Highlight of 2007

[Jordan Wall]

I'm not sure what was my best moment this year but I had some good ones.  
Getting into college was pretty cool, but that has nothing to do with golf, sooo...

I'd say the GCA outing at Chambers Bay was awesome, and then playing it several times over the summer.  I loved meeting everybody, the 6'6" Garland who scared me shitless the first time I saw him.  Then I called my shot on 12, drove the green and made my only birdie of the day, as I played sick to an 81 and got creamed by everyone else in the group.

Of course playing golf with Jesse always has its fun times.  Playing in pouring rain with my Uncle and Seattle, then flying over in 45 minutes to Aldarra to meet up with Jesse and Sean.  And then calling Jesse from school at 1:15 and meeting to play Seattle CC on a beautiful fall day at 2:30.  Then Jesse, God bless the guy, loving me so much that "I'd even give you the shoes off my feet".
 
Even if I dont have a size 13 foot.
 

Oh, yea, Sean.  Anyone who gets to know Sean (Reehoorn), its worth it.  Played with him first at Aldarra, and then it was several times after that.  And what a funny guy.  I remember walking down the middle of the fairways at Aldarra laughing because even though Sean is way bigger than me, there is no way he could kick my arse--Hell, he cant even catch me.
 

Oh, yes, and not at all to forget, meeting for the first time Tommy Naccarato, and even while being off the site.  Then, he came back, and I drove my Moms over to watch the racecar, then having the driver mistake her for my girlfriend, and then, well, oh nevermind.  Anyways, meeting Tommy, getting to know him, playing some golf with him, and learning from him.  What an absolutely awesome guy.  The whole family is a fan of the guy.  Tommy, your alright man.
 

2007 has had A LOT of good times...these are just the GCA ones...HA!

[Roger Tufts]

My highlight this year was most definately our trip to Ireland over the summer. Consisted of rounds at

Royal County Down
Royal Portrush
Portmarnock
Portmarnock Hotel and Golf
County Louth
Rosapenna Old
Rosapenna New
Ballyliffin Old
Ballyliffin New
European

Though we got screwed out of rounds (due to travel mishaps and rain) at Ardglass, Portrush Valley Course, and The Island Club, still an AMAZING trip and a great time. Had a lot of fun with Brad, my dad, and my dad's old high school friend. Fun times hearing their old hockey stories.

[Kevin Pallier]

Golfing wise - meeting GCAers Ed Getka and David Kelly at NSW GC and catching up for what seems my annual game with Andrew Summerall.

Also, meeting fellow Australian GCAers Terry Thornton, Brian Walshe ( man he can talk ), and Matthew Mollica for the first time. I look forward to meeting a few others soon.

I enjoyed playing Magenta Shores for the first time as well  - if I cant be in GB&I playing the great links- at least I can now play a course that plays like one  

[Philip Gawith]

- Kawana in February, a fabulous course which looked all the more memorable in its winter glory. My first taste of CH Alison and golf in Japan.
- playing West Sussex/Pulborough, England's answer to the sandbelt.
- a great day with the GCA crowd which included Old Musselburgh (thanks Alfie!), North Berwick, Tom Doak and team showing us round the Renaissance Club - with Muirfield to follow.
- another visit to Muirfield with someone else picking up the tab at Greywalls!
- another fine day with GCA folk at Alwoodley, which involved losing my Mackenzie virginity.
- a quick visit to Saunton and Westward Ho, with South Africa whacking England 36-0 en route!
- playing both Berkshire courses and Addington for the first time.
- a frantic, fun week with GMBF playing Woking, St George's, Morfontaine, St Germain, Royal Zoute, Noorwijk, Royal Hague, Kennemer and De Pan. Finding all these fabulous courses on the continent, especially in the low countries, was a particular pleasure.

The quality of golf remained, alas, as erratic as ever!

[Andrew Hastie]

Started the year with NSW GC in Australia.
In August I played Hamburger in Germany.
Followed by in October Belle Dune (France),Sunningdale New,The Berkshires Red and Royal St George's.
Middle October of to the States and played Eugene CC,Bandon Trails,Bandon Dunes and of course Pacific Dunes.
Not a bad year.

[Rich Goodale]

Auchterderran.  What golf once was and still should be all about.

[John Mayhugh]

#1 was getting to play Oakmont with a great group of guys in October.  

A close second was playing in my first Dixie Cup at Long Shadow and meeting so many fellow GCAers.  I liked everyone even more than I thought I would.  This year I really upped my participation on the site and it's been rewarding.  I would likely never have heard of much less played at Long Shadow w/o GCA.

Other highlights include meeting John Kavanaugh and playing 36 at Victoria National.  Lots of fun.

And I still have a week in Florida to look forward to at the end of December!

[Rick Shefchik]

I loved Jason Topp's post -- it reminded me so much of my experiences at the Northland Invitational in Duluth. Never made championship flight -- lost in a playoff once, but never quite played well enough on the course where I learned the game. I guess there's still time. If Jason can keep chasing the dream, so can we.

2007 was a special year in golf for me. I was privileged to be part of Ash Towe's foursome at CPC, with Ed Getka and Tom Huckaby. Then I played with Huck and Bob Huntley at MPCC that afternoon. I don't know how it gets any better -- but keeping Jason Topp's example in mind, I'll keep trying.

[Dan Kelly]

My highlight was shooting 82 - 81 = 163 to miss the cut by 10 shots in the Northwest Amateur in Spencer Iowa on a course that rates somewhere between a 3 and a 4 on the Doak scale.

This weekend is very special to me for many reasons.

The Northwest Amateur represents a disappearing segment of society in general and golf in particular - the major event in a small town.  Approximately 350 players participate and the skill level ranges from top level midwestern amateurs to guys who are 80 years old and shoot 90.  Decent size galleries follow the lead groups and the winning score on what was once considered a difficult 7000 yard test now is in the range of 14-18 under par with top players hitting wedge on nearly every par four.

The people who run the tournament do an outstanding job.  The course is firm and fast every year.  The course is set up in a benign fashion for the first two rounds which makes for an enjoyable day in which you can only blame yourself for screw ups.  The tournament officials strike the right balance between running a serious tournament and recognizing that most people are there to have a good time and try their best.

I took my first real hard knock in golf here.  After playing well for 30 holes at age 16, I realized that 1 or 2 over for the rest of the round would make the cut.  My hands started shaking, breathing got shallow and I suddenly felt fear and had no idea how to deal with it - triple, double, single, double, single, single for an 82 to miss by 4.  I thought the world was going to end.  That was in 1983.  I played a couple of more years, but never made the cut.  My friends and I drifted seperate ways and lost a burining desire to compete at golf after being exposed to real talent in the game.

A few years ago, I got the idea to go back, even though at 36, I was a 12 handicap and had no hope of making it to Sunday.   Before I tried to put a plan in motion, a high school friend called me with the same idea.  We have been going back for five years.  One lives in Seattle, one in Santa Cruz, one in San Francisco and I live in Minneapolis.   On average, one of us makes the cut in flights (153 or so) and 1 year we had a guy make the championship flight at 1 under.  

Each year there are a set of young skinny pimply faced kids who have not yet been hardened by the pain associated with of trying to shoot a low score in competition.  Most are not as good as they think they are.  I've felt the pain they are about to go through.

There are oddball stories, like a father son pairing that slept in a tent in the parking lot this year.  

There are many memories from high school and college days when exhuberent nights led to stories best left alone - except for the time one friend being chased leaped from a ladder 50 feet in the air into a pool that was used for a show by an act called the human torch and only escaped police when some unknown guy yelled, put a halt to all the commotion, allowing my friend to make a run for it.  When everybody left he said he had to do it, it was the coolest thing he had ever seen.  

I get to meet my childhood hero who invited me to play with him and caddie for him when I was new to Des Moines, knew no one who played golf and who still has a smooth swing and still cracks 80 often even though he has to be closer to 80 than 70 in age.  Whenever I see him I think "Stay to the right and shut up" which was his primary instruction to me when I carried his clubs.

There is a long drive contest on Friday night that has become a tradition for us to attend, primarily because of the free beer.

Kids set up lemonade stands along the course and the tournament officials do a great job of setting up an event that is enjoyable both as a social ocassion and as a serious competition.

My friends are much more subdued in their 40's.  Nights rarely make it past dinner.  We spend most of our time catching up and bragging to each other.  

I've never made the cut.  Maybe next year.  

Great post, Jason. Thanks.

Some writer somewhere should come to Iowa and write about it. Or maybe not. Maybe it's best left as is. Many things are.

[David Ober]

Great post, Jason. Thanks.

Some writer somewhere should come to Iowa and write about it. Or maybe not. Maybe it's best left as is. Many things are.

Ditto, Jason. Would love to stop by for that tournament some day....

[Brad Tufts]

My year in review...I may be able to compete with Leary!

*First round of the year with rented sticks at Mahogany Run in St. Thomas...went par-par-par around the "Devil's Triangle" earning the free poster.  Saw a few 7-foot iguanas.

*Spring Training with teammate Simper in LA/PD in April, 9 rds. in 5 days... Trump, LACC, Rustic (with David Kelly and Dave Moriarty!), 36 at Terra Lago, Stone Eagle (met John Kirk in the locker room!), Shadow Ridge, Barona (with David Stamm and Jon Spaulding!), and PVCC...the last day was a 36-holer with 2 hours of driving in between, a red-eye home to Boston, and straight to work upon arrival!

*73 from the tips at Cog Hill Dubsdread during the GD meeting in early May.

*First trip to Monterey with Simper, Noser, and Pieracci, (with gracious hosting by Bob Huntley!)...played Cypress, MPCC Shore, Pac Grove, Poppy Hills, and Olympic with teammate (and GCA-er) Mitch St. Peter!

*Great 36-hole day with Michael Moore at Tedesco and Dedham Polo Club!

*Team Victory in the Pickman Invitational at Essex/Myopia

*Awesome trip to Northern/Eastern Ireland with my bro and Dad, as described above by my brother...included Portmarnock, RCD, and R. Portrush, among 7 others.

*A round at Tedesco with Sean Leary!

*Experienced two new Boston tracks, Renaissance GC, and the redone TPC Boston.

*Second Trip to Monterey with my Dad and two others in Sept., staying at the Lodge, playing PB, Spyglass, Spanish Bay, Old Del Monte, and The Preserve.  Played my best round of the year, a 72 at PB from the backs!

*CC of Buffalo and Leatherstocking during  a business trip in October.  Both great layouts.

*The Dixie Cup over Columbus Day weekend, which deserves its own sub-category:
     * Longshadow with Mike Young, Jeff Siskind, Pete Lavallee, Lou Duran
     * Cuscowilla with Jeff, with "heaven and hell" tourney pins
     * Dinner with Mike Nuzzo, Tim Bert, among others
     * Palmetto GC with Jeff and hosting by Zach Kelly
     * Chechessee Creek with gracious hosting by Jeff (with my first hole-in-one on #7!)
     * Meeting many other GCA-ers...Bill McBride, Mike Sweeney, Mike Whitaker, John Mayhugh...etc...

*Two days of silly season with Simper this past weekend at Tobacco Rd., SPCC, and Longleaf.  Our cover was blown by our names being recognized by a GCA lurker!

A couple other favorites played this year:

Winchester, Oakley, St. Johnsbury, CC of Barre, Hanover CC, Waverly Oaks, Seaview-Bay.

[Phil Benedict]

Played my first round of golf on a links course and attended the US Open at Oakmont, which is the best course I've ever seen.

[Tom Huckaby]

My highlight is being mentioned in the highlights of several others here... it is good to be one of America's Guests.

 

Those were all great times for me, for sure.

TH

[Rich Goodale]

Great post Jason

It seems to me that the real "spirit of St. Andrews" is alive and well in Iowa.

Hopefully see you in June

Rich

[Jim Franklin]

Golf highlights for 2007:

3rd hole-in-one
Ballyneal
Sebonack
NGLA
Shinnecock
Butler National
Medinah
Erin Hills
Shoreacres
Somerset Hills
Bayonne GC
Interlachen
Minikahda
Hazeltine
The Quarry
Northland CC
Golden Valley
Pine Valley (eagle on #2)
Merion
Atlanta Athletic Club
The Creek Club
Shoal Creek
Oak Hill
Blackwolf Run (River)
Colorado GC
Muirfield Village
The Golf Club
Canterbury CC
Castle Pines

And my last two rounds of the year were under par. I have had quite a year and look forward to 2008.

[Sean Leary]

My highlight is being mentioned in the highlights of several others here... it is good to be one of America's Guests.

 

Those were all great times for me, for sure.

TH

Too bad you don't get to play much anymore

[Peter Pallotta]

Jason - wanted to add my compliments to Rich's and Dan's and David's; a very fine post. I hope a writer never shows up there to write about it; even the best of them couldn't capture what you did.

My highlight was my first ever meeting with a fellow golfclubatlaser, namely the lovely and talented Joe Hancock.

Peter

[Tom Huckaby]

Sean - it's all about the NOW.  I've played one round in the last 6 weeks, and my total for 2007 is the lowest in a decade.  I did have some pretty decent quality, however... of course nothing compared to you and Brad, but then again I don't try to compare with the childless.

TH

[Dan Kelly]

My highlight was my first ever meeting with a fellow golfclubatlaser, namely the lovely and talented Joe Hancock.

We'd all guessed he was lovely....

[ed_getka]

My highlight was shooting 82 - 81 = 163 to miss the cut by 10 shots in the Northwest Amateur in Spencer Iowa on a course that rates somewhere between a 3 and a 4 on the Doak scale.

This weekend is very special to me for many reasons.

The Northwest Amateur represents a disappearing segment of society in general and golf in particular - the major event in a small town.  Approximately 350 players participate and the skill level ranges from top level midwestern amateurs to guys who are 80 years old and shoot 90.  Decent size galleries follow the lead groups and the winning score on what was once considered a difficult 7000 yard test now is in the range of 14-18 under par with top players hitting wedge on nearly every par four.

The people who run the tournament do an outstanding job.  The course is firm and fast every year.  The course is set up in a benign fashion for the first two rounds which makes for an enjoyable day in which you can only blame yourself for screw ups.  The tournament officials strike the right balance between running a serious tournament and recognizing that most people are there to have a good time and try their best.

I took my first real hard knock in golf here.  After playing well for 30 holes at age 16, I realized that 1 or 2 over for the rest of the round would make the cut.  My hands started shaking, breathing got shallow and I suddenly felt fear and had no idea how to deal with it - triple, double, single, double, single, single for an 82 to miss by 4.  I thought the world was going to end.  That was in 1983.  I played a couple of more years, but never made the cut.  My friends and I drifted seperate ways and lost a burining desire to compete at golf after being exposed to real talent in the game.

A few years ago, I got the idea to go back, even though at 36, I was a 12 handicap and had no hope of making it to Sunday.   Before I tried to put a plan in motion, a high school friend called me with the same idea.  We have been going back for five years.  One lives in Seattle, one in Santa Cruz, one in San Francisco and I live in Minneapolis.   On average, one of us makes the cut in flights (153 or so) and 1 year we had a guy make the championship flight at 1 under.  

Each year there are a set of young skinny pimply faced kids who have not yet been hardened by the pain associated with of trying to shoot a low score in competition.  Most are not as good as they think they are.  I've felt the pain they are about to go through.

There are oddball stories, like a father son pairing that slept in a tent in the parking lot this year.  

There are many memories from high school and college days when exhuberent nights led to stories best left alone - except for the time one friend being chased leaped from a ladder 50 feet in the air into a pool that was used for a show by an act called the human torch and only escaped police when some unknown guy yelled, put a halt to all the commotion, allowing my friend to make a run for it.  When everybody left he said he had to do it, it was the coolest thing he had ever seen.  

I get to meet my childhood hero who invited me to play with him and caddie for him when I was new to Des Moines, knew no one who played golf and who still has a smooth swing and still cracks 80 often even though he has to be closer to 80 than 70 in age.  Whenever I see him I think "Stay to the right and shut up" which was his primary instruction to me when I carried his clubs.

There is a long drive contest on Friday night that has become a tradition for us to attend, primarily because of the free beer.

Kids set up lemonade stands along the course and the tournament officials do a great job of setting up an event that is enjoyable both as a social ocassion and as a serious competition.

My friends are much more subdued in their 40's.  Nights rarely make it past dinner.  We spend most of our time catching up and bragging to each other.  

I've never made the cut.  Maybe next year.  

Jason,
    Great post. I think I'll have to  try to come out for that one of these days. I don't even play competitive golf, but it sure sounds like a lot of fun.

[Matthew Hunt]

The Walker Cup was sweet!

[mike_malone]

 Playing Rosses Point for the first time and seeing Oakmont for the first time are at the top of my highlights.

[corey miller]

Completing (well almost completing there is always more to be done), a renovation/restoration plan at my home club.  More than four long years with many obstacles and challenges.

Getting a recent "seal of approval" from Ran.  At least I think he  approves .  It was his website that got me interested in architecture and it also proved a valuable resource for me and the committee that I was on.  

Working with Gil Hanse, one of the true gentlemen in golf who I hope will be "discovered" by the general public very soon.

George Bahto, who at our celebratory dinner the other night said "it was the best year of his life".  Somehow I think the Dry Cleaner has a lot of best years coming up very soon.  Who can ever forget George, holding up a 1922 photo of the "short hole" from the current tee and trying to recreate with the help of our shaper.

I guess I am the only person that had their greatest highlight in golf this year wothout having played a course I had never seen.

[Kirk Gill]

Reading some of these lists of courses just leaves me slack-jawed with envy, and maybe even respect.

I think my highlight has to be getting to meet a renowned Van Morrison fan at his club, and getting a tour of his course. We hooked up with some quality degenerates while out there who invited us to play the ninth (I believe) with them, using driver-only. A long evening of beers and foosball followed. I later went back to play the course, and had the greatest time (although I've been told that I "think about things too much." Bottom line - can't help it).

Also had a chance to play at a brand-new club called Ravenna, and surprised myself by playing decently on a fairly tough course. Really got to know my wife's cousin Neal and enjoy his company while almost incidentally playing Torrey Pines South with two elderly Chinese gentlemen who we were assured were leaders of the local mafia, although they insisted that they were retired engineers. As if. I enjoyed the course, which is apparently a sin. Putting on those greens left me flummoxed. Let me say that word again. Flummoxed.

Got to watch GD's #6 new private get up and running from my own back porch. Whenever you move next to open land, you know that someday someone's probably going to build something on it, and a good new course trumps a phalanx of mcmansions any day.

Best golf memory of the year with my kids was going to a local driving range, and for the first time hitting balls from the second story. Every swing I felt like I was going to fly off to my death (my fear of heights kicking in). The kids mocked me, and really enjoyed it.

Lastly, met an acknowledged weight-loss expert, and made some changes to benefit my health - baby steps, but important ones.

Also got to listen and learn from a lot of you all. To paraphrase the song...."Vicariously I, live while the whole world plays golf." At least it feels that way, sometimes.......

[tlavin]

My year was complicated by a neck injury that hampered my ability to play or enjoy the play even when I was able to play, but I had three golfclubatlas.com experiences that made my golf year.  I hosted John Kavanaugh at Olympia and had a hoot.  I also hosted Mark Pearce from England out at Olympia along with my gca godfather Rick Holland.  That was quite memorable indeed.  Finally, I had the pleasure of showing Ben Dewar around Beverly on the Fourth of July.  Those three experiences saved the year!