Classic vs. Modern

[Sven Nilsen]

Terry:

Are you saying you're not going to play a classic course if the shitter is closed?

Sven

[Michael Blake]

 I echo Matt's sediments.    

Classic.

Judge-Remember Norm Crosby?

I do. What are the odds that "auto-correct" will be blamed?  This might be one of the funniest malapropisms ever for this site.

From a twitter feed I enjoy:

GS Elevator Gossip ‏@GSElevator  · Apr 5 
#1: If I get a message with a typo, I'll analyze the letter placement on the keyboard to assess if it's justified or not.

[Josh Tarble]

Actually, Nigel and Jud,
 
An interesting real life example that may prove my point and I'm pretty sure both of you have played both courses...would you rather play Harrison Hills or Trophy Club?

Those courses are very close in a lot of ways so that is an excellent example. I think HH just has a feel and vibe that I like, and I think the course suits my game better as most older courses do. (And yes I know that 10 of the holes were built pretty recently) Trophee Club is great too though.

Maybe it's not an exact comparison since Liddy did really well in adding the new 9...but it kind of matches my point though, that time can make a course worse as well.

It also makes me more ashamed I haven't played Harrison Hills yet 

[JC Jones]

Terry:

Are you saying you're not going to play a classic course if the shitter is closed?

Sven

Im pretty sure that hasnt stopped him before....

[Terry Lavin]

I'll find a place for my sediment even if the shitter is closed.

[Jason Thurman]

Josh

So are you saying that pre Oakmont tree removal you wouldn't want to play it over any top post 60's course?  I love playing UofM pre tree removal and pre restoration of shrunken greens.  Is it getting better, heck yeah, was it good before heck yeah.  un-reclaimed greens is rough shape? 

Ben, the original post specifies unraked coarse.


There's a Tiger Woods-Perkins waitress joke in there somewhere if Cary wants to jump on this thread and dig it out.


The Harrison Hills vs. Trophy Club comparison pits a hybrid against a true modern course. To make it really work, you need a real classic-era good-but-unranked course that also shows a Langford influence. I can think of another pretty good one about two hours from Trophy Club that Josh also hasn't played yet...

[Jud_T]

Tough call.  But probably Harrison Hills.   Better classic might be Kankakee Elks which would also be a tough call.  But notice that you're choosing a retro modern.  If you said the Fort I'd take HH easily.

[Nigel Islam]

Actually, Nigel and Jud,
 
An interesting real life example that may prove my point and I'm pretty sure both of you have played both courses...would you rather play Harrison Hills or Trophy Club?

Those courses are very close in a lot of ways so that is an excellent example. I think HH just has a feel and vibe that I like, and I think the course suits my game better as most older courses do. (And yes I know that 10 of the holes were built pretty recently) Trophee Club is great too though.

Maybe it's not an exact comparison since Liddy did really well in adding the new 9...but it kind of matches my point though, that time can make a course worse as well.

It also makes me more ashamed I haven't played Harrison Hills yet 

Josh, I can go you one better. I managed to play the front nine only so I only played 1 Langford hole, but I got a good enough look at the rest to know how special they are. If it wasn't four hours away..........Of course I lived in Indy for five years and never played Broadmoor or Wolf Run so maybe I am just lame.

[Jud_T]

We just played the original 8 twice and it's easily the best course I've played in state.

[Josh Tarble]

Nigel,
Ouch...Jud may be over the top, but I've heard the original 8 holes are spectacular.  And in your defense, I've heard Broadmoor was one of those old classic courses, with shrunken greens and fairways and choked by trees until 2008 or so.

 

[Nigel Islam]

Nigel,
Ouch...Jud may be over the top, but I've heard the original 8 holes are spectacular.  And in your defense, I've heard Broadmoor was one of those old classic courses, with shrunken greens and fairways and choked by trees until 2008 or so.

 

I don't think it is quite the best course in the state, but I do think it is close.  The original 8 are spectacular. I showed up with my buddy after I missed the bypass North of Terre Haute and drove right by HH. We stopped because we couldn't resist as we drove by 15. The pro really wanted to let us play the old holes, but they had a league going on. 

[DMoriarty]

I'll find a place for my sediment even if the shitter is closed.

Don't go getting all sedimental over these old courses. 

[Jud_T]

Broadmoor is excellent and well worth seeing.  A hidden gem if you will.  

[Nigel Islam]

I'll find a place for my sediment even if the shitter is closed.

Don't go getting all sedimental over these old courses. 

He's just a sedimental fool!

[Matthew Petersen]

Well, I've always lived in the west so I've played a lot of "modern" courses and far fewer "classic." For that reason alone, I'd probably take the classic.

[Gib_Papazian]

I've just shimmied down the fire escape from my latest soiree in the court case from hell - and have to admit the card-catalog between my ears has been shuffled out of order.

I may be missing an obvious call, but most golf courses built between 1950 and 1990 are like overcooked oatmeal - better than nothing if you're starving for some pasture pool, but not much more than gloppy filler.

Sure, there are exceptions, but the question is not a choice between two noteworthy courses, just a blind guess based on a collection of preconceived notions.

If the courses are between 1950 and 1990, in my neck of the woods one of them is likely to be a Bob Graves or Jones Jr. track. Truth be told, I've never played one of either I did not enjoy on some level, so I'd pick one of those as a safe choice.

Otherwise, I'd tee it up on either side of the bell curve, regardless of who designed it. Chances are, pre-1950 was probably built in the 30s due to the war, and post-1990 will probably have some classic strategic arrangements. I'll make an exception and ding anything Rees did - or Jack during his "let me show you how bad you suck compared to me" period.