Frank
What we as golfers and objective persons need to determine is what constitutes a great golf course. Now that I have said that I have had the pleasure to be on and around some very good golf courses both in play and work. So in response to your query about my seriousness, YES I do believe Aspen is one of the GREAT COURSES BUILT SINCE 1945. Forget about my Dad for a second and that we are even related, because there are things with Dad's designs that bother me sometimes, forget about the architect, lets look at the course as its own entity. This course starts with a reasonable length hole that affords the golfer a chance to warm up, from there it becomes a gem both nines have amen corners both nines have long par 4's and short par 4's the risk reward element is constant the course is fair yet try to score my best is 73 from the tips.
I like all of the other choices out there and just wanted people to realize that a course doesn't need the hype to be a great track. A lot of us golfers get caught up on the hype and what the magazines print (remember strictly opinions), so we want to go and play that course for that reason. As soon as we get there we are caught up in the fact that we are on a course everyone has written about, we become golfers caught up in the moment and the fact we are playing a Bandon Dunes or a Whistling Straits or a Cabo del Sol. How many of us are really qualified to review a routing, or the strategy, keep in mind the architect is human and as such is prone to mistakes. The builders are human and prone to mistakes. I am human and prone to mistakes, but I have an opinion, like we all do.
Most of these sites we are talking about I would have to say the site made the architect, not the architect making the site, meaning that it was his job to screw up. Now with that being said, are there bad holes on some of these golf courses? If so why were they built? I do not feel that Aspen Lakes has a bad hole on it, my opinion only.
Frank and the discussion group, I need to tell you my passion for the game and the enjoyment I get out of a round of golf on any course whether it be a cow pasture or a exclusive club. To me I get to walk with the greats and hit my shots, I get to try and understand the strategy and play to the design against mother nature. It is peaceful and relaxing for me, plus I love the industry I work in and what my job entails.
In closing I say this, disscussing the best courses is like politics and religion it is a never ending debate with no right answer Yes Aspen is a must play.
Robert Overdorf
Golf Mapping
425.879.8215 cell
robert@golfmapping.com (e-mail)
phone@golfmapping.com (text)