The “Your Favourite 20 in England” thread finding its way to the first page again got me thinking about the number of times one manages to play a course and how that impacts upon your opinion...
Many factors can change your opinion of a course: how you played, the weather, the condition and set up, pre determined ideas about what is ahead of us. But by the time a second days play comes along we will have had a chance to mull things over a little more.
I like to think I can be impartial and keep a clear mind so that such factors don’t influence my opinion, but unfortunately I’m human and not Vulcan...
For instance, the first time I played Woodhall Spa I loved it. I finished work early whilst visiting sites nearby, played well and it was a glorious afternoon, the course was quiet and full of wildlife. I played it again recently, the weather wasn’t quite so spectacular and my game wasn’t bad, and on discussing the course in great detail with fellow GCAers on the day, it was clear to me that it wasn’t as impressive as I remembered. Still a good course, but it dropped right off my favourites list.
On the other hand, I played Golspie many years ago as a kid and wasn’t all that fussed. A few decent links holes and interesting heathland like holes but other than that nothing special? However I played it again last year and loved it! Those are course I’ve managed to play more than once.
Of those I’ve only played once, I wasn’t impressed with Royal Porthcawl at Buda but I suspect a fellow GCAer had built my hopes and expectations up so much. However I regularly find myself thinking of the place and keen to return. I’m also clearly taking things a little easier with these opinions, age and experience no doubt, as I played Kington once a couple of years ago and enjoyed it. I feel I will really love the course, but am keen to get back before praising it too much or falling in love!
To be clear, I’m talking of a days golf hear, so if you played 2 rounds in one day the odds are that a lot of outside factors will be the same, but feel free to argue that point.
So, how does that effect ones list of favourite courses? Or top courses, I’m not fussed. It’s just clear to me that there are lots of courses we will have played only the once due to location, access or cost, that make our top lists but are we really sure they belong on only one days experience?
Lastly, one for the raters? Should you be able to rate courses on only one days experience or would it be better to hold that opinion or quantify it at least, until you have returned?
Cheers,
James