Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture => Topic started by: Craig Van Egmond on February 25, 2003, 10:35:33 AM
-
Golf week is currently polling visitors to their website about what course they would play given a free pass. All the courses are U.S. based and most are the usual suspects.
Where would you choose? I chose Pine Valley, if its as good as everyone say's then I gotta see it. You can pick from any course in the world.
Augusta National is in the lead with 67% of the vote so far.
-
First, a pre-emptive strike.
That is purely disgusting that ANGC is winning. Reflects the mindset of most golfers in America.
My vote is Cypress, Pine Valley, Seminole, NGLA and SFGC.
2nd five.
Sand Hills, Friar's Head, LACC, Shinnecock and Oakmont.
-
My first choice would be Augusta. It would be great to play Amen Corner. Sorry if that disgusts anyone here.
-
We actually did this exercise a year and a half ago on this site, and Augusta won here too. I personally would vote the same way, even though I "know" PVC is a "better" course.......
-
Why I pick Augusta: Of the courses on the list that are not easily accessible to the pubic, ANGC is the one I am most familiar with, am most "knowledgable" about, and can relate to best because of its history with the Masters. If I play there, while I am enjoying my round I can also connect with a very important part of pro tournament golf history. I might enjoy a round at Pine Valley just as much, but all other things being equal, I will pick the course that will give me that historical "resonance" and that I will be able to watch on television in the future.
-
I don't know why but for me Augusta did even register, I would pick Pine Valley, Sand Hills, Shinnecock, NGLA and Royal Melbourne before it.
I'm not surprised that it wins these contests though, just on sheer name recognition alone.
-
No offense to the originator of the thread, but I find this exercise has little value.
Pick the most difficult course to gain access to. Yippee!! ANGC wins hands down.
So what?
Do we have to pick a course that is difficult to access because it is private and guarded......or how about something that is no longer in existance??
In that case,
I choose a pre-tinkered-with Bel-Air.
Old bunkered Merion.
Egan era Pebble Beach
Original Riviera
-
mdugger,
An excellent suggestion, why limit yourself, pick any course at anytime you want. Lido anyone?
Augusta 1940? ;D
-
mdugger, please email Ran and ask him to remove "The Next Fifty", since it is no good talking about the courses we would like to play. Or just let us have our fun.
-
Whatever, Guest dude....
Let me spell it out. People are picking Augusta because it is insanely difficult to get on.
I'm cool with any exercise of this nature that has us choosing courses because of their MERITS, not because they are exclusive and you will never get to play it unless you become someone famous. Or know someone famous. Or win the U.S. Amateur.
If we rub the lamp and a genie comes out, of course we'll ask to play the golf course we know we will NEVER EVER EVER IN A MILLION YEARS get to play. But, so what?
I like the idea of any course ever. Thanks for backing me Craig.
How about pre-tinkered-with La Cumbre?
Pasatiempo before the trees?
-
mdugger, I do not pick Augusta for the reason you state. I pick it because I would love to play those golf holes. By the way, how do you know the reasons that all of these people have for picking Augusta? Do you have a genie or are you a mind reader? Why not just let people have their opinions and wants and desires without making their reasons for doing so out to be unworthy? We will all have a lot more fun that way, don't you think?
-
mdugger, I did not pick Augusta because it is hard to get on. I picked it because of the courses listed on the poll that I would most likely be unable to get on due to not being public or resort courses, it's the one I would choose under the constraints of the posted poll. If I really want to I can get on Pebble, etc pretty much by being willing to spend the $. $ will not get me on Augusta.
-
Chances are I will never ever in million years play most of the courses reviewed or discussed on this site. So I suppose visiting here is pretty pointless.
-
Add me to the list picking Augusta (Only thanks to the benevolence of one who will remain nameless and made Cypress Point happen).
-
I, too, would play ANGC, but not due only to its quality, and not due at all to its exclusivity.
Instead, I would play it because, of all the world's great courses, it is the one that I could talk about with my buddies and have common ground for the discussion. They KNOW the 12th at Augusta; what % of the golfing public, meaning off this website, knows the 12th at Pine Valley, or ever will.
I'm also attracted on a deep level by the idea of walking in the steps of all of the great golfers of the past, and being able to chip from where Larry Mize chipped, or have my ball roll down the slope and almost hole out like Jack's did, or smothering a 4 iron into a pond like Seve did. Where else on the planet but ANGC could I do that?
-
I am surprised at how many "golfers" have never even heard of Pine Valley, let alone NGLA (my choice). I think the 67% only know about Augusta as a great course and primarily because of the tournament coverage.
R
-
It is no question for me that I would vote for Augusta and I vote for it much in the same way that my good friend pulls for the Yankees, becuase Mickey Mantle was his Dad's hero. My Dad took me to Augusta when I was a kid and I have been infatuated with it ever since. I can't list all the reasons that I would vote for it.
After Augusta, I would have to say Cypress Point and then Oakmont.
-
Wow, I stand corrected. I never thought in a million years that people who know about golf course architecture would actually choose to play Augusta over so many others. Sorry if I was being disagreeable, to each his own.
For what it's worth. I'd love to play the course too, mostly to walk in the footsteps of past champions. I'd love to see how hard it really is to get it close from behind the green on 13. How big are the buried elephants in #14 green?
-
NGLA
-
Fishers Island. The course architectural interests me more than Augusta.