SH v. WH Match Play (How close to do you think?)

[RJ_Daley]

What if WH was sited where the Bayberry property is, or where MPCC or Spanish Bay?  WH, same exact holes, SH remains where it is, same holes.  Does your opinon of WH in the universe of great courses on the planet change vis a vis SH?  Which one would you play day in and day out then?  Assume both to be very private.

[Tom Huckaby]

Tony - very good point, very well said.  I guess "unfair" is the wrong word.  See, I just prefer CELEBRATING Wild Horse instead of knocking it down... and well, you have shown that even my 6&5 loss is indeed a celebration of some sorts.  But remember two other things:

a) in an 18-hole match, 6&5 is a pretty good woodshed visit; and

b) The comparison ends this way only because you quit after 14 holes, as per the rules of golf.  But this isn't golf.  Check the result after the full 18.    

Thus it's difficult to see this as a celebration for Wild Horse.

And I do much prefer to celebrate courses I love.

TH

ps - up that to $50 - California cheap - and there's a certain course near LA that is gonna come fairly close also...  

[Brian Noser]

Having never played Sh and haveing PLayed RC I would like to see what the match play would be between them even though I do not really agree with them, but I really like RC. so there inlies the intrest.

[Tom Huckaby]

What if WH was sited where the Bayberry property is, or where MPCC or Spanish Bay?  WH, same exact holes, SH remains where it is, same holes.  Does your opinon of WH in the universe of great courses on the planet change vis a vis SH?  Which one would you play day in and day out then?  Assume both to be very private.

Interesting question.  Of course I'm having a very hard time imagining how the golf holes would remain exactly the same if they were transported to lake-side land, not to mention one of the world's nicest coasts.  But let's say that magically can be done.

Sorry, WH still loses.  As much as I do value views/scenery/feel - and suffer Muccian vilification for it - that is not what this turns on, not for me.  I will say I do prefer such at SH to WH - but not even close to enough to making these the determining factor either.

For me it's what I tried to tell Mucci all along - the assessment goes about 95% golf course as played, 5% scenery/views/feel.  My beef - pun intended - with him was that he couldn't even give the 5%.  And he remains wrong.

So sorry Dick - even if we turn things around and make WH the winner in that 5% - and I'm not prepared to say moving it to Bayberry or MPCC area would make that happen -well that's not gonna change the overall assessment.

I'd still say SH is #1, the one I'd love to play every day quite happily.  Remember, I have played Cypress Point a few times, and put SH above even that one.  I dare say WH moved to a similar area is not going to surpass Cypress as it is now.

TH

[Tom Huckaby]

Having never played Sh and haveing PLayed RC I would like to see what the match play would be between them even though I do not really agree with them, but I really like RC. so there inlies the intrest.

Brian - well... I had WH losing 9down after 18.  I'd have to guess RC can come very close to that.  RC and WH are VERY VERY close overall to me.

TH

[RJ_Daley]

Tom, that does it!  We must get a nice oil portrait of you done in traditional Scottish golfing attire, ala the famous MacKenzie portrait, and place it on the wall of honor in the SH clubhouse, right next to the constellation map.  You are THE sand hill man!  DY ought to give you an honorary promotion from America's guest to club promotuer...  

I really do respect your passion on the place.  It is completely well founded.  In a perfect world, every golfer ought to come to know their #1 as well as you know SH, guest or member.

[Gene Greco]

Yes there is, Tony.

It's called Bethpage Black and is good as virtually any course anyone has played. I believe it is $39.

[Tom Huckaby]

Dick, well... like I said way back at the beginning of this, it is nice to have a real passion for a golf course.  And odd though it may be for someone so far away and not connected to the course, I just do feel it.

Like you do for Wild Horse!

 

[RJ_Daley]

Maybe the least 'homer' objective guy in this whole thread is Geno!  How ironic is that!

[Tom Huckaby]

Maybe the least 'homer' objective guy in this whole thread is Geno!  How ironic is that!

He's being his impeccably polite, well-measured self.  Mucci is taking lessons from him.  Pin each of them down off-line and I have no doubt where their preferences lie.  They just each have far far more class than I do to state such on here!