HSV Course

[mizzouman]

Can someone list the best to worse course here?  Do not include Diamante.

[cosmodrum]

I've only played Granada, Isabella and Cortez, and that is probably my order as well, although they are all great. You could flip Isabella and Granada and not get argument from me.

Also, Diamante. 

[HognitiveDissonance]

Put them in a hat and draw one. It really doesn't matter too much.
I play them on a rotating basis, and I find that each one has something that I enjoy, that the others don't have.
For example, Cortez wouldn't be considered the best course there, but I love the finishing stretch of the postcard hole par-3 17 and reachable par-5, downhill 18 as an awesome finish. I play the first 16 holes looking forward to that finish.
Ponce de Leon is probably where I would take a better caliber player.
Granada with its stunningly beautiful 18th hole and waterfall probably has the most eye candy.
Played Desoto recently and was thinking 'why do I consider this the 'worst' course? Totally fun to play.
Coronado fits exactly its goal: a shorter, less time-consuming par 62 that is as hard from 150 yards in as any course there.
Isabella has very forgiving fairways, great conditioning, and a lot of eye candy holes.
Balboa is a quintessential Village course.
Magellan has the best practice facility of all, and one of the prettiest back nines.

I've been playing there forever and could provide any kind of ranking you want: toughest holes, best/worst, etc.
This is how I would rank them, simply by my own standard of 'which would I want to play?' which means all kinds of things, not the least of which is aesthetics and fun.

1)Cortez
2)Magellan
3)Ponce
4)Granada
5)Isabella
6)Balboa
7)Desoto
8)Coronado(par 62)

This is how I would rank them if you forced me to consider which was simply the 'best' course, as most course raters would do:
1)Granada
2)Ponce
3)Isabella
4)Balboa
5)Magellan
6)Cortez
7)Desoto
8)Coronado (par-62)

[HognitiveDissonance]

Toughest holes:

1)Ponce #5 - uphill par-4
2)Cortez #10 - par 4
3)Desoto #7 - par 4
4)Cortez #9 - par 4
5)Cortez #14 - tight par 4
6)Magellan #8 - long par 4
7)Isabella #18 (original 18th hole)
8)Ponce #17 (long uphill par 5
9)Balboa #15
10)Desoto #2 long par4

[mizzouman]

Great.  I appreciate the input. 

[Dillar Dog]

Isabella
Granada
Cortez
Ponce
Desoto
Balboa
Magellan
Coronado

[cc]

Are Isabella and Granada the two closest off 5 coming in from Benton?

[HognitiveDissonance]

Yes. Just past the East gate, there are a couple of Isabella holes visible from the main drag.
The turnoff for Diamante and Granada is past that a little bit.

[cc]

Looks like those in the know here like Isabella and Granada.  Which one is in better shape right now?

[Boog41]

Looks like those in the know here like Isabella and Granada.  Which one is in better shape right now?

Those are my two favorites for sure. It's been a month since I've been on them, so no help about what shape they are in.

[Dillar Dog]

I wouldn't ever consider one to be in better shape than the other.

It's really more about which one had less old lazy bastards that day.

[HognitiveDissonance]

Looks like those in the know here like Isabella and Granada.  Which one is in better shape right now?

Conditioning is never really a factor. Just pick one and go with it.
I never worry about that. What might influence me, though, is greens aeration schedule which makes them bumpy for a few days. You'd have to call or check website for their maintenance schedule. That all should be done for the spring now, so prob a non-issue.
Last time I played Granada was April 1, and it was just getting fully green. It was fine.
Last time I played Isabella was May 20. It was in great shape.

[pigture perfect]

I won my Nike putter on a closest to the hole shot on Granada, so I guess I like that one best. My son in law has connections at Diamonte and we play there the most, but it's too long and narrow for me nowadays.

[HognitiveDissonance]

Granada is also the site of my only Hole-in-One. 12th hole, 173 yards, from the back tees.
Ironically, I came very, very close to another one on that same hole years later, although it was from the white tees, about 120 yards.
I thought that was odd, then the thought occurred to me the nature of the hole probably has something to do with it. The green sits high above the tee boxes so you can't see the ball land on the green. Due to that, every shot that comes into that green approaches high and soft; if the ball is anywhere around the pin, it will stay there and dance around the hole.
I'm not a great golfer, but every time I play that hole now I'm thinking of making it.

[cc]

I wouldn't ever consider one to be in better shape than the other.

It's really more about which one had less old lazy bastards that day.

That has come up quite a bit from those that play over there that I've talked to. 

[HognitiveDissonance]

That has come up quite a bit from those that play over there that I've talked to.

Go in the afternoon when the crowds thin and there are fewer of those 'lazy old' folks to deal with.
But you could say that about anywhere. Less people, less waiting.

[ocsm158]

I wouldn't ever consider one to be in better shape than the other.

It's really more about which one had less old lazy bastards that day.

Us old lazy bastards can play in 3.5 if we can get the out of towners out of our way that want to hit from the tips and go for all the par 5s in 2. I have quit playing on the weekends because of the 4.5 to 5 hour rounds.

And the afternoons are no better since they started the cheap rates after 3pm. We can't even take our twilight golf cart cocktail rides anymore!!

[ricepig]

Us old lazy bastards can play in 3.5 if we can get the out of towners out of our way that want to hit from the tips and go for all the par 5s in 2. I have quit playing on the weekends because of the 4.5 to 5 hour rounds.

And the afternoons are no better since they started the cheap rates after 3pm. We can't even take our twilight golf cart cocktail rides anymore!!

Just hit into them and yell fore! They forgive you for being an old coot.......

[ocsm158]

Just hit into them and yell fore! They forgive you for being an old coot.......

We do

[Dillar Dog]

Us old lazy bastards can play in 3.5 if we can get the out of towners out of our way that want to hit from the tips and go for all the par 5s in 2. I have quit playing on the weekends because of the 4.5 to 5 hour rounds.

And the afternoons are no better since they started the cheap rates after 3pm. We can't even take our twilight golf cart cocktail rides anymore!!

Not at all what I'm talking about.

[cosmodrum]

Not at all what I'm talking about.

My guess is ball marks.

[HognitiveDissonance]

Played Cortez over the weekend.
It was in phenomenal shape.

I say that not to praise Cortez for always being in superb condition, but just to say it was really good. But it should have been. It's good to start with, because they take excellent care of the Village courses. But, we have also had copious amounts of rain followed by six days of sunshine, and no real heat yet. Ideal grass growing conditions.
Fairways were immaculate and greens rolled perfect.