Five months later and the list of favorites has indeed changed.
10) Blue Angel Park - Oaks: Overlooked. Nice mix of shots including some legit par 4s, variety of levels of woodedness, and even some elevation that, while modest, is noticeable and welcome in the Gulf area. Great park to visit, with three quality 18s on site.
9) Shawshank: Hella fun. Didn't find it to be a truly transcendent course - it was a bit too exclusively par 3 for that IMHO - but it was a great stop with some really memorable scenery and holes.
8) Trey Texas Ranch - Trey Deuce: A bit of extrapolation here as it was in poor condition when I visited. Tons of variation in the terrain - possibly the most I've ever seen in an 18 hole course - that begets a whole host of shots. 18 is one of the most memorable holes I've ever played, and the hilariously tight hole 15 is another one that sticks in my mind.
7) Deer Lakes Park: Classic western PA park course in its integration of woods, open shots, and transitions between the two. I'm hoping to visit this again next month when I'm back in the area because I was a bit disappointed the first time around relative to its reputation. Still a great course.
6) Knob Hill Park: Not the pizzazz of Deer Lakes, but super duper solid. It just comes together for me so well that the whole transcends the parts.
5) Selah Ranch - Creekside: There's a pretty clear division in quality between the previous five and my top five. Creekside is an unbelievable course, with some of the most brow-furrowing holes I've ever played, intermixed with an array of memorable shots and fun challenges. Hole 3 is delightfully heart-pounding.
4) Trey Texas Ranch - Texas Twist: More extrapolation. I think a well-groomed Texas Twist is going to be right up there with the best of the best. Probably won't threaten Lakeside, but it's close in my mind - the stretch in woods from 7-15 is an awesome counterpoint to the more wide open holes found elsewhere on the property.
3) Orange Crush: Still overlooked, still phenomenal. Proof that a course can be ridiculously challenging, widely appealing, and varied all at once.
2) Moraine State Park: Hilariously, this is the first course I ever played. I'm pretty sure I shot over 100 that round. Awesome course, with a fabulous range of par 3s, 4s, and 5s. Some really memorable, unique holes that are seared into my mind's eye. I'm looking forward to spending some more time with it this summer when I'm in the area.
1) Selah Ranch - Lakeside: As an old football coach of mine used to say, "beyond the beyond." Playing Lakeside was one of the most aesthetic experiences of my life, akin to seeing an amazing concert or having an out-of-this-world meal. It has so many memorable moments that are so thoughtfully assembled. I'll be curious to see if a course ever dethrones it from my personal list.
~
Nice to compare this to where I was in December. Not sure what I will and won't get to play this coming summer, and probably nothing that will truly challenge the top three courses, but some new ones should be making the list.
