first golf course

[Bill Gayne]

The Acapulco Princess Golf Course. I was probably around 12 years old. Played with my Dad which is kind of strange looking back on it. He was not a golfer and I don't know what reason he decided to play golf that day. I'm guessing he played less than ten rounds his entire life. A description of the course from the Princess website:

"Designed by Ted Robinson, this pleasant layout is punctuated by narrow fairways, lined by coconut palms and water hazards on 12 of the 18 holes. Included in Golf Digest's Top 25 Golf Resorts, the Princess Course's featured hole is the 18th, a dog-leg par 4 around a large lake, leaving a second shot that appears suspended in space over the unique pyramid structure of the hotel. The course plays to just under 6400 yards from the Championship tees, the challenge is real enough as half of the holes have water hazards on one side, and out of bounds on the other.  'Sneaky tough' is an apt description to the challenge offered by this gem of a course."

Sounds incredibly penal.

[Jason Topp]

Reinbeck Municipal, Reinbeck, IA.  I remember playing 9 with my mother who had a pull cart with a seat.  My younger brother would sit in the seat and ride along.  I was 6, he was 3. 

[Steve Wilson]

I'm certain I've answered this before, but so long as no one does a thorough research of my posts I I can sort of free wheel.  First was three holer with sand greens Hope Natural Gas Hastings Community Center.  Hole no. 1 175 yards, Hole# 2 135 yards, Hole # 3 125 yard#1 crossed 3, Hole 2also  crossed 2 & 3 and hole #3 crossed i and 2.  Needless to say as it was converted for football practice field and then an actual playing field, this was as flat a a pancake.  In addition to the sand green the remainder of the course could have been described and gravel interrupted by patch of grave.  The entire field was oiled not just the sand greens.  Played there for many years before the new plant was built on the location.  Thus NLE probably 1965.

Second course with Doolin Run Golf at New Martinsville WV.  (An intimate routing which enabled errant tee shots off the first tee to affect play on no less five or six separate holes. Three holes were originally aligned with the slice of the drive hard on the out of bounds.  One of the boundaries was State Route 2, and in this less litigious edge players happys sliced platters of balls on the road. The greens were small and elevated much in the manner of small unturned barges.  Though samall they uneven enough that the three putt was never out of the question.  Too many floods say Doolin go (NLE) in 1972 73.

[Lyndell Young]

My first was a little 9 holer called Grass Valley,near Charlotte NC.The owner Mr Grass (True) built himself but passed away suddenly and my Dad purchased .We moved there when I was five, kinda like Green Acres (TV show). Ellis Maples designed new 9 when I was 15 so my love of golf design and construction came early. Course is Still in  family after 50 years.