GOLF panelists vs. GCA.com regulars

[A_Clay_Man]

Clearly, Slag and I are of similar thought. We, he, & I probably see Salleri's departing soliloquy from the hospital as complete irony, not quite being able to relate to him because of our antidis platforms. But, when it comes to enjoying the game on a venue with character & soul, noone will sniff it out better or feel what's really going on, than us, we and he. Thanks lad  

The exciting part of these rankings lies in the future. When all those who do travel, get to some of the newer outstanding venues, and, those who haven't had access get to venues previously thought of as impossible.

[Jim Franklin]

Scott-

Great choice for #1 as CPC is my favorite as well. I never tire of playing that course as I think the inland holes are marvelous.

[Norbert P]

Clearly, Slag and I are of similar thought. We, he, & I probably see Salleri's departing soliloquy from the hospital as complete irony

  Umm, clearly we're not Adam.  Who's Salleri?  And what powerful rhetoric did he orate at a hospital?  

  Sorry for being inurbane and out of your esoteric stream of consciousness but I am intrigued.  In fact, you just moved up my TOP 100 list even higher.  (You lost a point for the kissy-face icon though.)


 
   

[ChipOat]

Ran:

Toledo, Detroit, Rochester and Columbus.  Fine places to live but not a place where a group of GCA'ers will organize a trip, call in chits to get on, etc.

Thus, comparatively few have played them relative to the "holy grail" Golden Age venues that Messrs. Huckaby, Goodale, Naccarato et al have arranged complicated pilgrimages to play.

I played 3 of them many years before I really knew anything about what I was really seeing at Merion, PV, NGLA and Shinnecock.

In hindsight, once a modern architect + club members want to toughen things up at a Donald Ross original (which all 4 you mentioned happen to be), much of the charm is lost.  The tournament history's still at the club, but the battleground is forever altered.

So why bother to go there if you've heard from guys like me about what's (not) there?

Those "1 course" pilgrimages are better saved for Sand Hills, Crystal Downs, Cape Breton, Prairie Dunes or TCC.

BTW, guys on this DG could do a lot worse than schedule a trip to Columbus.  Scioto, Muirfield Village, The Golf Club and OS Scarlet - it doesn't get much better than that.

[Pete Lavallee]

Slag;

I believe Adam is referring to Wolfgang's nemisis in Amadeus. Certainly considered the Fazio of the Opera world.

[Rick Shefchik]

One man's (or woman's) Top 100 list, by itself, must come off as personal and even a little pretentious. Who am I, you or even Tom Doak to identify the 100 best courses, and then rank them?

But a consensus Top 100 list compiled from many indvidual lists is useful and fun. It's a snapshot of where a lot of different tastes intersect at a given moment. It tempers that "Man, I just got back from Sand Hills, and it's the best course I've ever played" influence.

The best thing about this website is that we are free to argue our passions without any concern for their importance, their influence or their permanence.  

[Matt_Ward]

chipoat:

For what it's worth -- if panelists / regulars / raters et al only venture to the usual suspects -- i.e. Myrtle Beach, Vegas, Scottsdale and all the other "in" places then they shoul be tossed off any panel.

You mentioned Columbus and I quite agree. I even believe someone could make a very convincing case that the golf in Columbus is a match for what you find in Chicago -- both private and public. Care to try?

P.S. The best courses aren't located in the fancy brochures and all the "buzz" that comes out is often highlighting everything but the golf IMHO.