Courses that broke your heart not to finish

[Jason Topp]

A friend of mine shot 32 on the front nine when we visited Troon.   Heavy rain started on 9 green.  He is a good player but a 1 or 2 handicap, not someone who shoots 32. 


 We must have waited for an hour in the trees at the end of the course and finally gave up when the water on 9 green pooled up to the point that it spilled out on one side. 


We went to a trailer park at the end of the course to call for a ride back to the clubhouse. 

[Gib_Papazian]

Trying to kill a tee shot on #8 at Sleepy Hollow . . . . . long enough ago that my backswing actually reached my shoulders.

I got all three Rice Krispies sounds in a single lunge and the aftermath was a humiliating limp back to the enormous clubhouse.

The aftermath is the constricted, Allen Doyle move I still live with - like a retarded Hubie Green, trying to imitate Doug Sanders - except dressed more like Robert Landers.

My next trip, battling yet another flare-up, I was relegated to walking the golf course with the Great Bahto - and have never returned since.   

[Matt Bosela]

We were on the 16th hole at Sand Valley when the horn went off and skies opened up and we had to quit.  We didn’t get to finish as we had to head to Erin Hills for meetings the next day.

Sand Valley is the one that immediately springs to mind for me as well.  This goes back to 2018 and a round I was playing with GCA's own Jay Mickle - a massive lightning storm hit around the 15th hole and we had to head back into the clubhouse area to wait it out.  We already had a late tee time and I had to head back to Edina, MN for my lodging that night, a three and a half hour drive. Under normal circumstances, arriving late to a hotel wouldn't be an issue but in this case, I had chosen a place called "Erik's Retreat", a hotel that features guest rooms run by young adults with autism.  I was told that I'd need to arrive before 10pm before they locked the doors, so I wasn't able to finish my round. 


There will be lots of opportunities to visit Sand Valley again in the future. I'm just so glad I found Erik's Retreat when doing research on accommodations in the Minneapolis area. It gets my highest recommendation.

[Jason Connor]

Ive twice started Bethpage Black but never finished it.


First day we had tee times on Red & Yellow -- this was years ago.  As we approached the window to pay, two slots opened up on Black for the afternoon.  So we switched & played Red in the morning & black in the afternoon ... and got rained out on 11.


Then the other time I got on, we didnt get off until about 3pm, then due to the notoriously slow play, we didn't get to finish.


We basically played in the almost dark on 15, but found our balls and managed to finish.


On 16 we hit our teeshots into the dark, the four of us stretched out and walked down the fairway in parallel spread out looking for each others balls, but only found 1 of the 4 and just called it a day.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Rained out at Pine Valley after 14.  I would have gone on, but the member said they had a very strict rule about leaving the course when the siren went off, which I understood.  The good news is, I can say I shot 72 at PV, which is pretty impressive if I leave out how many holes I played.....which I often do.

[John Kavanaugh]

Rained out at Pine Valley after 14.  I would have gone on, but the member said they had a very strict rule about leaving the course when the siren went off, which I understood.  The good news is, I can say I shot 72 at PV, which is pretty impressive if I leave out how many holes I played.....which I often do.

When I saw that you had responded to this thread I thought you were going to mention Craig’s Ranch. Me, you and Lou did the 17 hole skidoo.

[Jim Franklin]

Second time playing Cypress Point we were asked to come in after 14 because it was too dangerous to play 15-17. Thankfully I had played it before and have been back since. One of the group has never been back, but he has played ANGC so I don't feel too bad.

[Tim Gallant]

What about courses you never started? Every time I miss the ballot on the Old it's devastating. I'm 0-3 this year. Any advice for getting out of the slump? Am I mistreating my clubs? Should I leave a burnt offering at the Swilcan Bridge? Taking advice

[archie_struthers]

 




Was an assistant at Gulfstream CC in Florida in 1984 and finally got to play Seminole with a really nice member at both clubs. Had it under par going to #14 when a wicked storm blew in    Never finished and haven't been lucky enough to return and see all the holes. Opportunity lost

[Jeff_Brauer]

Rained out at Pine Valley after 14.  I would have gone on, but the member said they had a very strict rule about leaving the course when the siren went off, which I understood.  The good news is, I can say I shot 72 at PV, which is pretty impressive if I leave out how many holes I played.....which I often do.

When I saw that you had responded to this thread I thought you were going to mention Craig’s Ranch. Me, you and Lou did the 17 hole skidoo.

JK, I had forgotten that, and actually at least kind of remember looking at the 18th as we drove in (or played?).  Did one of us have some kind of reason we had to leave?  I do recall being impressed with the front nine, but disappointed in the back, with all it's creek crossings.

[John Kavanaugh]

I recall being rained out. I only packed shoes, a glove and a sleeve of balls. Either you or Lou provided the rest.


I remember Craig's Ranch as being a big clean breathing easy kind of place.