Highlight of 2007

[Brad Tufts]

Oh, forgot to mention attending two rounds of the US Open as well, even if we had to leave before the finale on Sunday.

[Mark Chaplin]

You realise it's been a good year when you sit back and become aware that you've played a dozen or so of the best courses in the land, met some great GCA'ers and signed up FOUR of them as members of your club!

Social highlights;
Introducing Ari Techner, Gordon Jones and Richard Pennell to Deal. Arranging a game for Dan Moore and meeting him in London.
BUDA in Leeds although I injured myself - repeat injury at The Berkshire has set me back another 3 or 4 months!
Coffee and a walk around Deal with Ran & Phillip.
Cake with Mike and Nancy Whittaker late at night at a central London police station!!
First outing in the Royal Cinque Ports (Joseph) club jacket.

Golf highlights;
Royal St Georges, Rye (best Sunday lunch), Brancaster, Alwoodley, Walton Heath both courses, The Berkshire (ouch!), Hunstanton, hickory golf at Deal & Huntercombe with Mr Arble.

[Noel Freeman]

You realise it's been a good year when you sit back and become aware that you've played a dozen or so of the best courses in the land, met some great GCA'ers and signed up FOUR of them as members of your club!

Social highlights;
Introducing Ari Techner, Gordon Jones and Richard Pennell to Deal. Arranging a game for Dan Moore and meeting him in London.
BUDA in Leeds although I injured myself - repeat injury at The Berkshire has set me back another 3 or 4 months!
Coffee and a walk around Deal with Ran & Phillip.
Cake with Mike and Nancy Whittaker late at night at a central London police station!!
First outing in the Royal Cinque Ports (Joseph) club jacket.

Golf highlights;
Royal St Georges, Rye (best Sunday lunch), Brancaster, Alwoodley, Walton Heath both courses, The Berkshire (ouch!), Hunstanton, hickory golf at Deal & Huntercombe with Mr Arble.

Hey Constable, thanks for the shout out.. I don't see my name here.. I enjoyed seeing and meeting up with you too..Are you upset about losing to me and David Dobby in our foursome match back in April?

[Garland Bayley]

... I loved meeting everybody, the 6'6" Garland who scared me shitless the first time I saw him. ...

I guess my highlight was scaring Jordan.
 

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I think qualifying for and being part of the winning team representing the Olympic Club at the Carr-Mara Invitational at Portmarnock. Finishing in a tie for 2nd overall was nice as well.

Seeing and playing with so many of you guys always makes the year special. I got to meet a number of new GCA contributors and lurkers here and in Ireland as well. It was again a real pleasure to start new friendships within the treehouse. There are so many quality guys attracted to this website. Thanks to gentlemen like Mike Benham who got David Tepper and Andrew out one day by way of example. The rounds with Bob Huntley. The visits with Gib as he works his way through the minefields. Steve Katz and I had numerous highlights and very special days at Olympic, Cypress, Chambers Bay and Long Island together. Cos introduced me to all things wonderful in the Chambers Bay world with Mike, John, Kirk and Sean. Watching basketball and playing a bit of golf with our distinguished rules official. The weekends at Mountain Lake included some of Chicago, Philly, Baltimore and New York's best. Getting to introduce Bill McBride to the #2 course in Florida. The opportunity to see more of Sebonack was a wonderful thrill. Seeing inside the gates and playing the grand Piping Rock and special Garden City Mens Club as well as a 74 at Shinny were special caps this fall. This last weekend at Mountain Lake combined a few rounds at Champions over the month of December will rap up the year and make 2007 one to be thankful for. Of course 2008 will start with a bang. LSU will play for the National Championship and I will be there. There will be a round at Metairie CC the day before the game as a tradition which started before the 2003 National Championship game and continued though the pounding of Notre Dame last year in the Sugar Bowl. Thanks to each of you for your kindness and generosity to me over the last year. I look forward to  meeting many of you and more rounds and dinners together with the treehouse in 2008. Thank you to all for your contributions to this site and of course to Ran, Tommy and Ben for keeping things here such a positive part of so many lives.

[PThomas]

got to play with several GCAers this year; special thanks to Gerry B and Adam C and Sir Bob

playing the Bandon par 3 course and Blackwolf Run MV with my oldest daughter

Pronghorn and first off at 6:30 by myself at Bandon Trails on a beautiful day

Wolf Run and Ballyneal and Pete Dye GC

[Tony_Muldoon]

New Highlights

Brancaster (with Dog)
GCA get together including Muirfield.
Lahinch
Trip to East Hendred to meet some fascinating characters.  Ran, Ben anyone?
Aberdovey
Cardigan
More GCA Alwoodley & Ganton
Birkdale

Several other lesser courses discovered and enjoyed.  

Returns to North Berwick and The Addington(hi Ari).

Heathland tour fairly moribund but co-tourist had more important things to do this year.  Congratulations to Richard Pennell on getting spliced – of course it means you’ll have more time for golf in future.

   

Disappointment
Saunton West

[Tom Yost]

Two events coincided this year to allow me to play more golf than I've played in seven years.  I became an empty nester and my wife returned to school which allowed me weekends free from committment.

I joined the Men's club at Longbow (Mesa, AZ) and played in about 10 tournaments and attained a third place net finish in the Club Championship.

I played 14 courses for the first time this year, including We-Ko-Pa Saguaro, Talking Stick North, The Raven @ Verrado and Estrella Mountain GC.

I discovered GolfClubAtlas.com and had the pleasure to meet and play a round with two GCA'ers Ryan Farrow and Mike Lacey at Apache Stronghold.

All in all, a great golf year!
Tom

[Tom Yost]

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.

I guess!  Don't you get tired of spending so much time on these goat tracks ?    

[Steve Pieracci]

Pictures are worth thousands of words for a quiet guy like me.

Bandon in February with a great group of GCAers


No need to say anything but thanks to Mr. Huntley for this one.

[Jim Franklin]

I guess!  Don't you get tired of spending so much time on these goat tracks ?    

It gets tough slumming sometimes, but I try to deal with it the best I can .

[Andy Troeger]

I didn't travel far, played no new course, had an escalating handicap but I had many a highlight in meeting new GCA friends and sensing their pleasure in enjoying the golfing delights of the Monterey Peninsula. (Dan Kelly will kill me for that run-sentence.)

I witnessed some good golf from a number of players but the swing I want to emulate is that of Andrew Biggadyke. Not the longest guy in the world but oh so syrupy.


Bob

Bob,
I'm shocked that you didn't want to emulate my swing!  

My trip to the Monterey Peninsula had to be the highlight of the year as well although I had many others. Thanks to Bob, Steve, Tom, Les, Ed, Mike, David, and Andrew for all putting up with me for dinner and/or golf!

Playing TPC Sawgrass yesterday was another thrill, even though I dunked two balls in the water on #17. Had the chance to play Papago in Phoenix with Tom Renli, met Kalen Braley and Dan Smoot for a weekend outing at Lakota Canyon and Redlands Mesa, and played with Jim Colton here in Albuquerque at Twin Warriors. Also met Chris Clouser and Dan Moore in Chicago and Jeff Brauer in Dallas.

Can't forget my round of the year at Black Mesa with Pat Brockwell in November either! Looking forward to 2008!

[Sean_A]

Is there another country on earth where white shoes in winter are so popular?


Chappers - you did mention something about the most fun someone can have losing a fiver!

Ciao

[Phil McDade]

I golfed less and enjoyed it more this year more than most any other year in recent memory. Highlights:

-- An enjoyable round at the Foulis-designed Bonnie Brooke in Waukegan, Ill., with GCA poster Eric Terhorst and his wife. One of the odd things about GCA for non-GCAers to understand is the willingness to drive several hours to meet up with strangers and enjoy a round of golf.

-- The discovery, early this spring with the snow still on the fairways, of a possible fifth Langford-Moreau course in Wisconsin. Thanks to Dan Moore and the Moreau family for the tip; it still awaits confirmation.

-- The Langford-Moreau Wisconsin outing, organized by Dan and Dick Daley, and getting to know several GCA posters and particularly the extended Moreau family, who could not have been more gracious hosts at Ozaukee Country Club. Brat slippage speaks for itself.

-- Getting to know Spring Valley CC much better, and -- I don't know whether to brag about this or sheepishly admit it -- parring the par 4 16th after driving into the right rough of the adjacent fairway. (Choking away this year's Brewski Cup was my low-light.)

-- Several off-board discussions with GCA posters on topics as varied as wine and books and Cypress Point.

But for me, the most enjoyable moment was playing, for the first time, the front nine of the L/M-designed West Bend CC, and dinner afterwards with host Mike McGuire. I haven't had that much fun on a front nine since playing Machrihanish back in 1999, and dinner afterwards with the GCA crowd was a truly special treat.

[Sean Leary]

Pictures are worth thousands of words for a quiet guy like me.

Bandon in February with a great group of GCAers

Is this the "before" Weight Watchers picture?  We haven't missed many meals, have we boys?

[Tom Huckaby]

LOL

Hey, the rest of you ruin it - I am a perfect physical white-shoed specimen.

 

[Tom Jefferson]

Being a supt at Bandon Dunes each day of 2007, and hosting guys like those in the photo above, as well as helping host
the USGA Mid Am.  All good and satisfying work!

Tom

[Brian Noser]

I had my best Golfing year to date lots of good places visited, As listed in some of the above lists. All were great expierences thanks to all those involved again.

Steve I am glad I could be there for both your highlights.  

some not mentioned

The course at French Lick was Spectacular.

Chambers bay and The Members course At Alderra both very fun tracks.

Meeting up with local GCA, Jeff Stettener for some golf finally at Old Hawthorne.

[Greg Holland]

1.  Playing Pine Valley in October -- awesome (as was the unique short course).  Definately the best course I've ever played!
2.  Spending time with Kris Spence as he restored Sedgefield CC and watching the transformation of that course from one with great old bones to a great golf course.  Then, playing the finished product.
3.  Walking 18 holes with a foursome that was a friend, David Toms and 2 of his buddies as they played a casual round.  

[Bill_McBride]

Getting to introduce Bill McBride to the #2 course in Florida.

I overlooked the weekend at Mountain Lake in January 2007 quite inadvertently, Mountain Lake is indeed a special place and a special golf course.  It's low key MacDonald/Raynor, versus say Yale which has been called MacD/R on steroids!   Thanks, Tiger, for the invite, I look forward to a return.

It was a great year for meeting up with GCAers, from Oregon to Florida to Scotland.  I appreciated having three of the guys - Tiger, Mike Christensen, Scott - come to play our new Pensacola Country Club, it is a fun golf course that plays best this time of year when the bermuda goes dormant and there's no over seeding.

[Jerry Kluger]

Ballyneal, Pradera and Colorado Golf were a treat and so was a return to Baltimore CC.  

Meeting Jay Flemma and finding out that he is not 6'2" nor does he look like Jerry Garcia.

[Doug Wright]

Read the posts above--You guys really do have great lives!

I spent a relatively quiet year mostly near the home front here in Denver. Hope to get out a bit more in 2008.

Winter: Two separate day trips to AZ to play We-Ko-Pa Sagauro and Vista Verde. I don’t think there’s anything better than leaving cold and snow and teeing it up in verdant surroundings about 3 hours later. The hard part is getting back on the plane to come back.

Spring: Welcoming a really good golfing buddy as a member of my club after he spent what seemed like an interminable time on the waiting list. About 2 weeks later he had his first ever ace on the 5th hole and got introduced to a lot of thirsty members.

Summer: July 5 "15,000 yards of golf in a day” at Rick Phelps' Antler Creek followed by Broadmoor East, plus the always enjoyable trip to the Twin Cities to catch up with Dan Kelly and Rick Shefchik while seeing Interlachen for the first time and the annual visit to Minikahda.

Fall: Meeting fellow GCAers for rounds at Fossil Trace and at excellent newcomers Colorado Golf Club and The Golf Club at Ravenna. Plus a sweet birdie on the final hole of the year back in November just before the inevitable snows descended, ending our season.      

[Chris_Blakely]

Two hidden gem Leonard Macomber courses the Hills and Dales courses at Tam O'Shanter GC in Ohio.

Olde Beau GC in Roaring Gap, NC the 13th, 14th and 15th holes have to be seen to believed.

Tot Hill Farm GC wish I had time for Tobacco Road on that trip.

The Quarry GC Canton, OH

Discovering an unattributed Bendelow gem in Ohio.

Copake Lake CC a wonderful Devereux Emmet course on some wild terrain.

Treelinks GC and Crooked Creek GC both in Ohio and both giving new meaning to the words hidden gems.

[Mike Benham]

I was fortunate enough to break the 30 round mark this year but will fall short of the all time record of 40.

The first round of the year was on New Years Day … and the last round will be on New Years Eve, truly a 12-month golf season here in California.

Of course, the trip to Bandon was the highlight of the year, it is a fabulous facility and awesome golf.

I even got in 4 rounds at my home club and in an effort to stem the renaming of this website “Golf Course Access”, there is no need to mention the other courses played.[/i]

Sure, I got my share of architecture in but what is most important to me is enjoying the playing of the game with friends, old and new.  Of the 30+ rounds I will play this year, a majority of them were with GCAers and SCU Alums (even an LSU Tiger was thrown into the mix).

[Bob Jenkins]

Due to work commitments this year, I probably played less than I ever have but looking back, it was quality. Special games were:

1) Playing Pebble, Spyglass and Spanish Bay again for the first time in 14 years. The beauty of that Peninsula is overwhelming and my early appreciation for Spyglass was compounded on this trip. Although the first five holes get most of the raves, I believe the rest of the course (save for the 2 short drop shot par 3s, ie. 12 and 15) is difficult, strategic, offers variety and is just plain pleasant to play.

2) Ballyneal - Absolutely loved the place. From the simple sign at the entrance, lunch with Rupert, playing as the only twosome that day with the pro, Matt Payne, and just plain experiencing the place made it a day I will always remember and leave me wanting to go back. Love 7-8-9 in particular.

3)  Chambers Bay on GCA day in late May. A very special place I intend to get back to this coming year. Once that course matures, it will be a huge challenge.

4)  The Home Course in Tacoma with the NW GCA guys. Sean, Sean, Garland, Pete and Jordan made for a great day. Good course but not in the league of enarby Chambers.

But my special memory is playing with my aunt and her hubby at Predator Ridge in Vernon BC. My aunt, who got me interested in this game, is now 81 and regularly shoots her age. Predator is not an easy course for anyone and it was a special treat to play with her and Bobby at my summer retreat.

I have been very fortunate in '07 and look forward to '08, especially rounds with GCAers.

Bob Jenkins