[Thomas Dai]

A question for those not in the golf business*, which to do enjoy the most, playing golf or the architecture - or some other aspect?
Once-upon-a-time for me it was almost entirely playing. These days the playing aspect is declining a bit whilst the architecture/construction/history/photography aspect is increasing.
atb


* those in the golf business are of course very welcome to comment as well

[BHoover]

I would say I enjoy playing golf the most. It's all the more enjoyable on a great course. But my focus is on the playing aspect (even though I haven't done so in a few months because of my kids).

[Mark Kiely]

I enjoy taking photos of golf courses, writing reviews of courses, learning about architecture of courses, etc., but I view all of that as an extension of playing golf. Those other activities are almost a way to vicariously re-live the experience of playing.


Playing golf, I imagine, will always rank first for me. And if my enjoyment of playing declined for some reason, I'd expect my interest in the correlated activities to decline accordingly.

[Steve Lang]

   If there's any light available and its not too wet, playing golf... seeing new gca is definitely a plus, can study anything as a professional student, but can't beat learning by doing!

[jeffwarne]

A question for those not in the golf business*, which to do enjoy the most, playing golf or the architecture - or some other aspect?
Once-upon-a-time for me it was almost entirely playing. These days the playing aspect is declining a bit whilst the architecture/construction/history/photography aspect is increasing.
atb


* those in the golf business are of course very welcome to comment as well

Don't the two go together?
i.e. I enjoy playing on courses that are architecturally interesting.(width/angles, tilty/slopey greens, humpy fairways, bunkers that matter, choices,varied and interesting recoveries)

[V. Kmetz]

For one large reason and one smaller one, I'm completely more given to the "architecture appreciation" thing than the playing itself...


The big reason is I have/caddie(d) for a wide pool of golfers over 35 years from pros and ams in local tournaments to 24 Hcps at some of the best courses in a great area. With many repeat visits to many such courses, I get know them inside and out, and I get to know playing properties of golfers, even strangers within a hole or three. (Where I caddie most regularly, they allow me to "play" them, almost like a video game). I know where to miss, what kind of spin does this at WF and where the putts break East at Siwanoy and on and on and on... what I'm saying is...it IS like playing to me, without the bother of swinging. But I'm sentient in this "playing" from a "what was intended by the architect" matched by "what you, Mr Golfer, can pull off" sense of it... I'm probably not makign it clear...


Then, the smaller reason is that my own playing has become so infrequent (I played more times this year [4] than any previous 5 seasons) and unpracticed that I'm frustrated I can't enjoy a good course on a playing level.  Almost worse is that I still drive the ball exceedingly well, but the closer I get to the hole, the less and less acumen I have, including chilis and not making anything outside 6 feet. The 88s and match losses that result are intolerable for a person 12 years ago a 4 HCP who still drives it like 6 and hits irons enough to be a 9


As I frequently say to my golfers when asked about my own game. "I enjoy watching you play better" which is absolutely true.


So the architectural level is the saving grace of contemplation. I can't enjoy the Punchbowl when I'm scraping it about, without practice or more play.


cheers   vk

[Peter Pallotta]

Played a course Wednesday by my least favourite 'good' designer (a 'name brand', at least in Canada.). It was in the heath-ish style, circa 1995-2000. I was looking forward to playing (golf, that is, not necessarily this course - which I hadn't played before but was the only one in the area with a tee time that worked). Playing with an old dear friend, introducing him to persimmon and blade golf. The company was great, but the golf wasn't. There was so much 'architecture' (ie faux architecture) that I couldn't get into the flow of the game at all. My fault, my failing, I know -- but as Jeff says, I do find that the game and the architecture go hand in hand.

[Steve Lang]

   Peter, no mention of the old friend and your shared time together?  I find that in those rare meeting type circumstances, the golf is almost secondary to the discussion at hand, the venue simply the stage.. the gca just some props.


A couple weeks ago we played Interlochen south of Traverse City, where I hadn't been in 20 years, a rendezvous with a life long friend, the 1965 vintage course was a great backdrop and served up a handful of memorable moments for each of us.. left with thoughts of unfinished business but a smile on the face.

[Garland Bayley]

Playing

[Jud_T]

I think one of the nice things about GCA appreciation is that even if you're not playing well on a given day, you can still appreciate the design and strategy.  Unless of course you're playing a 5 hour round on an uninteresting dogtrack, in which case you can simply stare into the void and go to the dark side. 😳

[Greg Chambers]

When I walk into an In N Out, I'm not standing there staring, looking for the secret menu...I'm ordering a Double Double and eating it.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Played a course Wednesday by my least favourite 'good' designer (a 'name brand', at least in Canada.). It was in the heath-ish style, circa 1995-2000. I was looking forward to playing (golf, that is, not necessarily this course - which I hadn't played before but was the only one in the area with a tee time that worked). Playing with an old dear friend, introducing him to persimmon and blade golf. The company was great, but the golf wasn't. There was so much 'architecture' (ie faux architecture) that I couldn't get into the flow of the game at all. My fault, my failing, I know -- but as Jeff says, I do find that the game and the architecture go hand in hand.

Thing is Peter, if you didn't have knowledge about GCA, you would have enjoyed that game much more. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

[Carl Johnson]

Playing golf, golf games with my friends.  I love the competition with my (mostly) elderly friends.  But for that, I wouldn't be playing golf, and golf course architecture (not to mention the history and the culture of golf) would be of no interest to me.  Having said that, then being interested in architecture, history and the culture enhances my enjoyment of playing the game.

[A.G._Crockett]

Easy question.

If you could walk all of the great golf courses in the world, but never hit a shot again, OR play golf anytime you wanted but only on every day, run-of-the-mill courses, which would you choose?

I love good GCA, but I'll be a sad old man the day I don't get to hit a golf ball anymore.

[Tom_Doak]

If you could walk all of the great golf courses in the world, but never hit a shot again, OR play golf anytime you wanted but only on every day, run-of-the-mill courses, which would you choose?

I'd rather walk.  I love those places, and I could never give up the access I've had, just to go out and chase a little ball around.

[RJ_Daley]

I play while I walk and enjoy the golf course design.  I can't play a lick and am getting old enough that I play even worse than ever.  But, as often as I can, I like to play a well designed course and try to appreciate what the architect was dealing with, how the archie routed it, and what construction challenges may have been overcome.  Of course as a non professional in that field, and only participating in a sort of study process of GCA and construction design techniques, I can only hope to pick up on some of the features and why they were part of the architecture.  Sometime one realizes that certain features were found in the terrain and a golf hole was laid upon that unique tract, and sometimes one finds something great that was totally manufactured. 

So, I try in my ham handed way to hit some shots as I think the design question was presented, and sometimes I even get lucky and hit that shot.  But, to see it and try is all the fun for me.  I have walked many great courses without playing, and got plenty of enjoyment from that as well.  So.... my answer is I'd walk great courses if I had the access, since my playing is getting more questionable as to how long I can continue to play at any level due to continuing physical deterioration. 

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