weeks taking nominations and then spent a month or two voting for the winners. The outcome was interesting to me on several levels and I thought it worthy of some discussion here. The results are as follows, with photos included where available:
First: Kearney Hill
(http://i887.photobucket.com/albums/ac72/mwsander/KY%20Golf%20Trip/100_3085.jpg)
Second: Heritage Hill
(http://www.golfkentuckylinks.com/Images/Heritage2.jpg)
Third: Kearney Hill
Fourth: Eagle Ridge
(http://i1061.photobucket.com/albums/t464/jthurman33/DSCF2066.jpg)
(http://i1061.photobucket.com/albums/t464/jthurman33/DSCF2067.jpg)
Fifth: Devou Park (I did a GCA thread on this one here: http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,59525.0.html)
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3901/15023028029_8b0069dfa3_z.jpg)
Six: Old Silo
(http://www.golfclevelandohio.com/oldsilo-6&16b.jpg)
Seven: Old Silo
(http://golfkentuckylinks.com/Images/OldSilo7.jpg)
Eight: TIE
Cherry Blossom
(http://www.golfkentuckylinks.com/Images/Cherry%20B%208th.jpg)
... and Quail Chase East
Nine: Picadome
(http://i1061.photobucket.com/albums/t464/jthurman33/DSCF2114.jpg)
Ten: Dale Hollow
(http://www.golfkentuckylinks.com/Images/Dale%20Hollowapproach10.jpg)
Eleven: TIE
University Club of Kentucky - Big Blue Course
(http://i887.photobucket.com/albums/ac72/mwsander/KY%20Golf%20Trip/100_3142.jpg)
... and Seneca
Twelve: Kearney Hill
(http://www.golfkentuckylinks.com/Images/Kearney%2012th.jpg)
Thirteen: Eagle Ridge
(http://www.golfkentuckylinks.com/Images/Eagle%20Ridge%2013th.jpg)
Fourteen: TIE
Houston Oaks
(http://www.golfkentuckylinks.com/Images/Houston%20Oaksback14.jpg)
... and Dale Hollow
(http://www.golfkentuckylinks.com/Images/Dale%20Hollow14teeshot.jpg)
Fifteen: Big Blue
(https://davidhillgolf.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/big-blue-15-fairway.jpg)
Sixteen: Kearney Hill
(http://kygolf.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/ClipArt2013KearneyHillGL.png)
Seventeen: Cherry Blossom
(http://www.golfkentuckylinks.com/Images/Cherry%20B%2017th.jpg)
Eighteen: Cherry Blossom
(http://www.golfkentuckylinks.com/Images/Cherry%20B%2018th.jpg)
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A few things I thought were interesting in reviewing the results:
First, Kentucky has some seriously varied terrain. All but the western part of the state is well represented on this list, and we see everything from the gently rolling terrain around Lexington/Central Kentucky (the "Big Blue" course, Kearney Hill, Picadome, Cherry Blossom, Houston Oaks) and Louisville (Seneca, Heritage Hill, Quail Chase) to the more severe terrain in Southern Kentucky (Dale Hollow) and Northern Kentucky (Devou Park). Finally, there's the mountainous area in Eastern Kentucky (Old Silo, Eagle Ridge) with its severe elevation changes and thrill-seeking golf courses.
I also thought it was interesting how well represented Kearney Hill was on the list. Kearney is one of two Dye courses in Kentucky, and while it's largely a PB effort, it does pay homage to Pete in many spots. While its opening hole is just a solid, straightforward par 4 that doesn't really feel like a Dye "template," the other Kearney Hill holes on the list all would be considered old hat for a lot of GCAers. There's the par 5 3rd, which is similar in concept to the 16th at Sawgrass with water flanking a reachable green on the right. There's the 12th, which is the classic Dye par 3 over water that needs no introduction. And there's the 16th, which is like a miniature version of the 18th at Sawgrass. While those who have played a dozen Dye courses may find these holes repetitive, their inclusion here is a reminder that they're still excellent and fun holes that most golfers look forward to playing.
There are only a few holes I would quibble with. The two biggest ones are the choices from Eagle Ridge. The fourth is just a ridiculous hole on terrain completely unsuited for golf, but there just wasn't another strong 4th hole to challenge it. My vote went to Lassing Pointe's, but that would still likely have been the worst hole on the list. The 13th at Eagle Ridge is admittedly exciting, but it's also very one-dimensional and its inclusion here prevented the fantastic 13th at Old Silo (one of the two or three best holes in Kentucky in my book) from making the list. I also thought we erred in choosing Cherry Blossom's 17th over Kearney Hill's, the latter of which might be the best par 4 in Kentucky. Still, I can see the logic behind someone choosing 17 at Cherry Blossom instead. The other 15 choices are all pretty much in line with my own voting.
It strikes me that this would be a really interesting hypothetical course to play. If you choose the par 4 hole from each of the three ties we had, you end up with a par 72 that opens with a gentle handshake before presenting a number of half-par holes through the front nine with a few opportunities to score. Beginning late in the front side, the course gets tougher and shows some teeth up until the midpoint in the back nine, when it closes with a nice mix of holes that offer birdie opportunities and holes that are stout but interesting. It would be a lot of fun to play.
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Jason,
My first thoughts were that you either have poor taste in what is good architecture or that Kentucky public golf follows the "one and done" philosophy. Have you ever played Audubon Park?
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I have not. We probably missed a few holes out in the western part of the state. Allegations of an east coast bias are well founded, as practically everyone on the site lives east of I-65.
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Thanks, Jason - both for the tour and for the idea of state-based, public ecletics. (I hope other well travelled golfer-photographers follow your lead.) It's a nice way to profile and promote quality golfing experiences on a local level and for a local clientele.
There were many fine looking holes there. Even the 4th -- I found myself thinking that if the fairway extended back towards the tee a little more and also up the hill on the right, it would be a (still) daunting-looking but equally interesting challenge.
Peter
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Jason,
My first thoughts were that you either have poor taste in what is good architecture or that Kentucky public golf follows the "one and done" philosophy. Have you ever played Audubon Park?
John,
Kentucky has poor public golf and additionally, has poor private golf. Having grown up in the state, there is not a whole lot of "must sees" in the state.
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I'm a little surprised that no holes from Lassing Pointe made it.
Gibson Bay also has a few good holes, but perhaps not as "memorable," which appears to have been a big factor in the choosing of this list. For that matter, The Bull has one or two cool holes too.
No Battlefield?? (that's sarcasm).
Jason: Do you know what ever became of Mahan Manor in Winchester? I think it opened as a 9-hole semi-private/resort facility around 2008. I heard good things about the course but never saw it myself...
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Jason,
My first thoughts were that you either have poor taste in what is good architecture or that Kentucky public golf follows the "one and done" philosophy. Have you ever played Audubon Park?
Audabon has several good holes and what I consider a couple bad ones. I really like 2 and 9. I am suprised Heritage Hill was represented by 2. There were several holes there that I though were quite good, and better than 2. However don't ever walk HH as I did. 7.7 miles of cart path.
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Jimmy, I wouldn't disagree with your assessment. The thing I'd add, though, is that Kentucky golf offers a very good value. Any public course in the state can be played for under $35, and there isn't a public course in the state that costs more than $50 or $60 at peak time (aside from Griffin Gate, which only charges that much to out-of-town resort guests who aren't aware of one of the infinite offers to play the course for less). Kentucky's best public courses are probably solid 4s or 5s on a 0-10 scale, but there are some really enjoyable ones that represent their price points extremely well. Courses like Kearney Hill, Old Silo, Gibson Bay, Dale Hollow, and Lassing Pointe aren't necessarily world beaters, but I can't imagine anyone walking off 18 and feeling like they didn't get their money's worth at any of them.
Matt, I think Lassing's lack of inclusion has a lot to do with the heavy concentration of voters in the Lexington and Louisville areas. There just weren't enough guys who had played Lassing to get its holes the votes needed for a win. As mentioned before, I think it should have won for hole 4. But it strikes me that another issue it had is that its best holes ran into juggernauts. Lassing's 6th is strong, but wouldn't have a chance against the clifftop tee shot of Old Silo's 6th in a contest that rewards wow factor so much. Lassing's 18th is pretty cool with the 100 yard deep green, but Cherry Blossom's 18th was always going to win with all its sand and water and rare centerline hazards. As for the others you mention, Gibson Bay might be my favorite municipal facility anywhere but I can't think of a hole that stands out. It's more just a very solid course and wonderful facility and value. The Bull (now known as Boone's Trace National Golf Club *insert eyeroll here*) garnered a few nominations, but couldn't get the votes needed to win a spot in the eclectic list.
As for Mahan Manor, it was sold after being open for 4 months and became Blackfish Golf Club. It lasted maybe a year or two after that before shuttering for good. I don't know a ton about it otherwise and never played there before its closure.
Nigel, I still haven't played Heritage Hill myself but 2 was one of the holes where I had a hard time choosing my vote. The best I've played among the state's publics is probably the one at Hidden Cove, but that's really just a solid par 4 and nothing special. I think a general preference for downhill par 3s that are reasonably scenic was enough to put Heritage Hill over the top in voting.
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Jason,
Off topic, but do you have any idea how GC of the Bluegrass is doing?
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:o
Gotta love it , a direct insult about ones preferences doesn't even elicit a reply now that's manning up!
You go Jason ! Thanks for the pics
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Jason,
My first thoughts were that you either have poor taste in what is good architecture or that Kentucky public golf follows the "one and done" philosophy. Have you ever played Audubon Park?
Have you read the part of the title and subsequent references to public? Audubon is private and I played it a couple times last year. What about Audubon would you like to reference in this thread about Kentucky public golf?
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I would certainly agree on 2 and 9 at Audubon Nigel. 8 is not good. 6 is odd from the "back" or "right" tee. As with the name of the golf course, they could do well with some tree trimming/removal.
Several on the list that I have my issues with. Of course 4 at ER is awful. 13 at ER I can live with, but still nothing special. I think many voters were too focused on water and hazard features at par 3's especially, but also other holes.
There are an awful lot of Cherry Blossom haters on the board for them to have won so many holes. The only one I might disagree with is 17. It is a unique hole for sure, but I am not a huge fan.
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Jason,
My first thoughts were that you either have poor taste in what is good architecture or that Kentucky public golf follows the "one and done" philosophy. Have you ever played Audubon Park?
Have you read the part of the title and subsequent references to public? Audubon is private and I played it a couple times last year. What about Audubon would you like to reference in this thread about Kentucky public golf?
I was referencing Audabon State Park's nine hole course in Henderson as I believe JakaB was as well.
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I was referring to Audubon State Park in Henderson. My flatlander friends claim it to be the hilliest course they have ever played.
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Matt, I haven't been out to GCotB in... 7 years I think. The last reviews I've heard were positive, and I can't imagine the course would have too much trouble given that it's part of the McQueen family of courses that are slowly monopolizing public golf around Central Kentucky. There aren't really any public courses in Kentucky that are thriving - the price point for golf is just too low to turn much profit thanks to copious municipal course offerings in the major cities - but McQueen buys a new one every few years and seems to be doing well and expanding.
John, how does Audubon Park compare to Shawnee Lookout? The state parks system has some amazingly hilly nine-hole courses, several concentrated in Northern Kentucky near me. You, Nigel, and I should do a home-and-home this year on some of these places where we spend $20 total on green fees and $140 on booze. General Butler in Carrolton is one option near me, as is Lester George's nine-holer at Kincaid Lake. I made the mistake of walking the latter last year and ended up with a displaced cuboid bone.
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Jason,
My first thoughts were that you either have poor taste in what is good architecture or that Kentucky public golf follows the "one and done" philosophy. Have you ever played Audubon Park?
John,
Kentucky has poor public golf and additionally, has poor private golf. Having grown up in the state, there is not a whole lot of "must sees" in the state.
You obviously haven't played Idle Hour, Valhalla, Olde Stone, Louisville CC, Hurstbourne, Champion Trace, Triple Crown or Traditions plus many others?
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Pete,
I thought the same on the private courses. We have better privates than we get credit for. The only one most people know much about is Valhalla because it gets all the news, but I know we have multiple solid courses, many of which you have listed and I will throw in a couple others I have heard great things about in Big Spring and Keene Run. I have always been intrigued about Spring Valley as well, so I don't know if you have any insight on that one.
As for the mention of GCotB, I don't know much about how things are out there. It seems like on GKL there is one check in a year there, and things seem to be fine there. Conditions usually get rated appropriate to price. I believe they made some changes to some routing many years ago, but have not seen them. I only played it once after they changed the name from Widows Watch. Always thought they should have kept that name. Although GCotB has be better than The Bull going to "Boone's Trace National Golf Club." Unbelievable they came up with that one....
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Jason,
I have not played Audubon myself but having driven by I doubt that it could possibly be as hilly as Shawnee. Plus Audubon doesn't have the view of the faux nuclear cooling towers. Shawnee is the only public course that I recall playing in Kentucky and it was fantastic. We need to meet somewhere sometime and expand my horizons.
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Jason,
Off topic, but do you have any idea how GC of the Bluegrass is doing?
I played one round at Golf Club of the Bluegrass in spring 2012 and it was a fun course. I don't remember any truly standout holes, but there was a decent amount of variety. To me, it would be a solid go to course that you could play 20 times a year if you lived close by. The kind of course that doesn't get much talk around here, but makes up the majority of rounds people play.
I was out there on a Saturday afternoon during the NCAA tournament and Kentucky was playing. Every single cart had a radio going and you could hear people cheering when the Wildcats made a play. If you can fill up your course in Lexington during a Kentucky game you must be doing pretty well, right?
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Thanks for the list. Ive not played in Kentucky yet. Are there 1or 2 public layouts that Perry Maxwell designed in Kentucky or TN ?
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Jason,
Thanks for the pictures! You have made one northerner want to go and play lots of public and maybe some private courses in Kentucky. Please let me know if there is going to be a GCA day/days in Kentucky. I would love to join you all for some hilly golf!
chris
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Thanks for the list. Ive not played in Kentucky yet. Are there 1or 2 public layouts that Perry Maxwell designed in Kentucky or TN ?
n
Kentucky Dam State Park is a late Press and Perry
Lincoln Holmstead, I think they did some green work.
Princeton CC is a very low security CC with nobody working there(I called and then I think bogey trespassed a few weeks later. Recommend the just show up) that Perry routed 9 possibly just from a topographic map as a favor to his hometown.
Rolling Hills in Paducah which is a CC I want to play BC of their Maxwell origin
A myesteryear Louisville course nobody has identified.
I would not recommend a trip for any of the first three longer than my 2 hours, but certainly decent courses. I enjoyed them. I am not aware of Perry doing anything in the Volunteer state.
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Jason,
My first thoughts were that you either have poor taste in what is good architecture or that Kentucky public golf follows the "one and done" philosophy. Have you ever played Audubon Park?
John,
Kentucky has poor public golf and additionally, has poor private golf. Having grown up in the state, there is not a whole lot of "must sees" in the state.
You obviously haven't played Idle Hour, Valhalla, Olde Stone, Louisville CC, Hurstbourne, Champion Trace, Triple Crown or Traditions plus many others?
I would agree with Pete, Idle Hour is excellent and ranks right up there with Valhalla. really enjoyed LCC as well.
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Matt, I haven't been out to GCotB in... 7 years I think. The last reviews I've heard were positive, and I can't imagine the course would have too much trouble given that it's part of the McQueen family of courses that are slowly monopolizing public golf around Central Kentucky. There aren't really any public courses in Kentucky that are thriving - the price point for golf is just too low to turn much profit thanks to copious municipal course offerings in the major cities - but McQueen buys a new one every few years and seems to be doing well and expanding.
John, how does Audubon Park compare to Shawnee Lookout? The state parks system has some amazingly hilly nine-hole courses, several concentrated in Northern Kentucky near me. You, Nigel, and I should do a home-and-home this year on some of these places where we spend $20 total on green fees and $140 on booze. General Butler in Carrolton is one option near me, as is Lester George's nine-holer at Kincaid Lake. I made the mistake of walking the latter last year and ended up with a displaced cuboid bone.
Audabon is very, very hilly. It might be as hilly a course as I have played. Have to give that some thought. The seventh there would be a hole you would enjoy as one of those holes that is so awful you can learn stuff from it. The 5th is close to that as well I usually have fun for my single digit greens fee.
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I have played most of those courses. Why not Waisato Winds and Stronecrest on that list? I have not played either yet. Eagle Ridge may have been hillier than Shawnee Lookout as well.
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My guess is Wasioto Winds just didn't have enough representation for nomination. There were holes nominated, but they didn't get enough votes. I, too, was surprised to see Stonecrest not as well represented for as many good things as I've heard about it. I'm hoping to hit up at least one of those two this year.
Shawnee may have more elevation as far as tee to green on each hole, but 4, 13, and 18 have way more elevation than any hole at Shawnee has.
Still can't believe Dale Hollow's 15th didn't win that hole. One of the best par 3s I've ever played. Would dare say in my personal top 5.
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I completely forgot I played Houston Oaks in the fall this past year in an outing. I enjoyed the layout for the most part. Pretty typical modern course, some nice elevation change on a few holes, some gimmicky holes, but par-3's make the golf course. The hole pictured was playing as a drive-able par-4, and made it a great risk-reward hole with the creek crossing.
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John, the best horizon-expanding public course in Kentucky is Bogie (sic) Busters at Coal Ridge, located in Georgetown. It's largely pasture golf but with several of the most creative holes in the world. I haven't been there in ten years, but I've been trying to talk Nigel into making a trip.
Richard, I think Criss hit the nail on the head regarding Wasioto and Stonecrest. When we opened up voting, there just weren't enough people who had played those courses to give their holes the votes they needed to win a spot. Most of the holes on the list are located close to population centers where plenty of people have played the courses in question on multiple occasions.
Matt, I generally think the 14th at Houston Oaks is one of the better par 4s in Kentucky from its back tee. It's about 450 or so from back there if I remember correctly, and with the diagonal creek and the hillside tight left it makes for a pretty interesting and very scenic half-par hole where laying up is a real option for a lot of players. I've never played it from a reachable tee but I can definitely see that being an interesting setup on that hole.
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Jason,
I worked in Georgetown and I never played Coal Ridge. You may be the one and only person I have ever heard use such terms in reference to that golf course. Are you being serious?
Wasioto and Stonecrest are in two pretty "remote" areas by the basis of Louisville and Lexington. Neither is within 1.5-2 hours of Lexington depending on how fast you drive. Louisville is further for both. Wasioto is a little over an hour from Knoxville, so not as "remote" as many would lead one to believe. Stonecrest isn't terribly far from Huntington. I actually have never been to Stonecrest. Something I hope to fix in the next year or two.
I am from the area where Wasioto is, and worked in the golf shop there the first few summers it was open. They have 5 very solid par 3's with plenty of strategy needed at the green areas. The 4's and 5's are some ups and downs on the scale. The more amazing thing is how the course was developed from the marshy/wetland/"Lake Mistake" that was once there. It was an amazing use of some "useless" land area if you could have seen it before. I love the course and play there at least once every year. I wish more could get out and enjoy it. It is such an easy drive it is a shame more have not been there.
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Adam, Coal Ridge is absolutely worth seeing in a "Human Centipede" or Shawnee Lookout sort of way. The clubhouse is genuinely lovely. It's half Norman Rockwell and half Norman Bates. The course itself is the weirdest one I've ever played. The 3rd hole is one-of-a-kind. It's a mid-length par 4 that doglegs hard around a tree-lined stream to a perfectly round green that's about 15 feet in diameter (based on Google Earth measurements, it's right around 1500 sq ft) and elevated five feet above its surroundings. The approach wouldn't be any harder if they replaced the green with my dining room table. There's also a short par 4 on the back nine that answers the question of what it would be like to play a hole with a green located at the top of a volcano. It's the most bizarre golf course I've played - just a parade of short holes that are routed as uninuitively as possible. Imagine a charming version of Duckers Lake in marginal condition with Jessica Lange's character from season 1 of American Horror Story running the place and you're on the right track.
Let me know when you decide to do Stonecrest. I haven't seen that one either, though I'd like to. I also haven't been to Wasioto but I've gotten intrigued listening to you describe it. A Wasioto/Middlesboro CC (open since 1889, the oldest continually operated course in the US) trip is one that I need to finally pull together.
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Adam,
I think you underestimate the sheer quantity of bad holes Thurman and I have seen between his Louisville-Lexington-Cincy triangle and my Indy-Evansville-Louisville one. When you are playing a course full of geese droppings you look for any silver lining you can. I get a kick out of seeing new courses, but I think Jason actually relishes the world's truly awful architecture. I do actually think the Kentucky State park system is very good especially when you consider how affordable it is. I think the other cool thing is the courses fit the personality of their locations very well. Indiana does not have anything like it.
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I can agree, there is something to be said for truly awful golf holes and being able to reflect and talk about the experiences on those holes.
As for Coal Ridge, their owner/operator used to come play Cherry Blossom quite often when I was there and talk about how great his little course was. I'm not sure what the angle was, but I know he didnt talk any of us into ever coming over there or offer up a free round for anyone. Always interesting to see little single owner golf courses like that or Cedar-Fil in Bardstown stay open. I guess they do so little to the course, which makes for such low overhead that it works.
Jason, I will be going to Wasioto for sure on Memorial Day weekend. Their invitational is that weekend, so I will be playing in both days of that event and probably a practice round on Friday. Usually $125 for 3 rounds (pay for cart on Friday- or walk) and you can win some Callaway stuff. It's a good little tournament that will get 75-100 guys (flighted). Takes place during the "Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival" which is fine if you or the significant other like festivals. The town is pretty proud of the festival.
The word on conditions at Middlesboro CC changes almost daily, so its a crapshoot on what you will get. Decent little nine holer nonetheless with the draw of the "oldest continuously operated..." to tag on your list. I'm certainly willing to make the trip on a free weekend for each of these, plus maybe a run at Woodlake in Tazewell, TN.
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How many people actually placed votes 11 or 12? I guess this was something to sort of keep the site going, but really it's dead. There are really just 7 or 8 guys who post there anymore. I would say that some holes didn't win, just because nobody had played those courses, or it was so long that they just couldn't remember the hole well. I believe that Adam and myself might have been the only two who have played Wasioto Winds, and I haven't played it for at least 2 years.
Persimmon Ridge was also included but none of those holes won either due to only a few people who have played it. The whole thing was ok to kill some time during the winter, but I give it more credit if there were actually a decent sample size of voters.
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Well Persimmon should have been fresh in a lot of guys minds b/c there was an outing there this past summer that a lot of guys played in. I just don't think outside of the greens, there is much to talk about with the routing at Persimmon.
You are correct though, I'm not sure who else has played Wasioto on the board in even the last five years. There are a couple guys that have been there, but it has been YEARS. The same can be said for me with popular courses on the board such as Dale Hollow, Eagle Ridge, Hidden Cove, etc. The latest I played any of those courses (among many others) has been 2008/2009.
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I'm with Adam on Persimmon Ridge. I don't understand the hype surrounding that course at all. There are a handful of good holes - 5, 7, 8, and 13 are probably the most interesting - but I don't think any of them should have won over the holes that did.
Donovan, you're obviously a strong player with a preference for difficult holes and courses. I have a soft spot for tough tests as well - I joined Wolf Run after all. Persimmon was intended to be a very difficult course, and it pulls that off well. I just don't see many holes that are especially great or memorable out there. The routing is decent aside from some long transitions due to the housing and whatever the hell they were trying to do at hole 3. But there's a general lack of strategy and interest in the holes and a ton of turf-hampering vegetation surrounding almost all the corridors. On top of that, the shaping tee-to-green is sloppy and the shaping of the greens themselves is possibly the worst I've ever seen. Those may just be golf dorkitecture complaints, but the average player definitely notices when conditions are affected by vegetation even if he doesn't understand the cause, and shaping is one of the biggest difference makers in how a course is perceived by most players. It's what makes lauded courses look like they're in a different class from the rest. The uninspired bunkering and circus greens really hold Persimmon back for me, and obviously for others as well. As Adam mentioned, we had about a dozen guys out there in August.
The tough thing in any exercise like this is getting representation for courses that haven't had much play. Even if we'd had a few thousand voters, there still would have been a major bias toward the courses located in population centers that lots of people have seen and play regularly. It was obviously possible for a course like Devou Park that only one or two guys had played to win a hole, but it took plenty of photos, a glowing review, and weak competition to do it.
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I played Heritage Hill back in September and really enjoyed the course. It was my first time (I think) playing on blue grass and liked how the ball sat up a bit on the blades. There were some fun holes and at a tremendous value.
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I played Heritage Hill back in September and really enjoyed the course. It was my first time (I think) playing on blue grass and liked how the ball sat up a bit on the blades. There were some fun holes and at a tremendous value.
I agree Chris it was a pleasant suprise. Certainly the antithesis of a GCA darling but I really liked 6, 7, 11 (when I found it!), 14, and 17. I think it might be the best public in Louisville.
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Excellent list! I would have preferred to see #2 at Nevel Meade over the par 3 at Heritage Hill, but either way, I've got a lot of must-plays the next time I'm back home during the warm-weather season.
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I played Heritage Hill back in September and really enjoyed the course. It was my first time (I think) playing on blue grass and liked how the ball sat up a bit on the blades. There were some fun holes and at a tremendous value.
Are you talking about the rough? I am fairly certain HH has Zoysia in the fairways, which would certainly explain the ball sitting up.
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Heritage does have Zoysia Fairways