What Makes A Good Golf Course?

We’ll tell you right now, it’s not the water pressure in the showers...if they even have showers.

There are many things that make a great course great, and a track a track. But let’s not confuse golf with everything that isn’t golf.

• Shower pressure
• Variety of golf gloves in the pro shop
• Conditions of the cart paths
• What kind of pull carts are on hand

Do these things add to the experience? Sure, well, maybe? But, hey, we ain’t showering on the 5th tee box. Although there are times one would like to scrub away the bogey train we’re riding.

Our thoughts (if they’re worth anything) on what makes a great golf course:

• Course routing that provides an interesting variety of shots (we don’t want to hit driver wedge all day)
• 2-3 holes that require strategic thinking and offer up playing options
• Walkable (yeah, we’re woke AF)
• Fresh chunks of onion for the pork missile (this is not a joke)

What do actual course designers think?

Keith Cutten of WAC Golf dropped us his top three:

• An interesting routing making the most of a site by visiting/revisiting its best features
• Unique green complexes that maintain interest day-to-day with changing pin locations
• Variety...in all things and the strategies of each hole. Great courses ideally require all one’s clubs to be used, require you to pay attention and use your creativity on every shot

Not much in here about the free pretzel sticks they serve with your dinner, right?

A great golf course doesn’t always have to be the most beautiful. Or the best conditioned. Or the highest-ranked. Or the most expensive.

It can be the one that you just have the most fun on. And maybe, just maybe, water pressure in the showers that can debark a tree.