This is a good thought exercise. "Top" courses in the running for me that I have played:

HI- Kapalua Plantation, Ko'Olau (RIP)
CA - Torrey South, Pebble Beach
OR - All Bandon courses
NV - Cascata
TX - Bluejack National
FL - TPC Sawgrass
NC - Pinehurst, Pine Needles, Duke
NY - Bethpage Black

I will have to think a bit on a top 5. I will say that I am a sucker for well maintained golf courses so you can probably guess the route I will go.

Tbf i played Lahinch right off the plane so I was in a fog.

10 Others in no particular order:

Philadelphia Cricket Club
Huntington Valley Club
Bandon Trails
Pasatiempo
Winged Foot-West
Quaker Ridge
Sea Island-Seaside
Pebble
Old Head
Jack’s Point (New Zealand)

Oh Casa de Campo has to be in there too

OK my order:

1 - Bluejack National - Course is immaculate. The little touches are even better. Love Zoysia fairways.
2 - Bandon Trails- Love everything about that course.
3 - TPC Sawgrass - Perfect conditions.
4 - Kapalua Plantation
5 - Pacific Dunes

off the top of my head (and likely to be shuffled around if i actually think about it)

1. North Berwick
2. Cruden Bay
3. Prestwick
4. Pacific Dunes
5. Original Sheep Ranch
6. Bandon Dunes
7. Royal Aberdeen
8. Bandon Trails
9. Shiskine
10. Old Macdonald
11. Kilspindie
12. Western Gailes
13. New Sheep Ranch
14. Dunbar
15. Crosswater

Course was fairly dead today because of conditions. We played as a 5-some playing CPO and we finished in just under 4 hours. One person playing who I consider the slowest of the 15 or so that play on Sundays managed to shoot a 77. He is around a 16 handicap. So that kept us moving pretty good.

Edit: I saw his handicap and it dropped to 13.9 after posting.

What's the protocol for conceding putts in match play? One of the US women just conceded a 2 footer to lose the match. Granted the Euro was like 4 up but still, shouldn't you make them putt it?

And then Lexi conceded a 2 footer and then had to make a 3 footer to halve the hole, which she did.

This sounds promising, hopefully they will pick a good mix of interesting personalities to follow.

https://twitter.com/dylan_dethier/st...985595404?s=20

That could be cool. Kind of reminds me of what Feinstein did with some of his books.

Ryder Cup hot takes on social media are ****ing dreadful

Here's a hot take. The US hasn't been a materially better team in probably 25 years. In fact for many of the years since they rightly should have been the dog

Tell me this 2006 team is any good

Greats
Woods
Mickelson
Furyk

Solid
Stewart Cink
Zach Johnson
David Toms

Then it gets interesting

Meh
Dimarco
Verplank
Chad Campbell

WTF is even happening?
JJ Henry
Vaughn Taylor
Brett Wetterich

For posterity the 2006 Euro team:
Monty
Sergio
Olazabal
Stenson
Westwood
Clarke
Casey
Paddy Harrington
Luke Donald
McGinley

Meh
David Howell
Robert Karlsson

LOL that's a disaster waiting to happen

I love a good list. I don't travel much for golf (or golf when I travel), so my off-the-cuff list is quite NW oriented:

1. Circling Raven (Worley, Idaho)
2. Sheep Ranch
3. Pebble Beach (the only time I've played it conditions were about as perfect as you can get: 65 degrees, sunny, zero wind)
4. Bandon Trails ​
5. Chambers Bay
6. Pacific Dunes
7. Wine Valley (Walla Walla, WA)
8. Pronghorn (Nicklaus)
9. Coeur d'Alene Resort (almost entirely on aesthetics...beautiful surroundings, and the course truly looks fake)
10. Salish Cliffs

I'd probably put Tetherow in Bend somewhere in the middle, but I've only played it the unfortunate season 90% of its greens were literally dead (bad seed from China, according to the caddie).

There are actually a ton of NW courses I haven't even played, including Aldarra and Gamble Sands. Some apparently really nice private spots opened up in the Coeur d'Alene area after I moved away (Black Rock, The Club at Rock Creek, and Gozzer Ranch). I should poke around and see if I have any connections.

oh, i didn't even think about Pronghorn or Tetherow, but only played each of them once (on the same trip) and got my ass handed to me which is probably why

While we await the RC picks enjoy this sauce

Finau, Schauffele, Spieth, English (no surprises).

Scheffler, Berger.

Pretty bland but I do think the Kisner and Na picks were just noise.

I think Stricks picks were correct

have any of you guys had issues with achillies tendonitis from golf? i got it fairly mildly in one leg from starting a jogging program way too aggressively, and i figured just taking a month off from running would cure it, but i've also been playing a ton of golf in that month (always walking) and if anything its gotten worse?

That is one thing I have not injured playing golf. Not ideal, but try playing a round in tennis shoes and see if it feels any better.

When you guys play a new course you've never played or seen before do you do anything in preparation or just play it on the fly? If you do some prep what sort of things are you doing?

I have the highest posted handicap on this forum so my "prep" is probably laughable but here is what I do:

- Compare my handicap to the course versus my home course.
- Read reviews.
- Go to the course website so see how many details they give, such as hole by hole flyovers.

Even that probably does squat.

This and use google earth to have a look at the course from above.

Use the "measure distance" tool to see how far some carries are and how wide corridors are at your approximate tee shot distance. Don't get a great sense of up/down from above but it helps.

Nice thanks guys and Nate I’d imagine you’re doing way more than the average handicap does for preparation, Props to you, imo skill level doesn’t come into it when it comes to prep everyone can do it.

curious, right or left?

obligatory:

left heel, i swing right handed

Depends. If I am in a tournament or am going to someplace special (read: Bandon) then I will look at the hole layout on 18 birdies. If I am going somewhere for fun I just show up and play.

hurt more when you swing or walk?

obligatory:

dont notice it all when i golf, but anything like running, jumping, leg press is painful, sometimes walking. i guess ill just take some time off from anything physical and really focus on the strengthening exercises