1. Royal Dornoch, Scotland
2. Kings Barnes, Scotland
3. Royal Portrush, N Ireland
4. Gleneagles Kings, Scotland
5 Gullane no1, Scotland
6. LongNiddrie, Scotland

below is an updated ranking. the added courses aren't new to me, they've just grown in my appreciation of them.

1. Pacific
2. Bandon
3. Old Mac
4. Crosswater
5. Pronghorn Nicklaus
6. Bandon Trails
7. Tokatee
8. Tetherow

looking forward to updating the list after the fall of 2019...taking a trip with the guys to Scotland and this is the current route (subject to change)

Prestwick
Shiskine
Western Gailes
Prestwick again
Cruden Bay
Fraserburgh
Royal Aberdeen
Cruden Bay again
Dunbar
North Berwick
Dunbar again
North Berwick again
Kilspindie

That's quite an agenda. Lots of golf and lots of travel.

actually the travel was intentionally reduced to a minimum.

the first home base is Prestwick for 6 nights. the Prestwick course is literally right across the street. Western Gailes is about 10 miles away (with Royal Troon inbetween...that's another discussion). Shiskine is on the Isle of Aran and is probably 2 hours each way from Prestwick including a ferry. i have a hunch that will drop off the list and be replaced by a round at Troon.

the second home base is in Cruden Bay for 4 nights on the edge of the course of the same name (4 hours drive north from Prestwick). Fraserburgh is around a 40 minute drive to the north, and Royal Aberdeen is about a 30 minute drive to the south. the guys in the group that know say Cruden Bay is worth playing at least twice, which is why we are staying there.

the third home base is in North Berwick (3.5 hours south of Cruden Bay) for 3 nights. Dunbar and Kilspindie are each about a 15 minute drive. North Berwick is another course that they say is worth playing at least twice.

If that's over two full weeks then it's not so bad. If you were playing a compressed schedule with some 36 hole days the drives between hubs would suck.

Wow I love golf but I wouldn't even take this on.

Just booked june 30 - july 4 @ Bandon Dunes. Four days, likely eight rounds. May extend our stay as we don't fly home until the 9th.

pumped

I need to go to Bandon in the Summer some time. Would be interesting how different it plays that time of year compared to my freezing ass in February and March.

walking a single round a day for two weeks shouldn't be that much of a stretch for you, right?

the main organizer in my group first went on a golf trip to Scotland when he was 50, and if he makes this trip it will be his 8th time in 17 years. his typical trip (when he's the one organizing...this time he's not), is something along the lines of 28 rounds in 30 days. granted, several of those rounds are playing the same course multiple times without travel, but to me that overall experience seems more like a death march than a golf vacation.

congrats on Bandon. if you haven't read through the Bandon thread that King James started, i suggest giving it a go.
https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/9...eport-1575505/

"more to follow" lol

thinking about booking a caddie for our first trip. suggestions?

I don't think you need a caddy there. All of the courses are easily to walk IMO and there is nothing really tricky about the courses. I always take a push cart.

I'm a huge nit though and perfer to save the $. I have only taken a caddy once in my life and that was at Pebble. Playing Pinehurst #2 in 2 weeks and not taking one there either.

IMO playing Bandon or Pacific you don't really need a caddie (except for the tee shot on Pacific #9 depending on if it's playing to the upper or lower green). you very well may save a few shots if you have one, but the courses are highly playable and pretty much right in front of you if you don't.

a caddie on Trails is most valuable on the tee box. there are several holes that look like driver is the right play but a 2w, 3w, or 4w/2h are most likely the best option when placed in the correct location. the greens aren't too tricky. i'm pretty sure a little bit of internet research will fill in the gaps.

as for Old Mac, a caddie is most valuable around the greens (and to point you in the general direction towards the green off the tee if the fog rolls in and visibility is crappy).

if you're traveling with a foursome for your first time at Bandon, i suggest hiring a caddie for all 18 hole courses and splitting it 4 ways...let them be a forecaddie to the benefit of everyone in the group. the knowledge of tee shot placement + approach shot location + green reads will be totally worth it. split 4 ways the reasonable price should be $20-30 each or so if they don't carry anyone's bags. if you think they added a lot of value to your experience then add additional compensation as you see fit.

i've played multiple rounds at Bandon where i've tipped caddies hired by other people in my foursome because the caddies were very generous with their advice throughout the round to my benefit.

I generally do the same. Usually they rake bunkers, etc. I will throw them $20.

But looking back I had a post from about 2 years ago where the player's caddy literally did nothing. He even spoke softly enough to his player so nobody else could hear anything.

My go-to golf spot for anyone visiting this area is the Jasper Park Lodge. Scenery that is second-to-none and every single tee shot is beautiful. If you're ever in Alberta, it's a must play spot.

https://www.fairmont.com/jasper/golf/

Updated list:

1. Bluejack National
2. Pebble Beach
3. Pacific Dunes
4. Bandon Dunes
5. Bethpage Black

Agree with this, and also have to recommend one of my other favorites, namely Tobiano in Kamloops, BC.



To round out my top 6 I'd include Pinehurst #2, and imo the experience is made even better if you take a night to stay in the town at one of the Inns. It makes it so much more enjoyable.



Then for the other 3 I'd include a course called D'arcy Ranch south of Calgary.



PGA West in Palm Springs,



and at the top of my list is the Old Course.

I still don't think there's a better tee shot in the entire world than the 18th at the Old Course with the town and the clubhouse all around you. Can't be beat.

Figured I would update this list of the top 100 public courses I have played.

https://www.golfdigest.com/gallery/a...ourses-ranking

1 - Pebble Beach
2 - Pacific Dunes
6 - Pinehurst #2
7 - Bandon Dunes
8 - Bethpage Black
10 - Old MacDonald
17 - Streamsong Red
21 - Kapalua Plantation
22 - Streamsong Blue
33 - Torrey Pines South
48 - Wold Creek
49 - Dormie Club
55 - Tobacco Road
68 - Pine Needles
69 - Troy Burne
74 - World Woods Pine Barrens
78 - Barton Creek Fazio Canyons

13 - Arcadia Bluffs
49 - Dormie Club
53 - Tullymore
55 - Tobacco Road
68 - Pine Needles
93 - Mid Pines

Certainly plenty that I could go play, but the only one I'm likely to knock off fairly soon is Forest Dunes.

i'll do the same with the public courses and demonstrate i've only played golf on the west coast.


2 - Pacific Dunes (OR) Tom Doak
7 - Bandon Dunes (OR) David McLay Kidd
10 - Old MacDonald (OR) Tom Doak & Jim Urbina
14 - Bandon Trails (OR) Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw
18 - Pasatiempo GC (CA) Alister MacKenzie
24 - Chambers Bay (WA) Robert Trent Jones
36 - Pronghorn Nicklaus (OR) Jack Nicklaus
50 - Crosswater (OR) Bob Cupp
63 - Tetherow GC (OR) David McLay Kidd
80 - Pumpkin Ridge Ghost Creek (OR) Bob Cupp

next on the list to play
37 - Gamble Sands (WA) David McLay Kidd

doesn't count
62 - Poppy Hills (CA) i played this course decades ago well before the recent remodel.

of the best in Oregon according to Golf Digest, i've played the ones in bold
(1) Pacific Dunes, Bandon •^
(2) Bandon Dunes, Bandon •^
(3) Old Macdonald, Bandon •^
(4) Bandon Trails, Bandon •^
(5) Eugene C.C. ≈
(7) Pronghorn Club (Nicklaus), Bend ≈^
(6) Pronghorn Club (Fazio), Bend ≈
(8) Pumpkin Ridge G.C. (Witch Hollow), North Plains
(9) Crosswater, Sunriver ^
(10) Tetherow G.C., Bend ^
(12) Waverley C.C., Portland
(11) Portland G.C.
(13) Pumpkin Ridge G.C. (Ghost Creek), North Plains ^
(14) Columbia Edgewater C.C., Portland

How did you like it? I tried to schedule a work trip for the week of 10/8 up there but it didn't work and I'm now there 10/22. Way too iffy of weather that time of year.

It's worthy of being highly rated. It's as scenic as you're going to get this side of the west coast. The course is challenging and if you play it back it's really challenging. I need to get back up there, probably will play a double with the new south course sometime next season.

You're right that 10/22 is pretty late in the season, you never know what you're going to get weather-wise.

LOL Bluejack National

You no likey?

That's on our list next year. Have you played Treetops? We were there a few weeks ago and were really impressed with everything about the resort and the Fazio and Jones course... Although the Fazio was a little wet, but that was ok.