How Many Different Courses Have You Played?

[Richard Hetzel]

I need to get cracking....only played 22 the last 2 years. I am going to try and play 50 new courses next year.

Ohio-168, Michigan - 79, South Carolina - 41, Kentucky - 27, Pennsylvania - 23, Indiana - 19, New York - 13, Connecticut - 11, North Carolina - 7, New Jersey - 7, Georgia - 7, Virginia - 3, West Virginia - 1, Tennessee - 1, Canada - 1

Total 408

I have a logo golf ball from every single course as well.

[Jim Colton]

Looks like I was at 281 at the end of 2007. I'm at 357 now. About 12-13 new courses per year.

[Michael Felton]

My count, by country:

England 112
USA 99
Scotland 16
Portugal 8
Spain 8
Ireland 7
Wales 6
France 5
Australia 1
Mexico 1

Total 263

Of the US courses, I've played courses in NJ, NY, TX, AZ, CT, RI, MA, FL, PA and SC

[Cristian]

I actually keep track of this!

240 in 22 different countries:

Netherlands   69
Spain                 28
Scotland        26
England           25
France           22
Belgium           10
Portugal             8
Canada             8
USA                     7 (Oregon and California)
Italy                    7
Ireland             6
N-Ireland             5
Germany             3
Indonesia             3
UA Emirates     2
Morocco             2
S-Africa             2
Malaysia             2
China                     2
Dominican. Rep.     1
Luxemburg             1
Mauritius             1

Inland   181
links   47
seaside   12

classic   80
new (>1960)   160

Mainland Europe   148
British Isles   62
North America   16
Rest of the World    14

[Tommy Williamsen]

It is a little over the top but I hit 1400 courses this year.  200 of them are in GB&I.  Don't feel like I need to play many more.
I know guys who are way over 2000 and one who is closing in on 3000.  Pretty fascinating. 
I'd like to say that I remember them all but I don't.  I have score cards from all but a couple dozen I played in my teens.  Every once in a while I all look at them and see what I can remember. 

[Andy Troeger]

103 Indiana
23 New Mexico
21 Michigan
17 Arizona
14 Florida
12 Colorado
7 Tennessee
5 Ohio & South Carolina
4 Wisconsin, Illinois & Kentucky
2 North Carolina
1 Georgia, New York, Oklahoma, California, and Canada.
Total 203

I'm at 416 courses now. I have scorecards for all but two, both of which I played as a kid and are long since NLE. I still need to get overseas...

Indiana (106), Arizona (44), New Mexico (38), Colorado (33), California (25), Michigan (23), Florida (20), North Carolina (13), Ohio (12), New York (10), Tennessee (9), Illinois (9), Georgia (7), Wisconsin (6), Texas (6), Oregon (5), Oklahoma (5), South Carolina (5), Kentucky (5), Utah (5), Idaho (4), New Jersey (3), Nevada (3), Washington (3), Maryland (3), West Virginia (2), Kansas (2), Wyoming (2), Alabama (2), Montana (1), Connecticut (1), Virginia (1), Arkansas (1), Pennsylvania (1), Canada (1).

I'd like to play golf in every US state. 16 more to go.

[Doug Bolls]

My goal has been 1000 courses before I die - and once -in-a-while I share that goal with people I meet while playing.  Most people have no realistic chance of even getting close to such a goal - they just don't travel enough.  
I'm not sure I'll get there either - but, I'm still in the hunt.  I am getting close to 800 and have been keeping track since 1980 - that's 33 years.
I got the majority of the courses while traveling on business for about 20 years - and taking my clubs whenever I could.  That's out Mon, home Fri most weeks for 20 years.
Now that I am retired, I am running out of places to play without significant travel.  I live in the DFW area, and have played almost 250 courses in TX alone - most everything except the high-end privates in DFW.
Like Tommy, I have a file box filled with score cards.  I add a new one once in a while - and take a few minutes to look through them - most I can recall - some I just don't remember.  It's still fun to look.
There is nothing like seeing a course for the first time - the anticipation of something special.  The Old Course lived up to all expectations - played both reverse and modern.  Arcadia Bluffs in Michigan was all I could handle as was Tom Doak's Black Forest.
There has been some discussion on this site about the virtues (or lack there of) of "one and done" - play it once and don't come back.  I kind of fall into the category of play it once and move on.  I like variety - looking forward to Myrtle Beach and 10 new courses.
  

[Wayne Freeman]

I'm up to 581 but am most proud of having played every U.S. Open course as well as the remnants of  originals no longer in existence.
     I've played in 42 different states as well as in England, Ireland, Scotland, Australia, Argentina,  and Canada.  

[Philip Caccamise]

I'm up to 581 but am most proud of having played every U.S. Open course as well as the remnants of  originals no longer in existence.
     I've played in 42 different states as well as in England, Ireland, Scotland, Australia, Argentina,  and Canada.  

Forgot to ask you when you told me that... Does that mean you have played Grover Cleveland aka maybe the worst golf course in the country (and one of the courses I grew up on)?

[Brian Finn]

Alright, I want to play too...

299 played to date...will cross 300 this weekend in TN, which will be the 28th state in which I have played.

53 SC
49 CA
48 OH
46 NY
20 FL
12 NJ
10 NC
 7 NV
 6 IN
 5 HI, AZ, PA
 4 NE, AL
 3 CO, MS, GA, MN
 2 MT, MA
 1 MO, IL, WV, CT, KS, MI, MD

 2 International...1 in Ireland and 1 in Argentina.

I was surprised to see I have played more courses in SC than any of the 3 states in which I have lived (NY, CA, OH).  

[Mark Saltzman]

829.  15 countries, 38 states, 5 provinces

Top states/provinces:

Ontario: 226
Florida: 153
New York: 34
California: 32
North Carolina: 27
Michigan: 26
South Carolina: 26

[BHoover]

Do you guys keep an active count or do you just have excellent memories? I have no idea how many courses I've played. I never kept track since I started golfing in 7th grade. I'm not sure I could even come close to the number; although, to be fair, it certainly isn't anywhere close to some of you guys (the raters in particular). I can't even recall the name of the one course that I played in the UK (it was somewhere in Oxford...that much I do know).

[JC Jones]

829.  15 countries, 38 states, 5 provinces

Top states/provinces:

Ontario: 226
Florida: 153
New York: 34
California: 32
North Carolina: 27
Michigan: 26
South Carolina: 26

If only you were a member of a prominent club, then you'd only be one more step away from having a valid opinion  

[Mark Saltzman]

829.  15 countries, 38 states, 5 provinces

Top states/provinces:

Ontario: 226
Florida: 153
New York: 34
California: 32
North Carolina: 27
Michigan: 26
South Carolina: 26

If only you were a member of a prominent club, then you'd only be one more step away from having a valid opinion  

JC, maybe I am.  You think I'd let the likes of you know about it..

[Jim Franklin]

658 over the past 15 years.

Up to 874.

[JC Jones]

829.  15 countries, 38 states, 5 provinces

Top states/provinces:

Ontario: 226
Florida: 153
New York: 34
California: 32
North Carolina: 27
Michigan: 26
South Carolina: 26

If only you were a member of a prominent club, then you'd only be one more step away from having a valid opinion  

JC, maybe I am.  You think I'd let the likes of you know about it..

 

[Carl Nichols]

These numbers are amazing to me.  I've played a total of 37 rounds in the last twelve months (I probably average about 40 per year), and played only three courses I hadn't previously played.   

[Cory Lewis]

829.  15 countries, 38 states, 5 provinces

So the big question I have is how long before you pass me?  I'm up to 1053 but I am slowing down significantly.  Only 46 new courses this year and probably even less next year.  At your current rate of travel, maybe 2 years?

[Mark Saltzman]

829.  15 countries, 38 states, 5 provinces

So the big question I have is how long before you pass me?  I'm up to 1053 but I am slowing down significantly.  Only 46 new courses this year and probably even less next year.  At your current rate of travel, maybe 2 years?

I promise you my 829 rounds have taken much longer than your 1053!

[Sean_A]

Carl

I too am astonished at how many courses people play.  Is there some sort of tourist tour that pays money for turning up?  I guess I am more amazed that guys want to play that much golf.  I played five games in North Carolina over ten days and and it was definitely two games too many.  Don't y'all get bored playing that much?  Perhaps I shouldn't talk.  My earlier estimates were at least 50% off when I really started to think about it, but I can't imagine approaching 1000 courses played.  I can't even name 1000 courses!

Ciao  

[Steve Kline]

I'm amazed there are people that keep track.

[Tim Leahy]

Over 400 just in the state of California. Over 500 total, but only 4 in Mexico outside of the USA.

[BHoover]

I'm amazed there are people that keep track.

+1. I get the desire to play new and different courses, but I just don't see the point in keeping track of the number as if it mattered or were some badge of honor. I also think there's something to be said, at least for me, to getting to know a particular course well enough that I can have some pretty decent scores.

[Cory Lewis]

I promise you my 829 rounds have taken much longer than your 1053!

Ok, but I didn't play my 800th until I was 30 and as far as I know you are a few years younger than that so you are way ahead of me in that regard.

[Brian Finn]

I'm amazed there are people that keep track.

+1. I get the desire to play new and different courses, but I just don't see the point in keeping track of the number as if it mattered or were some badge of honor. I also think there's something to be said, at least for me, to getting to know a particular course well enough that I can have some pretty decent scores.

I can't speak for others, but for me it has nothing to do with a badge of honor.  I have entered each round played since 2000 into yahoo's handicap tracker, so have a convenient database. The rounds played prior to that are memory based. I am certain I missed some and have played a handful more. I just find it fun to play in different settings, see different courses, etc. I see quite a bit of merit both in seeing many different courses and in seeing a single course countless times. Both have value to me.  I played 80 rounds this year so far...38 at home and 42 elsewhere (not all new courses, not all single plays).  

Hoover...why so quick to judge?  It's not as though everyone is belt-notching.  For every top 100 course I play, there are 3-4 local courses few have heard of.  I just love to see new and different courses, just as I love to travel to new places, both here and abroad, try different foods, etc.  we all have different motivations, and like most everything else discussed on this board, there is no right/wrong.  Others want to play over 1,000 courses, play the world top 100, or play in every state. I think those are cool goals to go after.

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