Monday, May 23, 2011

GolfWeek's best municipal courses for 2011

Here is a list of the 50 best municipal courses from around the country for 2011 according to GolfWeek.  I've been lucky enough to play three of them, and I should easily be able to get the fourth played this year.  And, they're all in Utah!  Pretty lucky I am, I would say.  How about you?  How many of these have you played?


Year opened, designer(s), Rater's average


1. Bethpage State Park – Black
Farmingdale, N.Y.
1935, A.W. Tillinghast - 8.10

2. Chambers Bay
University Place, Wash.
2007, Robert Trent Jones Jr., Bruce Charlton - 7.76

3. Butterfield Trail
El Paso, Texas
2007, Tom Fazio - 6.56

4. Piñon Hills
Farmington, N.M.
1990, Ken Dye - 6.24

5. Torrey Pines – South
La Jolla, Calif.
1957, William F. Bell - 6.21

6. TPC Scottsdale – Stadium
Scottsdale, Ariz.
1987, Jay Morrish, Tom Weiskopf - 6.09

7. Arrowhead Pointe*
Elberton, Ga.
2003, Robert Walker - 5.90

8. Indian Wells Golf Resort – Players
Indian Wells, Calif.
2007, John Fought - 5.90

9. Highlands of Elgin*
Elgin, Ill.
2010, Keith Foster, Art Schaupeter - 5.86

10. Memorial Park
Houston
1936, John Bredemus; Baxter Spann (1996) - 5.85

11. Soldier Hollow – Gold
Midway, Utah
2004, Gene Bates - 5.83

12. Olympic Course at Gold Mountain
Bremerton, Wash.
1996, John Harbottle - 5.80

13. Laurel Hill
Lorton, Va.
2005, Bill Love - 5.78

14. Haggin Oaks – MacKenzie
Sacramento, Calif.
1932, Alister MacKenzie - 5.75

15. TPC Harding Park
San Francisco
1925, Willie Watson - 5.74

16. Wintonbury Hills
Bloomfield, Conn.
2003, Pete Dye, Tim Liddy - 5.70

17. Torrey Pines – North
La Jolla, Calif.
1957, William F. Bell -5.69

18. Thunderhawk
Beach Park, Ill.
1999, Robert Trent Jones Jr. - 5.67

19. Sleepy Hollow*
Brecksville, Ohio
1925, Stanley Thompson - 5.67

20. Indian Wells Golf Resort – Celebrity
Indian Wells, Calif.
2006, Clive Clark - 5.63

21. Bethpage State Park – Red
Farmingdale, N.Y.
1935, A.W. Tillinghast - 5.60

22. Crandon Park
Key Biscayne, Fla.
1972, Bruce Devlin, Robert von Hagge - 5.58

23. Sunbrook – Pointe/Woodbridge
St. George, Utah
1991, Ted Robinson - 5.56

24. Hideout
Monticello, Utah
2002, Forrest Richardson - 5.55

25. Desert Willow – Firecliff*
Palm Desert, Calif.
1997, Michael Hurdzan - 5.54

26. Indian Canyon
Spokane, Wash.
1935, H. Chandler Egan - 5.54

27. SilverRock
La Quinta, Calif.
2005, Arnold Palmer - 5.52

28. Bowes Creek*
Elgin, Ill.
2009, Rick Jacobson - 5.51

29. Washington County
Hartford, Wis.
1997, Arthur Hills - 5.50

30. Brackenridge Park
San Antonio
1915, A.W. Tillinghast - 5.50

31. Soule Park
Ojai, Calif.
1962, Robert Baldock, William F. Bell; Gil Hanse (2005) - 5.50

32. Olivas Links
Ventura, Calif.
2007, Forrest Richardson - 5.45

33. Aspen GC
Aspen, Colo.
1970, Frank Hummel - 5.44

34. Montauk Downs
Montauk Point, N.Y.
1968, Rees Jones - 5.43

35. Breckenridge
Breckenridge, Colo.
1987, Jack Nicklaus - 5.42

36. Tierra Verde*
Arlington, Texas
1998, David Graham, Gary Panks - 5.40

37. Shepherd’s Crook
Zion, Ill.
1999, Keith Foster - 5.39

38. North Palm Beach
North Palm Beach, Fla.
1928, Charles Banks, Seth Raynor; Jack Nicklaus (2006) - 5.39

39. Chaska Town Course
Chaska, Minn.
1997, Arthur Hills - 5.38

40. Audobon Park Executive*
New Orleans
2002, Dennis Griffiths - 5.38

41. TPC Scottsdale – Champions
Scottsdale, Ariz.
2007, Randy Heckenkemper - 5.35

42. Boulder Creek
Boulder City, Nev.
2003,Mark Rathert - 5.35

43. Harborside International – Starboard
Chicago
1996, Dick Nugent - 5.32

44. Lassing Pointe
Union, Ky.
1994, Michael Hurdzan - 5.31

45. Wingpoint
Salt Lake City
1991, Arthur Hills - 5.30

46. Sand Creek Station
Newton, Kan.
2006, Jeff Brauer - 5.29

47. Inniscrone*
Avondale, Pa.
1998, Gil Hanse, Bill Kittleman - 5.29

48. Neshanic Valley*
Neshanic Station, N.J.
2004, Michael Hurdzan - 5.29

49. Fossil Trace
Golden, Colo.
2003, Jim Engh - 5.28

50. Cobblestone
Acworth, Ga.
1993, Ken Dye - 5.27

* New to list

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