Nicely done, Daryl! I seem to think there was a 1000th course thread a few years back....or I just remember talking about it with you. However, I have a technical quibble with you that is probably an opinion difference.
You say Wexford is a new course played for you, but I would be shocked that you hadn't played the pre-renovation version. Are you counting each version as a different course? How much and what type of renovation counts as a new course? To me, if a course is entirely re-routed, it counts, otherwise, it doesn't. Here in the Triangle, I've played the old and new versions of Finley GC, and the new version even has some completely new holes on new corridors, but most corridors (and direction of the holes) are the same, so I don't count it. That's probably the closest example I've played that I don't count as a new course. Other examples of 'close but not quite
new' courses (IMO) would be Cape Fear or Cal Club.
It sounds like you would count the new Pinehurst #2 as a new course played.
No, I concur with your position. I had never played Wexford in any form prior to my round there.
Regardless it would have to be a pretty major change to be considered a "new' course in my mind. If I had to guess I would say that over the years I have only ever considered 2 or 3 courses changed drastically enough to call the original version NLE. I had never played any of the courses you mentioned prior to their current renovation so I cant comment.
I would have to go back and check, but like I think I may have considered the renovation at Greenville CC Riverside here a completely new course when they took the area that was the par three course and integrated it into the old Riverside course creating 2 to 3 completely new holes and changing corridors on some others enough that I considered it a different golf course. I believe I still give what I call "old Riverside NLE" credit as a course I played, and "Riverside New" a place. But just a slight change, or even fairly major renovations with no or very minimal changes to the corridors will not qualify. I have not played the new #2 but I highly doubt that it will qualify. Fortunately since it is my list I am the sole arbiter of what is what.
I am actually looking forward to see how significant the changes are going to be to Spring Island - Old Tabby Links (one of my favorites) I have heard that they were going to move some green sites pretty significantly, and also move some corridors slightly. So I cant wait to see if it seems like the same course, or enough of a change to call it different. It has to be a pretty major change to qualify on the Turboe Scale. I am guessing that it will not be enough of a change.
I went back and checked and I think I have only considered 2 courses enough changed to count them as a different course.
PS the 1000 course thread I think you were thinking about was Corey Lewis earlier this summer. Because I think you and I chatted after that. That thread caused me to go back and look at some sub categories that Cory had brought up as well. I knew I still needed 2 states to make the full compliment, but until Corey mentioned it I didn't realize that I had played a course starting with every letter except for 2 which I have not whittled down to 1 after playing Zebulon CC, and that is what caused us to chat a little bit after that thread. BTW we are both still looking for a course that starts with the letter "X" if anyone knows of one...