Movement in top 10

[Tripper]

Curious why you have Selah ranked higher than Frost Valley, is that mostly because of the amenities like carts, and 2 courses, or do you prefer more flatter open courses and water hazards? Also curious how Hillcrest compares to FV?

Out of curiosity, has anyone played multiple Houck designs including Rock Ridge in Pittsboro, NC? I am interested to hear how RR compares to other Houck designs. Reading through the reviews I notice that the lower ratings seem to mention drainage, tight lines and blind tee shots. I have played RR many times and only found drainage a problem in 1 or 2 spots (hello #2 tee shot landing zone), as for tight lines and blind tee shots, welcome to NC. These are Pros for me.

 

[edfaits]

Comparing FV, Selah, Hillcrest

Curious why you have Selah ranked higher than Frost Valley, is that mostly because of the amenities like carts, and 2 courses, or do you prefer more flatter open courses and water hazards? Also curious how Hillcrest compares to FV?

They are all great courses. I'd say Selah Ranch tops my list because of the concentration of courses, the uniqueness of the carts, and the Inn & the expanse of the ranch. Hillcrest vs Frost Valley is tough... both feature some memorable holes and unique terrain. Frost Valley has more elevation to work with, and the roaring mountain stream that plays along a couple of holes that make the property a bit more dramatic.

But I feel a little like the art history critic picking out their favorite Michelangelo: the Sistine Chapel or the David sculpture. Do I really have to decide?

Frost Valley in October when the whole place turns awesome colors, Hillcrest in June and July when the Lady Slippers are in bloom, and Selah Ranch for the rest of the year.

 

[BigAl724]

My top 5 Houck courses:

1. Selah Lakeside
2. Selah Creekside
3. Trey Ranch Texas Twist
4. Rock Ridge
5. Trey Deuce

RR is very different than any of the others in terms of terrain. But it clearly has the same attention to detail as the others. Every tree is there for a purpose, and risk/reward is heavily weighed out. It also has the most elevation changes compared to the other courses. The biggest drawback, though, from the other four, is that the entire round is in the exact same kind of setting (tight NC woods). What helps make the other four so special is that you play in sections that look and feel completely different from one another.

Looking forward to playing more of his courses as time goes on. Harmony Bends and Frost Valley being at the top of the priority list right now.

 

[biscoe]

I thought John advised on Rock Ridge but did not actually design it.

 

[Tripper]

I thought John advised on Rock Ridge but did not actually design it.

He is the only course designer listed on the RR page here in DGCR

 

[BrotherDave]

It's laughable that Canaan will be rated higher than Langley Pond. It might be prettier land but the design and actual golf is vastly inferior.

Wow, I'm not sure how Canaan can be vastly inferior to any design? Inferior maybe but I dunno about vastly. Langley Pond must be the best course ever made.

I thought John advised on Rock Ridge but did not actually design it.

I'm very sure he designed it. I don't think his original vision has been maintained (like the tree that fell down and effectively blocked the right route on hole 16 (which somebody also messed up the final tee location and thus that right route was never played through enough to stay open anyway)).

 

[bhadella]

Wow, I'm not sure how Canaan can be vastly inferior to any design? Inferior maybe but I dunno about vastly. Langley Pond must be the best course ever made.

Langley makes my top 5 anywhere and Canaan doesn't make my Charlotte top 5. Canaan's land is very nice (the river is just gorgeous) but the golf is very meh. There are only a few holes that I can think of that are all that well designed at Canaan. And they are just straight holes.

 

[BrotherDave]

Langley makes my top 5 anywhere and Canaan doesn't make my Charlotte top 5. Canaan's land is very nice (the river is just gorgeous) but the golf is very meh. There are only a few holes that I can think of that are all that well designed at Canaan. And they are just straight holes.

Very meh? There is no effing way you can call the golf meh. There aren't any extreme doglegs but they weren't all straight. And even then, the straighter ones look like this:



Are there 5 holes, let alone courses in Charlotte that can produce such magic?

 

[Tripper]

Very meh? There is no effing way you can call the golf meh. There aren't any extreme doglegs but they weren't all straight. And even then, the straighter ones look like this:



Are there 5 holes, let alone courses in Charlotte that can produce such magic?

Yes that was an awesome shot but I am not a fan of that hole. Particularly with course rules saying they will throw you out if you go in the water. I threw my most stable disc RHFH and it went about 250' before turning over and heading out to sea. The only redeeming quality was watching my Charlotte buddy ignore the rule to retrieve his disc from 20' out and maybe 1.5' deep, then turn back toward shore slip and basically sit down in the river up to his shoulders. Since he was already wet he pulled 2-3 other discs i could see from the fairway out. Of course mine was not among them since it went out to sea.

 

[BrotherDave]

Yes that was an awesome shot but I am not a fan of that hole. Particularly with course rules saying they will throw you out if you go in the water. I threw my most stable disc RHFH and it went about 250' before turning over and heading out to sea. The only redeeming quality was watching my Charlotte buddy ignore the rule to retrieve his disc from 20' out and maybe 1.5' deep, then turn back toward shore slip and basically sit down in the river up to his shoulders. Since he was already wet he pulled 2-3 other discs i could see from the fairway out. Of course mine was not among them since it went out to sea.

If I didn't like every hole I had a bad experience playing I'd probably not like any holes. :|

I played Canaan in the rain, threw terribly and still appreciated it. That hole could use some cleaning up though, especially if you can't/don't short cut it going over the river.

 

[bhadella]

Very meh? There is no effing way you can call the golf meh. There aren't any extreme doglegs but they weren't all straight. And even then, the straighter ones look like this:



Are there 5 holes, let alone courses in Charlotte that can produce such magic?

If one pretty (but poorly designed hole) can make a course for you, it's all yours.

That is not a well designed hole. If drive over the water is less than 375', it crashes into middle gap treeline and you have to make miracle upshot or pitch out. Shouldn't a par 4 have some kind of landing zone? Need I mention the basket on top of staircase hiding another sub-par hole. Or the super boring finishing hole. Or the second hole. I could go on and on. I'll play it once a year. But the actual golf is nowhere near the quality of the big three courses in Charlotte.

 

[Tripper]

If I didn't like every hole I had a bad experience playing I'd probably not like any holes. :|

I played Canaan in the rain, threw terribly and still appreciated it. That hole could use some cleaning up though, especially if you can't/don't short cut it going over the river.

The reason I don't like that hole is not because I lost a disc. The reason is (when I was there last summer) there were only 2 gaps in the trees to get back to the fairway from over the river. I will never make the 375' to get to the green because I only throw that far on DGCR threads, leaving only the gap that lands halfway to the hole. I looked for the wimpy (dry) route but never saw a landing area.

I also think the spiral staircase hole is just plain stupid.

Sorry, played both Canaan courses once to bag them, not likely I will return. Being from Raleigh, there are tons of other courses I would rather play that are closer to me.

Glad you like the course Brother Dave. In the future, try not to presume to know why someone does not like a course as much as you. Your feelings about Canaan are your opinion. That does not make them right or wrong, just yours. Everyone is entitled to their opinion even if you disagree with them.

 

[PoorPutter]

In polling my group on Houck courses, Circle R Wimberley Rolling Meadow (R.I.P.) is an easy favorite over both Selah courses and both Trey courses. Well, maybe not "easy" over Lakeside, but still unanimous.

We haven't played the northeast courses listed up-thread, nor Swampy Bottoms or whatever in Missouri, nor Rock Ridge.

 

[Stardoggy]

I'll take Texas Twist over either of the Selah courses...

 

[armiller]

One thing about Selah and Trey is that I'm not nearly good enough to score well from Blue tees, but even with a poor round from the red tees I should score well under par. Houck's white tees, however (I'm looking at you, Harmony Bends), were still a challenge but closer to my skill level.

Part of the awesomeness of both Selah and Trey is having 4 top level courses so close. I'm sure similar locations exist, but I haven't seen them. Part of what I love in a top level disc golf is the physical demand of playing even one round. All 4 at Selah and Trey have that exhaustion factor, even without much elevation.

Mentioning the Circle R course isn't even fair. You're just rubbing it in. I'd love to have been able to play there.

 

[Mocheez]

Tyler dropped from 9th to 15th... Lake Claiborne is back in the Top Ten.

 

[PMantle]

Tyler dropped from 9th to 15th... Lake Claiborne is back in the Top Ten.

I guess I finally need to review Claiborne...

 

[jjtwinnova]

I guess I finally need to review Claiborne...

Elaborate, s'il vous plait?

 

[PMantle]

Elaborate, s'il vous plait?

I like the course. I make a point of driving to the middle of nowhere ever year to play both courses there. OTOH, I also think the one being rated is the most overrated course I've ever played. It is entirely woods. Don't get me wrong-I like me some woods. But, there are no truly open holes at all, and I think I might throw a true distance driver 3 times there. There are several holes that I would call bad. Add to that my opinion that there are at least 5 better courses in this State. Having played Selah multiple times and the Trey Deuce courses once, it's mind boggling to me that Claiborne is anywhere near those in ranking.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Having played Selah multiple times and the Trey Deuce courses once, it's mind boggling to me that Claiborne is anywhere near those in ranking.

Things people say on this site... hell, the world in general, for that matter, boggles me on a regular basis.
I've forgotten what being unboggled even feels like. :|