What's your "Got to go there once a season" Golf course?

[Smiter]

Oak Tree National

I’ve got “an” Oak Tree that I play a lot. It is not a destination, lol. It’s not terrible but it’s the type the kids and I can play. Summer of ‘18 I stood on the 18th tee with a chance to set the course record with a par. Last good round I played before illness hit. It was funny as I didn’t really play all that well overall, I just made EVERY putt under 20ft that day. Putting really is the key to a great score.


I blocked my drive OB on 18 and made a triple. Still the best score I’ve ever put up, but disappointing as I’ve never been in that position prior and now almost certainly never will again. Particularly since I had a random paired with me as witness, so someone credible. He thought I was a putting savant, lol. Thank god he hasn’t played with me again or I’d quickly dissolve that view.

 

[Jman]

I’ve got “an” Oak Tree that I play a lot. It is not a destination, lol. It’s not terrible but it’s the type the kids and I can play. Summer of ‘18 I stood on the 18th tee with a chance to set the course record with a par. Last good round I played before illness hit. It was funny as I didn’t really play all that well overall, I just made EVERY putt under 20ft that day. Putting really is the key to a great score.


I blocked my drive OB on 18 and made a triple. Still the best score I’ve ever put up, but disappointing as I’ve never been in that position prior and now almost certainly never will again. Particularly since I had a random paired with me as witness, so someone credible. He thought I was a putting savant, lol. Thank god he hasn’t played with me again or I’d quickly dissolve that view.

Haha, lots of “Oak Tree” courses out there.

National is the best course I’ve ever played, ever ever ever.

 

[MattyD-MPLS]

Not so much a course, but an area.
I make sure I go to the Brainerd Lakes area in Mn every year.
The Classic
Deacons Lodge
The Preserve
Golden Eagle

And I like this thread.

#10 at Golden Eagle! My brother in law playing from the absolutely junk and getting it on the green
View attachment IMG_9185.MOV

 

[Bernoulli]

Up here, it's Saratoga National or Ballston Spa Country Club. National is the newer of the two and has all the modern amenities, but Ballston Spa has a layout that I just love. It's not a long course, but it's all based on staying below the hole because the greens can be very devilish.

Locally, I would agree with your choice of Saratoga National.

 

[ddec]

Locally, I would agree with your choice of Saratoga National.

I prefer Albany Country Club to it, but I have a way easier time getting on the National.

 

[Bernoulli]

I prefer Albany Country Club to it, but I have a way easier time getting on the National.

I was thinking more along the lines of public courses. I haven’t played at Albany in a few years. I think that Albany has the most challenging greens in the area.

 

[ddec]

I was thinking more along the lines of public courses. I haven’t played at Albany in a few years. I think that Albany has the most challenging greens in the area.

They have some crazy slopes. But yup, that being private makes it pretty difficult to get on. My current pace is about once every 5-7 years haha

 

[mrkich]

A few courses for me: Soule Park, Saticoy Club, Olivas Links, Goat Hill Park, La Purisma, PGA West. Each is 60-100 miles away. Would’ve added rustic canyon to the list but that’s more of a 5/6 times a year spot for me and a bit closer (45 miles).

 

[Smiter]

Haha, lots of “Oak Tree” courses out there.

National is the best course I’ve ever played, ever ever ever.

This particular Oak Tree, ya... no. Lol

They don’t have a single hole that I’d say “wow” on. Solid bottom 1/3 course, conditions aren’t horrific and it’s my sons home course for HS golf. Greens are slow but true and if you’re on, can be very scoreable. I was witness to the beat ballstriking none I’ve ever seen but that poor kid couldn’t buy a putt that day. He was hitting it to 5ft from 200 out and missing the birdie putt.

Oh what could have been, he could have easily put up a 31 that day. His irons were pin seeking lasers. On a side note, that’s the day that I realized that the 32” woman’s putter I got for him a year prior wasn’t cutting it for him anymore. He’d grown 6” since then and I should have realized it before. He looked like he was squatting to poop every time he putted. Didn’t make a single one of them outside of tap in. Went back that night, ended up lending him my Circle T (you’d think one of the 20 other putters would have worked, but oh no, had to be my baby, lol). He stopped striking the ball quite as well after that but putted lights out the rest of the year.

I may have to spray paint “National” after my Oak Tree on their sign. No one will be fooled but would be kind of funny.... (kidding in case some fool does that).

 

[Nate<80]

Firestone Country Club! The North course is... PURE.

 

[Goin4Par]

Not so much a course, but an area.
I make sure I go to the Brainerd Lakes area in Mn every year.
The Classic
Deacons Lodge
The Preserve
Golden Eagle

And I like this thread.

MnGolferGuy, I agree that Brainerd area is a fantastic place to play. I went to Cragun's five years in a row. Two years ago, we stayed at Mille Lacs Casino (cheap rooms) and did Rutgers Resort Jack's 18 and Izatys Resort 18. Both courses were admittedly a step down from Brainerd, but were both in great shape and challenging.

 

[Junkyard]

Locally I would say the Brantford Golf & Country Club.

Going to Florida every fall for vacation I really enjoy getting to Tiburon in Naples.

 

[Hecaviator]

Wine Valley in Walla Walla, WA. The added advantage is that a trip to Wine Valley doesn't make sense without a stop at Gamble Sands near Brewster, WA. We winter in New Zealand, and the course there is Wairakei Golf and Sanctuary. It is magical.

 

[ArmyGolf]

Tobiano.

It's my favorite I've ever played. Just pray it's not too windy when you get there.

 

[Smiter]

Firestone Country Club! The North course is... PURE.

If you ever need someone to fill in your foursome, let me know!

Played my first THP event there last year and I sucked so very bad, broke my heart the hacking I put into that beautiful course!

 

[Hecaviator]

Tobiano.

It's my favorite I've ever played. Just pray it's not too windy when you get there.

Four of us, two couples, played Tobiano once a couple years ago while on a golf trip in the Canadian Okanogan. I had always wanted to play that course. Unfortunately, it was one of those days when a frigid northerly was blowing down off the mountains and across the river, probably 40 kph. The women are both good golfers and tough as nails (my wife raced sailing dinghies with me for years in all kinds of weather). They called it a day after nine - told us we were nuts. My buddy and I survived for 18. I would love to play it again. If you haven't yet, you might want to drive down to Brewster and play Gamble Sands. It is a bit like Tobiano with less tricks and more room for error. Check it out on line.

 

[ArmyGolf]

Four of us, two couples, played Tobiano once a couple years ago while on a golf trip in the Canadian Okanogan. I had always wanted to play that course. Unfortunately, it was one of those days when a frigid northerly was blowing down off the mountains and across the river, probably 40 kph. The of the women are both good golfers and tough as nails (my wife raced sailing dinghies with me for years in all kinds of weather). They called it a day after nine - told us we were nuts. My buddy and I survived for 18. I would love to play it again. If you haven't yet, you might want to drive down to Brewster and play Gamble Sands. It is a bit like Tobiano with less tricks and more room for error.

Yeah the course is amazing, but I've also played it in 40km winds and it's an absolute destroyer of souls in those conditions.
The course is very tough in calm conditions as it is.

 

[LICC]

Streamsong once a year. Red, or blue course. The Black course is garbage.

World Woods Pine Barrens course. Not because I think it's great, but I play it once to see if it's gotten any better. I always leave disappointed and wondering why I did this to myself.

Pine Barrens used to be ranked one of the top public courses in the country. What happened?
Re the OP, I’ll go with my profile pic- Ferry Point. Great fun course.

 

[LICC]

I would definitely like to play this course more often. Best and hardest course, I have ever played.

Have played it 3 times. Each time it beat me. Once I was 2 over after 6 and ended up shooting 91. Getting an 11 on the 10th hole didn’t help

You can be having a good round after 14, and 15-17 will wreck your score. Agree that Betjpage Black is a spectacular course, but you have to be in the mood for it.

 

[mngolferguy]

MnGolferGuy, I agree that Brainerd area is a fantastic place to play. I went to Cragun's five years in a row. Two years ago, we stayed at Mille Lacs Casino (cheap rooms) and did Rutgers Resort Jack's 18 and Izatys Resort 18. Both courses were admittedly a step down from Brainerd, but were both in great shape and challenging.

I'm guessing you've also gone further up and played Giants Ridge, the Quarry and The Wilderness at Fortune Bay?
Another grouping I go most every year.

 

[Goin4Par]

I'm guessing you've also gone further up and played Giants Ridge, the Quarry and The Wilderness at Fortune Bay?
Another grouping I go most every year.

Can't say I've been to Giants Ridge, the Quarry or The Wilderness.
Some year, we want to do Warroad Estates and Buffalo Point on a long weekend. I have done a few courses while staying at Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen, MN.
I've been to Red Lake Falls, it's a 9 hole with many tough holes. We also played the 9 hole course in Fertile, MN.
I've also played Blueberry Pines 18 holes in Menagha. My tips is to not venture off the fairway at Blueberry Pines, there's lots pine straw in the forest.

 

[links_slayer]

I honestly don’t think I have one.... is that bad?

 

[Badger_Golfer]

Theres a few here in central Ohio: Delaware Golf Club (because the back 9 is a Donald Ross design) and Eaglesticks are ones that come to mind. Theyre courses that are nice, expensive and well-known in the area but arent so good that I would drive an hour to get there and/or pay $80 to play there.
For me, theres just as many cheap munis that are within 10 minutes of my house that I enjoy just as much, if not more.

 

[PentaKev]

Bandon Dunes Resort. We go there every January/February for three rounds.

 

[Nate<80]

If you ever need someone to fill in your foursome, let me know!

Played my first THP event there last year and I sucked so very bad, broke my heart the hacking I put into that beautiful course!

Will keep you in mind. Not a member there (I wish, and maybe one day). But the public Firestone 9 runs a couple promo events where you can go play over there at the private club.

What THP event was it? That is awesome. What course?