Your golfing highlight of 2014

[Ash Towe]

2014 was a quiet year for me.  However, there was one outstanding event.  I was invited by Tom Doak to visit Tara Iti, North of Auckland and play the 7 completed holes with him.
Naturally I arrived early and came across Paul Read the club pro.  Paul's father was a long standing and highly regarded professional at my home club. I had also played with Paul in the club championships in his younger days. He then spontaneously gave me a guided tour of the whole property.
After this I met Brian Schneider and other members of the crew.  These people work hard and do long days. They also take a lot of pride in their work and are keenly interested in the final product.
Finally Tom finished the work he had been doing and after a quick change we set out.  The setting is unbelievably beautiful and on a fine day it will take your breath away.  The seven holes are superb in my opinion and the final 13 have the potential to be even better. Tom took his time to explain what he was trying to achieve on each hole. This was both very interesting and educational. He plays a good game and given more time with the clubs in hand would be a hard man to beat.
Finally the 7 holes came to an end. Tom is a busy man on his visits to his courses and I feel very lucky that he created the time for me. I had a great day and without doubt it was the highlight of this year.

[Mike Bowen]

Topper...

Just joking.  What an incredible experience.  How much does this experience affect your ability to host a guest in the future?  I assume Tom has a way of delivering.

Otherwise he wouldn't be where he is.

[Tyler Page]

I had an ace at the ninth hole on the New Course at St. Andrews.  My first, and also my caddy's.  I opened a tab at 1 Golf Place and told him to bring "any caddy buddies he wanted to invite."  As you may imagine, a few showed up...

This led to the hangover that may have been my golfing lowlight of 2014.  If you ever feel like testing your limits, open a bar tab for a bunch of Scottish caddies.

[Jason Way]

Very cool story Ash. 

I had 2, both at Kingsley.  I brought out as many people as possible to enjoy the course throughout year.  One evening, I took my sons out to putt on the fun greens and whack balls down the hills.  It doesn't get any better for a dad.  And on my final trip of the year, my buddy David aced the 16th on our second trip around for the day.  That never gets old. 

[Ronald Montesano]

With thanks to Greg Borland at CC Scranton, the entire cast of staffers that made the Adirondack tour of six courses (Teugega, Tupper Lake, Saranac, Sagamore, Glens Falls and Yahnundasis) possible and enjoyable, and the hearty band of travelers that countered snow with smiles and great golf in North Carolina in February, my highlight for 2014 was Merion.

A friend brought us to Philadelphia for two days of Merionation. We played the East course twice and the West course once. This is the work of a thoughtful host, who understands that the first trip round the tournament course is typically spent in a delighted fog of delirium. That it was, including the peanut butter, jelly and bacon sandwiches at the midpoint. The distractions of the history and strategy of the big course were balanced by the patience and firm hands of the caddies, who carefully chose proper lines and clubs, to keep us from harming ourselves.

Immediately after, we zipped down the road to race around the West in carts. This tour was necessary but happened too quickly to recall the holes fully. On day two, we returned to the East course and made better swings and worse swings, ultimately sad to leave and satisfied to have played.

The showers, the dining, the turf education facility, the practice area and the archives completed the experience. Holding the driver used by Justin Rose to win the Open was mighty unexpected. My hybrid head cover reminds me constantly of the enjoyable go-round.

Out of deference to our host, I abandoned my camera for 36 hours, so I have zero photos from those 54 holes. I have memories and a desire to make every effort to play courses of Merion's calibre. They are special and add so much to a golfing life.

[Cory Lewis]

Highlight was my trip to Minnesota.  15 courses in 6 days.  I played with several GCA'ers for the 1st time and stayed with a GCA'er who could not have been a better host.  We have such great people on GCA!  Northland and White Bear were the highlights of the trip.

[Tom Fagerli]

Three days in August at Yeamans Hall. It wasn't hot or humid. The turf was firm and fast. The greens super fast. The accommodations at the club first rate. No bugs. What a fine experience.

[Daniel Jones]

Some great stories here..keep them coming!

A couple highlights.. An outing with my regular group on the Quarry Course at Black Diamond. Didn't play well, but the downright giddiness of four dudes on the quarry holes made up for it.

Last month, was set to play The Farm in North Georgia with my dad. It rained for two days straight only to stop about an hour before our tee time. The course was a sloppy mess but thoroughly enjoyed trudging those hills with my dad.

The highlight that stands out the most was actually a lowlight... Playing the Stadium at Sawgrass in January, I was 1 over par coming to the 17th tee (I'm a 7 handicap). I had played the hole a half dozen times before and always found dry land, so perhaps I was due.. I proceeded to fan not one but two 9 irons right of the Sunday pin location and into the drink. The 3rd found nearly the same place as Kaymer this year, and it took me 3 to get down. I walked away with an 8.. I still managed to break 80, which was something I certainly wouldn't have imagined starting the day, but the sight of those two shots sailing toward the water still keeps me up at night...

[Matt MacIver]

Wonderful afternoon playing the renovated Old Town, just an awesome course with great character inside and outside the clubhouse.

[Jay Flemma]

Playing:  NGLA, as always.  Honorable mention goes to Old Town and the phenomenal work there in the restoration.

Covering:  Sitting in the media center Friday of the U.S. Open and watching Kaymer tally birdie after birdie, saying to myself, (quietly, because we don't root, but we can root for a good story), "Come on...another...come on...another..."

Ding! Ding! Ding! Till he got to 10-under and set the major championship record for lowest opening 36 holes ever n a major.  I also remember some lunkheads saying, "I hope he collapses, this is boring" and "I watch the  U.S. Open to watch guys founder, not beat up the course." I just told them I didn't want to see an historical peformance such as that Th-Fri go to waste and become just a footnote.

Dominant...that's what it was.

Personal:  Helping my 91 y/o Dad out of the car so he could finally see the restoration work at his life-long home course!  Still hurts a lot knowing he can't play any more, though...but his smile as he saw the course reclaimed from being so close to NLE was worth diamonds.

Here's a pic from the Dark Ages of the course  - circa 2009:

[Ronald Montesano]

Jay,

Which is that life-long home course?

[Jason Topp]

I played some great courses but more importantly played with some great people this year:

36 at Crystal Downs on my birthday due to a very kind invitation out of the blue from Mr. Zuckerman that came out of the blue.

36 at Lawsonia Links due to a wonderful late fall event organized by Dan Moore.

Four rounds with John Crowley in Palm Springs.

Dallas courses with Greg Clark and Lou Duran and my son.

Toured the home courses of the Minnesota contingent as a part of a regular last sunday of the month game we set up this year.

Brainerd area resort courses as a part of Ben Kodadek's Palm to Pine event which involves one of the most entertaining crews of degenerates I have ever met (a group with which I very much fit in).

Hosted Ed Oden and Cory Lewis and demonstrating to my wife that it is possible to play more golf while traveling than I normally play.

Played with the great crew of Windsong Farm members in all types of circumstances.

[Jim Franklin]

Getting back out to Rock Creek Cattle Company was my #1 highlight. Two trips to Pine valley a close second. With an October round at Fishers Island a close third.

[Mark McKeever]

My Highlight:

Playing Myopia Hunt Club with Tom Paul and two of their historians/club leaders.  Two of us played a game, while the other two gave us a day long history lesson.

It was an absolutely unforgettable day and perhaps the best day I've had yet on a golf course.

Mark

[Andy Troeger]

I took an 8,101 mile road trip across the eastern part of the US, playing 42 rounds over 6.5 weeks with various friends, including some GCA'ers. Played a few decent courses too: Pine Valley, Merion, Fishers Island, Winged Foot, The Country Club, Kinloch, Somerset Hills, Old Town, etc.

It was the road trip of a life time, covering 22 states. If I get more time later I'll add more details.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I took an 8,101 mile road trip across the eastern part of the US, playing 42 rounds over 6.5 weeks with various friends, including some GCA'ers. Played a few decent courses too: Pine Valley, Merion, Fishers Island, Winged Foot, The Country Club, Kinloch, Somerset Hills, Old Town, etc.

It was the road trip of a life time, covering 22 states. If I get more time later I'll add more details.

I'd love to hear more about your trip, since I was part of it at Ballyhack.

[Tommy Williamsen]

My golfing highlight was winning the George Cup at Ballyhack and wrestling it away from Kevin Lynch.  As a retired pastor getting a weekend to play in an event is just wonderful.  Counting seminary after college I didn't have many weekends for 46 years.


The other highlight of the year was skiing 34 straight days in Colorado.  I retired March 2 and March 4 I was on an airplane.  I skied 984,000 vertical feet. Both my son and family, and my daughter (pictured) were able to join me.

[Ronald Montesano]

Now more than ever, this thread/discussion group need a "Like" button.

[John Kavanaugh]

Meeting the kids from Princeton on their drive back to the clubhouse after they were eliminated from the 5th Major Championship shootout.

[Josh Tarble]

My golfing highlight was winning the George Cup at Ballyhack and wrestling it away from Kevin Lynch.  As a retired pastor getting a weekend to play in an event is just wonderful.  Counting seminary after college I didn't have many weekends for 46 years.

The other highlight of the year was skiing 34 straight days in Colorado.  I retired March 2 and March 4 I was on an airplane.  I skied 984,000 vertical feet. Both my son and family, and my daughter (pictured) were able to join me.

Tommy,
You couldn't do a couple extra days to reach 1,000,000?!   

My goal is to reach 100,000 in the four or five days I get out there every year. 

[Jeff Taylor]

A slow year for me golfwise. However, playing The Country Club of Maryland was a wonderful experience. Spending time GCA has paid off. Having written off this course as short and out of date, I began to understand the routing and how it laid over the property. The green complexes were absolutely appropriate for the length of the hole and presented real challenge. No better example is the monstrous and severe 9th green. The drop off on the tucked right hand side pin was probably 6 feet. Hitting a shot into the side of that hill and watching the ball kick towards the pin was magic. There was no other way for me to get there given my rusty golf game. The rest of the day was icing on the cake.

[David Davis]

Ashe, great thread and story to lead it off.

As today I'm celebrating my 45th birthday I spent the last few days looking back on the best golfing year ever with as much gratitude as possible. it's been amazing both from a hosting point of view as I welcome a lot of great people to The Netherlands to share our excellent courses with them as well as played more than 40 courses abroad from my "bucket list". I couldn't believe it when I was going over the recap and it's only worth sharing from the perspective that I don't expect I'll ever have a better year as long as I live (but never say never).

The highlights were 3 trips:

London area/UK:  Sunningdale Old and New, Walton Heath Old and New, Royal St. Georges, Rye Golf Club, Royal Cinque Ports, Berkshire Red and Blue, Wentworth East and West, Swinley Forest, Queenwood, St. Georges Hill and Woking. Highlight was Royal Cinque Ports by a long shot.

New York/Philly: Merion East, The Bridge, Sebonack, Fisher's Island, Maidstone, NGLA, Shinnecock, Friar's Head, Garden City, Bethpage Black, Winged Foot and Quaker Ridge. Enough highlights for a film but my favorite was Shinnecock then Merion East, then Fisher's Island, then NGLA, then Maidstone.....

France: Morfontaine (and agree whole heartedly with Sheehy), St. Germain, Fontainebleau, Les Bordes and Chantilly. Highlight being Morfontaine.

When I add everything to to my favorite experience and number one highlight even given so many amazing experiences I'm going to say Morfontaine was the golf highlight of my year as well. It's a tough call but the experience was just that special. Second was Shinny, then Merion, then Fisher's.

Wow, life will never be the same from a perspective on golf point of view.

[Tommy Williamsen]

My golfing highlight was winning the George Cup at Ballyhack and wrestling it away from Kevin Lynch.  As a retired pastor getting a weekend to play in an event is just wonderful.  Counting seminary after college I didn't have many weekends for 46 years.

The other highlight of the year was skiing 34 straight days in Colorado.  I retired March 2 and March 4 I was on an airplane.  I skied 984,000 vertical feet. Both my son and family, and my daughter (pictured) were able to join me.

Tommy,
You couldn't do a couple extra days to reach 1,000,000?!   

My goal is to reach 100,000 in the four or five days I get out there every year. 

I was on track to reach a million but the person I skied with the last day got hurt and we had to go in.  I thought about ditching her but valor got the better part of me.  It was a mistake.

[Keith Grande]

Meeting the kids from Princeton on their drive back to the clubhouse after they were eliminated from the 5th Major Championship shootout.

John, you stayed up that late? 

Mine was watching Joel Zuckerman hole 50 foot putt after 50 foot putt against us on Dismal White during the 5th Major.  Up, around and over the Lion's mouth, from the back of the green to the front on the par 5 signature windmill hole....

Actually the whole week of Dimsal 5th Major and Ballyneal, with good friends, old and new.  If you haven't been there, make it a priority this year...

[Josh Tarble]

My golfing highlight was winning the George Cup at Ballyhack and wrestling it away from Kevin Lynch.  As a retired pastor getting a weekend to play in an event is just wonderful.  Counting seminary after college I didn't have many weekends for 46 years.

The other highlight of the year was skiing 34 straight days in Colorado.  I retired March 2 and March 4 I was on an airplane.  I skied 984,000 vertical feet. Both my son and family, and my daughter (pictured) were able to join me.

Tommy,
You couldn't do a couple extra days to reach 1,000,000?!   

My goal is to reach 100,000 in the four or five days I get out there every year. 

I was on track to reach a million but the person I skied with the last day got hurt and we had to go in.  I thought about ditching her but valor got the better part of me.  It was a mistake.

Oh what a bummer...984,000 at least rounds up to 1,000,000