[Padraig Dooley]

I played a course in San Francisco a couple of weeks ago. It was where I played my first round of golf in the US. It's a great golf course and as it was the scene of my US debut it should have been very memorable. But going around I found I didn't remember much of the course. The first hole and a few more on the front nine, but didn't remember any of the back except walking to a green where the caddy made a comment. The round was 12 years ago and 3 holes have been changed on the back nine.

I used to think I had a good memory for shots and holes. The questions that arise are.

How is your memory for golf holes and courses?

Is there any course you'll never forget? How many rounds does it take or should it take to remember somewhere?

On the same trip I played a few more courses and can easily remember them but I've been back to them since so maybe once is not enough?

[Mark Saltzman]

I can remember just about every golf hole I've ever played and I know what club/what shot I hit on about half of them (courses I have played many times I forget most shots I've hit).

[Ronald Montesano]

The memory is going, but I won't soon forget the 2-hybrid I hit into a par five last Sunday. Missed the 15-footer for eagle, but it had been a while since one got my juices going like that one.

[Bill Gayne]

I remember golf holes and features at specific golf courses. I don't really remember hole numbers. If someone asked me my thought on number 13 at the Sea Island Seaside course I couldn't tell them despite the fact that I've probably played the course five times over the years.

Thera are many courses that I will never forget the experience including how I played and felt during my time on the  course (some good and some bad) and my playing partners (though I may forget their names over time).

[Scott Warren]

I find I remember every hole, its number and the routing, but might forget a bunker or two here and there.

Like Mark, I can also remember my shots on a course I've only played once or twice.

But I'm young -- plenty of time left for my memory to go!

[Colin Macqueen]

Gentlemen,
Memory for golf holes ----- pathetic. My memory is pretty crappy but I don't think it is just neuronal wasting and lack of connectivity!
I get far too focussed on playing the game and do not give myself the opportunity to digest and retain the delights of the actual golf holes themselves. It really annoys me! I should know better and my Shivas monikers and "...let the nothingness into yer shots" approach needs constant attention and repairing and belie this perfervid Scots attempts to enjoy the moment!
On the bright side, Golf Club Atlas has given me ideas and new and good ways of looking at the holes when I do get into the moment so thanks for that chaps!

Cheers Colin

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I think this is an age question. No it does amaze me those people who remember every hole after one time around a course. I mean know the hole too. I remember certain things about courses I have played once. Yet to really know a course I need to play or walk it 4 times. That way i see different conditions, all angles, and have the time to look at each hole going backwards as well. There are forgettable courses, but well I forget them. Patrick as for the great courses in SF. I do remember them.

[Andy Troeger]

A few years ago I'd have said that I could remember just about every hole in some fashion too. But I've played a lot of courses only one time in the last few years and I'm finding the average courses I played 4-5 years ago are very fuzzy now. This was most obvious to me when Willow Creek came up a few months back. I could remember a few holes and some details, but there were big gaps that had totally left me...and its a pretty decent course all things considered especially on a local/regional level.

At least so far, if you give me a second chance at a course I tend to remember a lot more, especially given a gap between playings. Give me a few more years and that will probably go too...

One reason I love taking lots of pictures is that if I have even a few photos of a course it will help me fill in the blanks with the rest of the detail (beyond that in the picture).

[Duncan Cheslett]

Surely it depends on the course...

A flat traipse up and down a farmer's field with no distinctive features is going to be unmemorable and all the holes will merge into one in one's mind.  An interesting routing making full use of undulating terrain and with great views is going to be remembered in detail for a lifetime.

The experience on the day matters too. On a miserable cold rainy day the likelihood is that the visiting golfer will be oblivious to many of the delights of a course that would be only too evident on a glorious summer's afternoon. Which would you remember more clearly?

[Scott Sander]

I manage to store a photograph in my head of most holes I've ever played, but I have zero capacity to catalogue them by hole number.  If someone says, "Howdja play #13?", I usually answer with something like "Now which one is that?"  Once they help me find the snapshot, I'm able (compelled?) to drone on at excruciatingly boring length. 

I presume that my poor internal organizational skills are also the reason that I'm also the last to notice quirks of routing, such as back-to-back par 5's or a course with extra 5s and 3s.  I usually cannot effectively comment on the 'flow' of the course other than a general "That's a tough slog in the middle section" or "The whole back 9 is uphill!" or the like.  I see the trees more than the forest, I guess.  That probably limits my usefulness here.   

[Pete Blaisdell]

I remember holes but I've lost the ability to recall the routings of courses I have not seen in a while. I've always beleved we humans tend to remember what we WANT to remember and so my favorites (I.E. Cypress, Seminole, Newport , Myopia ) are no problem. I may have mentioned in my member intro that the best round of golf I ever played was a 70 at The Country Club. I remember every shot I played and all the hole locations. It's amazing how the human mind works. Hell, I forgot my own birthday a couple of years ago. That scared the hell out of me.

[Tom ORourke]

I have a very good memory for holes and courses I have played. And my wife is amazed that I can also tell her that I hit 6 iron on the 3rd, made a double on #7, etc. The courses I do not remember are the ones through a mass of trees where every hole looks the same. There is a fairly strong course in South Jersey called Little Mill. Good greens, long enough, doglegs, and about 7 million pine trees. I can remember the holes when I play them, but trying to think back I feel that all of their par 4s and 5s seem to be the same hole. They have taken a lot of trees out to provide some air, but I still don't like the sameness of the holes.

[Jim Hoak]

One of the standards by which I measure a course is how many holes I can remember years later.   Padraig, I assume you are talking about SFGC, and I love that course and remember most of the holes.  Others, I can't recall more than a hole or two.

[Tim Gavrich]

My baseline memory for golf holes is probably slightly better than average, and I find that the completeness of my recollection of the holes is directly proportional to the quality of the golf course.  Every hole at Newport CC and Shelter Harbor GC and a handful of others is very vivid in my mind.

[Joel Zuckerman]

I have a hard time with the memory thing, due mainly to playing golf in great bursts--10 new GC's in 6 days, perhaps 12 new GC's in 7 days..suicide missions of golf/travel.

One anecdote:  Visited Desert Forest last December, about 10 years (and 500 courses) removed from my previous visit.  Often when I go back to a venue I can't remember, I assume a hole or two will at least look familiar when I get to the tee.  Not so Desert Forest...barely an inkling of memory, even in the repeat playing!   Hazards of the profession, I suppose...

[Kalen Braley]

While I'm not as proficient as Mark...i'm in a similar camp in this respect.

I can play a course once, and can recall the holes/routing years later...especially if its a really nice course.

My regular golfing buddies buddies think this recollection is downright spooky! 

[Bill McKinley]

I'd like to think I have a very good memory for holes, courses and shots that I've hit, especially in competition.

Most of my very favorite courses like Merion, Muirfield, Oakmont, I have played twice or more.  But of the courses that I've played once, I'd say Seminole would be the one that I would be least likely to forget anything about it.

I do find it amazing though how some golfers forget a lot about rounds that they've just played or great holes on some of the best courses in the world.

[Bill_McBride]

My memory of courses is generally related to how good I found the course.  The better the course the more clearly I remember the routing and most if not all the holes.

I can remember every detail of Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, TOC, Pacific Dunes, Friars Head, Royal Cinque Ports, Rye.

One problem I have is poor memory of courses where there's a shotgun start because of an event.   I did that at the Creek Club a few years ago, and at Kinloch Saturday.  I liked all the individual holes at Kinloch, but I think #8 is the first hole.   

[Padraig Dooley]

One of the standards by which I measure a course is how many holes I can remember years later.   Padraig, I assume you are talking about SFGC, and I love that course and remember most of the holes.  Others, I can't recall more than a hole or two.

Jim, yes it is SFGC I used as the example. It really is an outstanding place, quite perplexing that I couldn't remember any of the back nine. 

[Joe_Tucholski]

I'll be one to admit I have a terrible memory with regards to golf holes.  In fact I have a difficult time memorizing anything.  That being said I don’t consider myself stupid.

With respect to golf courses I can really only remember two holes on the course I learned to play golf on.  I've moved at least every 4 years of my life and if someone were to discuss a particular hole on one of my former home courses which I've played 100's of times I still need to start at one and then count each consecutive hole.  After I play a course a handful of times I'm usually able to remember the course this way for a couple of years at least.

After finding this site I started reviewing the courses by country.  I then started to keep my own course reviews with a summary and photo(s) of each hole.  This practice hasn't really helped me remember the courses but it does serve as a great reference tool/refresher.

I also have to admit that my wife is very skilled at memorization and remembering course layouts and holes after walking along with me (she doesn't play).  When we go to a PGA tour event at a course neither of us have visited before with she is usually in charge of getting us where we need to go.

[Bill_McBride]

Whenever possible I buy a yardage guide (Strokesaver in the UK).   I use them to help reconstruct courses in my mind after the fact.   It's really nice when I go back to play a course again and find the guide in my collection!

[Kalen Braley]

Being a huge advocate of the internet and Google Maps specifically.

I find if I ever start to get hazy on a course I played awhile back, a quick visit to an aerial refreshes the data banks!!

[Bill Brightly]

I have a very good memory for holes and courses I have played. And my wife is amazed that I can also tell her that I hit 6 iron on the 3rd, made a double on #7, etc. The courses I do not remember are the ones through a mass of trees where every hole looks the same. There is a fairly strong course in South Jersey called Little Mill. Good greens, long enough, doglegs, and about 7 million pine trees. I can remember the holes when I play them, but trying to think back I feel that all of their par 4s and 5s seem to be the same hole. They have taken a lot of trees out to provide some air, but I still don't like the sameness of the holes.

I find this to be amazing! I wish that I could remember holes like you and some of the other posters. I would put myself at the bottom of the list here!

I always chalked this up to being totally immersed in hitting each shot well, to scoring as well as I possibly can on each hole. I think I see every hazard that you guys see, but then almost go through a mental process that blocks out the trouble and makes me focus on where I want to hit the ball. It ticks me off after a round at a new course for me that I can barely remember a few holes.

I'm just curious if any of you "instant recall" guys are low single digit handicaps, and can do both: score well and study/remember a course.

[Howard Riefs]

Whenever possible I buy a yardage guide (Strokesaver in the UK).   I use them to help reconstruct courses in my mind after the fact.   It's really nice when I go back to play a course again and find the guide in my collection!

I'm afraid that whenever I buy a course yardage guide, I forget about the purchase until my return trip to the course. There I stand in the pro shop thinking: "Didn't I buy a yardage guide last time?"

It's a bitter cycle of forgetfullness.

[Pete_Pittock]

I just told this story on the Dixie Cuo trip. We had just finished a four day trip to Bandon and was carpooling home with a friend of a friend who I had met for the 2dt time that weekend. He was trying to describe his favorite hole. Didn't know what course it was on, or what day he had played it. I proceeded to list and describe all 54 holes (Old Macdonald wasn't built), but even with that help he wasn't able to figure out which one it was.  I was astounded at how clueless he was and mulled how he functioned in the real world.

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