EthanZimman

Mike Strantz was lost far too soon, as there are only a handful of original courses with his name on them. A few years ago RNK was shuttered and left to die. Thankfully, a group of new investors bought the club, put in a bunch of money and brought the course back to life. It finally reopened earlier this year (2019) with the entire course having been regrassed and bunkers restored and refilled.

Overall the course is excellent and unlike most anything you'll find - especially in VA. Nearby Stonehouse is similarly on the mend, but not quite back up to snuff as it was really left fallow for a while. But I digress.

RNK's front 9 is epic. The holes, land movement, routing, greens...everything is spectacular. Then, you make the turn and you are quickly knocked down from your euphoria. The back nine struggles from holes that seem disjointed from the design of the front, holes are shoehorned into middling housing developments, and the transition between a few greens to tees are a couple minutes long in a cart -- in other words, not great. There are a few holes on the back that are nearly the same level of genius, but they aren't strung together like they are on the front. I have to assume this was a product of the time the course was built and the terrible thinking that people wanted their backyard to be a golf course.

I would almost go so far to suggest that they reverse the nines so that the course ends on a high note vs. potential disappointment. Regardless, the course is worth experiencing. The greens were new, hard, and running quite fast.

Special shout out to the construction crew and supers that got the course back into great playing shape.

Take a few extra minutes to see the original drawings from Strantz in the hallway of the clubhouse. True works of art.

Played the course during a scramble fundraiser. Course was in great condition for early June....like, remarkably good shape....like, do members even play the course shape.

The routing is nice and ambles over a small piece of property. Would be a great course to walk on a regular basis. Green to tee transitions are mostly short, with a few "challenging" hills to climb. Clearly designed when a good drives were closer to 200 yards, the course isn't overly long but what it lacks in length it requires in precision. If you can bit off doglegs there are many holes that leave flip wedges from inside 100 yards.

Would enjoy returning and spending another day on this course.

Was lucky enough to play with one of the few members over Memorial Day Weekend. Having driven past the course numerous times before, during, and post redesign I was extremely curious to see how they took the old 'Harbortowne' course and brought it back to life.

If you've played more than a couple Dye courses many of his classic design cues are on full display here. Railroad ties, water, volcano bunkers, long bunkers, bunkers that seemingly serve no purpose....the works.

With at least an entire year to grow in, the course was in very good condition. Since all the greens were rebuilt, they were extremely firm. So, was constantly playing short of the yardage number hoping the roll-out wouldn't go through the green (still happened a few times).

The course doesn't yet have a driving range, though supposedly they secured some land they needed along with some permits to ensure houses don't get hit. Instead, the new clubhouse had 8 state-of-the-art simulators to get warmed up.

The last 3 holes, dubbed the "Goodnight Kiss", are the "signature" holes. 16 is a short par 4 with a pimple of a volcano bunker in the middle of the fairway. Playing short of it you'll have a blind shot to the green. So, you have to pick one side of the fairway and hope to hit it as the green juts into a pond. The 17th is almost a carbon copy of the 17th at Sawgrass. Enough said. The 18th is a mirrored version of the 18th at Sawgrass or Pebble Beach.

All in all a nice course, and certainly the best on the Eastern Shore.

If you're lucky enough to find your way to Meadows of Dan, VA not playing the Highland Course at Primland would be a mistake. This remote resort boasts all the usual 5-Star amenities with a stunning mountain-side course to boot.

Normally, mountain golf is tedious and "unfair" with holes having fairways at such a slope they're unhittable. Not so with Primland. While there are many humps and bumps and holes cut through the mountains, you never feel like you're going to fall off the other side.

The layout is artistic and the setting serene. The best tip I got before playing was from the pro shop that said, "stay left if you can; most of the trouble on the course is on your right". I was able to manage that and shoot a very good score. The resort is pricey and hard to get to, but it's worth the effort.

Not much hasn't been said about EH so, will keep this short. The course is mostly great. There are a few holes that are closer to 'just ok' but don't take away from the overall stoutness of the course.

The biggest difficulty any player will face other than length (CHOOSE THE RIGHT TEE BOXES PEOPLE!), is wind. The day I played there was a constant 15-25 mph wind. More than they had for any day of the U.S. Open. The course was designed with the wind in mind, so, the fairways are relatively generous, and the rough is very penal.

If you choose to play too much yardage, you will be in for an extremely long and frustrating day. Regardless, it's always pretty cool to play a major tournament course you've only seen on TV. Taking a caddie is also recommended just because the terrain is hillier than you might expect.

After playing Gil Hanse's new creation, I can say I really liked the new Black course, but I feel the ‘incredibly fun’ narrative does a disservice to the average golfer.

The course is everything you’d expect from a modern Gil Hanse design: big, mostly friendly fairways, and creative landscapes and landforms. It’s also walking-only, either with a caddie or carrying your own bag. I chose the latter and had a caddie in my group who was on his third loop around the course. Regardless of who carries the bag, the course is a hike (more so in 90-degree heat of Florida). Playing the black tees at 6,759 yards was more than plenty golf course for me, to the point where I can’t imagine even scratch players choosing to play the green tees, which stretch to 7,331 yards. The transitions from greens to tees aren’t long but in many places require climbing or descending significant hills.

The overall movement of the land is truly something to behold. But the element of the course that will likely receive the most attention is the green complexes. Originally, they were supposed to have a bit of fringe that was going to be barely longer than the cut of the green, but as the course was growing in Hanse and the superintendent chose to save the mowing hassle. Now, the green and the fringe (of sorts) are the same length. This makes the greens even more gigantic than scripted. You’ll also notice sprinkler heads on the greens, which makes putting over and around them interesting.

Old Macdonald at Bandon Dunes usually lays claim to having the largest average green size in North America. However, the greens on the Black course are on HGH (Hanse Growth Hormone). There are greens on the Black course that make greens on Old Mac look like a postage stamp. Not to mention they are wildly undulating.

Overall, the course is great. But at least know what you're getting into before you get overly excited about 4-putting all day.

The original sister course to the Red, this Tom Doak course gives you everything you'd expect from one of today's best architects. It offers multiple lines of play from tees for those thinking their way around the course, but has generous fairways for the average golfer just looking to hit it around the course without losing a ball. The green complexes are a bit more severe than those on the Red, but not as crazy as the Black.

With multiple tee boxes, holes set up entirely differently depending on skill level of the golfer. The further up you go the fewer forced carries and trouble directly in front of the golfer with those hazards testing the better player.

Look for other Doak items like creative bunkering and strategic elevation change. The course begins atop a massive dune for maybe the best view on the entire property...especially nice during sunrise.

The Red course at Streamsong by Coore & Crenshaw is subtly different than its sister (Blue). With generous fairways golfers of all abilities should enjoy making their way around the Red course. One key difference between the Red and Blue are on the greens. My personal opinion is the Red greens are more subtle in nature than most of the Blue allowing for a few more long putts to roll in...assuming you can find the right pace and line. There is plenty to admire on the course from the massive dunes to a few enormous bunkers.

The "signature" par 3 is number 16. A Biarritz green on steroids...easily 170 over water, the green is ~70 yards front to back with an equally enormous swale in the middle. Just an awesome hole.

Played with a friend who is a member. Having lived in the area for so long, didn't even know the course existed. It's not flashy or showy. The course isn't long, but still has a few holes where you can crack a driver. Most holes however, require strategy and course knowledge (which I leaned heavily on my member chaperone).

The course was laid out in two separate nines which isn't abundantly obvious, but can tell if you look closely. Course is extremely walkable with some good elevation changes. Older greens have lost some of their area over the years making for very small targets...thankfully if you're in the fairway in Position A you never really are hitting more than 7-8 iron into them.

Course will be even better if they complete a planned restoration/renovation. Taking out trees and returning greens to their original sizes would make this course even more of a hidden gem.

There's basically nothing that hasn't been said about No. 2. It's historical significance to the game of golf in the USA is almost unmatched.

The course, to the untrained eye, could probably be construed as "nothing special". There isn't really a "signature" hole. But that's not the point of the course. As I made my way around the course from the Blue tees (one tee in front of the US Open tees) I'd keep saying to myself, "well, this isn't that special". And then I'd get up to the green. Where each and every one is a work of art. The course is intentionally pretty generous off the tee but is also easy to get stuck hitting from waste area to waste area.

The greens can be comical at times. For example, on the very first hole I hit a piped a perfect drive down the right center. Hit my approach pin-high to the right just off the green. I proceed to hit what i thought was a great chip (rolled across the green into the bunker) hit out from the bunker and then 2-putted from 30 feet for 6...all after being in Position A off the tee. That is to say the real work comes around the greens.

I feel it's also the type of course you admire and appreciate the more you play it. However, at such steep prices, not sure many people have that opportunity.

As for Bucket List, I'm glad I played it and hope to play it again some day, just think there are others that might come before it.

Played this course for the first time this summer. Evidently, the greens were completely redone and we were playing the course after it had only been re-opened for a week or so. No surprise the course was in great condition and the greens were pure.

Winds through the trees and was a very enjoyable round. Wouldn't mind playing this track again on future trips to Pinehurst.

Never played in the OBX and this was my first round of the week. Read a few other reviews mentioning the tee box issue but decided to take a flier and try the course anyway when the rates went "down" to $119 at 3pm.

Firstly, the other players that mentioned the tee box issues were 100% correct. The tees that were completely under repair or not playable were holes: 1, 2, 3, 7, and 15. There were more where the blue tees (normally 6400 yards) were either on the Black or White tee box. To pay over $100 and have 1/3rd of the tees in complete disrepair is embarrassing and fleecing of tourists.

To make matters worse, for our $100+ round you had to pay $6 for a small bucket of range balls. I don't care where the course is, if you're paying $100 for a round the range balls should be free. Period. Especially at a semi-private course. Additionally, when we checked in there was absolutely no mention of the course undergoing tee box repairs.

Golf course management is a hospitality business. The proper way this entire ordeal should have been handled was upon check-in the Pro or Assistant says, "we're undergoing some significant tee box repairs and for the trouble we'd like to either offer you $XX off your round today or a free large bucket of range balls." That's good customer service. Instead we're thinking the whole day about being charged $6 for a lousy bucket of balls and a course that *might* be worth $100 in pristine condition.

Overall, the course was in very good condition and very playable even in the extreme wind. We were even able to play as a twosome and finished in under 3.5 hours. But, I would advise staying away until the tees are fully reconstructed or calling ahead to find out about their status. If I had to guess they won't be fully ready for play until the 2018 season.

Maybe the most "divisive" course at Bandon Dunes Resort. When people rank 1-4 the courses at the resort, I'd say this is usually either #1 or #4 with a few exceptions.

One reason for that is the shear variety of golf holes on this course and it's lack of coastal vistas. What this C&C track lacks in ocean views it makes up for in elevation changes and variety.

Bandon Trails is aptly named as it begins close enough to the water where you can smell it and as it goes along you go deeper and deeper into the woods on a golfing journey that lands you back where you started.

Whatever your opinion, it's sure to be an enjoyable walk in the woods.

So many words have been written and read about Bandon Dunes that it's hard to pile on. However, everything you've read is true. There's no resort like it in the world let alone the USA. The original course by DMK might be the best on the property and is the perfect introduction to the ideals of the resort.

Highly recommend this being the first course you play if it's your first trip. Sets the stage for the others perfectly. Inland holes, coastal holes, beautiful par 3s, short par 4s, et al.

For those considering playing this course that live in the DMV make plans well in advance. It's a very long drive and while worth it, you won't want to do it again for a while.

This Top 100 Pete Dye track owes more to it's ranking thanks to it's architect than the actual course. While there are many fine holes, it may not blow you away like others. There's a fair amount of variety and challenge as is typical for Dye, but the course is unyielding if you choose to play the wrong tees. My recommendation would be to play up 1 tee box and have more fun, than trying to be a hero and stuck hitting long irons and hybrid approaches all day.

This very private Nicklaus Signature Design in Aldie is maintained to a level that would make you think no one plays there. That would probably be pretty accurate. A very small membership allows for a massive maintenance budget to keep the course in premium condition.

Thankfully, approximately once a month (in Summer months) the club opens to the public for an outing. I'd say that is when most folks get to play the course.

The driving range is perfect and all grass. The course itself rolls across former farm / horse pasture and offers a nice variety of holes. Some spots could use fewer trees and the course requires some local knowledge in places to score well (hence where being a member or playing with one helps).

Also, impossible not to mention/notice the houses along the course. Many of which are larger than the clubhouse. Probably some of the biggest in LoCo - or anywhere.

A William S. Flynn gem in Annapolis. The home course for the Midshipmen is currently in the process of raising money for a course restoration/renovation. Already complete is a brand new, perfect practice putting green and chipping area. Eventually, will re-do items on every hole on the course.

Ironically, there are no holes along the Bay (for the Naval Academy). However, the terrain moves nicely and the routing is excellent. Greens are relatively small as would be expected for a course of this age (shrinkage will be reclaimed in the restoration). Some narrow fairways require strait drives and solid approach shots.

A very nice course that is a treat to play. Can't wait until the changes to the course are complete, will be even better and maybe bring national acclaim.

If you've never played golf in the D.R. there are a couple 'must' plays and this is one of them. Situated along the ocean there are hardly any calm days. This can be fun and maddening at the same time.

While many holes offer ample room off the tee there are a few approach shots that are nearly impossible in the wind. Most notoriously, is Hole 2 that plays from an elevated tee back into the prevailing wind and is 598 yards from the Gold (Black is Championship) tees. Assuming a solid tee shot it still takes two more mighty lashes to get to a fairly small green surrounded by water in regulation. Not sure how ideal it is to have the hardest hole on the course be the second hole you play.

Regardless, every hole along/near the water is stunning, if for no other reason than you rarely see water so magnificently blue. As with most island golf, scoring will mostly depend on how you play in the wind and if you can avoid being distracted by the stunning scenery.

One of Pete Dye's best courses anywhere requires a bit of determination to get to, but once there, you'll be glad you did.

Most known for the "seven holes created by God", this seven hole stretch is remarkable. Rarely will you play holes that are so close to the water. With par 3s where the green is basically a peninsula in the ocean.

If I were to only play one course in the D.R. this would be the one.

On my personal Top 5 public courses in VA list, Spring Creek is a treat from start to finish. The course conditions are very good and the the course winds it's way through beautiful countryside.

A great variety of holes with ample width for all levels of play. Some forced carries, but the way the holes flow together is really exceptional. Not many, if any, holes that are duds.

Look forward to playing here whenever I go down to the Charlottesville area. Do yourself a favor and check out Spring Creek.