Our course is a lot like this too. I think it is the curse of having an architect design a "championship" or "resort" course. In our case it's supposed to be a "championship" course, although I think it's more like resort course because it has wide fairways. To me it is an unbalanced design idea. Typically not that hard off the tees, but very hard coming into the greens. I'd like to see more balance. But whatever, it's definitely challenging and not boring.

Also, and I think this is a southern/ Bermudagrass thing, the conditions change a lot throughout the year, so different shots and skills are helpful at different times of the year. I never felt that way in the north.

    DonM Typically not that hard off the tees, but very hard coming into the greens. I'd like to see more balance. But whatever, it's definitely challenging and not boring.

    Sounds like a typical, higher end Nicklaus course design IMO.

        Played Mountain Top today. I had never played it before. It has 13 holes. They are all par threes, but it is not a pitch-and-putt. The second hole said 203 on the card, but it was straight uphill and played longer. There was another that was 196, and two that were between 175 and 185. Very difficult greens.
        It's a walking course only. They put your bag on a rudimentary but capable push cart. A LOT of altitude changes makes it a robust walk. About 7500 steps for me.

        I parred every single one of the long, hard holes. Got up and down from front right on hole 2; hit the center of the green on all the other long holes. Had a double-bogey on a short, downhill par three when I pulled my wedge and ended up almost completely plugged in a greenside bunker.

        Had one birdie. Ended up four over for the thirteen holes, which I thought was decent for me.

        An incredible amount of fun. Vistas everywhere that were amazing. Large hawks flying overhead.

        A great time, and considerably less expensive than the other courses. Highly recommended if you have the stamina.

        DonM Eguller Yes, much like a Nicklaus design.

        I played a couple of the Desert Mountain Nicklaus courses and found them to be awesome. Wide fairways, interesting but not hard with many sets of tees. Same with the Troon North courses. Seems like a plus when a tour pro who knows golf designs a course.

        Then you go to places around here designed my some no name guy with canted fairways and small stupid greens and say WTF? Bradford CC around here comes to mind.

          72, 36/36.

          The good...

          No bogeys.
          12/14 FWs.

          The bad...

          No birdies.
          2 GIRs (1 being a Par 3)

          The ridiculous...

          16... 1 putts.
          2... 2 putts.
          20 putts total.

          To be fair I will acknowledge being on a few fringes.
          I was trying to 'format'😄 distances with the new(ish) irons & kept coming up just a hair short. But damn, I was almost holing some chips; a few kickins from just a couple inches!

          Windy, 79*. Perfect Oct. day.
          Except for those damned ladybugs. jeezus

          Shot a couple of 83's. 40/43 then 43/40 lol. Can't seem to shake those few bad holes. The 2nd 83 could have been better as I lost 3 balls in the leaves and did not take a leaf rule drop on 2 of them. One was in the fairway so I did take the free drop on that one.

          Moved up to the red tees with the rest of my group. 86 with 22 quota points. Better, but still had a few double bogeys. 3 lip-out par putts too.

          Hadn’t played for a couple weeks. The irons and driver seemed to be back from my last range sessions the other week. Used the G400 max just because it’s so automatic.

          Played the front 9 in -4. 4 birdies. Greens were hard as a rock. They didn’t aerate them all year. 2 par 3’s I ended up going through the green. Had to landed everything, even a 60 degree wedge on the front to hold the green.

          Hit irons fine, driver was great… love that Max. Hitting it 290 -310 without over swinging.

          Makes me want to buy the g430 10k

            Typhoon Hit irons fine, driver was great… love that Max. Hitting it 290 -310 without over swinging.

            How many votes do we need to get a guy banned from the forum?

              Typhoon Makes me want to buy the g430 10k

              Choose either of these quoted memories from your childhood as my reply......

              "Johnny, don't be so damn dumb!"
              "Johnny, you know better than that!"

                  Par4QC I’d like to take my g400 max and hit it side by side with the g430 max 10k. Problem is the different adapters so I couldn’t use the same shaft. But I’d still like to do it and see.

                    Par4QC "Johnny, don't be so damn dumb!"
                    "Johnny, you know better than that!"

                    People have been telling me than all of my life and I still can't break 80.😥😬

                        76, 40/36
                        Nothing special yesterday with 5 bogies/1 birdie. Putts were still low, still coming up short.

                        May be the last of the 80* days. Ended on a great note though.
                        This is #18...200 yd. marker. Hole is 433, so 'caught one'. Then proceeded to hit the bunker pin high from there. 2 shots that normally are not in my bag. And never on the same day. Got up/down for the lone birdie of the day though.(Par 5 hole)

                        johnnydoom People have been telling me than all of my life and I still can't break 80

                        Breaking 80 is overrated. I've shot one 78 and then 79 5 times and I still suck. 😞

                          I shot 36-40-76 at White Pines GC in Swanton, Ohio today. Absolutely beautiful fall day, with temps in the upper 70's and about a 10 mph breeze to keep it comfortable. 9 GIR, 1 birdie, 31 putts.....

                          Finally got to play a course other than the slumpbuster. Shot 41-41-82. Nothing special to report, did nothing outstanding but nothing horrible except one shank. Highlight was a 60 yard pitch to 6" for birdie on a par 5.

                          Got out for 9 again today before work. Weather here has been unseasonably warm so I took advantage of another round. Probably tomorrow too and THEN I should be done for the season.

                          Par 34, I shot 27. Birdied the first 6 holes. My 2 pars were lipped out 20 foot birdies. Still back with the G400 max, irons came back and just for shits the Ping Sigma 2 Tyne4 that resides in my basement has just had 2 crazy good rounds of putting. Amazing for a putter that I hate the sound of.