MikeBaileyGolf

The golf courses at La Costa won't blow you away, but they're super enjoyable and of the two there, the Champions Course is the best. It's very playable with nice views of the resort and topography, and it won't beat you up by any stretch. In other words, it's a great resort course that has also doubled as a host (part of the course anyway) of professional tour events. The finishing stretch is particularly good including the signature par 3 over water.

You really can't call it links golf, and it's certainly not traditional golf. This is a whole new category: reversible golf. This is two courses in one, and my first experience here was on the Black Course, which is the routing when the course is played in one particular direction. It's enjoyable and certainly challenging and best played with a knowledgeable caddie to help you navigate through this maze. I would have given this five stars but felt like this routing was as defined as its flipside, the Red Course. There were times that the hidden bunkers (which flash the other direction) would come out and grab you by surprise with the potential to create a high number. Putting was also a challenge, to put it mildly. And finding the right place to land approaches (usually short of the hole) was paramount.

This is actually the fifth time I've played the Stadium Course and I like more each time I play it. Some of that might have to do with the changes that have been made over the years. Much of it is due to learning the nuances of this course and how best to play it. This is classic Dye in every sense. Know where to hit it and most importantly, where to miss and when to take your medicine, and you can post a good score out here. As for the most recent round of changes – the lake between 6 and 7 and the drivable par-4 12th – I'm on board. I understand after player feedback the 12th will be tweaked before next year's PLAYERS, which will make it a better risk-reward hole. As for the experience, summertime is actually a great time to play it because green fees are less, around $250, and the course is in great shape.

I'm giving Elkview 5 stars because it was certainly closer to a five-star experience than a four-star experience. All around, Elkview was a real treat for me to play. Of course, the company of the head pro, assistant, superintendent and past president made it that much better, but the course itself, plus the renovated clubhouse and setting between two crystal clear lakes makes this a special place. As for the layout, this is a Donald Ross design that goes all the way back to 1919. In fact, you'll find the original drawings from Ross inside the clubhouse. No two holes are alike, and there's real challenge out here even though it's just under 7,000 yards from the tips. But what really makes the course are the greens, which have all kinds of interesting slopes that go back to the original design. A couple of greens, in fact, have been softened because modern green speeds are so much faster than they were in in the early 20th century and pin positions were becoming somewhat limited. With that said, you certainly need to find the right part of the fairway coming into the greens, and shots above the flagstick on some holes are almost impossible two putts. Which leads to much of the fun out here. Inside, expect great service and food, and the club has excellent practice facilities.

First off, I wanted to give Shepher'd Rock five stars. The only thing preventing that for me was some of the distances between greens and tees. Otherwise, the holes very interesting, fairways generous and pretty playable for the most part. I do think higher handicappers will have trouble here, though, because of all the uneven lies you get, even in the fairway. Some more flat spots would have made it a little more playable, but that's a minor complaint. Also, I'm not sure I like Shepherd's Rock as much as Mystic Rock, the course that hosted the Lumber 84 Classic on the PGA Tour. But it's not far behind. The views at Shepherd's Rock are amazing and perhaps even more dramatic than Mystic. If I could, I would give it 4 1/2 stars, but it's not an option. Would love to play it again in a year to re-evaluate.

I had high expectations going playing this former host course of the PGA Tour's 84 Lumber Classic and I wasn't disappointed. Every hole is interesting, the views are great and conditions, especially the greens, are impeccable. While it's difficult, though, Pete Dye doesn't kill you on this one., There are places you can miss. Key is to play it from the right tees, though. You don't want to be coming in with long clubs all day. Still, the fairways are certainly generous enough. The key to scoring is having a good short game and flatstick,

The only reason I didn't give this golf course five stars is that it's not walkable. Otherwise, it's a course anyone visiting Colorado should check out. With one great view after another of the canyons and red mesas, there are picture taking opportunities on every tee. Additionally, the holes are well thought-out and the variety is endless. This is certainly one of the best public courses in Colorado.

There's no shortage of mountain views or the Continental Divide on this challenging and fun course at 8,000 feet. For those of us not used to playing in this altitude, making the adjustments to new yardages is half the battle, but it sure is good for the ego. The course is pretty much straightforward until you get to a few holes on the back nine, where the yardage book is necessary off the tee. Growth from the wetlands has created a few blind shots, but once you find the fairway, it's pretty straightforward. As always, Tripp Davis did a nice job (with Craig Stadler's input) on the design of the course, which has a great variety of holes.

Like many of these courses in the ski areas of Colorado, the views are magnificent. And Granby Ranch has plenty of those, plus some really good holes. No complaints there, because this course is a blast to play. My only complaint is the routing with some long distances between a few holes, including what seems like a mile on a dirt cart path to get out to the 10th. But once you get to these holes, the drive is well worth it. The 10th, for example, is a par 5 with the tee shot over water. Also, the greens will certainly grab your interest. On the back nine there were some questionable pin placements (near impossible putts), but we're chalking that up, perhaps, to someone just having a bad day.

I had high expectations before playing this course (we played the Ridge and the Ranch nines), and I wasn't disappointed. Great views, terrific layout and lots of interesting holes throughout were the norm here. Conditions were also exceptional. There are several elevated tees where you can see for miles, including the ninth hole on the Ridge Course, a downhill par 5 with a drop of a few hundred feet where you can see 50 miles in every direction. The Ridge Nine, by the way, is the newest, so those greens are a bit on the firm side. You just have to adjust where you hit the ball because approaches will take a hop... Facility offers Golf Bikes, by the way, as an option.

When Big Easy owner Billy Brown decided to build a par 3 golf course at his Big Easy Ranch outdoor paradise, he naturally wanted the very best. So he hired Chet Williams, who designed The Needler short course at Whispering Pines, which is the no.. 1 ranked course in Texas according to the Dallas Morning News. Brown wasn't disappointed and neither was I when I played it. Though it's a par 3 course, it's real golf in every imaginable way. Every hole is different and one is basically a replica of the 12th at Augusta. Beautiful waterfalls, brooks and ponds highlight perfect turf conditions throughout. It's also very flexible, which makes it perfect for teaching the game from the Hal Sutton Golf Academy.

It's a 1964 Dick Phelps design, so if you're expecting a bunch of "wow" holes other than the mountain scenery, you might be disappointed. But I found this to be a solid, straightforward course that requires accuracy and a good short game. Though it's only 6,500 yards or so from the tips, it will test every part of your game and is most enjoyable.. Of course playing this in the summertime at almost 9,000 feet certainly adds to experience for those of us coming from the hot South.

It's hard to believe this is a municipal golf course. Quite frankly, it looks like a high-end country club and even though it was redesigned, it has a classic look. With hills and elevated tees and great views of the Dallas skyline, this is one enjoyable course. And while it's only 6,100 yards, it's plenty difficult, showing you don't have to have a 7,400-yard golf course to test good players.

Anytime you can play a course designed by Old Tom Morris, it has to be a treat, right? Well, that was certainly the case for Leven Links, which use to be part of the course right next to it – Lundin Golf Club. We actually played both of these courses in the same day (about a half hour or so from St. Andrews), and while I was certainly impressed by Lundin, Leven Links certainly held its own. And it's not easy, at least not the back nine. Just when you think you have it going, you're faced with some 450-plus yard par 4s on the back, and many of them played into the wind. The last hole is one of those – a monster, which is not only long at around 470 yards (and that's from the gold tees), but there's a burn that runs right in front of the green. So if you go for it in two, you have to make it all the way to the green. I tried and failed.

One local told me this was his favorite course in Scotland and after playing it I can see why. One gorgeous hole after another on a true links course set seaside. Tom Watson said the par 3 seventh was his favorite hole in Scotland, but I just liked the overall flow of the course. Keep it in the fairways and you've got a chance to score. Spray it and you'll be looking for balls. We played it on a relatively calm day, though. I would imagine in gusty weather it's a real bear, but enjoyable no matter what.

Designed by Kyle Phillips, who did the acclaimed Kingsbarns near St. Andrews, Dundonald is a modern links course that certainly fits to what you expect when you come to play golf in Scotland. This newer course is the host of the 2017 Scottish Open, so you know it's going to be a good test, and it was. And while it may not have the views of Kingsbarns or even nearby Western Gailes certainly, it's a really nice collection of holes, including some fairly challenging par 3s. I played this course right off the redeye, so I didn't have my best wits about me, but I still found it very enjoyable and a perfect introduction to the other eight courses I would be play. All-in-all, Dundonald Links is a first-rate Scottish links experience.

The history, the quirky layout and the setting all make for this course that hosted the first Open a must play for visitors to Scotland. The course has so many traditions and artifacts in its old clubhouse, including the traditional kummel drink (which I tried). The 17th (one of the most unique holes I've ever played) is actually the oldest hole in championship golf as Prestwick hosted the first Open in 1860. That was before the U.S. Civil War.

This is the one course at Barton Creek Resort that isn't at the resort, but it's well worth the drive and certainly a change of pace. While it's only 6,500 yards, it's anything but easy. Play the back tees, and there are some long par 4s, plus it's not that easy off the tee. What it is is interesting. No two holes are alike, and it will test every part of your game.

The Links at Terranea is yet another example of how par 3 courses can be premium experiences. True, most people aren't going to be able hit drivers here, or maybe even fairway woods, but there's enough variety to make this more than worthwhile. Plus, it isn't easy with its extensive bunkering, elevation change and large undulating greens. Throw in ocean views and a good walk, and you've got a recipe for a great golf experience. By the way, replay rates are available if you want an 18-hole experience.

What an interesting golf course. With plenty of room to hit the ball off the tee, it's very playable. But at the same time, this minimalist design presents something many courses don't – a myriad options. And that means you can try to run the ball up, play it in the air and most of all, avoid some of the difficult bunkers both in the fairways and around the greens. It also means that even though the fairways are very generous, find the right part of them is crucial to setting up good angles to the greens and hole locations. And speaking of greens, that might be the most interesting aspect of all. With lots of movements, these mostly large greens make putting, pitching and chipping most intriguing. All-in-all, this seems to be a course that will play different each time (depending on pin locations and wind). Throw in the mountain scenery, native vegetation and fescue, and you've got a real treat, well worth the drive from L.A. or anywhere else.