Movement in top 10

[Countchunkula]

I thought it was a lousy review, but only thumbs down the truly terrible ones. He really only addressed two points: flooding and cramped layout. I guess he felt there were already so many reviews that he only needed to address areas where he disagreed with the consensus?

FWIW, I mostly agree with him regarding all of the extra tees and baskets not adding much to the course and sometimes decreasing the quality of the hole.

Wells, I read your review right after Swatso's. You've played a LOT of courses since then. Still feel the same way about RR and is it still a solid 5 for you?

 

[wellsbranch250]

Wells, I read your review right after Swatso's. You've played a LOT of courses since then. Still feel the same way about RR and is it still a solid 5 for you?

Its still among the top 2 or 3 most enjoyable rounds I ever had. nothing but blissful positive memories. One of the few places I've traveled far to visit that I actually want to replay. its my preferred style of golf, loaded with options, variety and top of the line amenities. every attributal quality that is important to me, rollin ridge knocked out of the park. I actually had it at a tweener 4.75 back then, as I had made an error in my calculations by about a tenth of point.

still my second favorite course after idlewild after all these years.

 

[brentjacobs]

Helpful vote from me. The cons he mentions were all things that I didn't care for as I played there both of my trips. Too much with too little, the golf is good it just isn't outstanding, the sogginess is bad. 3.5 feels low but I wouldn't argue it, mostly based on golf quality, maybe swatso doesn't give af about a proshop and bar? I'd probably settle with wolfhaley at 4.25(as soon as we get those quarter points lol)

I was about to say that I think it's the most overrated top 10 course of the 7 I've played but then Flip, Selah, and BRP are all staring right back from the front page as well…

That said, I had a great time at RR, fun golf, top notch for infrastructure and amenities. I'd recommend it to anyone who was near and making a loop through WI. But after 2 visits playing 3 different layouts, I have zero desire to play there again.

 

[wellsbranch250]

The development of my backyard course mimics rollin ridge in many ways. 3 tees and 3 basket placements on 2/3s of the course. heavily wooded moving lines but with even more substantial elevation change. multiple baskets on a few holes and numerous chill areas up in the mountain. Like rollin ridge, not ideal spacing as i have half the foot print of that 20ish acre course. no bog, no proshop, no fee, inferior signage, inferior tees.

 

[nothinbuttree]

opcorn:

Multiple options--teepads/pin locations can be a double-edged sword.

For a first time or likely one time player (think bagging/traveling), I think it is a con on a personal basis because it can make it confusing (one course I played had two permanent baskets on multiple holes, but no clear indication of which was which. But that does not make it a course con per se, though it may affect my experience. I do think playing a course a couple times before reviewing is a good idea, but at the same time I like getting the perspective of the one-timer, because most out of town courses will only get played once (unless it hits my favorite list).

If I am local, then it is definitely a pro to have different choices depending on the experience one wants that day. Devil's Den south of Lansing is the best of both worlds--two permanent basket locations and two teepads each hole, AND very clear teesigns. But that is quite rare it seems.

The big question is how should we grade/review such a course--one perhaps confusing to the first timer? I think locals know a course well enough to know if they like it or not, they don't need our review to decide to if they want to play somewhere. I think most who read reviews do so to decide IF they want to play there, and having that information I think is valuable. Maybe it should just be more of a mention than a con, because a one timer doesn't make a course, the local frequent player does.

Guess I am riding the fence here--someone push me into one yard or the other...

 

[Monocacy]

. . . The big question is how should we grade/review such a course--one perhaps confusing to the first timer? . . .

The review should discuss this issue, absolutely. At Patapsco Valley (one of my locals), the park would not allow the designers to install tee signs. This is rough on traveling players when long-long mostly-wooded holes average > 500'.

But once you learn the course, Patapsco is fantastic. I tried to explain this distinction in my review, and the the issue influenced my review score.

Generally I pay more attention to the review than the rating, although review scores are useful for planning road trips. So I dunno, do what feels right.

 

[wellsbranch250]

If I am local, then it is definitely a pro to have different choices depending on the experience one wants that day. Devil's Den south of Lansing is the best of both worlds--two permanent basket locations and two teepads each hole, AND very clear teesigns. But that is quite rare it seems.

The big question is how should we grade/review such a course--one perhaps confusing to the first timer? I think locals know a course well enough to know if they like it or not, they don't need our review to decide to if they want to play somewhere. I think most who read reviews do so to decide IF they want to play there, and having that information I think is valuable. Maybe it should just be more of a mention than a con, because a one timer doesn't make a course, the local frequent player does.

Guess I am riding the fence here--someone push me into one yard or the other...

i personally had zero issues and zero confusion at rollin ridge navigating around with three permanent baskets and three tees. The tee signs are spectacular and clearly spell everything out. Probably still the best sign examples I have ever seen.

 

[glassila]

i personally had zero issues and zero confusion at rollin ridge navigating around with three permanent baskets and three tees. The tee signs are spectacular and clearly spell everything out. Probably still the best sign examples I have ever seen.

I also had no trouble figuring things out. I agree the signs were outstanding, but I recall that a couple of them were peeling or something.

My biggest con was the wetness of several holes. I played at the end of October last year and I don't think it had rained the previous week, but I had to walk along high areas and on the metal grating to avoid soaked feet. I got the feeling that some areas were perpetually soggy.

 

[wolfhaley]

i personally had zero issues and zero confusion at rollin ridge navigating around with three permanent baskets and three tees. The tee signs are spectacular and clearly spell everything out. Probably still the best sign examples I have ever seen.

Rollin Ridge has probably the best marked/easiest to follow design of any course I've played with multiple tees/pins. I agree that I can't understand how this is a con in any way whatsoever.

 

[Countchunkula]

I've talked about the downsides (at least from my perspective) to RR's many tees and pins, but I agree that navigation is not an issue whatsoever there. With the way they color coded everything, it's clear as day what is what.

 

[mndiscg]

swatso and I have very little overlap so it's hard to know how he rates courses. He has a lot of courses rated at 3.5+ so RR is pretty far down on his list. His review is ok. I feel like he really focused on what he didn't like and they may have influenced his score downwards instead of focusing on the good.

 

[Mando]

swatso and I have very little overlap so it's hard to know how he rates courses. He has a lot of courses rated at 3.5+ so RR is pretty far down on his list. His review is ok. I feel like he really focused on what he didn't like and they may have influenced his score downwards instead of focusing on the good.

I think I read somewhere that he is a teacher and it's my experience that teachers tend to under-rate, when scores are given out. I'm married to a retired teacher, FWIW.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

I think I read somewhere that he is a teacher and it's my experience that teachers tend to under-rate, when scores are given out. I'm married to a retired teacher, FWIW.

So you're saying you're underrated, huh?

 

[Mando]

So you're saying you're underrated, huh?

I like to think so.

 

[Mando]

She's also very tough on AirBNB and VRBO, so it's not just me.

 

[dgaficionado]

It's possible to play both in one day - a couple friends and I managed to in mid-November. Both courses are a workout though, so I'm not sure I'll be doing that again. I think Harmony would have been even more enjoyable if we hadn't hiked around Eagles for 3 hours that morning.

Last week I made the mistake of playing Dragons Ridge (major elevation changes and really good course), Harmony Bends and Eagles Crossing in that order all in the same day. Plus it was hot outside. My legs were shot by the end of the day. I shan't be doing that again... ever.

 

[Tyler V]

Last week I made the mistake of playing Dragons Ridge (major elevation changes and really good course), Harmony Bends and Eagles Crossing in that order all in the same day. Plus it was hot outside. My legs were shot by the end of the day. I shan't be doing that again... ever.

That's absurd and impressive, lol.

I haven't made it out as far as Jeff City or Camdenton yet but I want to at some point.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Last week I made the mistake of playing Dragons Ridge (major elevation changes and really good course), Harmony Bends and Eagles Crossing in that order all in the same day. Plus it was hot outside. My legs were shot by the end of the day. I shan't be doing that again... ever.

I feel wiped out just reading that.

I realize as well as anyone that travel days and daylight are limited, but some courses are to be savored...

Oh well, 'Tts the life of a bagger.
So many courses.
So little time.

 

[dgaficionado]

Agreed! I enjoyed Eagles Crossing at a slower pace and with fresh legs the next morning. (My buddy and I had planned to rent a golf cart, but they aren't available to rent onsite yet.)

 

[nothinbuttree]

Agreed! I enjoyed Eagles Crossing at a slower pace and with fresh legs the next morning. (My buddy and I had planned to rent a golf cart, but they aren't available to rent onsite yet.)

A golf cart at Eagles? How would that even work? It's not even disc golf cart friendly, much less ball golf cart ready. I'd be interested in seeing a video of that if they ever get it up and going. Some steep rugged hills there as I recall.