if you had to play golf by yourself for the rest of your life on the same course

[PThomas]

(kudos to Huck for inspiring this topic):

...which course would it be?  is it a different course than your "favorite" course because you will be playing it by yourself??  or doesn't the fact that playing it by yourself make any difference??

[Adam Clayman]

This is where the concepts and principles found on TOC (and I've never been) are integral to quality GCA.

Proving variety and elastisicity can never be discounted, especially with the whims of Mother Nature.

[Garland Bayley]

Rustic Canyon.

I have trouble enough finding my sprayed shots with help. Rustic would give me the room to have a chance to find them. Besides, it brought a mini-rennaisance to my game.

Oh, by the way, did I mention the weather?

[Philippe Binette]

Either the Old Course (classic answer) but even more North Berwick West Links, too much fun

[Tom Huckaby]

I think for me as cool as this might be, after too long it might turn out to be a form of hell.... Solo golf can be very spiritual at the right place and time, but well... after a certain time I'd want some answers back to the stories I'd tell, and I'd want some competition.  

But that being said, there would be worse things than this "hell."  I would be playing a lot of golf.

I think I'd need some pretty cool scenic beauty to keep me interested... I'd also need year-round golfable weather.  That eliminates a lot of potential candidates.

I'd need variety in the challenge, and elasticity, as others have said....

Put me down for Cypress Point.  Can't see that I'd ever tire of anything there.

But give me an escape clause where I can invite a friend from time to time, OK?

 

[Andy Scanlon]

TOC.  No way I'd ever get bored playing there.

[Tom Huckaby]

TOC.  No way I'd ever get bored playing there.

Weather?  Playing off of mats all winter?

That's what's keeping me from this answer.... maybe I am taking this far too literally.

 

[Alan Carter]

I'm with Huck.

Cypress Point it is!  An amazing walk, a ton of fun to play and scenery that is breathtaking.

If it had to be one, this would be it.

[Patrick_Mucci]

NGLA,

And, if I could only play three holes from the same golf course, for the rest of my life, a par 3,4 and 5, it would be
# 6, # 8 and # 18 at NGLA.

[Tom Huckaby]

NGLA,

And, if I could only play three holes from the same golf course, for the rest of my life, a par 3,4 and 5, it would be
# 6, # 8 and # 18 at NGLA.

Weather?  What would you do all winter?

Make me the god of weather and make this playable year-round and I am with you - I'd take it even over Cypress.  But I'd also likely take Sand Hills even over NGLA....

[wsmorrison]

I wouldn't want to play golf by myself for the rest of my life.  An integral part of golf is the companionship.  So I think the question is rather a silly one.

A course where I wouldn't mind playing by myself on ocassion (who doesn't need to escape for a time) would be one where there is a measure of solitude.  I think if I were alone, I'd take Shinnecock Hills.  There's a lot of great golf that can be played when there's hardly anybody there.

Tom,

I was going to say Sand Hills because that is great golf, remote and quiet.  But I think I'd like something closer to the sea.  And I like the changes in weather...golf all year 'round as long as no snow.

[Andrew Mitchell]

TOC.  No way I'd ever get bored playing there.

TOC for me as well. You'd want a variety of weather conditions and no groups taking six hours to get round in front of you as well!

[Tom Huckaby]

Wayne - good point - methinks we see this the same.  But if we are going to be weather gods, then I'd just make Sand Hills have everchanging winds (check, they have that now) but also with year round golfability.

You're right though that the lure of the sea is powerful... so it's a very tough decision between NGLA/Cypress/Sand Hills for me.  Since I trumpet Sand Hills so much as the greatest course on the planet, I must be consistent.    But yes, I think I would miss the sea afer awhile....

TH

[Aaron Katz]

I'll limit myself to courses I've already played, and I'll be realistic about weather and pace of play.  I refuse to pick a place where a significant portion of the year would be played in conditions that I would find miserable (I can play in rain, I can play in severe heat, but I hate playing in extreme humidity, or in frigid temperatures), and I refuse to pick a course where I couldn't play in less than four hours (and preferably less than three) on a consistent basis.  This eliminates, for example, Bethpage (weather) and Pebble Beach (pace of play).  And walking must be a possibility, which eliminates Kapalua Planation (I can't recall exact pace of play out there, but it wasn't awful).

I think that I would probably choose San Francisco Golf Club (what fun it was to play a solo 54 holes on Mondays in the October!), which would narrowly edge out The Meadow Club (perhaps the most peaceful place I've ever played golf).  I would choose Olympic Club over either of those two if the hypothetical allowed me access to both the Ocean and Lake courses as well as the Par Three course.

[David Stamm]

I'd have to give multiple answers on this one. I know it's cheating.

For the courses I've played, I'd say Pasatiempo.

For the places I've been to but have not played, I'd have a hard time choosing bewteen Cypress Point, Merion and the Valley Club.

Having answered this though part of the beauty of the game is sharing the experience with friends. Playing alone sometimes can be fullfiling, but I wouldn't want to do it all the time.

[Patrick_Mucci]

NGLA,

And, if I could only play three holes from the same golf course, for the rest of my life, a par 3,4 and 5, it would be
# 6, # 8 and # 18 at NGLA.

Weather?  What would you do all winter?

That wasn't the question.
And, I"ve always been able to find things to do over the winter, especially after I reached puberty

Make me the god of weather and make this playable year-round and I am with you - I'd take it even over Cypress.  

But I'd also likely take Sand Hills even over NGLA....

I liked Sand Hills, but, not as an exclusive, steady diet.
NGLA gets my nod, by far.

Since you mentioned, what am I going to do in the winter at NGLA, I'll ask you, What are you going to do in the evening at Sand Hills ?

I guess those fortunate enough to play NGLA in the summer and Seminole in the winter have the best of both worlds.

[Tom Huckaby]

Patrick:

Worry over Notre Ame's lack of D has you lacking logic today.    26 points to hapless North Carolina.... tisk tisk.

The question was where one would play if one had to play by one's self on one course for the rest of one's life.  Me, I'd want a course that was golfable year-round.  I like to play golf in winter... as do you seemingly given your annual flight south.

So face it, you made a mistake - or were not true to thine's self.  Since I know the latter is not possible, the former must be the case.

But will you admit it?

One course, one course only.  I've said already that the only way I deviate from Cypress is if I get to be a weather god - and yes, that wasn't part of the question.

So taking weather into account, do you STILL stick with NGLA?  Heck the things one can do in winter post-puberty can also be done at night.

 

[Patrick_Mucci]

The question was where one would play if one had to play by one's self on one course for the rest of one's life.  Me, I'd want a course that was golfable year-round.  I like to play golf in winter... as do you seemingly given your annual flight south.

So face it, you made a mistake - or were not true to thine's self.  Since I know the latter is not possible, the former must be the case.

But will you admit it?

Why admit to a mistake when I haven't made one.

NGLA remains my choice.

Why accept second best when you can attain perfection ?

One course, one course only.  I've said already that the only way I deviate from Cypress is if I get to be a weather god - and yes, that wasn't part of the question.

So taking weather into account, do you STILL stick with NGLA?  

Absolutely

Heck the things one can do in winter post-puberty can also be done at night.

Then we're not talking about the same thing.
My pursuits included other women, not livestock or yourself, which are the only games in town, unless you're commuting  

[Tom Huckaby]

Now you're really muddled.

Remember my choice remains Cypress Point if we are dealing with real world weather.  

I'll call you from the course as I'm playing all winter... I'm sure you'll be entertaining yourself with all that non-golfable time... good for you, my friend.

TH

[Mark_Rowlinson]

As I'm the only player I'll take TOC as there won't be any wear and there won't be any public, so no matting tees and no temporary greens in winter.  Years ago I would have chosen RCD, but nowadays I'd lose too many balls and I'm not long enough for it (TOC off the 6500 yard plates in summer, 6000 in winter).  I wouldn't mind being condemned to Beau Desert or Swinley Forest, either, but let's be practical - it'll be to Mobberley 9-hole pay-and-play that I am allocated - probably the worst-designed course I've ever played with some of the poorest greens in Christendom.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Worry over Notre Ame's lack of D has you lacking logic today.    26 points to hapless North Carolina.... tisk tisk.


A 90 yard kickoff return and a 71 yard pass play accounted for 14 of NC's 26 points.  Nothing to worry about.

I'd worry about how Oregon State scored 33 points against USC.

On a related matter, VEGAS got it right again.

The Polls and BCS ranked WV ahead of Louisville, yet, Vegas had Louisville favored to win, and they won big.

The Polls and BCS ranked Tennessee over LSU, yet, Vegas had LSU favored to win, and they did.

This has happened often.

The Polls and the BCS are inherently flawed with built in biases, vis a vis, the media and coaches.

Let those who do this for a living, the professionals, absent any bias, rank and select the teams for bowl pairings.

They may not be perfect, but, they're far better than the Polls and the BCS.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Now you're really muddled.

Remember my choice remains Cypress Point if we are dealing with real world weather.  

I'll call you from the course as I'm playing all winter... I'm sure you'll be entertaining yourself with all that non-golfable time... good for you, my friend.

Yeah, I've watched the Crosby/AT&T when it was cold, raining and snowing, and, it seems like it's just about every year.

That sure is good weather.
And, I don't think it improves much throughout the summer.
Maybe it's nice in September.

NGLA is only open seasonally, like Seminole and ANGC, but, that's my choice and I'm sticking with it.

[Tom Huckaby]

Oregon State is a playing pretty good football right now, as proven by their dismantling of previously-#25 ranked Washington State.  Beyond that I don't make excuses nor give explanations, unlike some people.

As for the rest, heck that works by me.  But it's as likely to happen as finding good January golf weather on Long Island, so dare to dream, I guess....

The point re golf course choice:  one CAN play year-round at Cypress.  Some days aren't great, but there's never a time where the course is closed except perhaps for small particularly rainy times.  One has a huge chunk of the year at NGLA where one cannot play no matter what.  If you are willing to give up that large portion of your year, then more power to you.  I find it illogical - for a true lover of the game anyway.  And that's cool... I always had you pegged as a part-timer.

TH

[A.G._Crockett]

Patrick:

Worry over Notre Ame's lack of D has you lacking logic today.    26 points to hapless North Carolina.... tisk tisk.

Tom,
I understand the need to attack the golden domers, but was it really necessary to pile on my pitiful Tarheels?  Is it not bad enough that they are, in fact, hapless, without having it come up in a GCA discussion.  They weren't bothering anyone ...

[Gary Slatter]

I'd try to get the time a half hour after Lorne Rubenstein, on whatever course he chooses.  I think you need at least two courses, one for the winter and one for the summer. Otherwise you'll quit within a year of playing one course by yourself, and get blamed for making paths.