Movement in top 10

[HarkeyPuck]

*couldn't care less

But a well designed hole with big level tee pads and new baskets > than a well designed hole with bumpy dirt tees and rusty baskets

 

[DavidSauls]

In my mind, a bench in an amenity. A decent teepad is an integral part of the course.

Of course, the average of these tastes and opinions will result in an average rating, weighted to reflect the varied tastes of the reviewers.

 

[Countchunkula]

In my mind, a bench in an amenity. A decent teepad is an integral part of the course.

Of course, the average of these tastes and opinions will result in an average rating, weighted to reflect the varied tastes of the reviewers.

I totally agree. I hate standing on the tee for a truly special hole and deciding not to throw my preferred line due to lousy footing. The top of the world shot at Stafford Lake is/was this way. The tee is/was cut out of the hillside and very short (no way to start behind the tee without jumping down a couple of feet). I think I went with a standstill forehand vs my preferred backhand due to the size of the tee. It's been nearly a decade since I was there, so the tee may have been improved since then.

I don't need concrete (although it's my preference), but level tees of adequate size are requirements. I don't really care one way or another about benches. Unless there's a backup; I'm unlikely to use them.

 

[Doofenshmirtz]

What about a course you're familiar with?

I know of a course that might be a 3.0 during part of the year, 5.0 at others. In the review I can describe that, but in simply assigning a number to compare it to other courses in its area---courses that vary less by season---it's not so clear.

True. An average of your experience with the course seems like a good way to rate it or either extreme if your review doesn't mislead people into expecting that always. Personally, I would have a hard time assigning a perfect rating to a frequently played course that had serious maintenance issues much of the year.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Harmony Bends just got it's 20th review: #2 overall at 4.90.

Lake Claiborne SP - Whitetail bumped to # 11.

 

[GMcAtee]

I still can't believe Harmon Hills is in the Top 10. Give it an honest review and you will receive 16 thumbs down followed by many 5 disc reviews to bump it back up!

 

[Cerealman]

HH: Good but not great

I still can't believe Harmon Hills is in the Top 10. Give it an honest review and you will receive 16 thumbs down followed by many 5 disc reviews to bump it back up!

I agree, GMcAtee. I was just chatting with a friend about the new Top Ten list and I said that without amenity upgrades and renovations, Harmon Hills won't be in the top ten in two years because there are better courses being designed and built. Those better courses just need more reviews.

 

[Qikly]

I don't know. Harmon is a very good course, and great private courses always get a bump in their ratings. The back 9 is one of the wildest sets of 9 I've ever played: I'm not sure how well-designed it is, but it's interesting enough, memorable enough, and executed competently enough that I can absolutely see that propping the course a bit. There's some good elevation and lots of variety in terrain.

Don't get me wrong: Harmon Hills is barely even in my top ten, so I don't consider it one of the ten best courses out there. But I'm not surprised it is where it is. I think it's clearly better than Fairfield and Lake Claiborne, for instance, which have been ranked in similar positions albeit for shorter periods of time (I think).

 

[sjberry2017]

I'll be stopping there on my way back home from Cincinnati (it's literally at the halfway point lol) so I'm stoked to see it. I don't really care about the amenities as long as the golf is fun

 

[BogeyNoMore]

I'm contemplating another trip to FL this Xmas. If that happens, will definitely try to play Harmon. New World near Jacksonville would also be on the itinerary.

 

[New013]

Harmon is one of my favorite courses but I can see where people don't think as highly of it. The front 18 I've always described as Hawk Hollow lite. Then the back 9 is to rugged for some people's taste. If you super care about equipment you can bump it there as well.

Though to me when you put it all together it's one the funnest and diverse courses you can play. It may not not hold up to newer designs but saying it isn't a fantastic course is just hating.

 

[Cerealman]

I ran the numbers for "Trusted Reviewers only" ratings on the top 26 rated courses on DGCR. Interesting results. Of course, some courses are rewarded or punished by their small sample size ...

Top Twenty – Trusted Reviewer ratings only
(Number of reviews in parenthesis)

1. Harmony Bends – 5.00 (7)
2. Selah Ranch Lakeside – 4.933 (15)
3. Flip City – 4.858 (53)
4. Maple Hill – 4.85 (30)
5. Idlewild – 4.824 (68)
6. Highbridge Hills Blueberry – 4.816 (19)
7. Bucksnort – 4.75 (8)
8. Harmon Hills – 4.7 (25)
(tie) Rollin Ridge- 4.7 (20)
(tie) Highbridge Hills Gold – 4.7 (15)
11. Deer Lakes – 4.679 (11)
12. Tyler State Park East – 4.667 (12)
13. Moraine State Park – 4.661 (31)
14. Beaver Ranch – 4.660 (28)
15. Fairfield Park – 4.633 (15)
16. Lake Claiborne SP Whitetail – 4.6 (5)
17. Wildcat Bluff – 4.591 (11)
18. Selah Ranch Creekside – 4.589 (17)
19. Blue Ribbon Pines – 4.557 (26)
20. Riverbend – 4.546 (22)

 

[Cgkdisc]

Might want to calculate Highbridge Granite Ridge which had a drive-by 1.0 by non-trusted reviewer.

 

[Cerealman]

Thanks. I knew that just choosing the top 26 (top 25 + Harmony Bends) would result in some noteworthy omissions.

15. Highbridge Hills Granite - 4.656 (16)

Let me know of any other noteworthy omissions (with multiple TR reviews, of course).

 

[Cgkdisc]

WR Jackson and maybe Steady Ed at IDGC might make the TR list.

 

[Cerealman]

Good suggestions. They came up just short.

WR Jackson: 4.517
Steady Ed: 4.458

 

[BogeyNoMore]

So we can end the discussion right here and now: Harmony Bends is the best course... ever.
Seven TR's said so. :|
Now what do we argue, debate, talk about?

 

[biscoe]

Hawk Hollow has 14 reviews from TR's with an average of 4.679. 70% of the total reviews for the course are by TRs.

 

[PoorPutter]

I ran the numbers for "Trusted Reviewers only" ratings on the top 26 rated courses on DGCR. Interesting results. Of course, some courses are rewarded or punished by their small sample size ...

Top Twenty – Trusted Reviewer ratings only
(Number of reviews in parenthesis)

Cool. Position in the overall list would be nice to see alongside your data.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

70% of the total reviews for the course are by TRs.

So... you're saying you're an elitist?