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Courses that surprised you by being better.....or worse than you had imagined

phenom4hire

phenom4hire

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Two immediately come to mind for me.

The first would be Houston G.C. formally known as Redstone. I thought it was a nice course and immaculately maintained but fairly forgettable.

The second is the new course at Grand Cypress which was an awesome experience. It was so different from the pine tree lined courses I was used to with a lot more variety for shots around the greens. Plus it was my first introduction to a pot bunker.
 
The back 9 at Pacific Grove in Monterey, incredible value, great links design.
 
I'll say all 4 courses at Bandon Dunes were all far better than I expected, hard to imagine because I had expectations that were through the roof....but they all delivered beyond that. Bandon Trails is probably the one that actually surprised me the most....I was expecting it to be just eh...another great course but not as great as the others. But it was much more than just another course thrown into some amazing landscape...but it was maybe my favorite course of the 4. All in all....the entire place exceeded the expectations I had going in.
 
Puttin4Bird said:
I'll say all 4 courses at Bandon Dunes were all far better than I expected, hard to imagine because I had expectations that were through the roof....but they all delivered beyond that. Bandon Trails is probably the one that actually surprised me the most....I was expecting it to be just eh...another great course but not as great as the others. But it was much more than just another course thrown into some amazing landscape...but it was maybe my favorite course of the 4. All in all....the entire place exceeded the expectations I had going in.
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It gets poo-poo'd because it has no ocean holes but it is damn good.
 
Better - Hideaway Dye, Hideaway Clive, Prairie View

Worse - Purgatory, Old Silo
 
Courses that surprised you by being better.....or worse than you had imagined

Played Whistling Straights, Blackwolf Run, and the Irish course in Kohler Wi and found the Straights coming in third in both mine and my brothers book. It's the fifth Pete Dye design I've played and I just didn't like the sight lines off the tees Blackwolf however is in my top two after Arcadia Bluffs (until my Bandon Dunes trip next year hehehe)
For me though, the worst highly rated course is hands down, the Gailes course in Oscoda Mi. Advertises as a links style but doesn't play like one. Takes the driver out of your hands too much (without risk reward options). Just too many tricked up/quirky holes.

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The one that comes to mind as being better than I expected was The Glen Club. It is Fazio and completely manufactured but I actually really like the layout. Pilgrims Run, a DeVries course near Grand Rapids, blew my expectations out of the water. I loved it. #18 was the only hole I didn't like.
 
Better: Tobiano , looked amazing in photos and played awesome . Worse: Furry Creek , probably one of the worst courses I have played


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Huron Breeze in tapas MI, for the price it was a great course! VERY well kept and challenging. really would like to go bak and play it again.
 
Todd Creek in Colorado is a really nice course. If you know Denver, DIA is out in the boonies east of the city. And I had this bias against all things between Denver and DIA. And then I played there. That's a nice community and very nice golf course. I would play there again in a heartbeat, and the idea of living there is surprisingly appealing. Of course I t think the name is the best ever, but that's not part of this story.
 
Pine Needles and Tobacco Road far exceeded my expectations (and they were high to begin with). Pine Needles still remains my favorite course I've ever played.

Dormie Club gets a lot of love in the Top 100 lists but I didn't think it was anything special.
 
Peninsula GC in Rocky Point, Mexico was much better than I expected.
Torrey Pines South was worse, especially considering the cost.


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Puttin4Bird said:
I'll say all 4 courses at Bandon Dunes were all far better than I expected, hard to imagine because I had expectations that were through the roof....but they all delivered beyond that. Bandon Trails is probably the one that actually surprised me the most....I was expecting it to be just eh...another great course but not as great as the others. But it was much more than just another course thrown into some amazing landscape...but it was maybe my favorite course of the 4. All in all....the entire place exceeded the expectations I had going in.
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I would agree with this, in all honestly I think Trails is by far the most unique of the 4 and probably has some just awesome layouts. Also, the Preserve there was the most fun I have had on a golf course in a long time. Went in with ZERO expectations and had an absolute blast
 
Pauite in Vegas. Snow and sun. Felt like I played the same hole over and over and over.

For better. Reflection bay in Vegas. They knew our name in the parking lot when they came and got the clubs from the car. Never has that happened. Oh the course. Perfect doesn't describe how perfect it was.
 
For the Palm Springs area:

I was really surprised by the Classic Club. Just a fun and interesting layout with lightning-fast greens. (Word of caution: only play this course in the early morning. The winds pick up around 1pm and it goes from a great course to absolutely, totally, and completely miserable.)

I was disappointed by PGA West (Norman). The course was rather blah and not one I'd play again.
 
Leavenworth Golf Club. Yes, that Leavenworth, the one with the prison.

I knew it wouldn't be a crown jewel, but it was a mess. First hole, you drive by #2 tee on the way to the first green, then you have to turn around and go back to 2 tee. Got lost a couple of times because we picked the wrong direction at the "Y" in the cart path and had to go back. The back nine was more easily navigated. Greens and tees were meh, and there were some holes where you weren't exactly sure where you were supposed to hit to.

The carts are 2015 Yamahas that I don't know that they have ever been cleaned. Lifted up the seat and there was a layer of dust on the engine and gas tank. They made a bad noise and had a horrible turning radius.
 
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Better was Sweetens Cove in TN and Totteridge and Talamore

Worse was Lighthouse Sound and Strawberry Farms
 
Dinosaur Trail in Drumheller was a big surprise and would love to make it back this year. I was s little ticked they made you take a cart but I'm glad they did it's a course you can't walk on the back 9.
 
Salinas Fairways is now probably my home course. Anyone that knows Salinas will know it isn't exactly high on the tourist trial, despite only being a stones throw from Monterey. The course is a city course, so I was expecting it to be a dump. Turns out it has some of the best greens on the peninsula.
On the other hand, Quail Lodge disappointed when I first played it. The greens weren't all that (although that was just before they punched them. It now ranks as one of my favourite courses I've ever played, its pristine), but my biggest disappointment was Del Monte. The history, the age (oldest golf course west of the Mississippi) and the fact it's owned by Pebble Beach meant i was mega excited to play it. I don't think I can remember 2 hole. It felt very cramped and very non discript.
 
Dr RosenRosen said:
Pine Needles and Tobacco Road far exceeded my expectations (and they were high to begin with). Pine Needles still remains my favorite course I've ever played.

Dormie Club gets a lot of love in the Top 100 lists but I didn't think it was anything special.
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I really want to play Tobacco Road. Ill put Pine Needles on the list as well.
 
Mark_UK mentioned it earlier, but Salinas Fairways is a very, very nice muni course and the greens are superb. On the other side, however is the Nicklaus Club which was almost completely dried out. The pro shop tried to say it was 'Open like conditions', but that was a bunch of BS. Come to find out they had issues with the well and I only paid $25 to play, but I will not play there again. It was a very disappointing experience.
 
Courses that surprised you by being better.....or worse than you had imagined

Horseshoe Bays Ram Rock and Apple courses. Nate talked me into a tournament down there and talked about how he loved the courses and he was absolutely right. Always play it in November and it's always in great shape and the greens roll very well. The big surprise was Apple Rock it turned out to be the funniest course by far, amazing views and some really awesome holes.
10th hole Apple Rock
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Better:
Thistle (Sunset Beach, NC) - Just three gorgeous nines of links style golf in Myrtle Beach.

Worse:
Old Orchard (Eatontown, NJ) - They tout it as being a Tillinghast course, but it's in such bad shape that you can barely tell. I remember noticing it on one hole, but that's about it. Quoted from their home page: "the course is a natural oasis in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the Jersey Shore" and "A round at Old Orchard is a step into the past: the charms of antiquity meet the challenges of a modern course. A unique experience awaits, and well worth a trip for any lover of the game." Not so much!
 
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