Epicenter of golf on Planet Earth?

[William_G]

"With the addition of Old Macdonald, the resort has now become the epicenter of golf on Planet Earth."- David Fay, Exec. Director USGA

Without a doubt, but obviously a subject to debate as its all fescue on sand, which does lend itself to driver off the deck and putter from 75 yards.

[Brian_Ewen]

Maybe the Epicenter, but definitely not the Epicentre !

[Steve Salmen]

Other contenders:
St. Andrews, Pinehurst, Monterey, Long Island, Melbourne, Myrtle Beach, Palm Springs

[John Moore II]

Steve-of the two places you mention that I have seen only pinehurst deserves to be mentioned, if we are talking quality at least. I think that if one were to take the best 18 holes from Myrtle Beach and combine them to form one course, you would have less architectural merit than is found at Pinehurst #2 alone; add in the rest in the area it is no contest. I haven't seen the rest to comment but will admit that my first thought put Bandon on quite a high platform, perhaps a little too high.

[Ben Sims]

Bandon can be called the best golf resort in the world, or the best collection of 72 holes in one spot in the world, or any other of a number of glowing remarks.

But St. Andrews will always be the epicenter of golf on Planet Earth.  This really isn't an argument.

(It's akin to saying that the epicenter of Christianity is at Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston.  Nouveau great doesn't equal epicenter.)

[Steve Salmen]

I thought it would only be fair by including centers of quantity along with ones of quality.

[Kevin Pallier]

William

In what context was that statement made ?

[Roger Tufts]

@KP ~ I am not exactly sure of the context, but I received an email from the Resort with that quote, accompanying this text: "We invite you to come enjoy Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes, Bandon Trails, and Old MacDonald, each now ranked in the top 15 of Golf Magazine's Top 100 Courses You Can Play. Together, they create a golf experience unlike any other in the world."

It also links to the Golf Magazine list.

Back to the original topic... While I was there the whole time I thought that the only thing I had seen that compared was Pinehurst. On just atmosphere alone, and also golf design, I don't think anything else comes close. Interestingly enough, my playing partner suggested that it was the epicenter of golf, and I snapped back that nothing would ever knock St. Andrews off that pedestal. Apparently Mr. Fay believes otherwise...

[Scott Warren]

Steve S,

How about London?

For both the quality of courses and the area's role in realising quality golf away from the sea, it has to be in the discussion.

[Tim_Cronin]

How about the Chicago area. You could play the whole American Tour here in the days of persimmon.

[Steve Lang]

  How about a little geology..

The epicenter or epicentre is the point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or underground explosion originates. The word derives from the Neolatin noun epicentrum[1] from the Greek adjective ἐπίκεντρος (epikentros) "central", from ἐπί (epi) "on, upon, at" and κέντρον (kentron) "centre".

In the case of earthquakes, the epicenter is directly above the point where the fault begins to rupture, and in most cases, it is the area of greatest damage. However, in larger events, the length of the fault rupture is much longer, and damage can be spread across the rupture zone. For example, in the magnitude 7.9, 2002 Denali earthquake in Alaska, the epicenter was at the western end of the rupture, but the greatest damage occurred about 330 km away at the eastern end of the rupture zone.[2]

Frankly, I think the epicenter is at TOC, but in the USA it is probably more likely to be the in heartland, i.e., the sandhills of kansas and nebraska , and the greatest impact is only seen at Bandon

[Mark Pearce]

It stikes me that this is a very surprising comment for an educated and intelligent man to make.  It is also, factually, very difficult to support, whatever your criteria (let's not forget that there is next to nothing around Bandon, whereas there's the rest of Fife and much of Angus withing easy reach of St Andrews).  I wonder what interest Fay had in making this statement?

[PCCraig]

Other contenders:
St. Andrews, Pinehurst, Monterey, Long Island, Melbourne, Myrtle Beach, Palm Springs

Steve:

Myrtle Beach?? Palm Springs? Those two sure stick out like a sore thumb

[Tim Gavrich]

Much of the Myrtle Beach area is within 60 minutes of about 100 other golf courses.  Granted, there aren't any courses on the order of the Bandon courses, but Caledonia, True Blue, Heritage, a couple of the Legends golf courses, not to mention the Dunes Club and Wachesaw Plantation if you have some access.

Myrtle Beach is absolutely one of the American golf meccas, just not for the GCA crowd (which, lest we forget, for better or worse, comprises an exceedingly small percentage of the avid golf population).

[Steve Salmen]

Pat,

I qualified my thoughts:

Posted by: Steve Salmen
Insert Quote
I thought it would only be fair by including centers of quantity along with ones of quality.

Scott,

If you had 5 or 10 rounds left to play in your life, would you go to London?

Personally, I'd go to Melbourne.  I have never been there.

[Gary Slatter]

I think David Fay needs to travel more!    

[PCCraig]

I would have to say that while Bandon is quite the destination, I can't say that it would knock St. Andrews off as the "Epicenter" of golf.

A better question would be to ask if it's now the epicenter of golf in the United States...

[PCCraig]

Pat,

I qualified my thoughts:

Posted by: Steve Salmen
Insert Quote
I thought it would only be fair by including centers of quantity along with ones of quality.

Scott,

If you had 5 or 10 rounds left to play in your life, would you go to London?

Personally, I'd go to Melbourne.  I have never been there.

Sorry Steve, I generally read threads from the top to bottom and comment where I see fit, obviously prematurely in this case

[Melvyn Morrow]

Mark

I would not take that comment too seriously; after all it was made by the same people who said they won the war in Iraq and Afghanistan ops aren’t we still fighting those wars out there

Melvyn

[Jim Franklin]

Mark

I would not take that comment too seriously; after all it was made by the same people who said they won the war in Iraq and Afghanistan ops aren’t we still fighting those wars out there

Melvyn

I did read that article where David Fay said we won the war in Iraq . Melvyn, I agree with the notion that it is St Andrews as the epicentre of golf, but Bandon is a pretty cool place with 4 outstanding golf courses. Quite frankly, it is the best compilation of 4 courses in one spot on the planet (that the public can play). That is what Fay is saying. Please find his Iraq quote for me though.

[Brad LeClair]

Well i certainly would have glowing things to say about a golf resort if i was the deeded future owner in the developer's will.  could this be part of the motivation? or maybe anticipation of what could be done when it is transferred to the USGA down the line?

[Melvyn Morrow]

Jim

Question do they have and use carts ?

Melvyn

[Dan Boerger]

I'm not as well travelled as many on this board, but I cast a vote for the London area for best quality and quantity I've experienced.

[William_G]

Other contenders:
St. Andrews, Pinehurst, Monterey, Long Island, Melbourne, Myrtle Beach, Palm Springs

Thanks Steve.

St. Andrews will always be the home of golf.

Pinehurst has loads of history, and helped bring golf into prominemce in the US.

Bandon is obviously on the Southwest Coast of Oregon where it is unlikely to gain prominence in the minds of many in the big cities of the east coast let alone Los Angeles.

I love Monterey, but Bandon has 4 courses at one site with the same philosophy "its all about the golf", eg. no carts, no tennis, no spa.....

[William_G]

Well i certainly would have glowing things to say about a golf resort if i was the deeded future owner in the developer's will.  could this be part of the motivation? or maybe anticipation of what could be done when it is transferred to the USGA down the line?

Thanks Brad.

I have heard the USGA West rumor as well.