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Mark Bourgeois

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Easy AND Interesting
« on: August 22, 2014, 04:13:16 PM »
Holes, stretches, entire courses: whaddya got?

For the pedants:

easy and interesting adj   Wherein bogey or better is a reasonable expectation for nearly all golf skill levels, par or better is a reasonable expectation for handicaps 13 and lower, yet play is far from boring; additionally, losing one's ball is impossible or nearly so and forced carries, 3-putts and other signposts of difficulty are almost always absent. Possibly: the golfer's ardor to play the hole / stretch / course increases with familiarity or repeated experience.
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Charlotte. Daniel. Olivia. Josephine. Ana. Dylan. Madeleine. Catherine. Chase. Jesse. James. Grace. Emilie. Jack. Noah. Caroline. Jessica. Benjamin. Avielle. Allison.

Garland Bayley

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Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #1 on: August 22, 2014, 04:33:53 PM »
Astoria CC if they have mown the banks of the dunes.
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"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Matthew Lloyd

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Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #2 on: August 22, 2014, 04:40:15 PM »
OSU Gray in Columbus, OH fits these criteria perfectly.  It is a really nice golf course that simply isn't difficult.  My dad - who shoots anywhere from 78-85 on OSU Scarlet and Scioto - routinely scores around even par on this course but he still plays it every couple weeks because it's such a nice course to play.  It passes the eye test.
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Chris DeToro

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Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #3 on: August 22, 2014, 04:46:27 PM »
the stretch from 9-12 on TOC--11 can be a tough two putt, but the other three are very score-able, fun and interesting
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Tony_Muldoon

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Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #4 on: August 22, 2014, 04:47:11 PM »
Two courses I learnt on feature virtually no rough or trees in play and that takes the prospect of double bogey out of play unless you really stink the hole up.  However they both have interesting greens and so a par or better is always well earned.  NOw when I venture back I don't score as well as I think I should.


I wish I knew who designed

The Priors - the second course at Stapleford Abbots
Hobbs X - the long 9.

I have ignored the fact that there are a couple of water holes. They are playable.  I think my first ever lesson in strategy was playing a match and wathcing my opponents tee shot get very wet to the left of Hobbs X 3rd hole.   I can remember a lightbulb moment, as it occurred to me that the smart play was not to aim for the green on this downhil par 3.
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Tim Leahy

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Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #5 on: August 22, 2014, 05:48:07 PM »
Lincoln Park in SF.  Great views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Short course with some driveable par fours but fun to play. Changes in elevation and doglegs with tree lined fairways.
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I love golf, the fightin irish, and beautiful women depending on the season and availability.

Mark Pearce

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #6 on: August 22, 2014, 06:55:30 PM »
TOC full stop. Play well and you'll play to your handicap, unless the wind's up.
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In June I will be riding the first three stages of this year's Tour de France route for charity.  630km (394 miles) in three days, with 7800m (25,600 feet) of climbing for the William Wates Memorial Trust (https://rideleloop.org/the-charity/) which supports underprivileged young people.

Sean Leary

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Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #7 on: August 22, 2014, 07:29:54 PM »
Jasper Park 1-18...
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Pete_Pittock

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Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #8 on: August 22, 2014, 07:33:54 PM »
Gamble Sands unless you get 100'+ putts. I don't think Astoria is devoid of three putts.
« Last Edit: August 22, 2014, 07:36:26 PM by Pete_Pittock »
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Brad Tufts

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Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #9 on: August 22, 2014, 08:37:17 PM »
Wine Valley...Tobacco Road...Waverly Oaks in MA....Four Mile Ranch...
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Jon Adkins

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #10 on: August 22, 2014, 08:52:05 PM »
I'd say Jackson Park in Chicago. Short course, but it has character and plenty of history. While I can't laud its conditioning, the view of Lake Michigan as you get to the southeastern part of the property is nice, and the urban golf element is unique.
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David_Elvins

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Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #11 on: August 22, 2014, 09:28:55 PM »
Royal Melbourne West is probably the easiest great course in the world. 

The best stretch of holes on the course is 2-7 and it is a really easy to score well on. 
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Ian Andrew

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Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #12 on: August 22, 2014, 11:15:06 PM »
Jasper Park is the best example I know too.
So many great holes, but plenty of opportunity to score.
Lots of short fives. and plenty of width all round.
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"Appreciate the constructive; ignore the destructive." -- John Douglas

Greg Murphy

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Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #13 on: August 23, 2014, 12:18:15 AM »
Quote from: GJ Bailey on August 22, 2014, 04:33:53 PM
Astoria CC if they have mown the banks of the dunes.


Easy maybe but golf in a half pipe - interesting?
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Matthew Rose

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #14 on: August 23, 2014, 01:08:38 AM »
For me, Fossil Trace. I've always threatened a career best there... I think all the bowls and collecting swales and backstops tend to reward the guy like me who hits decent but not outstanding iron shots.

Maybe easy isn't the right word for it, but my scores there would seem to indicate that it plays easy relative to my own game.
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Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +3/-1
Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #15 on: August 23, 2014, 02:30:15 AM »
I've got the West Links at North Berwick as the clear #1 in this contest.

Ballyneal is also pretty easy for all the wild stuff going on.
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Sean_A

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Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #16 on: August 23, 2014, 02:46:55 AM »
North Berwick woud be my pick as well, but I would qualify the statement to easier...I haven't come cross a course in my life which I thought was easy and I certainly don't think NB meets the par or better is a reasonable expectation for handicaps 13 and lower. Which 13 marker reasonably expects to par a course?   I think a 13 marker at NB on a calm day can have a reasonable expectation to break 80.  

Ciao
« Last Edit: August 23, 2014, 03:42:40 AM by Sean_A »
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Tim Book

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Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #17 on: August 23, 2014, 03:28:49 AM »
How about Bandon Dunes.  Less the 17th which seems to kill me card every time, I usually shot my lowest round of a Bandon trip there.
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Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +3/-1
Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #18 on: August 23, 2014, 04:52:02 AM »
Quote from: Sean_A on August 23, 2014, 02:46:55 AM
North Berwick woud be my pick as well, but I would qualify the statement to easier...I haven't come cross a course in my life which I thought was easy and I certainly don't think NB meets the par or better is a reasonable expectation for handicaps 13 and lower. Which 13 marker reasonably expects to par a course?   I think a 13 marker at NB on a calm day can have a reasonable expectation to break 80.  

Ciao

Sean:

I think the quote just meant par is a reasonable expectation on any given hole [because he also said that "bogey or better is a reasonable expectation for nearly all skill levels," instead of talking about the total score.

13-handicaps do not shoot even par anywhere.  But, I have shot even par at North Berwick, back when I was a 6 or 7 handicap.
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Tony_Muldoon

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Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #19 on: August 23, 2014, 04:56:43 AM »
Quote from: Sean_A on August 23, 2014, 02:46:55 AM
North Berwick woud be my pick as well, but I would qualify the statement to easier...I haven't come cross a course in my life which I thought was easy and I certainly don't think NB meets the par or better is a reasonable expectation for handicaps 13 and lower. Which 13 marker reasonably expects to par a course?   I think a 13 marker at NB on a calm day can have a reasonable expectation to break 80.  

Ciao

I took Mark to mean a reasonanble expectation per hole. Which is not the same thing as total IMO.

Re North Berwick on a calm day, it's the low handicappers who tend to prosper as there are several greens that allow them to make a score. IN the 20+ games I've enjoyed there over several years my handicap has fallen from 18 to 12 and I've yet to break 80.   I think the same is true on TOC.


(edit: readers may note a certain overlap with the above post, which shows how slowly I type!)
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Sean_A

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Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #20 on: August 23, 2014, 05:04:12 AM »
Sorry boys.  However, if one has a reasonable expectation to par every hole then the logical conclusion is.... :D

No matter, North Berwick for me is not a terribly difficult course.  I am sure the unusual interest without being a ball ache is a large part of NB's charm.  Its not often one gets to play a famous course which isn't about beating the golfer down.  Although, Speed and I got a beat down from Boony and Spangles.  Boony couldn't have been more than few over par and I was well under my cap. 

Ciao
« Last Edit: August 23, 2014, 05:30:26 AM by Sean_A »
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jonathan_becker

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Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #21 on: August 23, 2014, 06:23:28 AM »
Quote from: Brad Tufts on August 22, 2014, 08:37:17 PM
Tobacco Road...

Super easy AND interesting
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JESII

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Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #22 on: August 23, 2014, 07:09:23 AM »
Quote from: Sean_A on August 23, 2014, 05:04:12 AM
Sorry boys.  However, if one has a reasonable expectation to par every hole then the logical conclusion is.... :D


No no...if we're flipping coins for a dollar on each flip, I have a reasonable expectation of winning each flip but couldn't fathom 18 in a row...
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JESII

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #23 on: August 23, 2014, 07:11:23 AM »
LuLu here in the Philly area is a poster child for this. At least a dozen really cool shots and very few chances to lose a ball other than the handful of holes along the property line...
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David_Madison

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Re: Easy AND Interesting
« Reply #24 on: August 23, 2014, 07:15:37 AM »
Southern Pines - Loads of interesting, fun shots everywhere, wide fairways and greens surrounds, almost impossible to lose a ball
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