oh Jesus, I made another faux pas Joe!!  and this one is about my wife!

and it was not only a birdie, she hit it to within 1 foot!!

I think I shall go crawl into the nearest hole now....

I only played two new courses this year, Bandon Trail and The Palmer/Sneay at Suncadia.  Trail was amazing and I really was impressed with suncandia ( I did walk the doak course while there)...

I made my first hole in one (30 years of golf) during an outing that cost me $250...

Best of all, was learning to disconect from the result of a shot and scaling back to 9 clubs...

'06 looks to be a banner year

The golfing year was great for me, as I got to play so many great courses that were new for me. The highlights included, in chronological order:
1) Playing some golf with my father in the Seaside, FL area after a long layoff during the winter, lots of fun.

2) Playing the brand-new Mill Creek Golf Club in Rochester, NY area.  The Paul Albanese design was quite unique for me, with lots of options off the tee, even for a short hitter, and a great, windswept setting.

3) Getting to see the newly-restored Country Club of Rochester, with the great work done by Gil Hanse.  It was so wonderful to see things get done right, especially with the unfortunate putzing around that has been occuring at Oak Hill.  The new bunkering was great at CCR, with flat, ugly RTJ bunkers removed to expose great ground contours on a low-profile sight, and tree removal opened up playing corridors for strategy.

4) Getting to see hidden gems Monroe (Ross) and Dartmouth College's Course (Pritchard w/ the renovation).  Monroe is considering restoring some more Ross to their already-fun golf course.  Dartmouth was an unexpected surprised, with lots of quirky features over wild New Hampshire topography.  It was just loads of fun.  It would be great for a new home course if I can get accepted there in one year's time

5) THE golfing highlight of the year was playing The Country Club in Brookline, MA.  The history of the course is nothing compared to how fun, quirky, and great this course is.  The course ranges to dead-flat (1 and 18) to rocky (3,5,7,11,15) to treed parkland (4,12,13,16,17) to quarry-infested (10 and 14) to wide-open and linksy (2,3,6,8,9).  Totally an awesome experience, topped off with the fact that we spent the night in the clubhouse's guest rooms.

6) My birthday present was driving to Toronto to play St. George's, Stanley Thompson's brilliant design.  The bunkering was unparalleled as far as any course I've played, and the setting was a unique urban parkland, something that is rarely sought out in modern architecture.

7)  Playing Oak Hill East deep into the fall, which allowed me to experience the course in a form that I had yet to see, as the course is usually closed in early-mid October.  The autumnal weather both enhanced and nullified different facets of the course.

Joined GCA, so far played with one poster and have a tee time to meet two more before year is out.  Played Woodhall Spa for the first time and it has more ‘personality’ than any course I’ve played – been in my thoughts a lot since.

In June I posted about attending the qualifier for the US Open at Walton Heath, I went with my golfing friend Paul.  So then we watched the final round “live from Pinehurst” at his clubhouse. As Campbell started to dominate all others drift away and there are just 3 of us left.  The other guy who we didn't really know got up for "a comfort break" and the TV announcer says "of course Michael Campbell qualified for the finals of this tournament and our cameras were there." Then they cut to the suit from the USGA handing Campbell a folder and congratulating him on qualifying. In the middle of the picture are Paul and I staring back at ourselves!  Right on que the guy returns and as they cut back to the live action asks "Did I miss anything?"  "No not really, you had to be there".

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forums2/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=20378;start=msg364235#msg364235

Seeing as I posted my highlights earlier I decided to be lazy and copy the thread...I was rather long-winded

Attending the Open at St. Andrews. Spending Friday behind the Road Hole green and watching Nicklaus cross the bridge and walk up 18 was magical.

My blessing this year..........to be 'stuck' in the world of Bandon Dunes.   Didn't travel much and played golf only one other time away from this incredible resort.

So I was able to help, in a small way, in the construction of Bandon Trails, and witness it's opening.  I was able to help expand the Practice Center here and grow-in the mysterious Wee Dunes practice area.  I was able to play golf at these three glorious golf courses, observe men like Bill Coore and David Kidd, work with capable and integrity-filled men like Troy Russell, Jeff Sutherland, Ken Nice, Eric Johnson (the world's great cribbage player) and others here, and had the considerable pleasure of working with the incredible piece of God's green earth called Bandon Dunes, and help in some small way to enhance it's God given beauty, but most of all.............

........was able to enjoy meeting, serving, watching so many that came here.

A very good golf year indeed.

All the best, and Thanks.

Tom

Well, mine will be a little different, and if you allow me to review about the last 54 weeks, had far more ups than downs

December 04 -

Pleased to learn that my Quarry won Best New in GD and Project of the year from Crittenden.  I had hopes for that, and was more pleasantly surprised that my Indian Creek redo placed 7th in the affordable category.

Jan 05

Started work on Newton, KS, Sand Creek Station in January.  Side bonus - major rail lines border many holes, so I can pretend I am at Troon, and lay holes out along the cinders......Also, I love to watch trains , so I get paid for while pursuing my hobby.....

Attend a native american conference in CA.  Didn't get any new business directly, but did learn from one native that "vegetarian" is an old Indian word for "Lousy hunter."

Feb 05-

A nearly dead in the water project revives under new owners in Lone Oak, TX.  Originally to be a Seth Raynor inspiration course, the new owner was a little leary. Now, just a more generic "early American style" but it does have a biaritz green.  Owner is new to golf, so we start with four holes, but are now finishing up.  In a neat twist, after proposing several layouts to this developer, he insists on one with only one road crossing from CH to back nine.

March 05 -

Sign a Master Plan Agreement for historic Stevens Park Golf Course in Dallas.  Initial phase is unique in that we consider expanding the 107 acre golf course as part of an urban renewal project.  Key element was lowest land prices surrounding the golf course and highest crime rates.  Not surprisingly, these were the same areas.  We had to debate the "risk-reward" of scouting out nearby areas for golf, ultimately playing safe by avoiding survey of stream where drug addicts live.

However, by June, the community votes to keep course in its original corridors and we push forward with a total redesign for all at once construction, probably next year.

April 05 -

Not much in the way of seeing or playing new courses, but get a thrill watching my son play high school golf. At one point, he wins four and ties for first (then loses in playoff) in two in a string of six straight local events.

On the national scene, he gets three top ten finishes in AJGA tourneys, and finishes 5th in the Bryon Nelson Jr. open to the top 50 jr. players in Texas.

May 05

I toured the Faldo Cottonwood Hills and reaquainted with Prairie Dunes while working in Newton.  While visiting mother in Toledo, Ohio, get to view  or play a few courses, mainly Art Hills, since my cousin whoi I play with there is a fan of his.  

Go by and photograph house where Tillie died.  Risk-Reward similar to that of Stevens Park described above.

June 05

Press Day at Giants Ridge and Quarry give me a few nice days off to play golf and schmooze.  Sign a contract for preliminary land planning and golf design on yet another MN project, and get asked to look at another in a yet a different part of the state.

Sign contract for a nine hole course in Las Vegas, New Mexico

July 05 -

Sign a new contract for a course within a housing development in far north Dallas. Actually, I had signed this agreement the year before, but the original land deal in another part of town fell through and we updated the contract for the new, bigger site.

August 05 -

Again, not many new courses, but I do attend PGA for my first chance to view Baltusrol.  Like many, I think its not as good a venue as other NY area courses.

The day before the trip, wife files long expected divorce papers.  The travel in this biz gets a lot of us.

Grass first few holes at Lone Oak.

September 05

Learn that my Lake Jackson course finishes second in Crittendens Project of the year category.  Later, I play in a press day celebrating one year anniversary, and have a good time, despite never sniffing a prize.

October 05

Good News: Company turns first profit in several quarters.
Bad News: Profit amounts to several quarters.....

Accept bids on New Mexico Project and complete grassing in Newton.

November 05

Cowboys wins Avid Golfer Best Course in DFW for 5th straight year.  Westridge and others also place well in affordable category.

Sign Master Plan Contract for course in Wichita Falls, TX.  

Work Begins on second phase of Lone Oak, after unbelievable real estate sales allows them to shake loose more money.  I like to think I convinced the novice owners  that a 4 hole course wouldn't draw flies.......nah!

December 05 -

Learn that Fortune Bay course gives me back to back Golf Digest winners., which ends year on a high note.

Helping Andrew sort through a few college scholarship offers is fun!

Wish Merry Generic Holiday to all, with wishes for a prosperous and golf filled 2006!

Spending 2 days at the US Am at Merion  transfixed by the course.

Playing highlights were: Hidden Creek, Galloway, Desert Forest, the newly restored Wigwam Gold,Bethpage Red, Wolf Creek, Rolling Green and Torresdale-Frankford.

Next year: Who knows? Relocation is possible. If I do relocate, I'd like to play Atlantic City, Applebrook , Bethpage Black and those somewhat famous courses on the east end of Long Island before I go west.

My year wasn't that exciting in terms of great courses with a national reputation, but I'm not going to complain either. For the past few years, I've been tracking how many different courses I've played, where they are, architect, etc. For 2005, I'm presently at 35 different courses and I'll add at least one next week in Phoenix. That's an improvement over 34 in '04, 29 in '03 and 27 in '02.

Highlights:
-- Interlachen CC
-- the renovated Minikahda Club
-- Playing Woodhill (Ross) and Rochester GCC (Tillinghast) on consecutive days in September

Best values and great fun:
-- Gateway National (Keith Foster across the river from St. Louis)
-- Big Fish (Hayward, Wis.)
-- Golden Eagle (tremendendously fun course north of Brainerd, MN)

Saw one hole-in-one this year. Was covering the Champions Tour event here and saw Tom Purtzer knock one in on No. 8 at TPC Twin Cities.

Good guy of the year: Jason Gore. Covered his victory at the Nationwide Tour event here (his second Nationwide win of the year). He's hard to not like.

My game: Nothing special. Didn't get much better. Didn't make the cut at the state Mid-Am. Maybe I should practice.

I enjoyed 2005 golf and I'm looking forward to 2006 as well.

My 2005 highlights (in order of preference)

Pacific Dunes
Bandon Dunes
Banff Springs
Bandon Trails
We-Ko-Pa
Newport National
Bulle Rock
Riverside CC

That was all in 4 months (May - August.)  The rest of the golf year was pretty bland, but that stretch more than made up for it!

Rich
In the past you had given the impression you were not a big fan of the Old Course....what changed?

Rich
I did not see any choice having to do with your contrarian tendencies...I suspect that tendency often effects the positions you take, so they should probably be judged in that light. I'll be sure to read the book, I'm certain there will be plenty of interesting info on TOC....and maybe some of your past criticisms, we shall see.