[Ian_L]

There are some courses that just can't be appreciated the first time (St. Andrews Old is a typical example).  They need to be played several times (or maybe a lifetime) for the golfer to see its true colors.  My question is, what courses in the world provide the best experience the FIRST time?  And are there any design characteristics that make this true?  Potential examples: beauty, lack of blind shots, visible green undulations, obvious line of play...

Finally, does this make the course inferior to others which require dozens of rounds to appreciate?

[Bill Gayne]

Old Head.

[Adam Clayman]

It has to be the Sistine Chapel.

Does anyone registered in this forum not know what that is?

[Ronald Montesano]

Clayman...I have no idea, although I'd guess Cypress Point.

I vote for Bandon Trails...I wanted more from Pac and Ban, but Trails revealed itself incredibly well the first time.  Only want one more crack at the 4th at Trails, as I completely misread it the first time.

[Adam Clayman]

Well you got one right. Cypress point.

Why would you pick a public gc for your two?

[J_ Crisham]

Carnoustie should not be played more than once unless you are into pain,lots of pain. I beleive that playing here multiple times would just get scarier knowing where all the trouble lurks!   Jack

[Ronald Montesano]

Trails gives something that Pac and Ban cannot offer.  It has the meadow holes and the woodland holes, all played on the same echoing, hollow ground as the other two courses.  I don't doubt that C and C would have come close to what TD and DMK accomplished at Pac and Ban, but I question whether TD and DMK would have achieved what C and C did with the land they had.  After walking up heart attack hill, the hike from the 13th green to the 14th tee, the caddie mentioned that three people had suffered coronary seizures during the first three months of opening (I played it in August of the year it opened.)  I then proceeded to play 14 as it is supposed to be played, so I'll always call it a fair hole.

I'm getting a mixed message from your thread title and your question.  Best course to play once?  Definitely Cypress or Pine Valley or Royal Melbourne or...get my drift?  Best experience the first time means something totally different.  Trails never disappointed and never left me wondering what I should have done (whether I did it or not.)

[K. Krahenbuhl]

Augusta National.

[Sean Leary]

I agree with Old Head. So unbeliveably spectacular that every golfer should see it once.

[Ronald Montesano]

A member of my team played Old Head when he was 14 and was overcome.  For a course to do that to a teenager says something, so I'll vote for Old Head, site/sight unseen.

[Andy Troeger]

Cypress Point gets my vote as well...although I think a second (or two-hundreth) time would be just as wonderful as the first go around. Talk about a place that would never get old.

There are tons of good ones, there would be a lot of good follow-up choices. I certainly agree you can get more out of repeat play, but most really great courses make it at least fairly apparent that they have something going for them during the first time around.

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()