Note I did not say "the ONLY reason I play golf"!
Sometimes one just needs a couple of hours to get away, with some peace and quiet and to hit the proverbial "reset" button on life, without having to think about all the nuances of championship architecture, technicalities such as whether a centerline bunker properly challenges the scratch player, or how much to tip a forecaddie, or whether or not the host will comp the round, etc...
Sometimes it's not about the settling up of bets, or who's been getting the upper hand lately, or whether or not to go back to the tee after not finding the ball you're sure is in that bush someplace....
Sometimes it's just you alone, the first tee time, the bald eagles, the herons, the mist rising off the freshly mown fairway, the line of the first putt on the dew-covered green, the branch of the sometimes flooded river, and the sun rising and glinting off the top of a nearby mountain, playing as quickly or as slowly as you desire...
Don't forget to enjoy the pursuit, as much as the destination...
OK, just to make sure this is somewhat architectural and not entirely off-topic, here is just one reason this course won't ever be found on a local area Top 100; the infamous dog-leg 130 yd par 3 around an evergreen!