[Sean_A]

Bogey got me to thinking on the Aiken thread.  I have never heard of defining oneself as a golfer by the courses we identify with, but why not?  For me, its definitely Kington because I dig gravity golf where angles rule supreme, there is plenty of scope to screw up & wonder why and I don't feel beat up after the game. 


How bout you?


Ciao

[David Davis]

Up till this stage in my golf life I guess my home course would be the one I identify with. As it's playing this summer (again) it's the hardest course I've ever played in all my travels and that's greatly increased my pleasure of traveling and seeing great architecture for sure. It's made me a full on links man.


I wouldn't say it's been a confidence builder in any way but it's taught me to learn to score decently by being satisfied with simply being able to figure out how to find my tee shot back and be able to put the next shot into play. It's also taught me to relish tournament conditions that make even the best golfers wish they were staying home. If it's a serious competition then I like it nasty with high winds and rain as it makes me feel like I have a huge advantage to make up for my lack of talent.

[Phil McDade]

For me, it's Lawsonia in the state I've called home now for nearly 30 years. I fell in love with the place the first time I saw it, and it's the one course I'd play if forced to play one course the rest of my life. Why? A whole host of reasons: it's public, which appeals to my egalitarian spirit; it's not overly difficult while still being a challenge; it has a bit of quirk, but not too much; it usually plays firm, and has width galore; it has greens of great interest; it has bold architecture rarely found elsewhere; it's a rigorous walk, but not overly taxing; it opens with three doglegs to the right to accommodate my ever-present slice; it has roughly six of my favorite holes ever played; and it opens the course to local high schools for state tournament play every year. And a bunch of other reasons.


I like a lot about living here, but having that course 90 minutes from home always makes me think I'm a lucky golfer.

[Jon Wiggett]

Kilspindie,


plenty of fun out on the course whilst always posing those subtle questions especially around the green. It is a course that allows for social golf and is inclusive for all levels of player. Finally, it has bags of character and atmosphere from the first tee to the clubhouse.

[Richard Fisher]

This is a really interesting thread, although to me it does raise again the 'club' and 'course' issue that arose a few weeks ago - i.e. I would always define myself as a golfer as much by the other people I enjoy playing with, which is intrinsic (to me) to enjoying myself, although I have spent many happy hours playing solitary evening golf after work or at weekends. If I had to choose one course which provides a memorable challenge, and tests the things I love about the game, but which is also (almost) never impossible, with plenty of width and different angles of attack, and loads of fun around the green (and, as an often poor and erratic putter but with a pretty decent short game, around the green matters to me as much as on it) then it would be Brancaster. Or Westward Ho! Ironically, perhaps, the
strengths (or rather weaknesses) of my own game are not well served by my two other all-time favourites, Harlech and Huntercombe, with their big greens and premium on really good long putting. But Sean raises a really good issue I shall continue to ponder.

[jeffwarne]

I like a course where the challenge IS the course, not staying on it so I'd have to say TOC, Palmetto or somewhere it's difficult to lose a ball without considering the risk. (i.e not crap/ob/water both sides every fairway)
you could of course lose a ball on TOC but only if you took a bold line and hit a poor shot.

[BCowan]

The 3 courses off the top of my head. 

Old town, how space is used in a shared way.  I think every architect needs to see OT for educational reasons.

Belvedere, the genius loci is off the charts. The shaved areas around the greens give great options while fitting in perfectly to the land. 

Battle creek,  ground game options, large greens with multiple pin placements.  I usually don't care for large greens, then I played BCCCC...  genius loci is very very good.  Convenient short game area by 1st tee is wonderful.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Panda Park GC. Eats, shoots and leaves.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

The Old Course as I used to play it in the late 70s early 80s around Easter time, when you had hardly anybody out on the course. It was bliss.

[JLahrman]

Are people listing the course that 'defines you as a golfer' or your favorite course?

I don't know what the course that defines me as a golfer would be, but it would definitely be a public course.

But my favorite course isn't.

[David Wuthrich]

I would say that the course that defines me as a golfer is Shinnecock.  I like beauty in a golf course, and Shinnecock has that.  Nothing like a late afternoon round in the fall with all of the different colors.  I like a challenging golf course, and Shinnecock challenges every aspect of my game.  I like to hit every club in my bag during a round and I do that there.   I like a course that I can't wait to get back to play again, and that is Shinnecock.  I would hope on a plane tomorrow to fly from Houston to play it.   I like a course that rewards well played shots and penalizes misplayed ones, and that is Shinnecock.  I rejoice when I make a birdie, am relieved when I make a par and know exactly why I made bogey or worse.  I like a course that is very walkable, and that is Shinnecock.  I have walked 36 there in a day and could have gone for 18 more.  I like a course that looks like it was just placed on the existing land without man-made features, and that is Shinnecock.  They did not have all of the modern equipment when it was built and it still is one of the great courses anywhere.   I like a course that when you bring them there to play, all of your friends can have a wonderful time, from the low handicaps to the high handicaps, and that is Shinnecock.  Half the fun of bringing friends there for the first time is to see the expressions on their faces before, during and after each hole.  I like a place where all of the greats of the game have played and that is Shinnecock.  I walk the fairways and imagine how Jones, Hogan, Palmer, Nicklaus, etc. would have played the hole.  I'm just a simple golfer who appreciates simple things.  Nothing flashy, just a wonderful 3 1/2 hours with nature.

[Peter Pallotta]

Sean -

of the courses I've actually played, I think I'd pick Lakeview -- a municipal course run by (Toronto's western neighbour) the city of Mississauga.

A Herbert Strong design from 1922, a low to the ground, treed-but-not-claustrophobic, 6400 yard Par 71 parkland course with subtle greens and a lot of history -- e.g. two time host of our national open (once won by the great Tommy Armour). Playable for all but tough to score well on, it's a lovely and easy walk with a real mix of holes (including a very long Par 5 that if I remember is close to 600 yards), and doesn't look to be much changed in decades -- and though the green fees have gone up over the years, it is still -- in the GTA -- a very good value.

As I often say about some of your English course profiles: it says "golf" in the most elegantly understated way.  I think you would like it very much, and might say it had several cracking good holes and much fine golf in general.

Peter

Here's the scorecard, sorry for the need to scroll. The old-fashioned uneven 9s (3300+ on the front, including the 591 yard Par 5 and the 441 yard Par 4, back to back!), one nine ending with a (long) Par 3 and the next nine starting with a Par 3. 

[Jon Wiggett]

Are people listing the course that 'defines you as a golfer' or your favorite course?

I don't know what the course that defines me as a golfer would be, but it would definitely be a public course.

But my favorite course isn't.

I think it means a course that you enjoy playing, that suits you ethos of playing the game and so if there is a course that you could play every day and always enjoy it then that is the course.

[Jay Mickle]

For me it is Mid Pines. It is wonderful walk late in the day when the sun filters through the long leaf pines and shadows grow long. I play it 150+ time a year and never tire of the variety of shots that can be hit with both modern and hickory clubs and greens that as they say, need to be remembered not read. It also happens to be a great golf course that can be enjoyed by all level of players from US Kids World Championships for 8 and 9 year olds, the Society of Hickory Golfers final "major" of the year, the Mid Pines Hickory Open to tour pros like Webb Simpson, Billy Hass and Greg Norman.
As a member because of the crossovers and green/tee junctures there are more than 25 different loops that can be made depending on how much time I have and/or course traffic. Whether for competition or fun the course fits me but sometimes I think it doesn't like me all that much.

[Duncan Cheslett]

I am a very lucky man.


I have played grander courses; I have played longer courses; I have to admit that I have even played "better" courses, but I have yet to play a course that I would prefer to play every day to my own club - Reddish Vale.

[Tom Bacsanyi]

Commonground.  It's daily fee, suburban, cheap, parkland style golf built on an uninspiring site at it's absolute finest.  It has the right scale, cool greens, some great holes, some good holes, some okay holes, and one hole that makes you go "huh?".  The right amount of trees, the right amount of not trees, grass faced bunkers, some birdie holes, some tough holes.  It's not the course I grew up on, but I wish it was the course I grew up on.

[Tim_Weiman]

I would say that the course that defines me as a golfer is Shinnecock.  I like beauty in a golf course, and Shinnecock has that.  Nothing like a late afternoon round in the fall with all of the different colors.  I like a challenging golf course, and Shinnecock challenges every aspect of my game.  I like to hit every club in my bag during a round and I do that there.   I like a course that I can't wait to get back to play again, and that is Shinnecock.  I would hope on a plane tomorrow to fly from Houston to play it.   I like a course that rewards well played shots and penalizes misplayed ones, and that is Shinnecock.  I rejoice when I make a birdie, am relieved when I make a par and know exactly why I made bogey or worse.  I like a course that is very walkable, and that is Shinnecock.  I have walked 36 there in a day and could have gone for 18 more.  I like a course that looks like it was just placed on the existing land without man-made features, and that is Shinnecock.  They did not have all of the modern equipment when it was built and it still is one of the great courses anywhere.   I like a course that when you bring them there to play, all of your friends can have a wonderful time, from the low handicaps to the high handicaps, and that is Shinnecock.  Half the fun of bringing friends there for the first time is to see the expressions on their faces before, during and after each hole.  I like a place where all of the greats of the game have played and that is Shinnecock.  I walk the fairways and imagine how Jones, Hogan, Palmer, Nicklaus, etc. would have played the hole.  I'm just a simple golfer who appreciates simple things.  Nothing flashy, just a wonderful 3 1/2 hours with nature.

David,


I have never flown from Houston to play Shinnecock, but I did fly from Long Beach, Ca to do so about twenty five years ago, thanks to an invitation from my favorite waiter at Kelly's Restaurant in the Belmont Shore/Naples area of Long Beach. The waiter's name was Tom Bass. Tom grow up and caddied at Shinnecock. He used to go back every August and had privileges to go out and play when he was in town, apparently. It was one of my favorite golf experiences.


My course would be Ballybunion simply because nobody does social golf better - all 19 holes.

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