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David Davis

  • Karma: +0/-0
UK rules - US parameters
« on: July 22, 2012, 02:44:31 AM »
Being in Holland I enjoy the benefit of being able to politically ride the fence when it comes to international disputes or discussions. The last thread about the Open just "Opened" a new can of worms for me. Isn't it interesting how golf the UK (Scotland) invented golf (unless of course you ask the Dutch who were playing Kolf long before) and made it exponentially more difficult than it had to be by implementing a near impossible bible of rules to follow and deciding to play it in open hilly fields as to attain the maximum benefit from the lovely weather and natural elements, yet since the game has been adopted in the US the Americans have done everything possible to find an easier way to play the game by comming up with course and slope ratings to give us all extra shots and rank courses by difficulty and by building courses in beautiful tree lined "vacuums" sheltered from the elements (which amount to warm sunny dry climates) and void of bad lies and mention worthy rough or other obstacles.

Just a thought from my politically safe haven here across the pond/stream.

Sharing the greatest experiences in golf.

IG: @top100golftraveler
www.lockharttravelclub.com

Dan Herrmann

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: UK rules - US parameters
« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2012, 08:22:54 AM »
Thanks for sharing, but I think you're wrong.

The USA is many, many times larger in area than Scotland.  We love the game so much we'll build course anywhere - whether it's in a treed city, a barren desert, a mountain range, etc... 

Course rating and slope are designed to make your handicap portable.  So your GHIN number translates to a wide variety of course - easy course?  You'll get less strokes.  Play Pine Valley, you'll get more. 

With all due respect, it sounds like you've never been to our fair country.  I think you could learn a lot if you visit us with your clubs.

David Davis

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: UK rules - US parameters
« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2012, 11:26:12 AM »
Dan, thanks for your answer. I actually intended my thread to read with more sarcasm which was inspired by another thread but it clearly did not come across that way. My bad!

I'm American for the record and I've played a lot of golf in the US and I love it! I'll leave it at that.

I'd kind of expected and probably should of reference a Robin Williams video on golf. Like the Scottish intended it to be torture clearly and we have tried to make it fun for all.

I'll drop the subject ha ha...
Sharing the greatest experiences in golf.

IG: @top100golftraveler
www.lockharttravelclub.com

Patrick_Mucci

Re: UK rules - US parameters
« Reply #3 on: July 22, 2012, 11:36:20 AM »
David,

Have you played Pine Valley, Kiawah, or Oak Tree ?

Shinnecock, Garden City, Aronomink ?

If not, what American courses are you referencing ?

David Davis

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: UK rules - US parameters
« Reply #4 on: July 22, 2012, 12:19:22 PM »
Patrick,

Unfortunately I have to answer no on all those and I know there are many exceptions to any generalizations, however golf in the US is far more manicured than in continental Europe and honestly that does make a huge difference in terms of playability of the courses, the maintenance and attention to detail is just far better on average in the US. There are only a small few exception to this or not even exceptions but courses in continental Europe that maintain the same high level of maintenance as in the US. It's a far rougher experience.

As for my golf in the US, it's been limited at this point to the following areas:

Chicago area and up along the North Shore both public and private from the likes of Shoreacres and Knollwood to great fun public courses like Stonewall Orchard, Thunderhawk, Cog Hill and The Glen Club plus many others.

Wisconsin: Whistling Straights, Black Wolf Run etc.

California: all the usual suspects public and private in the Bay area  and Monterey Peninsula, a few in LA area and San Diego.

Oregon: Bandon Dunes resort - Pumpkin Ridge courses plus some others in Oregon.

Washington: Chamber's Bay and some others in the Seattle area.

I've played far more outside the US so far mainly because business travels use to take me to other areas of the world.
 
Sharing the greatest experiences in golf.

IG: @top100golftraveler
www.lockharttravelclub.com

Mike Sweeney

Re: UK rules - US parameters
« Reply #5 on: July 22, 2012, 08:31:13 PM »

As for my golf in the US, it's been limited at this point to the following areas:

Chicago area and up along the North Shore both public and private from the likes of Shoreacres and Knollwood to great fun public courses like Stonewall Orchard, Thunderhawk, Cog Hill and The Glen Club plus many others.

Wisconsin: Whistling Straights, Black Wolf Run etc.

California: all the usual suspects public and private in the Bay area  and Monterey Peninsula, a few in LA area and San Diego.

Oregon: Bandon Dunes resort - Pumpkin Ridge courses plus some others in Oregon.

Washington: Chamber's Bay and some others in the Seattle area.

I've played far more outside the US so far mainly because business travels use to take me to other areas of the world.
 

I would be surprised if 80% of these courses are not on a Top 100 list of some sort. There are 15,000+ courses in the USA. Please restate your premise.

Tiger_Bernhardt

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: UK rules - US parameters
« Reply #6 on: July 22, 2012, 08:39:46 PM »
David do not let Mikes name confuse you. He is merely pretending his name is Sweeney. His real name is Guido and he is the hit man for Mucci. Either say you are sorry and beg their humble forgiveness or Mike aka Guido will tie a rope around your sac and attach a 7 inch rope with a 15 pound weight to it for you to carry through life.

Kyle Harris

Re: UK rules - US parameters
« Reply #7 on: July 22, 2012, 08:42:29 PM »
Two weeks ago I played Dormie Club in a downpour for the last 6-7 holes.

I loved every moment of it.

David Davis

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: UK rules - US parameters
« Reply #8 on: July 23, 2012, 08:36:23 AM »
@Tiger, thanks for the heads up!

Mike/Guido, The European underworld is controlled by the Russians, They own Italy, and other than being beautiful and full of gorgeous love starved women it's not worth much so you just might be picking the wrong team.

I'm not quite sure how to interpret what you wrote. 15,000 golf courses in the US, no arguments here. Yes most 90% of the US courses I've played were on some sort of list. As well as 90% of all the courses I've played around the world not to mention being of some sort of architectural significance. Do you mean that my sampling of courses in the US is not a good indication of relative quality of green keeping and maintenance? That could be true, I don't know, but honestly I wouldn't want to prove you wrong if that's what you mean.

Once you've played a Dutch polder course, then we can have this debate. So I'm inviting you and anyone else to come try if poor quality and maintenance is on your list ha ha. However there are much nicer courses I'd prefer to share on your maiden NL voyage. Excuse the errors and typos as this was written from my phone while my kids are cleaning out my pocket book shopping for clothes...
Sharing the greatest experiences in golf.

IG: @top100golftraveler
www.lockharttravelclub.com