[Ran Morrissett]

... one of these groups of three for the rest of your life, which would it be and why?1. California Dreaming: Pebble, Cypress, and Riviera2. American Classics: Augusta, Pine Valley, and Merion3. Long Island Muscle: Shinnecock, National, and Maidstoneor4. Homeward Bound: St. Andrews, Dornoch and Muirfield5. Irish Eyes are Smiling: Ballybunion, County Down, and PortrushI have tried to make it a tough call; I hope everyone will respond as I think the final tally would be quite interesting.Cheers,

[Tom_Egan]

What a great choice to make!!I choose Augusta, Pine Valley and Merion.  Why?  I haven't played the first and the second and third are my two favorites.  For inland golf, how can it get any better?Is there no trio of courses down under worthy of consideration?

[Tony Dowling]

Royal Melbourne, New South Wales, and then... the third would let us down here.I would go for Ireland/Ulster. Links golf is the best and those three are more scenic and challenging than the Scotland grouping. You can keep your history; give me great beauty any time.

[Bob Ellington]

The problimo with the Ireland one is they all finish on a downer - that's no way to go out.I would go for California, and for the identical reasons Tony went the other way:   challenging golf in unmatched scenery. I would play Riviera on the impossibly windy days. My last round would conclude down Pebble's 18th with the waves slamming into the rocks and spray everywhere, as I line my eagle putt up...

[Glenna]

I pick door #3 - Long Island muscle.1. Maidstone is the most "fun" course in the states (and holes #8, #9, #10 and #14).2. Shinnecock in the most stern test of golf in a glorious setting (and holes #7, #11 and #14).3. NGLA - for both reasons 1 and 2 (and holes #1 - #18).4. Most of the time, there would never be anyone else on the course.5. I wouldn't have to exchange my money. . .

[John Sessions]

How can you not pick the home of golf? When everyone is struggling to break 100 elsewhere, I will be having a grand time on the Old Course. Plus Dornoch is my second favorite anyway but the Old Course is the only course that will let me grow old with dignity. I say, go Scotland, go!

[T_MacWood]

Difficult question, but not that difficult. I believe that Cypress Point is the most beautiful place on earth. Can you imagine throwing Pebble Beach and Riviera in as an occaional change of pace.

[JohnV]

This is a toughie, but I think I go with #4.  Dornoch in May with the gorse in bloom is a site I will always remember.  And the chance to spend the rest of my life really trying to learn the Old Course.  I've never played Muirfield, but someone told me once that it was pretty good.  Just make sure I get the first tee time at the Old Course each day.I wouldn't quibble with any of them, but #2 is a problem because there isn't any ocean there and the sea breezes do make the game for me.

[James Clifford]

California Dreaming - Pebble and Cypress are the perfect foil to each other. One has supremely demanding long par fours and the other has everything else.

[Lloyd Bickerton]

I disagree with John Sessions - Augusta would accommodate my tiring golf game just fine. My Yank friend down here tells me the course is immeniently reasonable except for one week of the year. In the mean time, the world's finest course would get my nod as a nice place to play - how generous of me to sacrifice my RM membership like that. Count this vote for the American Classics.

[Ran Morrissett]

First, my vote: originally, I thought I would be voting for Long Island Muscle but I love winter golf too much, so I will go with Homeward Bound. Plus, my last walk has to be down the 18th on the Old.Second, vote tally to date: Californa Dreaming (3), American Classics (2), LI Muscle (1), Homeward Bound (4) and Irish Eyes (1).Please keep voting!

[Scott Kraus]

I would say Cypress but the noise of the carts at Pebble isn't ideal for the rest of my life. Next best setting with the golf to match is Northern Ireland.

[Mike_DeVries]

Well, this is a tough, but fun, choice!I would have to agree that the hustle and bustle of Pebble would be disturbing, despite its many wonderful qualities (the new 5th is very good and in the mold of Pebble's greens -- good job of fitting into one of the world's great tracks!).  And Cypress is, well, its own wonderful place.  Also, I fear what the management might do to Riviera, as they don't seem to get what it really is and could be, although it is great.American Classics is a good choice: what great diversity -- maybe amazing to some, but my favorite of these three is Merion.  Such exquisite detail in the features and great short par 4's!L.I. Muscle might be the best pick: great golf and settings and all within a short drive of each other!  That might be the kicker in the equation -- without owning your own Lear, you can play all three in the same day!How can you beat the three best courses in Scotland: the Home of golf, the Mecca (my term of endearment for Royal Dornoch), and "the best links test of golf in the Open rota?"  Plus, you can play all year there and experience golf in its purest form with the wind and rain howling off the sea!I have not been to Ireland yet (I know, tis a terrible sin!), but everything I learn and hear about these courses would make it a very good choice.I might add another choice to the list: Crystal Downs, Sand Hills, and Prairie Dunes.  All three are remote courses; have great open, windy, and wildly undulating terrain; fearsome green contours; great bunkering; and engaging memberships which make the golf experience even more wonderful.  I would take this choice, but since it is not an official ballot box entry, my decision goes with . . .I guess after having played the Irish courses (so as not to limit my experiences in golf!), I would have to go with the Long Island Muscle and plan on playing all day every day on 3 outstanding courses, only a short drive from my manor (I would have a very nice estate and the opportunity to do nothing but enjoy these courses, right?).Great discussion topic -- any other combos someone would like to suggest?

[peter_p]

I'd vote for Ireland, just barely inching out Scotland and California. Friendly people and I'd have a chance for a decent score on the 18ths. For Australia I'd add Kingston Heath to Royal Melbourne and New South Wales.How about the Silver Scot - North Berwick, Prestwick and Cruden Bay.

[Ran Morrissett]

The body count so far is California Dreaming (3) , Irish Eyes (3), Homeward Bound (4), Long Island Muscle (2), and American Classics (2). It looks to be a close race with the voting going until Friday pm, Australia time.

[Bill Vostinak]

#3-Anything that has NGLA in it.  Shinnecock is the bonus, or is it Maidstone? NGLA has always been my one proverbial "One course to play".  Such Drama, variety, green contours, lunch! It won over Scotland for me as the choice. Muirfeld would be too hard to play as I lose my skills in my late 90's.But to me augusta doesn't go with PVGC and Merion. It is such a mish-mash anymore and subject to change.

[Scott Kraus]

But Augusta is a great old man's course, unlike Pine Valley and may be even Merion.

[John Morrissett]

I would vote for Long Island.  You need seaside courses (for the variety of the wind), and these three, despite their proximity to each other, are tremendously different from each other.  While Shinnecock might grow tiresome during a bad spell with the driver, I couldn't imagine ever growing tired of NGLA and Maidstone.  As Bill V hinted at, just give me NGLA and you can have everything else!  Shinnecock and Maidstone are nice bonuses.If ever blessed with such a "damnation," the play breakdown would probably be NGLA three days a week and Maidstone and Shinnecock two days each (although I could envision stretches when Shinnecock would receive the least amount of play -- imagine that!).

[George Blunt]

Homeward BoundYou can't retire to a country that sells dishwater as beer, (Coors, Budweiser etc,)and if you retire to Ireland the beer is so good that you would never make it on to the golf course!Seriously the thought, as others have indicated, of playing the Old Course for the rest of my life is too appealing to pass up.  Anyone who saw the last round of the Alfred Dunhill Cup this year would struggle to choose another site, I feel.  Dornoch I love anyway while Muirfield is unknown to me, by reputation it sounds as though it would be worth the adventure.

[David Staebler]

I give the edge to Long Island Muscle over Homeward Bound.  Each Long Island course is great and different from the other.  I could find a course to match my mood and desire for variety every day.If the rules were you could only have two courses to play for the rest of your life I would pick the Old Course and Dornoch.

[GeoffreyC]

Talk about being given a choice at the pearly gates of heaven this thread is it! Since I already live within driving distance of the courses on Long Island, this is tempting.  Shinnecock is as pure a golfing experience as there is here in the states and CB MacDonald is my favorite given my association with Yale GC. Tempting.Cypress Point is as beautiful a setting as there is on earth but I havn't played it - YET.  Pebble has its faults some of which have been mentioned. I've yet to go to Ireland but I long trip is planned for this coming summer.American Classics are all on my list of still to plays but they're too far apart.  Why travel so far when your're retired. Therefore-  Have to go with the home of golf.  Royal Dornoch is perhaps my favorite place to play and I could hapily retire there with a membership and a carry bag.  Muirfield is in my opinion and despite the Hayfield jokes, as fair a test of championship golf as there is.  The Old course is just icing on the cake.  In the end, it's no contest.  Send me to Scotland.

[Ran Morrissett]

With 12 hours to go, the voting is:Homeward Bound - 6Long Island Muscle (closing fast) - 5Calfornia Dreaming - 3Irish Eyes - 3American Classics - 2

[George Blunt]

Do I smell play off???Will it be over one course or three?

[Tom_Egan]

In the interests of observing a possible playoff, I hereby change my vote from American Classics to Long Island Muscle.

[Ran Morrissett]

A tie it is then with 6 votes a piece between Homeward Bound and Long Island Muscle!! The National and St. Andrews drew the most specific praise with Cypress third.In last place, is American Classics, with the golf course that is voted number one by every single magazine. Maybe its supporting cast of Merion and Augusta let it down   What should the playoff be?We could take out the two titans of St. Andrews and The National from each group and now you vote on the remaining pairs (ie Shinnecock/Maidstone vs Dornoch/Muirfield).I will start it off by saying I would switch my vote to go with (mini) Long Island Muscle.

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