[Patrick_Mucci_Jr]

What makes a golf course fun to play, while presenting a challenge to the golfer ?

It can't be excessive length

[Mike Sweeney]

It can't be excessive length

Patrick,

Clearly you need to get out a little more. Length would probably be the #1 answer on BombSquadGolf. com.

The definition of excessive is relative.

They do TV shows about playing Bethpage Black from the back:

http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/2009/04/090417contestannouncement

We are 1500 and then there are the other 25 million or so that play golf.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Pat,
Knowing the parameters of your expectations and your limitations.

[Ian Andrew]

Pat,

It’s the opportunity to test ourselves - which is inexplicitly assumed to only mean the ability to execute shots. Frankly that’s not where the “fun” aspect of golf comes from.

Fun comes from making decisions between the options that we face during a round. It comes from being given the opportunity to show some creativity and choose between different shot types or alternative ways to achieve the same task. It comes through playing freedom and making your own decisions. Usually it comes from being given the opportunity to flirt with serious consequence, because the reward for making the shot is too compelling to ignore. I think the fun comes from having to use your head during the round rather than relying on muscle memory and percentages.

(I know the answer to the ultimate question is 42! )

[Cliff Hamm]

Think Tobacco Road

[Forrest Richardson]

Pat — As usual, a thoughtful post.

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I recall the entertaining word puzzles of my early education. They made you think. Also, the geometry lessons with surprising solutions based on theory. And treasure hunts — scavenger hunts. And times in great places — isn't it amazing how the perfect  setting can make a meal or gathering with friends truly memorable? Adventures — Our family relishes in the memories of travel to places we have not been...I suspect that is why I love to experience new golf courses, and I delight in returning many years later to relive my favorite destinations again. I would be remiss to not mention my passion for the unusual...to see risks taken in film, architecture, writing and golf design — to spend time on a "me-too" course with sprinkled bunkers, sameness and the-same-old-same-old is not at all my idea of fun.

[Jason McNamara]

We are 1500 and then there are the other 25 million or so that play golf.

Especially when it comes to:
cross bunkers (or that otherwise impinge on the fairway)
holes where shots must be shaped
holes where landing short is the best play

My brother-in-law knows I am SOL when I say "I'm going to try something here," but I still enjoy when the course encourages something other than the standard shot.  (Even though he's right 80% of the time.)

[Emil Weber]

First of all: That IS the ultimate question. That's why we're playing this game and why we like some courses more than others.
A lot of things make a course fun to play, some are:
strategy, variety, aesthetics, discovering new things everytime around, blind shots (IMO) and so on....
The list is almost endless, I haven't found time to do something yet. Has anybody?

[TEPaul]

I guess I'm the kind of guy who doesn't really ask for much. For me fun on a course is bounce and roll---a lot of roll and that gets better by degrees with slope and contour.

[Phil_the_Author]

Anticipation...

[Forrest Richardson]

Tom — You would never know that judging from your shirt collection.   

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