Was there a GCA awareness moment for you?

[James Bennett]

At about this time I bought Tom Doak's "Anatomy of a Golf Course" on a friend's recommendation. And I have been hooked ever since

That was the moment for me too.  Mike Clayton recommended Doak's book and so I ordered a copy through amazon.com (my first such purchase over the net).  I've managed to get some other friends to read it since.  For one or two, the interest in the book has been similar to my interest.  For others (most), it has been an interesting read, but that is about it.  Not everybody 'gets into' GCA.

James B

[Adam_F_Collins]

I was hooked when I looked through the Nova Scotia Golf Guide in my first week of obsession. Just seeing all of the different courses and getting a sampling of their histories and reading the descriptions of a variety of holes...

That was it.

The interest turned into a religion the first time I played Highlands Links.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Playing Merion for the first time and visiting this website as a guest and discovering Walnut Lane on Ran's List in Courses by Country. Both amazed me in different ways. Merion because it is......Merion and Walnut Lane because I never thought of a run down muni as having any architectual merit whatsoever.

[Dave Bourgeois]

Steve,

I play all sorts of run down munis and one of the joys for me is seeing some merit in the design.  Sadly, its usually hidden by overgrown trees, has been grassed over, or allowed to shink.  Its always fun to day dream about what could have been or could be.

[TEPaul]

"Re:Was there a GCA awareness moment for you?

Yes, there was.

I'd been studying golf architecture just about every day for a couple of years and I'd gotten to know Bill Coore who'd been working with me on something. I'd learned a lot about a lot of things from him but it was all floating around in my head. I went up to play in the National's Singles Tournament (about 6-7 years ago and the course was firmer and faster than I'd ever seen in golf) and I was drivng home from NGLA to Philadelphia. I was on the New Jersey Turnpike going my usual 90 mph or so and as I passed Exit 7A on the NJ Turnpike, like a lightening bolt---BOOM----it all came to me in a flash.

That was my GCA awareness moment and it was also when the IMM was born.

In the world of ecclesiastics this would be called an Epiphany!!

As soon as I got home, and for reasons I can't explain except to tell you it was involuntary I began collecting and reading everything there is out there by Max Behr and sure enough it confirmed everything that came to me that day in a flash at Exit 7A on the NJ Turnpike.

[ed_getka]

Situation Golf by Palmer where he goes through a round of golf and illustrates how three different levels of golfer would play each hole.

[ChipOat]

I spent years as a young guy comparing Merion to any other course I played trying to figure out why the East Course was my favorite.

I didn't really "get" other courses I had played until Tom Paul hooked me onto GCA, though.

[Kyle Harris]

Brad Klein's Rough Meditations

[Mark_Fine]

For me it was playing the great courses of the British Isles!  Despite all the books I've read and collected and all the time I've spent doing research, there is NO substitute for being an eye witness to the great golf courses of the world!  If I were to make a recommendation to those aspiring to enter the field of golf course architecture, study in the field as many golf courses, good and bad (but mostly good) that you can.  It will pay great dividends for you down the road as you call back on those experiences and observations, etc.  As you get busy, you will find it much harder to see those courses but you have to keep at it as there is no better way to learn.  

[Michael Whitaker]

Playing Wild Dunes for the first time, back in the early 80's... pre Hugo, pre development, pre everything.

It was the first truly great course I ever played and it took my breath away. Before that day I never knew a course could be built with so much imagination. I remember calling my best golfing friend that night and spending an hour on the phone with him discussing every hole. Looking back, I realize it was the beginning of my interest in golf course design.