The HOG Product of the Year for best golf course is a course which was featured/reviewed in the calendar year, and has never been played previously. This year there are some very good courses played on the HOG World Tour, so the winner is certainly the cream of the crop. Here is a list of the finalists for this year, including all of the courses from Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.
Bandon Dunes (Bandon Dunes Resort)
Pacific Dunes (Bandon Dunes Resort)
Old Macdonald (Bandon Dunes Resort)
Bandon Trails (Bandon Dunes Resort)
Bandon Preserve (Bandon Dunes Resort)
Blue Course at Streamsong Resort, Florida
TPC Danzante Bay, Mexico
Red Ledges, Utah
Every course in the finalists list is tremendous. Each has its own personality, great architectural features, and terrific scenery. One course edged out the rest, and boy am I aching to get back there again.
The envelope please….
Pacific Dunes at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
Hats off to Pacific Dunes, a Tom Doak design located at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, on the Oregon coast. Pacific Dunes runs right along the coastline, presenting tremendous and stunning ocean views and vistas.
Walking Pacific Dunes is a pure joy, rivaled only by rounds I’ve played in Scotland at Kingsbarns, The Old Course, Cruden Bay, Balcomie Links, Carnoustie, and the other courses at Bandon.
Pacific Dunes or Kingsbarns?
Pacific Dunes plays very links-like. It features tremendous tee shots, fabulous bunkering, and the views are amazing. Perhaps the strongest parts of Pacific are the green complexes and one of the best sets of par-3’s I’ve ever played.
I could reiterate more of my thoughts on Pacific. Instead I recommend simply checking out my Pacific Dunes golf course review here.
Hats off to Bandon Dunes Golf Resort and Tom Doak for claiming the Hooked on Golf Blog 2018 Product of the Year in the golf course category. It’s truly a prestigious and exclusive award.
I had a great time yesterday checking out the Tom Doak designed Blue Course at Streamsong Resort in Florida. I’m in Tampa to hang out with my best bud and go to a Monday Night Football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Good times.
Streamsong Blue Course – Pare-3 7th Hole
Streamsong is located about an hour and 15 minutes southeast of Tampa and features courses by quite possibly the top three best modern golf course architects Tom Doak, Gil Hanse, and Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw.
The conditions were pretty extreme, with temperatures at 90 degrees and humidity at 70%. I had a difficult time holding onto my clubs as my hands were sweaty combined with the humidity on the grips. Still I managed a solid back nine, making bogey on the monster 18th into the wind to shoot 37.
I will post a full review this coming winter. Until then be sure to visit the HOG Streamsong Blue image gallery.
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