[Ira Fishman]

We know from multiple disciplines that our “mental models” have a substantial, and perhaps controlling, impact on how we perceive and process our experiences. As it relates to golf, expectations are one of the most impactful mental models. As I noted in the thread about RD, there was little chance that it would meet my 45 years of romantic expectations, but in retrospect, it probably does not meet even more realistic expectations.


Perhaps not surprisingly given my mental model, several of my favorite courses are ones about which I had no or only vague expectations due to my lack of knowledge and experience: Lahinch, Golspie, St. George’s Hill, and The Island Club being the clearest examples.


In terms of not meeting expectations, it is a mixed lot in addition to RD: Congressional, Bandon Dunes, PH2, Pacific Dunes, and Old Head. Some of those are terrific, and some not so much.


To me, the most interesting mental model consists of courses that exceeded my already high expectations. Pasatiempo, Bandon Trails, Elie, and North Berwick.


Ira

[Tom_Doak]

If Pacific Dunes fails to meet your expectations, you are either a hopeless romantic, or a very spoiled person.  Or both! 😉


Seriously though, expectations screw with people's perceptions, and thats why i have tried not to overhype my courses (or overshare photos) ever since Deane Beman told me the TPC at Sawgrass was going to be a combination of Pine Valley and Cypress Point, when i first wrote to him in 1979.

[Ira Fishman]

Tom,


Definitely both.


I know that my expectations affect my perceptions, but it probably is not possible to avoid having them about anything in life. It may be a particularly sticky problem in golf for those of us who devote substantial time and effort to planning trips months in advance knowing that it may be the one time that we get to play a course. On my lists in my OP, Congressional and North Berwick are the only courses that I have played more than once, and I am confident in my views of them (very good but not great and superb respectively). We will be playing PH2 this fall, and I am curious to find out if my views change on a second play. If anything, it may now “benefit” from my diminished expectations.


Expectations about courses I am fortunate to play is indeed a first world problem. My awareness of the impact of mental models at least allows me to know I am spoiled in my ability to pursue my romance with golf.


Ira

[Thomas Dai]

Expectation, or rather over-expectation has an important part in the playing of the game too.
For example, given 'my' skill level and the conditions can I realistically expect to carry that pond, avoid that bunker, get close to that pin, archive an up-n-down from that awkward spot etc etc?
And how does the player react after their expectations have got the better of them and they've screwed-up a shot they expected to execute well?
The way expectations influence players in pressurised or stressful situation is important too - a big difference here between a 1 round event and a 4 round event with mortgage payments on the line - where's the line between cautious play, aggressive play and realistic play?


As to courses, my expectations have usually not been met at a big name course, maybe a new play or perhaps one I've played a long, time before. And what usually makes the experience fail to meet my expectations, which admittedly could be hyped-up in advance? Well normally it's over-manicured course conditioning and too many others on the course! Old Fogie mini-rant over (for now!).


atb

[Sean_A]

Playing courses over time and in different seasons mitigates expectations big time.

Ciao

[Peter Pallotta]

We 'expect' many things, and 'demand' a few more, and 'hope' for the rest. But I often wonder which of my hopes & expectations & demands are actually conscious ones and which are totally unconscious -- affecting my decisions and responses (and ratings & rankings) without me being at all aware of them. Of course, because they are unconscious I don't question these expectations/demands, but instead I couch them -- like Charlie Brown's sister Sally in the Peanuts Christmas Special -- in seemingly reasonable language:
'All I want is my fair share. All I want is what I got coming to me'.
Which is to say, good on Ira for clearly/honestly looking at his expectations.

[Mike Treitler]

Expectations are very powerful when it comes to any type of critique on art/architecture.  It's nearly impossible to take that out of the equation for me.   


A perfect example of this for me is Dallas National.  I played it once with lofty expectations and came away quite disappointed.   Well, I had the pleasure of playing it again 6 years later this past January on a 40 degree day and absolutely loved it.  Fun, great variety, a pleasure to play.  I don't know why I was disappointed before.   Crazy how that happens.

Also, the course that wins the award for "exceeding expectations by the most" for me is undoubtedly Bandon Trails.  Not surprisingly it sits #1 on my overall rankings, the Mike Treitler Index (MTI)

[Kalen Braley]

Expectations, while an interesting topic, are difficult to discuss rationally as they are hopelessly subjective.

For example, I played Ballyneal several years ago with a playing partner who used to post here quite a bit.  We played the course on the same day, same group, same conditions, etc. On the car ride back to Denver,  I mentioned while I went in with high expectations I was still blown away.  He claims he had no expectations but nonetheless was underwhelmed/let down and didn't see what the big deal was. A lengthy conversation ensued where we talked several pros and cons of various hole specifics, but safe to say he remained unimpressed/unmoved.

That really stuck with me thru the years because I still struggle with making sense of how our experience/take away was so different after experiencing it exactly the same.  But I suppose this occurs with musical tastes, preferences in women, political issues, etc,

P.S.  This reminds of a quote from one of my favorite movies.  "Its a fool that looks for logic in the chambers of the human heart"...

[corey miller]

Where do we derive our expectations? 


I now have Ballyneal as my favorite Modern but did realize going in that it is #46 in Golf Digest?


In the end I just compare course to course and my likes and tastes so I am not even sure I ever have expectations. 

[Kalen Braley]

Corey,

Great add on.  There is trying to make sense of expectations in a vacuum, and then there is how people arrived at them, which could be anything like you read a course review, saw pictures on a GCA thread, or watched on the Telly, etc.

But then there are other hard to measure ones like perhaps its that once per year trip where its just you and buddies, so the hype gets bundled in subconsciously with other things like non-golf activities, night life activities, renting out that awesome suite, perhaps a big city is nearby, etc, etc.  And the buildup is now off the charts and of course the trip or the golf courses doesn't live up...

Or it could be that one getaway round on a trip where the significant other wants to go shop all day or hang out with in-laws....and its your one chance to make a memory, but it doesn't materialize.

Or maybe you get to play where the pros play but you can't find your swing, so those dreams of nice sub 80 round are dashed cause you're spraying the ball all over, 3 jacking greens left and right, and putting up a huge number.

So many potential different things going on and afterwards you come back and bemoan, it wasn't what I expected....

[Carl Rogers]

Being the miserly cheapskate that I am, my sense of expectations are in proportion are to the price tag, travel,food, etc.
In my single trip to Bandon, PD & BT wildly exceeded expectations.  Same with Pinehurst #2.  Other examples are Ballyhack, Cascades, Holston Hills, all 3 @ Streamsong, Caledonia, Mid Pines. & a few more.
There are $30 courses I like too, but I put them into another category.

[Kalen Braley]

Carl,

You can't be that miserly.  While the golf courses at Bandon are worth the money and a decent value in the off-season, the other amenities are over-priced for what you get..

But I think value and expectations are fundamentally different, even if they're related...

[Carl Rogers]

Carl,

You can't be that miserly.  While the golf courses at Bandon are worth the money and a decent value in the off-season, the other amenities are over-priced for what you get..

But I think value and expectations are fundamentally different, even if they're related...

for me, they are intimately related.  It has only been in later life, I could afford upscale golf.

[Jeff Schley]

I relish the anticipation of playing a course I have wanted to play.  With that anticipation comes some expectations certainly as there are certain aspects which create the anticipation.  Clubhouse and history for some, certain famous holes for others, perhaps based on what I have read or heard from a friend.  I typically am playing with my dad/brother which adds to the experience and if they have a good time, typically I do as well which is my barometer mostly.
Judging the course separately from the experience of my host, weather, company, etc. I can isolate much easier now that I continue to try and educate myself on the nuances of the architecture.

[Steve Lang]

Carl,


... and later in life, you have a keen eye.  but, How're the hips doing?


Kalen,  are you sure your buddy wasn't just messing with you about Ballyneal?  I have to imagine that was a gca moment..

[Sean_A]

Carl,

You can't be that miserly.  While the golf courses at Bandon are worth the money and a decent value in the off-season, the other amenities are over-priced for what you get..

But I think value and expectations are fundamentally different, even if they're related...

for me, they are intimately related.  It has only been in later life, I could afford upscale golf.

Yes, the more I pay the more I expect in terms of conditions, not architecture. 

Ciao

[Kalen Braley]

Carl,

... and later in life, you have a keen eye.  but, How're the hips doing?

Kalen,  are you sure your buddy wasn't just messing with you about Ballyneal?  I have to imagine that was a gca moment..

Positive...

He thought of it as a "Prairie" course which he claimed to have played plenty of so BN wasn't particularly interesting to him....

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