Golf Scrapbook Blog (The Next Ones)

Trump National: Los Angeles

Played Trump LA in 2008 and it’s another course whose photos are lost to a computer crash I had which is a shame as this is one of the most beautiful courses I’ve ever played – every hole has an ocean view. TNLA does not get any love whatsoever and I wonder if that is political or others are seeing something I didn’t. I read a review that said it lacked strategic options and maybe if you’re a scratch handicapper it might, but for Joe or Jill Golfer, this has strategy aplenty. Trump courses sometimes feature clubhouses that border on garish and the waterfall features on some of his courses may seem manufactured a bit, but they are also memorable. I wonder if the Trump name was on National Golf Links, would critics say the windmill is gauche? The other thing about Trump courses, like Trump hotels, is the service. The service from check-in to the bartender at the 19th hole is always first-class at Trump properties.

So I put this among my top 50-ish courses. It’s a Dye design that Trump rescued from bankruptcy in the early 2000’s. The original 18th slid into the Pacific and Trump spent millions to resurrect it, It is a great finisher. I put TNLA as one of the ten most underrated courses I’ve played and since I don’t have photos to share on this write-up, here’s my list of those underrated courses:

1. Noordwijkse (Netherlands)
2. Tenby Golf Club (Wales)
3. Cascata (Las Vegas)
4. Falsterbo (Sweden)
5. Pelican Hill (North & South)
6. Alcaidesa (Spain)
7. Quechee Highlands (Vermont)
8. Trump National Los Angeles
9. Half Moon Bay Ocean Course (California)
10. Country Club of Florida

Of course any underrated course list must also come with an over-rated little brother, so here goes (with commentary):

1. Pasatiempo (I don’t get it, houses cramp the whole experience)
2. Streamsong Black (some rank this as their favorite at Streamsong, not me it’s a distant third)
3. Charlotte Country Club (Ok I played this off-season and some holes were being refurbished but I can’t imagine this getting the top or near top 100 love it gets)
4. Bali Hai (Vegas: I really hate this course. the holes are lined with coquina shell areas that you are not allowed to play out of. Played once where we counted them as hazards and maybe hit my worse score ever and once as a free drop and shot in the 70’s. Stupid.)
5. Merion West (I actually saw this ranked by Golf Digest on its PA best in state list. Really? No bueno.)
6. Philadelphia Country Club (I see this creep into some top 100 lists. I wouldn’t rank it in the top 20 in Philly area courses. Not bad just nothing special)
7. Tobacco Road (People either love or hate this course. I’m somewhat indifferent. The quirkiness becomes a bit much in some places)
8. Pinehurst #2 (OK it’s in my top 100 but for it to be top 20 in the world like it is in some rankings? Nah that’s a bit lofty.)
9. Cog Hill #4 (Good not great, I’d take several other Chicago public offerings over this. Access to booze was lacking.)
10. Jeffersonville Golf Course (Philly area public track designed by Donald Ross. Saw this as a top 10 PA public course somewhere. What?!? Poor conditioning, crap club house, Yawner of a design.)