O/T Five Courses to play or replay on your Bucket List

[PThomas]

i shall stick to the US:

CPC
Pine Valley
Seminole
Augusta
NGLA

[Rick Shefchik]

I only go to movies after they release the Academy Award nominations, because I want to experience myself what everyone's talking about. I'd approach my five courses the same way; these are the most-lauded courses I haven't played:

Augusta National
NGLA
Pine Valley
Royal County Down
Shinnecock

[Stewart Naugler]

Top five I had to play and did-

Cypress
Pine Valley
SFGC
CGC
Crystal Downs

Next five-

Augusta- Scheduled
TOC
Royal Melbourne- Promised (if I ever get there)
National- Scheduled (played piping rock instead... bad move? I'll report back in the fall)
Shinnecock- Scheduled

[Lou_Duran]

Royal Melbourne
CPC
ANGC
Pine Valley
TOC from 6800+ yards, or
Royal Dornoch otherwise

[George Pazin]

1)Wolf Point (with Mike and Don)






2) Down Under: Barnbougle (with Greg and hopefully Tom or Mike) and St Andrews Beach (with Mark Ferguson)



3) Ballyneal (with Adam)

4) Sheep Ranch

5) Tie: Wild Horse (with Dick) and Rustic Canyon (with Geoff and Tommy)

-----

I left out a couple I didn't feel comfortable posting, didn't seem right. JK already rips me enough.

Hono(u)rable mentions:

TOC with Melvyn

Dornoch with Rich G and a couple other special gca'ers

St Enodoc

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I know I went way over. As long as I'm dreamin'...

[Bruce Wellmon]

To replay             
              The Old Course
               Pinehurst #2
               Dornoch                                        
               Ballybunion                            
               Lahinch                                  
  
Top 5 unplayed  Augusta, Cypress, Pine Valley, Sand Hills, Wade Hampton
 

[jeffwarne]

Revisits
ANGC
Augusta CC
Pennard
Cypress Point
Rivierra

[Jud_T]

Bob:

Really, my five that I most look forward to playing are the four I'm working on at some stage right now

? Am I wrong in saying that there's only one that is public knowledge? Are the other three a definite go?  Perhaps you'd be so kind as to add a little color without letting the genie out of the bottle....

[Ben Sims]

The first five In

The Sheep Ranch--my best day with a golf club ever
Wolf Point--it's that good
The Old Course at St. Andrews
National Golf Links of America--the course I need to see most, second to the TOC
Cypress Point

The first five Out

Sand Hills--must see the consensus modern best
Crystal Downs--need another shot at her after an injury
Ballyneal--probably Tom's best
North Berwick
Pine Valley--the best golf course I've ever played

[JMEvensky]

1) TOC

2) RM - Composite

3) NGLA

4) Sand Hills

5) Merion

And,in honor of Mr. Huntley,I really want to play Nchanga(sic).

[Patrick Kiser]

Tough one there Sir Bob...

I'll go with the following in order:

- Old Course at St.Andrews
- NGLA
- Pine Valley
- Merion
- Cypress Point

[Terry Lavin]

Replays:

Sand Hills
Cypress Point
LA North
Pacific Dunes
Cherry Hills

First Timers

Augusta National
NGLA
Friar's Head
Crystal Downs
Pine Valley

[Bob_Huntley]

Doug Boles,

I did mention that although you might not be able to play the course at the posted yardage, you could always play it from where-ever you wanted. Henry Cotton, when in his declining years would tee it up from the fairway at Penina so that he could always reach the par fours in two shots.

I have been fortunate in my lifetime to play most of the greats and in December I went back to Riviera for the first time in thirty five years. I was enchanted with the place, its history and my experiences there. That game made me think of a bucket list.

My list would be:

The Old Course*
NGLA*
Fishers Island*
Friars Head
Nchanga*

* I have played.

I hold Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, Pine Valley and a host of others in the highest regard but have played them multiple times . You may well ask "What about TOC." Admittedly, that is true but to play it one more time is a must. I have played NGLA and Fishers Island but once and felt that should be corrected. Nchanga was where I first played the game and had my first ace, It is a long way to go and quite possibly not anywhere near the course I loved but I still think kindly of the place where my addiction began.

Bob

[john_stiles]

to play

NGLA
Shinnecock
Myopia Hunt
Seminole
Cypress Point

to replay
Dornoch
Old Course
Crystal Downs
Ballybunion
County Down

[Mark Johnson]

My top five would all be for sentimental reasons.  So I will go with the top five I haven't played. In no particular order

The new pinehurst deuce
Kingsbarns
Cypress
Carnoustie
Oakmont
Turnberry

[Marty Bonnar]

Bob,
I am looking forward to spending a week at Penina next month, so will now think of you often whilst there. (Maybe my golf game will improve as a result...)
I have chosen to avoid the obvious with my 5 and to concentrate on some places where I have had the best of times with great folk:
North Berwick - the combo of the most wonderful golf course and the friendliest clubhouse.
MPCC (OBVIOUSLY!!!) - combination of good company and spectacular golf.
Gleneagles Kings - again and again and again and again......
TOC - sorry, much against my better judgement, I still couldn't resist the old lady. NEVER had a bad time there...
Greenburn - wee Scottish club with so many wonderful growing up memories. Made me the golfer I am.

v best,
MB.

[Bob_Huntley]

Bob,
I am looking forward to spending a week at Penina next month, so will now think of you often whilst there. (Maybe my golf game will improve as a result...)
I have chosen to avoid the obvious with my 5 and to concentrate on some places where I have had the best of times with great folk:
North Berwick - the combo of the most wonderful golf course and the friendliest clubhouse.
MPCC (OBVIOUSLY!!!) - combination of good company and spectacular golf.
Gleneagles Kings - again and again and again and again......
TOC - sorry, much against my better judgement, I still couldn't resist the old lady. NEVER had a bad time there...
Greenburn - wee Scottish club with so many wonderful growing up memories. Made me the golfer I am.

v best,
MB.

Marty,

Congratulations, as always, people come first with you.

Bob

[Peter Pallotta]

Yes indeed, Marty. If it was really a bucket list, really then end of the road time (for golf, that is):

Walton Heath - with Ken Macpherson.

Dornch - with Lorne Rubenstein

TOC - with my friend Sam.

Ballyneal - with Tom Doak

Garden City - with Tom Paul

[C. Squier]

I'm only going with places I haven't visited....have been fortunate to visit some great places, hard to pine for a return trip when I know I out kicked my coverage on the first visit!

Fishers Island
Seminole
Newport
Myopia Hunt
Indian Creek

For those who mentioned Prairie Dunes, send me a pm....I can probably help make a first or return trip.

[Brett_Morrissy]

Nice thread Bob.

I am thinking of literally the last two weeks of my life - and golf was the only thing.
I would like to experience two nights and all meals at each course and 72 holes - must stay on course in members lodging if applicable and preferably have someone loan me their Marquis jet miles ! I would also have my bucket list of playing partners.

Fly to Japan - Hirono

Fly to Scotland - R&A  and the Old Course(walked)

Fly to Ireland - Ballybunion, B&B across the road.(played)

Fly to New Jersey - Pine Valley

Fly to Goergia - Augusta National

Fly to Nebraska - Sand Hills (played)

Fly to my final destination and resting place
- Monterey Peninsula - quick beer in the bar at the airport
- Cypress Point (walked)

So five courses first plays.

[Kirk Gill]

When I think of those bucket list courses - somehow it's more than JUST how great the course is.


Scioto - drove past it so many times as a kid. it epitomized the private world of golf to me.

Cherry Hills - the most famous, historic course in my home town.

Cape Kidnappers - just to be there, in that place.

Cypress Point/Pebble Beach/Spyglass Hill - and I'd have a clambake, too.

Merion - with my foursome including David Moriarty, Wayne Morrison and Tom Paul. And we'd all be getting along, and
             talking architecture.


Lordy, did I just leave Pine Valley and Augusta National and National Golf Links off of my list? I'm obviously insane.

[Kevin Pallier]

Bob

I could leave the earth right now and be quite content with what I've been fortunate to have seen. But since you asked for a Bucket List - I'll give you two per se and my reason why

Haven't seen...

Augusta - to visit the brainchild of two people I hold in very high regard and to see Amen corner firsthand
Pinehurst #2 - to see Ross' fabled design and C&C's restoration
Crystal Downs - the combo of Dr Mac. and Maxwell
Prarie Dunes - to see a Maxwell course outright and his greens sites
Ellerston - to see supposedly Norman & Harrison's best work in Aust.

Revisits...

TOC - it's such a special place and town and if I had one last round to play - it would be on it
Cypress - like TOC - it has a reverence about it
Pine Valley - to revisit a place that was the result of a mix of architects and the passion of one man
Sand Hills - a modern masterpiece (in season this time)
Ballyneal - without the snow

[Tim Bert]

Cypress Point
Old Course
NGLA
Royal Melbourne
Augusta National

[James Bennett]

My list

1. Royal Dornoch - saw it hosting club pennant golf.  It seems the complete package to me.  Fascinating place.

2. NGLA - just because.  Never been there

3. Fishers Island - see point 2 above.  Never been there

4. Royal Melbourne West - the cathedral of Australian golf

5. My home club where I grew up - Blackwood.  Purely personal, but it has to be on MY bucket list.

I expect I will get three of my list, but will no doubt be delighted with some others that I happen to stumble across.

[Mike Hendren]

The replay issue is interesting.  I have been beyond blessed to play some marvelous golf courses, but curiously have a very limited desire to return.