Creighton Farms Aldie, Va.
7,410 yards, par 72
creightonfarms.com
Jack Nicklaus has returned to his fire-breathing, go-go '80s design style in with a bang, fashioning a golden grizzly that's rated 77.0 and sloped 152 from the tips. Most of the trouble comes on and around the smallish greens, a healthy number of which require forced carries. The lake- and creek-guarded 482-yard, par-4 4th highlights the premium on the aerial game. If flying it in successfully isn't working, you can always head for Washington D.C.'s Dulles International Airport, 10 miles down the road.
7. The Cliffs at Keowee Springs
Six Mile, S.C.
7,100 yards, par 72
discoverkeoweesprings.com
The latest installment in the hugely successful Cliffs family is this gently rolling Tom Fazio mountainside layout that sports player-friendly features such as saddle-shaped fairways that help funnel balls back into play and soft, nicely flowing green surrounds. Still, there's plenty of bite to be had, such as the drama-filled tee shot at the 558-yard, uphill par-5 8th and via the brute strength required to conquer the 492-yard, uphill par-4 18th. While the back tee slope of 141 shows that Keowee springs is hardly a pushover, it's just the kind of comfortable spread that makes it a terrific "every day" course -- except that at the Cliffs, you members can play a half-dozen others as well.
8. Rainmakers
Alto, N.M.
7,200 yards, par 72
rainmakersusa.com
Situated near the high-altitude horse racing mecca of Ruidoso, New Mexico's first Audubon Signature course is an environmentally sensitive Robert Trent Jones II design that darts through sagebrush and juniper. Rocks and underbrush practically swallow up the landing zones on the front nine, so course management is at a premium, but so are superb views of the Capitan and Sierra Blanca, nor more so than at the question mark-shaped, 630-yard, par-5 1st hole.
9. The Idaho Club
Sandpoint, Id.
7,000 yards, par 72
theidahoclub.com
Way up in Idaho's panhandle, north of Coeur d'Alene, Jack Nicklaus has weaved a stunning tapestry that overlooks one of the state's most pristine lakes, Lake Pend Oreille atop an old public layout that nobody wanted. The combination of forests, lake views and Nicklaus' penchant for stirring risk/reward holes have breathed serious new life into the property.
10. Encanterra
Queen Creek, AZ
7,250 yards, par 72
encanterra.com
Forty miles southeast of Phoenix, Tom Lehman carved out extra-wide fairways and few forced carries to allow the middle-handicapper to smash his driver about, but he used intricate contouring on and around the greens to place a premium on intelligent approach play. Mountain backdrops ring most of the holes, and they're especially appealing on those holes that run to the north, but it's the cleverly crafted green complexes that elevate Encanterra.
