GCA Missed Connections

[Michael Chadwick]

What are some of your golf regrets? Favorite clubs that closed down? Invites you'd passed on that never came back? Cutting the wrong choice on a cramped itinerary? Courses you'd long overlooked but then finally stopped you in your tracks once you began paying attention?


I attended graduate school in England during a time when I associated golf with residentially lined desert courses, accessible only by golf cart, and had effectively given up all interest. Looking back, Huntercombe would've been my home club. To think of the weekends I could've spent wandering around England and Wales...but it was before my enlightenment.


And two weeks ago I had to choose between a game at Friar's Head and Maidstone on the same day. My hosts' schedules prevented 36 from being an option, so I went with Friar's. In hindsight I'm not so sure that was the right decision.


What architectural "missed connections" have left you with a feeling of wistfulness? 

[Ira Fishman]

On the day of my wedding, two of my buddies (and wedding guests) got up early to get a tee time at Bethpage Black. Despite my about to be wife's love of the game, I decided disappearing for the day to leave her with my family was not a great way to start our marriage. I figured that given that she is from Long Island, I would play it one day. 33 years later, I still have not played it.


Ira

[MCirba]

I had to turn down a time at Old Sandwich because I needed to get back to Philadelphia for a work meeting that day.   


Not many other regrets as I've been very fortunate.

[mike_malone]

Years ago it was either go to St.Andrew’s or Shinnecock. I chose TOC so I still haven’t played Shinny.

[Doug Bolls]

I have led groups to both Scotland and Ireland 3 times and have two regrets:


1. Missed playing the Himalayas Putting Course in St. Andrews.
2. Missed playing Musselburgh Links with hickories.


No excuses - I just didn't think about scheduling either of them on any of the trips.  But, I sure wish I had.


Having just played my 1000th different golf course,  I too have been very fortunate around this game we love.  As Tommy Williamson is known to say, "Playing lots of golf courses is a life well spent."  Amen.

[Greg Hohman]

Michael, like you I lived in a mecca during school. My alma mater is the Nat'l University of Ireland, Galway. I didn't play golf then and none of my friends there played. When I think about the golf that could have been enjoyed during those three years!...

[Terry Lavin]

Rained out waiting at a pancake restaurant near  Seminole, hoping for the rain to stop. It didn’t.


Probably 30 years ago. Still haven’t made it back there.

[Brian Finn]

Rained out waiting at a pancake restaurant near  Seminole, hoping for the rain to stop. It didn’t.

Probably 30 years ago. Still haven’t made it back there.

I've had my share of rainouts, but none that stung quite like standing in the Camargo pro shop in the middle of a torrential rainstorm.  Once we realized no golf would be played that day, we also went for pancakes at a spot nearby that the pro recommended. 

[Peter Pallotta]

At just about the same time that Tom D was on his study-tour of GB&I and managing it on a shoestring budget, a close friend (and now neurologist) decided to do a post-graduate degree in nutrition at an overseas institution, i.e. the University of St. Andrews.

He was there for two years, living in rooms 'just off campus' -- but the only thing we wrote/joked about was the apparent irony of St. Andrews having a nutrition program: my friend, a very picky eater, complained that it seemed every meal there consisted of fat, fried in lard, and smothered in butter.

Ha ha, eh? Well the joke was on me -- not interrupting his complaints long enough to ask him to host me at his place 'just off campus' for a month, and leave me to play golf on the Old Course for what was probably less than 50 p back then!



 

[John Kavanaugh]

Bob Huntley had set me up at Cypress Point with Todd E and other dignitaries when I learned that I had to attend a parole hearing instead. The dude was denied parole and died in jail so the joke was on him. Who's going for it now bitch?!?

[Daryl David]

Was all packed up set to go to Augusta National to stay at the club and play for 2 days. My friend had asked me along as he was being hosted by his boss who was a member and the CEO of a very large corporation. A few days before the trip, he called to tell me he had just quit his job and would be joining a competitor. The trip was off as the CEO was livid.  Needless to say, we are not friends anymore. 

[Jerry Kluger]

I will relate a Masters/ANGC miss. In 1990 I owned an art gallery and represented Leroy Neiman who I had asked over the years on many occasions to do a painting at the Masters which we could release as a limited edition serigraph. Finally he agreed to do so but it was February and he wanted for that April 2 tickets for Wednesday and Thursday, hotel accommodations, limousine service and airplane tickets.  I contacted someone who I had worked with who I knew had some ANGC connections.  He did have a client who was one of the few resident members of ANGC and owned a hotel in town and could get the limo, etc. and the friend had tickets he would let Leroy use for those days.  (His girlfriend traveled with him and I was not invited.) The member knew of Leroy and his work and the deal was done.  I was also put in touch with the head pro to help Leroy as he roamed the grounds with his sketch pad. (Leroy was very recognizable with his very distinctive mustache and slicked back black hair.). So now I had contact with a member and the head pro and I had Leroy send them personalized and signed posters of the piece.  But I never followed up with either the member or pro to get tickets to the Masters or the possibility of playing the course.  We did do a signed and numbered edition of the piece and I was able to acquire half of the edition which was very profitable.

[John Foley]

Was training for a fall Marathon back in the early 2000's when the call came to go to Sand Hills about a month from the race. I had been previously and my daughters were both under 4 so I declined the invite to ensure I stayed in good graces w/ the family.


Have not been back to NE but did have a great time running the Chicago Marathon so no regrets.

[Matt MacIver]

Randomly met the head pro at Lahinch at a pub. I hadn’t planned on playing but he offered to drop his clubs at my B&B and if I got out there before 8 I could whip around and return his clubs and pay after my round and make my flight. I woke up to pouring sideways rain and never had a chance.

[Mike_Trenham]

Got snowed out at Palmetto but successfully redirected to Yeamans Hall.


Showed up at Dornoch without a tee time in 1986 to learn the Senior Women’s Scottish Am was being played.  We spectated instead.

[Tommy Williamsen]

There are many missed connections, but what I miss the most is playing golf with my son. We are half a country apart. No more quick nine holes before dark. I miss it more than I can say.

[Rob Hallford]

Summer 2019 I was in St Andrews but couldn't convince myself to camp out all night by the starter's shed for TOC.  Got up at 4:30 AM, made my way down and got in line.  Lucked out and I got the last time of the day, in "the dark times".  Thinking it would be a 4.5 hour+ round and I'd miss out on (at least) 17 and 18 for sure, I called Carnoustie and grabbed an 11:30.  Had a wonderful round there, came back, had dinner at TOC Hotel, and came out right as the dark was really setting in.  Followed a group up 18 and asked one of the guys what tee time they had.  He responded with a big grin and a story about some guy who didn't show up for his time and what a miracle it was...

[Brent Carlson]

I had an invite to play Sand Hills.  Couldn't take him up on it due to logistics.  Still haven't made it out there.


Courses that I miss?  High Pointe is the top of that list.

[Matthew Mollica]

I think I've been more than fortunate, however there are a few ruminations in all our minds I suppose -


Never played the Sheep Ranch in it's original iteration
Didn't visit North Berwick on my visit to Scotland in 2002
Never managed to play TOC in reverse
Never managed a game with Mr Huntley in his later years
Still have missed meeting several GCA regulars, but hopefully that will be remedied in future.


Matthew

[Tom_Doak]

In the fall of 1988, I had about 50 friends up to Traverse City for a pre-opening of High Pointe - but it started pouring rain as the third or fourth group went off the tee.  Only one group stuck it out to play all 18 holes and they were completely drenched.


Two years later, a bunch of the same people were in town for my wedding, and it poured rain the afternoon prior and they had to close the course!


For the first Renaissance Cup in 1994, I promised to guarantee the travel expenses of those who had come to the other events if we got rained out again.  Fortunately, we had perfect weather.  And in 26 years of playing the Renaissance Cup we have only had three days where play was delayed by rain.

[jeffwarne]

I have been extremely fortunate, but,
As I was pulling out of my driveway to head to the airport for a Buda at Silloth/Seascale, I received news of a sudden death in the family.
I had planned aditional golf at Birkdale, Formby,Formby Ladies,Lytham,Windermere,and Hillside and dormy stays at Lytham and Formby)
I was able to send my assistant in my place at least.


I've have played some of those listed before or after, but still haven't played Hillside or Birkdale(attended an Open there) or made it to Windemere, Seascale or Silloth.

[Chris Mavros]

Onwentsia - Decisions had to be made; with logistics and geography big factors, I couldn't make it to this round and have not been able to make plans to return. 


Stone Eagle - I used to be out in La Quinta a couple times a year and never managed to visit but my father has since sold his place out there so have no idea when I'll be out that way again.


UK - I made plans to visit twice; once to Ireland and the other to Scotland; and both times the trip fell through for one reason or another.  Am not sure when I'll be able to realistically get over there, which brings on an overwhelming sense of impatience and anxiety when I start thinking about it. 

[Bruce Wellmon]

The infamous 2015 hailstorm on Father's Day squashed a trip to Sand Hills for me.
 

[MCirba]

I'm so far past jinxing myself that I may as well post it here.   I have NEVER been rained out of a round of golf while on a golf vacation, large or small.   Never.

That being said, I've played in some very questionable weather.   Going back to 1985 I played The Old Course where umbrellas were useless as it was about 50 degrees F and raining sideways for almost the entire round until the thick fog rolled in on the back nine.   I played The Country Club at Brookline as the only person to play that day (with a brave caddie) in Francis Ouimet 3rd round conditions, teeing off  a 7:30am in a hard rain that continued all day.   After playing 18 I asked if they wouldn't mind me walking the 9 holes I didn't play as I couldn't possibly get any wetter or colder, and they didn't stop my madness.   I played Pinehurst #2 last fall in a round where we probably took on 2-3 inches of rain while we were playing (we adopted a local rule of two putts per green due to standing water).   I played TPC Scottsdale at 115 degrees F, in a cart, and so on.

All that being said, I will never play when lightning is in the area after a scare about 25 years ago.   There's crazy and then there's tempting fate and I'd like to live on to play another day.

[Eric Smith]

Back in 2012 or 2013 I hit the snooze button on my phone around 3am, inadvertently turning off the alarm, and ended up missing my flight to Missoula for a visit to Rock Creek Cattle Co. There weren't any realistic options to catch another flight there that day (coming from Nashville) so I didn't get to meet up with my friends who from all reports really enjoyed themselves. Funnily, Ran was supposed to be on that trip and he too missed his flight (!) and ended up having to take a raincheck.