Best/Favorite Courses

[Jimb]

Hey, Mando, can you easily list the course ratings and favorite percentages that you came up with separately?

 

[Mando]

Sure. I'd be glad to.

 

[Mando]

Hit the trusted review filter for reviews, it will give you a separate rating.
Then go to course info and divide the # favorited by the # played.
This gives you the % favorited. Anything over 40% is really good.
Add that # to the TR rating for the total. So, the lion's share of this number still hinges on the rating,but the %favorited gives you a little extra feel for the likability of the course for lack of a better word and the TR removes some bias. I would actually prefer course played over TR as a filter, but too much work.
As was mentioned earlier, some folks don't use the favorited feature at all and others overuse it. Personally, I think favoriting 10% of the courses played is about right.

 

[Jimb]

Hit the trusted review filter for reviews, it will give you a separate rating.
Then go to course info and divide the # favorited by the # played.
This gives you the % favorited. Anything over 40% is really good.
Add that # to the TR rating for the total. So, the lion's share of this number still hinges on the rating,but the %favorited gives you a little extra feel for the likability of the course for lack of a better word and the TR removes some bias. I would actually prefer course played over TR as a filter, but too much work.
As was mentioned earlier, some folks don't use the favorited feature at all and others overuse it. Personally, I think favoriting 10% of the courses played is about right.

Thanks, but I'm missing something. If a rating is say 4.5 and the favorite % is 40%, wouldn't that be 45.5%? And your numbers are in the 5 range. Clarification? (And I was actually hoping that you already had the numbers to just copy and paste into the thread. LOL!)

And I apparently agree with your 10% idea. 79 courses played and 8 favorites!

 

[Mando]

Thanks, but I'm missing something. If a rating is say 4.5 and the favorite % is 40%, wouldn't that be 45.5%? And your numbers are in the 5 range. Clarification? (And I was actually hoping that you already had the numbers to just copy and paste into the thread. LOL!)

And I apparently agree with your 10% idea. 79 courses played and 8 favorites!

It would be 4.5 plus .40 for a value of 4.9.
All my numbers are written on paper and I only did 75 or so, sorry.

 

[Jimb]

It would be 4.5 plus .40 for a value of 4.9.
All my numbers are written on paper and I only did 75 or so, sorry.

Got it. Forty percent is .40! Duh... bonehead math on my part, as usual!

And no need for an apology! :thmbup: If I get motivated enough, I'll check it out.

Now maybe if we converted the rating into a percentage and then took an average of the two averages.

 

[Mando]

Interestingly, you are probably not going to get two courses from the same complex in the top ten with this formula. Selah Creekside fell way out, and HH Blueberry replaced HH Gold.

 

[sidewinder22]

Personally, I think favoriting 10% of the courses played is about right.

I'm at 30%. Quality over quantity.

 

[Mando]

I'm at 30%. Quality over quantity.

You got way too greedy on the first 100. The next 100 are going to be a letdown if you stay in the east.

 

[sidewinder22]

You got way too greedy on the first 100. The next 100 are going to be a letdown if you stay in the east.

Depends on the new courses going in.

 

[Mando]

How can anyone's "best" be any different than their "favorite"?

I think that for advanced (like Dave242) and pro level players,there may not be any difference between best and favorite and even lower level players may equate challenge (getting beat down) as fun. But as a rec level player with not much distance,I can't play a course like Iron Hill from the back tees and not get frustrated when I play a long uphill hole like 17? Not frustrated with the course, but with my lack of distance. Even though it's one of the best courses I've played, it's not one of the most fun for me. Unfortunately, I haven't played the shorter layout, so it could be my best and favorite.
Whether you favorite a course because it's the most fun or the most challenging really doesn't matter, it's just another way other than rating a course to "like" it.

 

[magictenor1]

How can anyone's "best" be any different than their "favorite"?

The only valid reason I can think of is sentimentality - fond memories of the course you learned to play on could make a course your favorite even if now you think the course is nothing special in and of itself.

I agree somewhat with this but not totally. I do rate courses based on what I like and reviews are of course sunjective to begin with but... I do base some my numerical ratings on objective things. For instance a course could be a fantastic design for me and I love to play there but it has no amenities, bad tees, navigation issues etc. I would feel obliged to knock the rating number down some even though I would love to play the course. Conversely an average design in my mind but with proshop, restrooms, great tees etc could get a high score. Of course I would describe these courses and reasoning in my written analysis.

 

[Mando]

After reading the superlative sharing thread, which is great,I've been thinking about a formula to identify not just the best courses, but also factor in the favorites. This is what I came up with;
Trusted reviewers ratings plus percent favorited for a best-favorite total.
I used TR ratings because they eliminate the local drive-bys and are easy to pull up.
I included temporary courses and extinct courses to see how they all would stack up.

So, here are the results so far;
Flip City 5.4
Flyboy Aviation 5.4
Birds of Paradise 5.3
Black Jack 5.3
Selah Lakeside 5.27
Idlewild 5.24
Maple Hill 5.18
Blue Gill 5.18
Bucksnort 5.18
Highbridge Hills-Blueberry 5.15
Sugaree 5.15
Harmon Hills 5.13
Beaver Ranch 5.13
Gran Canyon 5.11

I was waiting for someone to spot the common denominator;all private courses except Idlewild. It's not really a level playing field, comparing public to private.

 

[Dave242]

Good call on that Mando. You private course owners deserve a shout out for sure...in even more ways that internet ratings and favorite button clicks!

Thinking about this, the atmosphere provided by many/most private courses makes for a more special visit.....independent of the course itself. For instance, I think the course at Flip City is a 4.0, but I totally think the experience and the owner makes it a 5.0+. I can therefore easily see myself favoriting Flip, and that being consistent with it not being in my top echelon of courses.

So, if people thought like me (and many don't) your formula would be to the benefit to the private courses.

 

[Mando]

Good call on that Mando. You private course owners deserve a shout out for sure...in even more ways that internet ratings and favorite button clicks!

Thinking about this, the atmosphere provided by many/most private courses makes for a more special visit.....independent of the course itself. For instance, I think the course at Flip City is a 4.0, but I totally think the experience and the owner makes it a 5.0+. I can therefore easily see myself favoriting Flip, and that being consistent with it not being in my top echelon of courses.

So, if people thought like me (and many don't) your formula would be to the benefit to the private courses.

Well it's not just the atmosphere, it's the lack of traffic(better chance for solitude...as well as lack of road noise), and most importantly, the lack of constraints that public courses usually have to deal with when approving a design with other park users.

 

[Dave242]

I disagree with that.....and those elements are very important to me! While I regret never having played Sugaree (or Stoney Hill), there are plenty of public courses that have beauty, solitude and quiet. Here is my ranked list of my top 30 favorite courses (coincides with my highest rated), and I have put an asterisk by those that are either private or do not provide solitude/beauty/quiet (for a good chunk of the course at least).

Winter Park - Kewaunee - WI
Lincoln Ridge Park - Independence - KY
Fox Chase - Albemarle - NC
IDGC - Steady Ed Headrick Memorial - Appling - GA
Robert L. Smith Park - Charlotte - NC
Nevin Park DGC - Charlotte - NC
Leviathan - Ludington - MI
*Highbridge Hills - The Bear - Highbridge - WI
Magnolia DGC - Live Oak - FL
*Rogers Lakewood Park - Valparaiso - INc
Yadkin County Park - Yadkinville - NC
Camden Park - II - Camden - IL
East Roswell Park - Roswell - GA
Wildcat Bluff - Urbana - IA
Tower Ridge Park - I - Eau Claire - WI
*Lake Olmstead Park - Augusta - GA
*Foothills DGC - Easley - SC
*Charlie Vettiner Park - Louisville - KY
*Dretzka Park - Milwaukee - WI
Castle Hayne Park - Wilmington - NC
Moraine State Park - Portersville - PA
*Highbridge Hills - Granite Ridge - Highbridge - WI
Richmond Hill - old - Asheville - NC
*Renaissance Park - Original - Charlotte - NC
*Renaissance Park - Gold - Charlotte - NC
Lemon Lake County Park - Silver - Crown Point - IN
*Brown Deer DGC - Milwaukee - WI
*Ramcat Ridge - Yadkinville - NC
*FDR State Park - Yorktown Heights - NY
The Scrapyard - Charlotte - NC

 

[Dave242]

Here in my analysis of my top 30 (with some taken out due to no data on DGCR). Included here for fun and for more data for Mando to reuse

MyRank	Grade	DGCR	Fav%	played	fav	Mando	Rank	Course Name
1	100	4.32	29%	252	73	4.61	9	Winter Park
2	99	4.43	35%	804	281	4.78	5	Lincoln Ridge Park
3	98	4.00	18%	320	57	4.18	18	Fox Chase
4	98	4.42	24%	680	164	4.66	6	IDGC - Steady Ed Headrick Memorial
5	98	4.04	17%	593	102	4.21	17	Robert L. Smith Park
6	97	4.17	17%	730	125	4.34	15	Nevin Park DGC
7	97	4.31	18%	395	73	4.49	12	Leviathan
9	97	3.75	9%	291	27	3.84	25	Highbridge Hills - The Bear
10	96	4.27	21%	224	47	4.48	13	Magnolia DGC
11	96	4.17	24%	409	98	4.41	14	Rogers Lakewood Park
12	96	3.41	18%	315	56	3.59	29	Yadkin County Park
13	96	4.32	31%	309	96	4.63	7	Camden Park - II
14	95	3.57	21%	629	132	3.78	26	East Roswell Park
15	95	4.59	39%	222	86	4.98	2	Wildcat Bluff
16	95	3.83	15%	272	42	3.98	24	Tower Ridge Park - I
17	94	3.42	7%	336	25	3.49	30	Lake Olmstead Park
18	94	3.50	10%	227	23	3.60	28	Foothills DGC
19	94	4.10	14%	587	80	4.24	16	Charlie Vettiner Park
20	94	3.92	19%	768	148	4.11	19	Dretzka Park
21	94	4.35	28%	499	139	4.63	8	Castle Hayne Park
22	94	4.57	39%	492	192	4.96	3	Moraine State Park
23	94	4.68	25%	497	122	4.93	4	Highbridge Hills - Granite Ridge
25	93	4.38	21%	1257	265	4.59	10	Renaissance Park - Original
26	93	4.38	21%	1257	265	4.59	11	Renaissance Park - Gold
27	93	3.92	17%	561	97	4.09	21	Lemon Lake County Park - Silver
28	93	3.87	21%	605	126	4.08	22	Brown Deer DGC
29	93	3.81	29%	1173	342	4.10	20	Golden Gate Park DGC
31	93	3.92	10%	199	19	4.02	23	FDR State Park
32	93	3.65	12%	457	55	3.77	27	The Scrapyard
33	93	4.84	31%	595	183	5.15	1	Highbridge Hills - Blueberry Hill

 

[DavidSauls]

I was waiting for someone to spot the common denominator;all private courses except Idlewild. It's not really a level playing field, comparing public to private.

That says something about private courses---

but perhaps says something about Idlewild, too.

 

[Cgkdisc]

I think pay-to-play should count the equivalent of a private course for this exercise. IDGC and Lemon Lake, for example.

 

[DavidSauls]

I think pay-to-play should count the equivalent of a private course for this exercise. IDGC and Lemon Lake, for example.

Those courses are still under constraints that many private courses don't have.