[Anthony Gray]

  ?

  Anthony

[Tom_Doak]

I do not think anyone can really understand golf course architecture unless they have spent a reasonable amount of time playing links golf, and St. Andrews in particular.

[Ronald Montesano]

I think you need to play all sorts of topographies, grasses, soils, to truly understand golf.

I believe that a proper command of language is necessary for a valued opinion on architecture (not spelling, Anthony, just a proper command of language.)

When our local munis burn out in hot July and August weather, you can run the ball in from 250 yards out...you need to play the camber, just as you would at the holy see of golf. I think that you can get a sense of what the ground game is at a lot of courses, many by accident.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I am not certain there are "must play" courses but there certainly are "must play" kinds of courses. They would include:  1. links golf.  Golf began on the coasts and to understand its roots we need to start there.  2. Heathland golf.  When it moved inland, it moved to these wonderful courses.  The heathland courses in England are not replicated anywhere else.  3. Top 100 courses.  It is important to have played some of the greats so one can compare better.  You need to see what works.  One could not do much better than to play Shinnecock, NGLA, and Sebonack.  Three different courses on similar terrain.  4. Dog tracks.  You need to see what doesn't work.  5.  A variety of courses:  eg. desert courses, parkland courses, Florida courses, mountain courses.  6. Play a variety of different designers:  Old Tom (where you can find one that hasn't been to drastically altered), Colt, Mackenzie, Ross, RTJ, Wilson, Dye, etc.

If you have not seen a variety of course in a variety of places, by a variety of designers, how can you speak knowledgeably? 

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