The best course you could have played but didn't...

[Casey Wade]

When I was working in Cadillac Michigan, I had the opportunity to play Crystal Downs but couldn't because I wouldn't have had a job when I came home.  I was young and thought the job was good enough to keep.

[Geoffrey_Walsh]

This thread brings back some tough memories...

I arranged a round at Oakmont on a trip out to Columbus in 2002 but couldn't play because of severe thunderstorms in the area.

I was in California on business (La Jolla area) and a buddy of mine asked if it was possible to drive up to Pebble and play since we had the weekend open.  I vaguely remembered that they do allow people to call one day in advance due to cancellations and I gave it a try... they had a cancellation the following morning at 7am but my buddy balked at the 12+ hour round trip drive...

Similar to others here, I had an invite for a foursome to go out and play Sand Hills a few years back.  This was before the course was so well known and I kept getting the line "You want to go where?" from people I asked.  I eventually gave up the fight, something I have always regretted.

Finally, I have had the opportunity to play Congressional twice and had it fall through for a variety of reasons (work, weather, etc.).

On a lighter note... someone should start a thread of great courses that they totally lucked out on.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Royal Hong Kong (as it was then), Discovery Bay or Clearwater Bay.  Had a free half-day before flying out following a concert the previous night, but I had to go eat morning dim-sum with the concert's sponsor....

[Ash Towe]

I was visiting England and thought I had a game at Woodhall Spa but the person taking me was held up on business.  Instead we went to Fulford in York, which turned out to be a pretty good alternative.

[cary lichtenstein]

Tiger:

Please tell us that was a lie.

Cary

[Rick Shefchik]

I had to pass up the trip to Sutton Bay with Dan Kelly and R.J. Daley last fall because of an ailing back. I don't know if it's a great course, but it sure looks like a fun and inspiring course.

The back's fine now. Fortunately, the opportunity is still there to go to Sutton Bay. Maybe this year...

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

No, it is true. Ironically a friend in the building represents her and I stuck my head in right before lunch to see if he want to play golf over the weekend and she was there. Yikes I shriveled up right them and there. Wigs, your Michigan chicks lost to my Tiger girls in the college world series.

[Brian_Gracely]

Tiger,

Are you required to do the deed with her to get the ANGC invite?  Don't they have light-switches that go to OFF in Louisiana?  

[Steve Wilson]

1979 the Old Course.  I was in the midst of a nine week rail and walking tour of the British Isles and Ireland.  I hadn't played golf much at all in the previous three years and I didn't want to "ruin" someone else's round on TOC.  I was staying in Edinburgh and commuting by train to Leuchars and then busing to St. Andrews.  I played every course there but TOC.  At the time it would have been 12 GBP or about $24 to play, and there were numerous opportunities as I saw a lot of twosomes and threesomes on the course.  Oh well, I got to play in 2000 for about 10 times as much.

And Pete Dye on a cold and rainy day with the temperature about 38 ° F.  Just as I was about to leave the house,  my host called and said the course was being closed due to the rain.  Got to play it two years later as a business round fully comped.  So none of my could have played ended as sad tales.

[cary lichtenstein]

Tiger:

Can I fill in fr you? I'll do the deed

[DPL11]

This still haunts me to this day.

A few years ago, I was invited to play Caves Valley, Shinnecock, and Oakmont in the same week. The invites were from 3 different hosts, and by blind luck, all the same week. My lower back went out as it does annually, and I had to cancel all 3 visits. I have since then made it to Shinnie and Oakmont, but Caves still hasn't happened.

I cried in my pillow for a month.



Doug

[TEPaul]

Sand Hills

[Cory Lewis]

Invited to play Muirfield Village & the Golf Club three years ago, had to back out because of work, but hopefully going to finally get there this year.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I am surprised!!!  Every Course I have wanted to play and have had the opportunity to play, I have.

[Wayne Freeman]

I came up with this brainstorm idea to try to get on Augusta-  my wife was the costume designer on "Baywatch", and I got the producer to agree to giving someone a walk-on part on the show and lunch with the crew in exchange for a round of golf at ANGC. I put an ad in Golf Magazine and a week later got a call from a guy in Chicago who said he and his dad were members and that his wife loved the show and would do anything to be on it.  I reviewed the deal with him, but said he would have to provide his own transportation to L.A.  He said no problem-  that he had his own jet!  He said he'd call me back in a week with the details from his end............ After not being able to function or sleep for several days, I got the phone call.me He told me that even though he was a member, he wasn't very good and had actually never played the course and was too embarrassed to go-  and that he couldn't get anyone else to sponsor me-  so the deal was off.  Bummer.

[Jason Mandel]

Great story Wayne.

I really can't think of any intstances of courses that I could have played that I didnt.

Almost any great course that I've had the oppurtunity to play I have played, but theres bunch I havent had the oppurtunity to play.

I stayed in Hilton Head for a week and didn't play Harbourtown, I regret that.  But after being told by so many that the price at the time of  year I was playing didn't warrant the play, I didn't feel so bad.  

When I played Pebble six years ago I wasn't really into Golf Course Architecture, therefore made no attempt to get near Cypress.  I do regret that, but it would have been tough.

Jason

[Bill Weber]

About a week-ten days after our wedding I was traveling with my wife in Scotland. I was scheduled to play Western Gailes and my wife was going to walk along with me. We arrived at the bell, due to having a tough time finding it, and leaving my wife straggling behind I rushed to the clubhouse and was told my caddy was waiting on the first tee. I was just waiting for my bride before putting my peg in the ground when she showed up and said that due to it being men's day she wasn't allowed to walk the course. I protested to no avail and decided to leave. We then took an early ferry to Arran and played there that afternoon. An aside is that our club manager at the time was a former manager at WG. The  Scottish travel agency, never to be used again name supplied on request, would not give us a full refund.

[John_Lovito]

Myopia Hunt Club

[Mike Hendren]

What do you get when you cross a LSU Bengal Tiger with a fat ugly daughter of a member of Augusta National Golf Club?

Nothing.  There's some things a big girl just won't do.

Mike

[Brian_Gracely]

my wife was the costume designer on "Baywatch"

Wayne,

Please thank you wife for many years of excellent work!!  She has brought more joy to the world than she may ever know...

[THuckaby2]

Jeez, such tales of woe, interspersed with some good education on what one WON'T do to play Augusta....  

But bowing in deference to my idol Mike Cirba, well... let's just say one doesn't get the "America's Guest" moniker by missing opportunities.  


TH

[John_Cullum]

Costume designer on Baywatch. That couldn't have been  very tough.

[Mike_Cirba]

High Pointe

Bad weather was rolling through the area that morning so we skipped it and caught an early flight back east.  Sitting in the airport, the sun came out and we all groaned.

[JohnV]

Winged Foot.  I was scheduled to play during the week of the US Mid-Amateur at Stanwich.  But, one of the other Mid-Am Committee members really wanted to play and since he was from Texas and I had just move to Pittsburgh I figured I'd get back there before him I took his match and let him go play.

Since he hadn't brought his clubs with him, I loaned him mine.  Therefore, my clubs have played Winged Foot, but I haven't.

In the end, I think I got a pretty good deal as I refereed the match between Jeff Wilson and Tim Hogarth that day.  It was the best match I've gotten to referee.  Great guys having a great time playing great golf.  The match came off 13 all square.  Hogarth birdied two of the next 4 holes and lost 2 and 1 when Wilson birdied them all.

[Wayne Freeman]

Brian and John-  my Baywatch designer wife always got a big kick out of that standard line that she didn't have much to do.  There were tons of extras to dress and always at least several stunt doubles with lots of extra sets of clothes needed.  The famous red bathing suits were all custom made to bring out the best ( which was all pretty good) in each girl as they all had occasional flaws- except maybe Pamela.  I had the difficult time of being on the set in San Diego at Sea World a couple of weeks after she had a baby and up close and personal in her string bikini--- she was perfect!