Most Grueling Day of Golf

[Greg Ohlendorf]

This thread brings back some great memories about high school golf. My freshman year I worked all season to make the top six varsity players so that I could play in all of the fall post season tournaments.

My most grueling day came the last day of our year which was our conference tourney. It was 32 degrees, I was off early. It snowed the front nine and I played in two sweatshirts, a sweater and a velour shirt (no under armour in my day!). I felt like I was the Michelin man swinging my way to a smooth 62. The back was a bit better at 45 degrees and 47 shots for a great 109. Couldn't wait for that day to end, but still a fond memory!

[Casey Wade]

Any 36-hole USGA qualifier in Memphis in July.Bataan couldn't have been much harder.

Caddying for a friend at Colonial Country Club for the US Am qualifier in July.  My body locked up with 5 holes to play.

[Will Haskett]

A couple of years ago, I played my first 18 on Rock Hollow GC .  The entire round was in pouring rain (this was in mid November) and believe it or not, I had the course entirely to myself.  

Chris, I played a round once at Rock Hollow in the pouring rain, and then it stopped. It was the middle of July, and the level of humidity that came after that was unbearable. No amount of towels could dry your hands to grip a club.

Playing in humidity and rain isn't unusual for the Midwest. What made that day unique was the mosquitos. I have never seen them as big as what I saw at Rock Hollow. I imagined that's what size they would be in a rainforest. EDodging those things while wearing shorts and polo shirt almost took your mind completely off your game. Looked something like this:



As for everybody reliving their high school memories on here, I love thinking back to some of those days and the mentality I had in the bad weather. I remember always thinking to myself, "Why am I out here?" or "Why is this happening to ME." I had to get older and more mature to change that viewpoint and realize that everybody had to deal. Once you get that in your mind, it becomes so much easier to play well. I wish I could go back in time and teach myself that. I would blow up in bad weather.

[TEPaul]

For me it was one day at Gulfstream GC in Florida. I started playing at sunrise and kept going without a break the entire day and didn't stop until I couldn't see anymore. I don't know how many holes I played but it was a helluva lot.

[Jason Topp]

I have an unusually high percentage of grueling golf days with GCA folks, ranging from snow to playing on what were essentially charcoal bricks in Palm Springs.

Nonetheless, the clear winner was my day with Phillip Gawith discussed in this thread entitled 9 hours, 900 KM and 9 holes.  I recall the temperature was 45 degrees celsius and for the first time in my life I experienced chills from being so hot.

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,21280.0.html

[Kalen Braley]

It wasn't the most greuling day, but at least notable....

The wife was out of town one weekend, and this was shortly after I just picked up the game.  So I went down to the 9 hole short course at Tony Lema in San Leandro and played 9.  Then I figured it wouldn't hurt to do another 9 because the replay was cheap.  After that I found out I could play the course for the rest of the day for free so I did.  Got in 2 more 9s for a grand total of 36 holes....sunrise to sunset.

[TEPaul]

By the way guys, if you want to talk about grueling days and golf, the Pennsylvania State Amateur about three years ago was the worst I ever saw by a mile. It was over 100 every day for three straight days. I was officiating and on the second and third days we had to get a doctor on the course. Some of the players were getting delirious and sort of weaving around, sitting down etc.

I got a bunch of towels and all the ice in the club and put it in a bunch of coolers floating in ice cold water in my cart.

You go and wrap one of those ice cold dripping wet towels around a players neck it seems to shock them for a second but you can't believe how quick that brings them back around.

I think we also wiped out about 700 cases of bottled water.

[Will Haskett]

TE,

I always think bad conditions with really competitive events always make for the most compelling stories of grueling golf, like you put it. I'm sure I've played 36 holes in weather more brutal than when Venturi won the open, but his is certainly more impressive.

Last year, I worked both the Men's and Women's DI Golf Championships, and the conditions were brutal in both. The women had play suspended on multiple occasions for wind (balls blowing off greens) and storms in New Mexico. The men dealt with stiff wind and brutal rain (not during play, but enough to saturate a LONG and thick course) at the Kampen Course at Purdue. It really made the champions stand out for surviving more than just playing.

[Doug Wright]

For me it was one day at Gulfstream GC in Florida. I started playing at sunrise and kept going without a break the entire day and didn't stop until I couldn't see anymore. I don't know how many holes I played but it was a helluva lot.

Mine was like this too. I was about 12, rode my little bike with clubs/canvas bag across the handlebars about 5 miles to the 9 hole Birch Run Golf Club in Allegany NY. I played 72 holes that hot, humid summer day, occasionally lapping groups during a single 9. Stewart's frozen ham and cheese sandwiches fresh from the Stewart's easy-bake oven for nourishment. I finished about 7 pm. I was too tired to ride my bike back and called my Dad for a ride home.

[Lester George]

Jim,

45 at Confederate Hills!  I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

One of my most Grueling days was 54 holes at Cypress Lakes in Hope Mills, NC under similar conditions.  Walking and carrying, I was stationed at Ft Bragg and still in my youth so I could take it.  Couldn't do it now.

Lester

[Jim Thornton]

Lester-

Do you know if CH is still there?  I suppose it's long gone now.  Outside of Florida, I never saw so much water on a golf course.

Jim

[Lester George]

Jim,

It's still there.  It's called Highland Springs Golf Course now.  Mike Hurdzan did a large renovation there in the late 80's but it is still in the floodplain.  It has fallen on hard times over the past few years so I am told.

It was originally designed by Algie Pulley who I apprenticed under.

Lester

[Lou_Duran]

1980s USGA Am 36-hole qualifier in the middle of summer at Colonial CC, 100*+, steamy from all the watering to keep the greens alive; no wind, 5+ hour rounds.  Caddy "friend" didn't show up until start of 2nd round and had trouble finishing.  No lunch break to change shoes, underwear, shirt.  Shot 80-88, finishing in the middle of the pack, beat one of the guys in my threesome; the other guy qualified at 3 or 4 over (must have been a really long day for him too).  Never tried to qualify for the USGA Am again.

[Brian Cenci]

54 Holes at the Fine Bandon Resort; passed out beer in hand, 1st beer of the day!! 

Can't wait to do it again

Nev

You forgot to mention we carried our own bags for 54