Golf Top 18 Recent Courses Blog - Golf Top 18

A Decade Between

11/25/2018

primm golf review Picture

I first drove by the Primm Golf Courses on my way to Las Vegas back in the late 1990s and played the Lakes Course for the first time in the early 2000s and for the last time in 2009; I never made it onto the Desert course there until very recently, marking nearly a decade "drought" for Primm golf (in that time span the solar panels blanketing the nearby landscape were added). I enjoyed the golf course as part of a warm-up round for a Vegas golf trip (stay tuned for future reviews) where I played 4 new courses.

Getting Closer to Island Conquest

11/2/2018

On my recent trip to Kauai, I finally decided to play Puakea, which is the last 18 hole golf course on Kauai that is public and that I had not played (this was my 7th trip to the island). I took my son along and really enjoyed the golf course, which has a laid back feel and gives a blend of hole and environment types. It may not stand up to some of the true gems on the island, but bang for buck, this is a definite place to play.

puakea golf review Picture

A return to my nightmares...

10/30/2018

Rancho Park Golf Course Review Picture

I have many memories of Rancho Park, most of which don't give me the warm fuzzies (to be fair, the golf course itself is decent, if one can ignore the distractions). In addition to being the site of my first 6 hour round well over a decade ago, it is also the golf course I used to drive by daily on the worst stretch of my professional career, wishing that I could play golf, even there, in place of doing what I was doing. But, worse of all is the all-consuming fear of having to play the dreaded 18th hole.

The closing par five is the most terrifying hole in the world, not for any golf shot value, but from the absolute fear that is generated by being on the fairway sitting next to of one of the most busy driving ranges in the world, where the nets are just not high enough. There are dozens of balls lining the fairway, and some "Johnny-can't-swing" is two beers deep and ready to pop one over the fence and brain the unsuspecting golfer, all for a laugh or for a cry (depending on the intention of the driving range resident). Although not an official local rule, if the player can get the ball in play on their second shot, I call for the player to take automatic par and walk up the hole away from the fairway, far to the left, leave your ball as a donation to the range demons, and live to play another day.

A Decade Later, Lots of Improvements

9/15/2018

Top Kauai Golf Review Picture

The first time I played the Makai course at Princeville, it was 2004 and it was tired and not in great shape; thus, I was not in love with it. In 2010, it was re-vamped, lengthened and generally improved drastically. Some golf holes I previously overlooked now seemed better and fit the overall golf course much better. Thus, the ranking improved along with it. Additionally, the 7th hole rightfully took it's place on the Second 18 list of amazing golf holes. When I first played it, the day was gloomy but this time around I was able to fully understand how special that tee shot really is. All in all, especially with the Prince Course being temporarily shut, this golf course is now a viable good place to play on the north shore of Kauai.

Another Ventura County Update

9/15/2018

It's always tough to find ways to update Ventura County golf courses since I've played there so many so many times. However, there were a couple more golf holes on the Victoria Lakes course at River Ridge in Oxnard that were added to that golf course review recently.

One More from Oregon

8/18/2018

oregon golf course review Picture

Due to a computer upgrade at the house and a few other competing priorities, the last golf course review from the trip to Oregon in May of this year, Running Y Golf Course, is finally here.

Join Together With the Band(on)

7/8/2018

Bandon Dunes Golf Review Picture

Reaching all new lows with my pun titles, this The Who reference is meant to point to my latest trip to Bandon Dunes in Oregon, where, this time I went with five friends and enjoyed the golfing related bounty that is Bandon. Beyond the flagship course mentioned before, I've also updated the reviews of the other courses there. The personal headline was that I FINALLY broke 80 on Pacific Dunes, on my 5th try. I also played a personal best (on any course) at Bandon with a 76 at Old MacDonald and, sadly, Bandon Trails, as usual, continues to prove to be the hardest course at the resort, kicking my butt twice.

One Course, So Many Updates

6/23/2018

Lake Las Vegas Golf Picture

I first played Reflection Bay in the mid 2000s and then, after a couple of rounds there while vacationing with my wife, it closed in the Great Recession. It re-opened a few years back and I finally made it out there. Of course, they flipped the nines as well, which means there is a full re-do of the review and one of the holes (formerly #7 and now #16 got bumped from one of my lists, but stayed on another and it is still a fabulous golf hole and a great golf course).

Going "Straits" to the Top

6/8/2018

Top 100 Golf Picture

I am aware this is the second consecutive blog with a pun reference to "the top" but since both are about Wisconsin golf, I'm sticking to my guns. After playing both the Irish Course at Whistling Straits and the flagship Whistling Straits course, I knew there would be more to update than just referring everybody to the new reviews. I was not wrong; some havoc was set loose upon the top 18 listings; for those of you who have memorized the listings (he laughs at the prospect that there is more than zero who have done that) you will also note that there were some other pre-blog update changes also reflected beyond those added / moved due to the aforementioned Wisconsin trip. Due to another golfing trip recently taken, and an unexpected turn of events at an old course, a few other things jumped around, making this the most active month in Top18 listing movings since the inaugural month of the website (i think). Stay tuned for those updates (except for you list memorizers who clearly already know what they are).

Making a (Blackwolf) Run at the Top

5/12/2018

Blackwolf run river golf course Picture

Kohler, Wisconsin has long been on my list of places to visit, and not for the cheese curds or solidly made sinks, but for the golf. On a recent business trip to Chicago, I met a friend there and we made the trek up to Kohler. The first place we played was the River Golf Course at Blackwolf Run. Playing in May meant start of the golfing season, which came with less leaves on the trees and lighter rough, even if the Sheboygan river was completely swollen and spilling onto the golf course, leaving less rough to find. Overall, I took advantage of the "easy" conditions on this very tough course, and broke 80, which is a feat I'm not sure I'll be able to ever repeat. The golf course has so many difficult shots and a wonderful mix of holes that it blasted it's way onto the GolfTop18 Course Listing, coming it at #13. The amazing, sweeping dogleg right 11th also cracked the "Par 5 Listing". As always, look for the displaced, but still wonderful golf courses that left the list on the "Honorable Mentions".