The more you play it the less you like it

[Matthew Mollica]

Any golf courses out there which make a great first impression,

but fail to deliver the same enjoyment on subsequent play?

Matthew

[Jason Connor]

I've said this here before. The course that sticks out in my mind on this topic is The Judge on the RTJ Trail in Alabama.

I like many of the courses there, they're great fun, such as the two in Opelika at Grand National.

The first time I played the Judge, I just had a blast, thought it was tough as nails, but good shots were rewarded.  The front nine especially is just brutal (I hit a 2-iron to an island green).  I remember that first time hitting 1, 2, 4, and 7 irons into the greens over the course of my round.  And I love hitting long irons, so I really liked it.

Then the subsequent two times I've been there, I've liked it less and less each time.

Maybe part is the fact that the back is substantially weaker than the front.  So that first time walking off the course, I was still so charmed by the front, I'd forgotten the back half.

Or maybe it was, as I've likened it before, like a beautiful shallow woman.  You're so amazed at first sight, but you just have to get to know her better to realize there isn't as much there as you thought.

It's been a while since I've been there, I wish I could give me details for my reaction. But that's the #1 course that the more I play, the less I like.

[Tom_Doak]

Matthew:

There are lots of modern courses which fit this description.  But their solution is to charge so much that few people ever figure out the problem.

[David Stamm]

I bet Ryan Simper can come up with a course.

[Jim Franklin]

I loved Stonehouse in Virginia the first time I played it. With each return play I have liked it less and less.

[Stan Dodd]

The course that does that for me and this may be heresy, is Cruden Bay.
I have played 15-8 rounds there and its charm has worn off.  There are the great stretch of holes 3-8.  But 15 is the hole I just can't stand and it sours me on the course. 
I still like the course but it does not hold the same aura that it did when I first played it.  For example this summer I am passing on Cruden Bay to play Royal Duff House (parkland Mackenzie) instead.

[cary lichtenstein]

Any golf courses out there which make a great first impression,

but fail to deliver the same enjoyment on subsequent play?

Matthew

Red Sky Ranch is one that fooled me the first time out, Catamont is another, never had a course which made a great impression on the 1st play, been as good on the 2nd, guess it's like with a woman.....

[Tom_Doak]

Cary:

You've never had a course which made a great impression on the first round, be even better on the second round?  Did I hear that right?  Or are you just not getting invited back to the really good ones? 

[David Stamm]

Any golf courses out there which make a great first impression,

but fail to deliver the same enjoyment on subsequent play?

Matthew

Red Sky Ranch is one that fooled me the first time out, Catamont is another, never had a course which made a great impression on the 1st play, been as good on the 2nd, guess it's like with a woman.....

Wow! With all the courses you've played?!? This is amazing to me.

[Tom Huckaby]

Stan - I love Cruden Bay, but I can understand your take.  I just would also love to play any course in Scotland so much that it becomes old hat and/or I start to notice holes that bug me.  So consider yourself lucky.

 

[Tom Dunne]

Matthew:

There are lots of modern courses which fit this description.  But their solution is to charge so much that few people ever figure out the problem.

Classic. And so, so true.

[Stan Dodd]

Tom,
I do consider myself lucky as most of my rounds have been in the Challenge Cup 4 day and my wife is way too understanding...by either send me to Scotland with my buddies or waiting for me to finish to take her someplace.  Point well taken my friend.

[Chris Kane]

There are lots of modern courses which fit this description.  But their solution is to charge so much that few people ever figure out the problem.

It was in fact discussion of one of your courses which led to this thread!

[Sean_A]

Without a doubt I would select Birkdale as the winner of this prize.  I was terribly impressed some 17 years ago when I first saw the course.  I went back several times within a year and was less impressed, but I still liked the course.  I played Birkdale again not long before the last Open held there and my opinion slipped still further.  I then went to the Open and played it about a year later.  I wouldn't say it has dropped off the radar, but I am in no hurry to get back there.   

Runner-up for the prize has to be Muirfield.  I was very high on this place initially.  I have soured on it somewhat, though that probably has more to do with the crazy difficult rough and the sky-rocketing green fees than the architecture.  I think its a "been there, done that" sort of place unless I am on a guest rate. 

Ciao

[Mark_F]

It was in fact discussion of one of your courses which led to this thread!

Oh dear.  Have you toppled off the Barnbougle Bandwagon already? What a short-lived affair that proved to be.  Hopefully Barnbougle Two will have enough meat on the bones to nourish you for more than a round or three.

Matt;

Woodhall Spa and Nairn are two that come tomind.

Woodhall is awfully impressive first time you play it, but the greens really aren't interesting enough to sustain long-term interest, especially in the first few holes.

Nairn's beauty and solitude tends towin you over first time around, but there is a lot of fairly ordinary stuff there that doesn't make up for the magnificence of 3,5, 8, and 12, from memory.