Kevin,
There is no comparison; the state of Ohio is within the top 3 states for golf arch and golf course quality by most everyone's estimation, the top 5 by everyone's estimation. Colorado is.....fine sure, they have good courses just like every state in our union has good courses; but they have nothing like the city of Columbus, OH which has 4 of the top 100 golf courses located within 10 miles of each other, each by a different arch. I have actually never heard anyone boast about the quality of Colorado golf compared to any other state; particularly in October.
Kenny
I appreciate your thoughts on Ohio – I chose the Colorado / Nebraska region as one area for study primarily for the reported high degree of modern architecture that has come out of the region over the last 15 years or so. Even then it will be a very short visit – but the rugged terrain out there looks absolutely awesome !!
I realise logistically I’m causing myself a lot of angst in trying to cover a number of regions and it would be much easier if I remained in just one and sought out different architectural works. But I like “hard work” and I certainly see this as a “once” in a life-time opportunity hence the effort, resources and funds that are being put into it.
Can you tell us more about your trip?
The trip is literally my “Final Frontier” from a golf course study POV. I’ve spent the greater part of 20 years traversing all over Australia viewing and studying the “best” works in my homeland: particularly those on the Sandbelt - where easily - the greatest golf courses in Australia are.
I then moved to the UK where I lived for a number of years and spent as much time as I could traversing all over GB&I searching out “great” architectural works by Colt, Mackenzie, Morris, Braid etc. I had a fabulous time seeing some really pure layouts and really do miss the “links”.
However - to put what I’ve seen to date in “a global perspective” I just have to see what I’ve read about in World Atlas of Golf all these years. I’m aiming to see a cross-section of “modern” v “classic” designs and I’ve heard a lot about what a team like Coore and Crenshaw have done overseas. Fingers crossed - we may get a Coore course in Tasmania in a few years time to complement some nice work by a couple of gentlemen named Doak and Clayton
Another side of the visit I’m really looking forward to is meeting some US GCAers and learning from you about your courses and architects. I really do wish to put some faces to names I’ve read about on GCA for the past few years. I’ve met some mighty fine fellow GCAers based in Australia who post here and people like Ed and David who visited "down under". I’m sure I’ll have a great time and some wonderfull experiences and lifelong friends out of my trip to the US.
I’ve been in contact with a few guys who have sent me an IM and certainly appreciate same – I’m looking forward to meeting you. I’ve also been very busy in the background writing letters and faxes etc and despite some difficulties have found some clubs and staff to be more than accommodating under the circumstances. Some I'm really struggling with but that is what makes the effort all the more enjoyable.
I was under the assumption that you were trying to study the best of American arch in a 3 week period; is that the point of your trip, are you also trying to see the sights or is it mainly about golf? If it is about golf then DO NOT GO TO VEGAS.
This trip is purely golf course study related. I know Matt Day and I know he is pulling my leg re: Vegas
In 3 weeks I would suggest these cities
NYC - Long Island (Many many courses to choose from)
Philly (many to choose from)
Columbus, OH (many to choose from)
San Francisco, CA (many to choose from)
Your cities closely align to what I’m trying to see…...ideally I’d like to have another week as your country has so much to see - but the reality is what it is.