Top 10 in NSW.......Whats your rankings?

[Speirsy11]

Grunt got me thinking with his Top 100 list.........What are the top 10 courses in NSW in your opinion......Not the top 10 designed, but the 10 that you would play above all others......

I've got the ranked like this:

1. The Australian
2. Newcastle GC
3. NSW
4. Royal Sydney
5. The Vintage
6. Concord
7. Monash GC
8. The Lakes
9. Elanora
10. Terrey Hills GC

Honorable mentions: Avondale GC, Castle Hill GC, Killara GC, St. Michaels, Bonville........

What do you think? If you had to recommend 10 courses to someone who could get on anywhere, what would they be?

Speirsy

[cazandpaul]

If you could get on anywhere - Ellerston.

Otherwise your list really indicates the lack of depth in NSW courses - apart from the first 3 or 4 the rest are interchangeable.

[Speirsy11]

If you could get on anywhere - Ellerston.

Otherwise your list really indicates the lack of depth in NSW courses - apart from the first 3 or 4 the rest are interchangeable.

I'd say the first 6 are pretty impressive......After that you can pick and choose whichever suits your eye best.....

[Golfgirl]

For me Speirsy, the no. 1 course has got to be NSW....

I just looove it - the best golf course that I have ever played on!

I haven't really been playing much - so I'll leave the rest of the list to you......

I hope to be getting back into playing soon though....

[Speirsy11]

For me Speirsy, the no. 1 course has got to be NSW....  

I just looove it - the best golf course that I have ever played on!  

I haven't really been playing much - so I'll leave the rest of the list to you......  

I hope to be getting back into playing soon though....  

The reason I have NSW ranked behind The Aussie and Newcastle is because the course has too many blind/luck/local knowledge shots. While the views are in the top 2-3 courses in the world, the course doesn't just layitself out there for you to beat. I'm a bigger fanof courses like the Australian, where everything is out in front of you and you either beat it by hitting the right shot, or you don't. Many great shots are punished at NSW which really doesn't fit my eye. While Newcastle has more blind shots then the Aussie, it doesn't have as many as NSW and it offers a more risk/reward strategical options, with reachable gambling par 5's and tough 3's........

Speirsy

[Golfgirl]

Yes - all that you say is true... the blind shots are many and dangerous. I guess I had the advantage of Terry telling me the best place to hit each blind shot when I played it. A little local knowledge certainly does go a long way. But I just love the 6th.

Did you know that Greg Norman once commented that he wouldn't change a single thing about the NSW layout??

I do really like the Australian and Newcastle as well - although, I have only caddied/accompanied on those courses. (And The Lakes)

Newcastle had a couple of ripper blind shots - one par 5 in particular (it was being played as the first on that day, but I think it may not be the actual first???) had the professional field I was with completely bamboozled.

You have played a lot of the top courses!!! I am so very envious!!

[Speirsy11]

Yes - all that you say is true... the blind shots are many and dangerous.  I guess I had the advantage of Terry telling me the best place to hit each blind shot when I played it.  A little local knowledge certainly does go a long way.     But I just love the 6th.

Did you know that Greg Norman once commented that he wouldn't change a single thing about the NSW layout??

I do really like the Australian and Newcastle as well - although, I have only caddied/accompanied on those courses. (And The Lakes)

Newcastle had a couple of ripper blind shots - one par 5 in particular (it was being played as the first on that day, but I think it may not be the actual first???) had the professional field I was with completely bamboozled.

You have played a lot of the top courses!!!   I am so very envious!!

I've played NSW on several occasions and think that it has really suffered with the advances in technology. The landing areas 75 years ago are not the same landing areas as today. I played it once hitting nothing but 2 iron off the tee with a few friends who are members there, and it plays a lot differently (and I would suspect, a lot closer to how Alistar MacKenzie envisioned it).

The hole you're thinking of at Newcastle is likely the 10th, and it is one of the holes that I'm not a fan of. The tee shot has to be played at a funny angle and the second has no great attributes.

Speirsy

[Andrew]

I am aware that Rob and I have diametrically opposed ideas of what we like a golf course to be, but that’s O.K., because everyone liking the same style of course would have killed off golf long ago.

I could be glib and say:
1.NSW
2.Newcastle

and then I would drive to Melbourne….. but I won’t say that.

Recommending 10 courses would depend on who I was recommending them to. As many of you are aware, I’m interested in golf course architecture & I have quite a few friends that are as well. I would recommend different courses to them than I would to friends who are just interested in having a nice round on a nice course.

NSW and Newcastle would be on the top of both lists. Here are the other 8 in no particular order.

To the Architect buffs:
Duntryleagues (Orange) – A lesser know Apperly creation.
The Australian – Experience early Jack.
Tallwoods – See what Dr Michael Hurdzan can do with a hilly site.
Royal Sydney - Check out how Ross did
Bonnie Doon - Check out what Ross is doing
Campbelltown – What did Bob do before he worked for Greg.
Ellerston – What Bob can do with a limitless budget.
Ryde-Parramatta - Example of a re-design with very little room to work. Use of angled greens the only means to create options

The North Shore of Sydney would be of little interest to these friends.

Not all of these courses are listed for ‘good’ reasons.



To my other friends:
Terry Hills
Ellerston
The Vintage
The Lakes
The Australian
Royal Sydney
Concord
Macquarie Links


My schedule for 2006: (Courses I have yet to play)
Kooindah
Magenta Shores
Pacific Dunes
Twin Creeks

[AndyP]

Narooma doesn't make anyone's list?
Ocean Shores?

I'm a sucker for a good looking course, so I loved playing at Narooma, and would love to play at Bonville.
I haven't played 10 courses in NSW, so I can't do up a list, although those I have played are pretty good.
(Narooma, Bonnie Doon, Ocean Shores, Coolangatta Tweed, Catalina, Murray Downs)

[Bruce]

I haven't played 10 courses in NSW, but of those that I have:

1 - Narooma.  I loved it and attribute a round there just over 12 months ago as the catalyst for wanting to play golf regularly.

2 - Tocumwal (Captains)

3 - Coomealla

4 - Tocumwal (Presidents)

5 - Catalina (Batemans Bay)

6 - Wentworth

7 - Finley

I think that's all I've played and most of them are only just in NSW.

[marcel]

1. NSW
2. Newcastle

and then I would drive to Melbourne….. but I won’t say that.

Then I'd do the road trip with Andrew, it'd be fantastic, big station wagon, show tunes on the 8 track cartridge, stopping at Holbrook for 3 pies (and a leaf of lettuce, gotta keep the greens up) on the verandah.........

then drive back via the Murray and;

3. Murray Downs
4. Rich River
5. Cobram Barooga Old
6. Narooma
7. Australian
8. Royal Sydney
9. Concord
10. Terrey Hills

[TS]

1. NSW
2. The Lakes
3. Newcastle GC
4. The Australian
5. Elanora
7. The Vintage
8. Avondale GC
8. Terrey Hills GC
9. Monash GC
10. Concord

I left out Royal Sydney becuase I haven't play there, so I wouldn't know how good is it.

[Andrew]

stopping at Holbrook for 3 pies

That's fine for me, but what are you eating .........


......... or are you just waiting for the corn beef at Hotel Spencer

[Golfgirl]

The road trip sounds great - are girls allowed??? I eat meat pies.... Can we go as far as Barnbougle???? I don't think that I'll break 200 around there, but I'd like to see it anyway.....

I find it hard to rate golf courses on both playability and architecture.... probably due to my standard of play.

I am most often standing on a tee and assessing it from the point of view of what it would play like for a male professional than from the perspective of a female B grader.....

I can assure you that when you do start to look at courses from that perspective though, a lot of good courses just don't stack up - it seems as if the ladies tees are an afterthought, and often don't allow shots to the natural landing areas that are inherent in any fairway....

Marcel and Andrew played Shellharbour with me - a classic example if ever there was one.... Do you guys remember the tee shot off the 2nd hole??? From the ladies tee, the landing zone was nearly non-existent, prompting either a layup off the tee, or a hit and hope to a patch of fairway that sloped right to left into a hazard and was only 11m wide.... Horrendous golf hole.....

[marcel]

The road trip sounds great - are girls allowed???

 
Of course, bring Mitchell and his amazing ballooons along as well. I guess hubby better stay at work to fund the whole thing

Can we go as far as Barnbougle????  I don't think that I'll break 200 around there,

Cunningly their pencils only have enough lead to post a score of about 150 so no probs there

Marcel and Andrew played Shellharbour with me - a classic example if ever there was one.... Do you guys remember the tee shot off the 2nd hole???  From the ladies tee, the landing zone was nearly non-existent, prompting either a layup off the tee, or a hit and hope to a patch of fairway that sloped right to left into a hazard and was only 11m wide....  Horrendous golf hole.....  

I don't but I'm sure steel-trap brain Andrew does, unless his hole in one wiped all previous golf memories. The only times, to my shame, I've really taken much notice of the ladies tees is when playing with the fairer sex, I'm sure you're right about them being an afterthought in many cases.

[Golfgirl]

The only times, to my shame, I've really taken much notice of the ladies tees is when playing with the fairer sex, I'm sure you're right about them being an afterthought in many cases.

Yeah, you weren't even really sure of them at NSW.... but all is forgiven for taking me there in the first place.....

[jimandr]

I'll start my list by saying that my pet golf course hates are blind shots, lay-up tee shots on par 5's, triple tiered greens and hidden hazards. I think Shellharbour has at least one of each. Strangely, I still enjoyed that course and want to go back when its not blowing 50mph. However, it doesn't make my top ten, which is highly influenced by aesthetic beauty rather than design purity. I also like history, which is why Royal Sydney and The Lakes make it although neither course impresses me greatly from a design point of view.

Assuming I'm playing with my mythical invited partners, my ten are:

The Australian
The Vintage
The Lakes
Royal Sydney
NSW
Newcastle
Bonville
Narooma
Mollymook
Tallwoods.

Honourable mentions to Tura Beach, Coffs Harbour, Tuncurry, St Michaels and The Coast (I like clifftop holes), Belmont and Macquarie Links.

Interesting that nobody has mentioned Mt Broughton (which I've never seen), Camden Lakeside or Horizons. They were in a few top tens not that long ago.

My revenge courses, just to bring my guests back to earth, would be Marrickville and Tree Valley. After playing them you'd never whinge about your home course again.

[Grunt]

My top 10 is going to be a hell of of a lot different to alot of you guys and girls as I have not played that much golf on high class golf courses. All of these courses I have played on.

1. Kapalua (Maui)
2. Newcastle
3. The Glades
4. The Vintage
5. Mount Broughton
6. Horizons
7. Camden Lakeside
8. St Michaels
9. The Coast
10. Bribie Island

I know it may not be the list that you all think but it does show my limited exposure to what many of you regard quality golf courses. I can play on any golf course and give it the respect it deserves. We are lucky here in Oz that we can go and play golf for as little as $20 a round and get a pretty good golf course.

I played Kapalua when in Maui getting married in 1997 and boy that was an experience, each year I watch the Mercedes Champs and say to myself I have played there The 17th there is just one of golf great holes to me. What a challenge! I think I lost 4 balls there trying to carry the rubbish to the green.

I played Mount Broughton about 10 years ago with a social club. It was one of the most difficult courses I had ever played at that time. I would love to go back and see how much I have improved since then, I think alot but it would be a good measure. I think I went close to 120 that day from memory.

I have played Horizons but the same weekend I got to play Newcastle and that put everything I remember about Horizons in another level the 2 courses are so different they could never be compared, one a resort sytle coure and the other a classic designed by one of the greats.

This list will definitlely change as I get to play more courses as time goes by but they are my top 10.

[markTHEblake]

Cant beleive nobody has mentioned Krambach, by far the best course in NSW.

[Andrew]

Interesting that nobody has mentioned Mt Broughton (which I've never seen), Camden Lakeside or Horizons.  They were in a few top tens not that long ago.

No it's not.



Grant, you have some unusual NSW courses on your list. I'll give you a geography lesson on Friday.

[drunken]

Interesting that nobody has mentioned Mt Broughton (which I've never seen), Camden Lakeside or Horizons.  They were in a few top tens not that long ago.

No it's not.  



Grant, you have some unusual NSW courses on your list. I'll give you a geography lesson on Friday.

My thoughts too....

[Grunt]

Oops I forgot about that little bit in the title of the thread

[Grunt]

After my total stuff up here is my NSW list.

1. Newcastle
2. The Vintage
3. Mount Broughton
4. Horizons
5. Camden Lakeside
6. St Michaels
7. The Coast
8. Nelson Bay
9. Liverpool
10. Riverside Oaks

[Golfgirl]

I'll start my list by saying that my pet golf course hates are blind shots, lay-up tee shots on par 5's, triple tiered greens and hidden hazards. I think Shellharbour has at least one of each.

And I'll confirm that it does.... To date, it is the course that I have shot both my lowest score in comp, and highest score in comp.......

[Speirsy11]

[quote="jimandr"]I'll start my list by saying that my pet golf course hates are blind shots, lay-up tee shots on par 5's, triple tiered greens and hidden hazards. [quote]

Preaching to the choir there brother Jim.........I absolutely HATE lay-up tee shots on par 5 holes, and much prefer having the course there for me to either take advantage of or have it as my own fault for not doing so....Hitting a good shot that gets punished because you can;'t see the trouble drives me nuts......

Speirsy