[Tommy Williamsen]

Seeing Bill Shulz's thread--Conquest Completed, World Top 100--made we wonder how many have a goal of playing any of the top 100 lists. I did have the goal to play the top 100 on the GD list, but have given it up. I get to about 80 but every two years the list changes. I have just lost interest. Keeping up just doesn't have the same thrill anymore. I now enjoy playing lesser known courses and replaying some I enjoyed.
Any of you have playing any of  top 100 lists as a goal?

[Cal Seifert]

The list of “courses I want to play” is way more than 100.

[Joe Schackman]

It was either an article or Podcast from Michael Bamberger where he said his goal was to play all the Walker Cup courses.

I liked that idea and it seemed like a more attainable goal that had more purpose and meaning than just chasing the ever changing "top 100".

Then I looked closer at the list and realized, while the list is shorter, it is not any more attainable.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I sponsored a guy at Columbia CC outside DC who wanted to play all the US Open Courses. That one seems fun if you can get access. For me making the connections to play some courses is part of the enjoyment.

[Tom_Doak]

I've known several of the people who completed playing the various top 100 lists.  Attaching such a mission to these lists has inevitably skewed the importance of the lists in their minds, and for some, their own place in the process and in the grander scheme of golf. 


I became bothered when I realized they were screaming right past a bunch of worthwhile courses to tick off the boxes that would make them special.  After all, whatever they say is their impetus, the definition of their actual goal is not to find courses that belong on the list, but to validate what's already there by playing the preselected ones.


Many of my goals revolve around changing the top 100 lists and making them better.  Happily I've found I've got multiple ways to do that besides being a panelist 😉

[Peter Pallotta]

Tommy - I have my goals and obsessions (eg, scoring a round in the 60s, and having 14 clubs all by the same company & with totally matching grips); but for some reason have not even the inkling of an interest in playing the Top 100 anything. Partly that's a practical matter; but partly it's a sense that I can only play one course & one round of golf at a time -- and the thought of playing *this* course with any thought of/link to the *next* one only makes my head feel scrambled. I have enough trouble staying in the moment already...

[Jim Franklin]

I have played 99 of the Digest 100. Also have played around 1150 courses. I try to play the courses near the great ones also. Will never play Top 100 in world because of kids and travel is too much.

[JC Jones]

The only ranking that is 100% accurate and thus worth playing is the North Carolina Business Journal Top 100 courses in North Carolina.

[Ira Fishman]

I have never aspired to play any Top 100 list....however, I sure as heck aspire to a job/station in life that would enable me to play courses all over the place whenever the fancy struck me. 


Ira

[PCCraig]

I became bothered when I realized they were screaming right past a bunch of worthwhile courses to tick off the boxes that would make them special.  After all, whatever they say is their impetus, the definition of their actual goal is not to find courses that belong on the list, but to validate what's already there by playing the preselected ones.

This x1000.

[Jeff Schley]

I became bothered when I realized they were screaming right past a bunch of worthwhile courses to tick off the boxes that would make them special.  After all, whatever they say is their impetus, the definition of their actual goal is not to find courses that belong on the list, but to validate what's already there by playing the preselected ones.

This x1000.


Everyone likes playing great golf courses, many regular on lists.


The problem with Bill Schulz's and other list seekers is that is reeks of low self esteem. The only reason to chase a goal of playing the GD Top 100 is to tell other people that you've played them all to impress on people. What it impresses on me is that person is one-dimensional, lacking perspective, and in need of another hobby. What likely sounded like a cool idea when you're 12 now becomes a pathetic endeavor when you travel to South Korea to play some Jack Nicklaus-designed course that is only on the Golf Magazine list because its ownership paid off the rankings editor.

Woah.... really?  That is a pretty dark view of what is considered a hobby for all of us.  I would not categorize anyone pursuing such an endeavor in this manner; anymore than someone who was traveling around to see a game at all the MLB ballparks as being so deflated in their self image, their only morsel of pride would be to tell others what goal they accomplished? There are wine snobs, who use their discretionary income (quite a bit usually) to buy classic wine/champagne, or buy baseball cards, or whatever. They all strive for something and why should a golfer who wants to play 100 of some magazines top list be viewed in such a demeaning lens?  It's a game and a hobby and can lead to goal setting, just like someone trying to climb Mt. Everest.  It is about the climb to the pinnacle to that person IMO, not boring anyone they know regaling their tales of the accomplishment.  My 2 cents.

[Thomas Dai]

Each to their own and good luck to all those who wish to pursue such an endeavour. As to me chasing top-100 lists and the like, well I’m not in the slightest bit fussed.
There are currently only 4 courses that I’ll be peeved if I haven’t played before I meet my maker and they’re all of the quirky, rustic-semi-rustic variety. There are also about another dozen courses that I’ve already played that I want to play again, especially with my son. And when I say that one of the dozen I want to play again is Mulranny you’ll probably get an idea what kind of courses the others are. There are also a few in distant parts of the world, Continental Europe and Southern Hemisphere mainly, that I’d like to play should circumstances permit. There are however, parts of the world where golf is played that I have no interest in visiting or visiting again, irrespective of the quality of the golf available.
Now this doesn’t mean there aren’t other courses than I don’t want to play, far from it, but it’s a question of course types and personal preferences and priorities. And from the other perspective, sometimes playing a course out of your normal sphere of comfort or preference is good to bring a dose of reality, reaffirm that the grass isn’t greener or more enjoyable on the other side of the hill or highlight new horizons of interest.

There’s a fair chance that if I had a bank account containing an enormous amount of £$€ and access to exceptionally easy travel arrangements that I may well feel somewhat different, although I suspect I’d be far more likely be to searching out unique and quirky and interesting courses, including minimalist new builds and renovations, and doing so weather permitting in the offseason rather than during the summer ticking off long yardage, big name courses that appear in magazine lists.
As I said at the start however, each to their own.
Atb

[Jason Thurman]

I'm finding a lot of joy, the last year or two, in replaying courses I've enjoyed. Sometimes at the expense of checking off new ones.


I'm happy for the Bill Schulz's of the world. But I suspect that the man who sees it all still misses a lot. I'm finding value in going deeper, not just wider.

[Ira Fishman]

I'm finding a lot of joy, the last year or two, in replaying courses I've enjoyed. Sometimes at the expense of checking off new ones.


I'm happy for the Bill Schulz's of the world. But I suspect that the man who sees it all still misses a lot. I'm finding value in going deeper, not just wider.

This is one of the great dilemmas.  We love trying new courses, but leave realizing we may not get back.  So next year do we go back to Dornoch, Brora, and Golspie or go to Fife/East Lothian for the first time?  We chose the latter but it was not an easy call.  I guess our compromise has been that for our "big" vacation of the year, we go to new places, but then get back to Mid Pines/Pine Needles at least once a year to play old favorites. 


Ira

[Brian Finn]

I became bothered when I realized they were screaming right past a bunch of worthwhile courses to tick off the boxes that would make them special.  After all, whatever they say is their impetus, the definition of their actual goal is not to find courses that belong on the list, but to validate what's already there by playing the preselected ones.

This x1000.
Everyone likes playing great golf courses, many regular on lists.
The problem with Bill Schulz's and other list seekers is that is reeks of low self esteem. The only reason to chase a goal of playing the GD Top 100 is to tell other people that you've played them all to impress on people. What it impresses on me is that person is one-dimensional, lacking perspective, and in need of another hobby. What likely sounded like a cool idea when you're 12 now becomes a pathetic endeavor when you travel to South Korea to play some Jack Nicklaus-designed course that is only on the Golf Magazine list because its ownership paid off the rankings editor.

Ironically, your opinion on this issue is one-dimensional and lacking perspective.  I'm not trying to knock off any particular lists, but I am open enough to realize that people may do so for myriad reasons.  I know a couple of guys that have nearly completed the world list and have barely told a soul. 

I do agree, though, that it is sad to miss other cool courses nearby, when merely doing a fly-by to hit a T100.  However, of the people I know that have completed the list (or are in the process), this is pretty rare.  Of course, that's anecdotal. 

[Dan Gallaway]

My current goal is to get back to the Top One course in Moorpark, CA.

[Sean_A]

A part of me thinks trying to play a top 100 list would be fun and I can see why folks are intrigued by the concept.  Not loving getting on planes so much I know any such list would be a folly for me.  I did try a list once and completed it on my 40th birthday...that was some time ago.  I haven't been compelled to create a new to do list based on something other than my interests...which is a Next 35 that gets updated and revised as and when I see pix of courses or when people whose tastes are similar to mine pipe up.  Understandably I focus on GB&I courses, but not even close to the exclusion of returning to many favourites again and again.  There are six courses on that list which I hope I can hit sooner rather than later.

Dunstanburgh Castle
Parkstone
Berkshire Red
Tandridge
Cleveland
Meadowbrook

Ciao

[jeffwarne]

Each to their own ............ There are also about another dozen courses that I’ve already played that I want to play again, especially with my son........And when I say that one of the dozen I want to play again is Mulranny.....

There are some real gems in that paragraph above -I highlighted what stood out to me.
I always appreciate there are those who only want to play the Open courses, the Top 100's.


Keeps the gems uncrowded and unpretentious. I know of a few courses that have crept onto or up in the lists (some massively) and it changed their culture and accessibility(not in a good way)but if it pleases folks all the better.


The beauty of this website is that there seems a never ending discovery of gems that get little attention outside our world.

[Tommy Williamsen]

The question I have been asking myself recently is did I really enjoy X course, which is highly rated, much more than Y course which few know and is unrated? I thought about that when I was creating the thread on Hawaii golf. Did I enjoy Nanea that much more than Kiahuna or Pukea? I certainly thought it was a much better course, but in terms of sheer enjoyment I don't know. There are so many fun courses out there that go unnoticed. I'd like to see more of them and decide for myself if they are worth the trip.

[Pete Lavallee]

A perfect example would be would you rather play Bethpage Black or Rustic Canyon. BPB will always be rated significantly higher than RC as rating comes more down to a test of golf rather than a test of fun. But I would go 1-9 as fun trumps stature.

[James Brown]

Here’s a question:


The GD Top 100 or every Doak Scale 7 and above?  Which would be more fun?

[Tommy Williamsen]

Here’s a question:


The GD Top 100 or every Doak Scale 7 and above?  Which would be more fun?

My guess is that the vast majority of top 100 courses on most lists are Doak 7s. Both are list questions. The question I'm wondering is, do we play any unranked Doaks?

[Joe Zucker]

As with almost anything in life, there are good ways to do it and bad ways. I'm in agreement that it is a shame if you're hopping into a country for a day just to play a course on some list.  However, if the list is your impetus to travel and see new places, what's wrong with that? Maybe it's the only reason I would get to South Korea to spend a few days in Seoul is to play this course.  If that is the case, chasing a list can be an avenue to seeing the world and that is a positive in my eyes.  Popping in for 24 hours and missing the stuff off the list is a shame though...

[James Brown]

Here’s a question:


The GD Top 100 or every Doak Scale 7 and above?  Which would be more fun?

My guess is that the vast majority of top 100 courses on most lists are Doak 7s. Both are list questions. The question I'm wondering is, do we play any unranked Doaks?

Yes, but there are very many 7s that are not and that’s my point.  I would much rather quest for that.


As for the original question, I just wanna play as much Good golf as I can. 

[Peter Pallotta]

I would like to see and play and experience something really special -- a golf course with quiet, understated beauty, in a peaceful natural environment, with a smartly challenging design that's thoughtfully maintained, and an aura of well-worn and lay of the land simplicity, run by kind people of pleasant manners and with light-hearted members of goodwill, with no judgements or pretensions or power & ego games but just a shared love of golf. But if I ever found such a place, and if it happened to be one of the first courses on 'my list', the 'quest' would end right then and there -- because if I found such a place, why would I ever want to play anywhere else? What could possibly be better?
Peter

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