Black Mesa, NM, Not my cup of tea!

[Garland Bayley]

... I don't have Garland's eyesight problem. ...

George,

Rest assured that I can see very well to the end of my shadow.  

[Doug Wright]

And I thought I was the only one on board with issues at Black Mesa....

The funny thing is, I don't have a big problem with the walkability of the course, though I don't have Garland's eyesight problem. I walked it the first time with JohnV, Jonathan and Doug Wright, and I don't think any of us thought it was that brutal of a walk. I personally thought it was that brutal of a course, for high handicappers, anyway.

Doug Wright even managed to make the walk while carrying my 200 pounds to victory in our match.

 

I have a lot of issues with the coure, but not so much with its walkability. It's certainly not an easy walk, or one I would probably try twice in one day, but I've walked harder courses.

As I recall I walked Black Mesa in the course in the morning and, like every other round of golf I've played with GCAers, I found it a very enjoyable walk despite having to carry George (just kidding George...   ). I believe I rode in the afternoon with Ran as my partner vs the Langs. I don't recall Black Mesa being that difficult a walk. A number of the tees were quite close to greens (eg 3-4, 10-11, 13-14, 14-15). Yes there is some up and down and around but I don't remember it being that difficult.

On its merits I think Black Mesa is a really fine golf course. There's strategy, a lot of interest on and around the greens and, as one of the threads below will attest, FUN, which is really important to me. Unfortunately, I haven't been back since the GCA event in 2003 but would return in a heartbeat.

Here are some other threads on Black Mesa FYI:


http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forums2/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=97;start=msg1976#msg1976

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forums2/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=6289;start=msg120171#msg120171

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forums2/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=6384;start=msg121845#msg121845

[John Kavanaugh]

John
   Take a trip up to Greywalls and play the course without looking at the signs. I can guarantee you will play a course different than Mike D. routed. No knock on Mike, you will understand when you see the land.
    Someone wants a map of the course and you are implying they are ignorant? I guess the old John is back.

Ed,

I've taken some time to think about it and yes...asking for a map is ignorant.  Simply pay, keep your mouth shut and head to the first tee.  Anything else is pretentious bull shit.

[Jay Flemma]

Cary says he loved the forced carries. Apparently you say you walked through what he was forced to carry. The only thing I can see that reconciles this is that you maybe played the forward tees. You know the ones in bygone years that were called ladies tees.
Your definition of short is certainly different than mine. I suspect if you ran your definition of short by any of the golden age designers, you would be found to be quite humorous.


Best golf value? Until that 50% inflation go to GD this year, Black Mesa didn't even qualify for GD affordable.

The forced carries are over grass and scrub and rocks...that's easy to walkover and yes, the walks  between green and tee are short.

Golf Magazine rated it 23 in the nation and had it listed in their most affordable list.  Maybe GD just missed this one last year.  But I know GD also named them best new affordable in the same year they got high praise from GM as well.

Also, the price didnt go up more than $4.  WHat happened was it opened at $48, but you had to buy range balls seperately.  Now they added the range balls as part of the fee...then they raised the price by a whole $4 on top of that.

So maximum....freakin ceiling...you'll pay is either $61 or $63, I forget sitting here at my workdesk...but it's still arguable its the best golf value in America and one of the three most important facilities to open to the public since sawgrass.