The best Golf city in the world?

[pudubny]

What is the best single golf city in the world? Their are a lot of factors here and we can discuss them all. Best course, public and private, best value, availability, access, quality, accomodations. A few come to mind , San Fran, if you include the greater area, it has 5 or 6 of the best in the world. Does Bandan qualify? New York deserves discussion if you include Long Island. Atlanta, Phoenix(Scottsdale), etc. Melbourne, Vancouver, St. Andrews, Pinehurst, Detroit, many are talked about as great destinations. What's the best in your opinion and why?

[Netz]

While I am sure many of the mentioned cities are fantastic, don't forget Toronto. Without going into detail; Osprey Valley, Eagles Nest and Copper Creek just to mention a few which open to the public, albeit at a cost.

[Weirfan]

In no real order:
Phoenix
New York
Orlando
Seattle
Pittsburg
Dallas
LA
Portland
San Fran
St Louis
San Diego
Minneapolis ( this one would not have made my list until I visited a friend there and it is really a spectacular golf city)

Not sure where Toronto fits but probably top 50, maybe 30

[bcampb00]

St. Andrews. Within 50 miles some of the greatest golf courses in the world.

[Mr22putt]

San Fran, if you include the greater area,

Yes, San Fran has some nice privates....but for Joe Public....San Fran is a rip off with few public courses.

Yes....locals get a cheaper rate at Harding....but for visitors Harding is a rip off.....played it twice on a company Prez Club....IMO.....Harding is a very average course...heck I might even call it boring.

[Mr22putt]

Seattle

If you exclude the Puget Sound and Chambers....IMO.....I don't think Seattle is a great golf city from some of the stuff I read on other golf forums.....a nice city though.

[Bladerunner]

An interesting question.

Whenever I travel to SF or NYC, I don’t think golf. That would be the same thought for most major NA cities other than perhaps Phoenix and Orlando.

I think the destinations win out. Bandon, Cabot, Pebble etc. The trip needs a focus

bladerunner

What is the best single golf city in the world? Their are a lot of factors here and we can discuss them all. Best course, public and private, best value, availability, access, quality, accomodations. A few come to mind , San Fran, if you include the greater area, it has 5 or 6 of the best in the world. Does Bandan qualify? New York deserves discussion if you include Long Island. Atlanta, Phoenix(Scottsdale), etc. Melbourne, Vancouver, St. Andrews, Pinehurst, Detroit, many are talked about as great destinations. What's the best in your opinion and why?

[gimmeabogey]

In one of the Toronto Sun/Star Golf supplements that comes out the week of Masters. I had counted up all the golf courses in GTA. Private, semi-private, public, muni, 9 hole, 18 hole all added up to somewhere around 300 golf courses within 60-90 minutes from TO.

I'm not sure even if 'Golf Capital of the World' Myrtle Beach has that many courses. Given that many are dog tracks but dog tracks exist in every corner. GTA is my favourite golf destination, quantity, quality, many value deals even if you have to search a bit.

Having played every type golf course in many locals, I'm sticking with parkland style courses of Ontario with bent grass greens. I've come to not like links style or wasteland as much and also dislike poa and Bermuda grass. However ill play them out of desperation in February though

[pudubny]

An interesting question.

Whenever I travel to SF or NYC, I don’t think golf. That would be the same thought for most major NA cities other than perhaps Phoenix and Orlando.

I think the destinations win out. Bandon, Cabot, Pebble etc. The trip needs a focus

bladerunner

NYC has 4 of the greatest courses in America is you include Long Island. I would put Pebble in the San Fran "area" like Pasatiempo, technically not in San Fran but not a long drive.

[Tom Morris]

In no real order:
Phoenix
New York
Orlando
Seattle
Pittsburg
Dallas
LA
Portland
San Fran
St Louis
San Diego
Minneapolis ( this one would not have made my list until I visited a friend there and it is really a spectacular golf city)

Not sure where Toronto fits but probably top 50, maybe 30

Weirfan and I are on the same wavelength. I can’t comment on New York but my top two choices are Phoenix and Orlando. My wife and I have been going annually to Phoenix in October for the last 14 years and to Orlando for the last 16 years. In my opinion the courses in Phoenix are the most beautiful courses of anywhere in the world. I love desert courses. In choosing the best city for golf, I think private courses should be disregarded. If you can’t play them, who cares how good they are. The number of spectacular public courses in Phoenix is unbelievable. The quality of the Orlando courses does not compare to the Phoenix courses but the quantity is impressive. I don’t think you can consider places such as Bandon or Cabot in response to the question. While they may have great courses, the number of courses is minimal, as well as being really expensive. I would rate Myrtle Beach near the top of the list based on the number of courses, most of which are reasonably priced.

[ninja]

Two words.....Palm Springs.

[pudubny]

Weirfan and I are on the same wavelength. I can’t comment on New York but my top two choices are Phoenix and Orlando. My wife and I have been going annually to Phoenix in October for the last 14 years and to Orlando for the last 16 years. In my opinion the courses in Phoenix are the most beautiful courses of anywhere in the world. I love desert courses. In choosing the best city for golf, I think private courses should be disregarded. If you can’t play them, who cares how good they are. The number of spectacular public courses in Phoenix is unbelievable. The quality of the Orlando courses does not compare to the Phoenix courses but the quantity is impressive. I don’t think you can consider places such as Bandon or Cabot in response to the question. While they may have great courses, the number of courses is minimal, as well as being really expensive. I would rate Myrtle Beach near the top of the list based on the number of courses, most of which are reasonably priced.

As for private courses I understand what you are saying but some people do have access to them so their opinion may differ. Their are also great "private" courses like Royal Melbourne that allow limited public play. Not uncommon in Australia in general.
While I think Orlanda is a golf haven, I don't hold any of the courses in much esteem. Loved my only trip to Phoenix/Scottsdale and enjoy desert golf.

[WhiteWalker]

Two words.....Palm Springs.

We have a winner. So many choices...PGA West, SilverRock, Indian Wells Resort, Mission Hills...the list goes on and on. Now if you are connected there’s the Madison Club or Bighorn.

[bcampb00]

Seems like a question designed for every city as a possible answer. Just define what criteria are most important to you - quality, quantity, style, etc. - and any city can be (inarguably) the winner.

[Fore Warned]

While I am sure many of the mentioned cities are fantastic, don't forget Toronto. Without going into detail; Osprey Valley, Eagles Nest and Copper Creek just to mention a few which open to the public, albeit at a cost.

In one of the Toronto Sun/Star Golf supplements that comes out the week of Masters. I had counted up all the golf courses in GTA. Private, semi-private, public, muni, 9 hole, 18 hole all added up to somewhere around 300 golf courses within 60-90 minutes from TO.

I'm not sure even if 'Golf Capital of the World' Myrtle Beach has that many courses. Given that many are dog tracks but dog tracks exist in every corner. GTA is my favourite golf destination, quantity, quality, many value deals even if you have to search a bit.

Having played every type golf course in many locals, I'm sticking with parkland style courses of Ontario with bent grass greens. I've come to not like links style or wasteland as much and also dislike poa and Bermuda grass. However ill play them out of desperation in February though

I think there is considerable merit to these points of view. The GTA and the Golden Horseshoe area are blessed with a unique set of geographic features, like the Oak Ridges Moraine and the Niagara Escarpment. The many river valleys flowing from the ORM are home to a string of golf courses along each of their lengths. The same applies to the Niagara Escarpment and it’s incredible landscapes.

None of this is spectacular seaside venue, or desert sculptured landscape recognized on a world scale. But the shear mass of typographically varied and all natural feature offerings competes favourable with so many other locales.

I have always thought that this region as a great place to be a golfer.

If I were still back in school studying geography, would consider writing a paper on something like “The Unique Physiographic, and Lacustrine Systems of the GTA and Niagara Escarpment’s Geomorphological Features as Contributors to a World Class Regional Golf Complex.”

The reasurch alone could take years of reasearch and sampling of venues.