Can History Function as Setting/Scenery?

[Kalen Braley]

I think there is a lot of context lost on most golfers, much less the general public, when it comes to history and name recognition of various courses.


 I know we all run in different circles, but most weekend golfers I've known thru work, friends, and otherwise, have never heard of Cypress Point or NGLA, much less know anything about them.  The vast majority of the golfing public know about courses in their extended area, and then what they see on TV...and it typically ends there.


But i'm not surprised by it, we all have our select interests that we deep dive into, and everything else is just surface knowledge. 


P.S,  Its certainly been amusing seeing some of the chats about stuff like beer in this group over the years....I'm guessing most in the treehouse haven't taken the deep dive into that...

[MCirba]

From my perspective, all of the great courses have a "sense of place".   

It's also why modern touches on classics cause such an uproar, because they frankly stick out like sore thumbs.   I'm thinking about things like the chaos over the Merion bunker renovation circa 2000 or so, or those ghastly things that are being built every time I see Pebble Beach on television again, or "second cut" at ANGC.

You simply couldn't effectively move TOC to inland Ohio any more than you could transplant ANGC to Scottish linksland.   Those arguments miss the point.

The greatest golf courses maximize their natural setting, including their limitations (think of Merion in a neighborhood setting with streets as OB), or have evolved over time into that tattered but comfortable old sweater that fits just right.

[Kalen Braley]

Mike,


I totally agree in principle here, but you can't deny that a course like Ballyneal would be even better if it were right on the ocean or Merion for that matter in a remote and quiet midwest location...

[MCirba]

Kalen,


I will have to get to Ballyneal to find out but by comparison, I wouldn't move Sand Hills one inch from its present location one hour's drive from the middle of nowhere.   

[Peter Pallotta]

If you took the top 50 courses built in America in the last 20 years and analyzed them in terms of which will enjoy long histories and age the best, my guess is that Ballyneal would rank near the top of the list.

[Dave McCollum]

Every course has a history.  It's mostly whether it is a celebrity history or not.  I agree history does impact my views, but I'm not a course rater.  History may be the main reason for wanting to play a course. 

[BHoover]

If you took the top 50 courses built in America in the last 20 years and analyzed them in terms of which will enjoy long histories and age the best, my guess is that Ballyneal would rank near the top of the list.

I’m curious why you say this. I don’t have any reason to doubt you, as I have not had the pleasure of playing Ballyneal. But I’m interested to know why you find it to be so special?

[Mark_Fine]

Peter,
You asked:


"Can their histories be “separated out” from their ratings any more than the California or Oregon coastlines can be separated out from how highly folks rate Pebble or Cypress or Pacific?[/size] [/color][/size]What do you think?"[/color]

[/size]This has been alluded to already but why would you want to?[/color]


[/size][/color]