Gentleman, thank you all for your responses.  

I spent the day with a noted golf architect, who I first learned about through GCA.  I am a total novice, with a true love of the game and GCA has helped me better understand the challenges faced by course architects and the clubs that employ them.  I had invited him to my home course for a preliminary interview for a renovation job we are contemplating on the North Shore of Long Island.  

It was a perfect day weather wise and as we played the course as part of our wide ranging discussions he said that his course design philosopy was based on offering each golfer a "voyage" or "journey" during which the golf course gradually opened itself to each player both visually and strategically maximizing what the land had to offer.  

To my surprise he said that he first truly understood this approach after already having been in the business for a few years, on the second tee at the Plantation Course at Kapalua.  He said that at that moment he realized that Coore and Crenshaw had taken what at first glance would appear to be a difficult piece of property and then perfectly suited a golf course to it that crystallized what he hoped to achieve.  After that statement I have no choice but to play the course, whether as a guest of the Ritz or as a visitor from the Four Seasons.  I'm going to leave that decision to my wife, it's her vacation too.  As a point of interest I have a friend that just spent his honeymoon visiting all the islands, playing many of the courses mentioned here and his second choice after the Plantation Course was the new Nicklaus course at the Four Seasons on the Big Island.  

The architect is Steve Smyers who was an absolute pleasure to spend the day with.  Ran's interview with Steve where he discussed the challenges of working a small piece of property and his willingness to provide playability for golfers both high and low handicappers, inspired me to contact him and I want to thank Ran and John for the wonderful forum and information base they have provided to all of us.  Steve drove up after attending the first day of the US Public Links Amateur being held at his Blue Heron Pines near AC and I know that given the opportunity he could take the 125 acres of our well maintained but non-descript golf course and turn it into something truly special that will far surpass our "competition" in the neighborhood.  He was a total gentleman and not once during the day did I feel I was "being sold".  It was all about the golf course and the potential held in the terrain we passed over.  I've played my course for the past twenty years and among friends discussed the "band aids" we would apply to upgrade our home course but Steve opened my eyes to what in fact could be done given the opportunity and what a waste of time and energy those band aids would be.   It will be interesting to see how the process plays out and I will gladly report on it to my fellow GCA'ers.  Our hope is to take what is basically a social activity based country club golf course and turn it into a true test of golf that will allow us to attract a new crop of members to sustain us into the future.  

I also have to say that I lost my Mom at the end of March and golf has been one of the things that has brought me the most comfort (along with my wife and kids).  My Mom got me started with golf and the year I won my Club Championship she walked every hole with me and she was pretty proud that day.  The last round I played with her will stay with me forever.  She loved her "home course" and I know that she would have loved to be a part of the work we are about to undertake.  

Reading the comments and byplay between all of you has been a lot of fun and extremely informative and I can sense that golf has helped you all to find inner peace from time to time.  I truly appreciate your willingness to share.  Only those that play and love the game will truly understand what I mean.

I know in previous posts I have listed a fair number of courses that not all may have the opportunity to play, and I know that I am truly lucky.  It may sound funny but in my mind when I have the opportunity to play one of these special places, the purity of the experience brings me closer to what I have lost.

I am surprised (very) that Tom H. made special note of Wailea's Emerald and Gold (Maui), but not the Blue at Wailea. How "un-GCA-like" of this particular discussion group's comments.

The Blue Course at Wailea, designed by the "dean" of golf architects who've left their mark on Hawaii, Arthur Jack Snyder, is the most pure and honest of the three. Nothing manufactured, nothing tightened artifically — just wide fairways with gently rolling land and a few blind shots here and there.

Snyder built the Blue Course before anything — and I mean anything — was in West Maui. His thoughtful layout, in fact, is a very remarkable routing as it ascends and descends gracefully, but with character. In Hawaii context, the Blue Course has an ambiance that does not stoop to the lows of many other resort courses. It is a favorite among the members at Wailea for they know well it offers choices and intrigue beyond the hype of its better known greenish and off-yellowish cousins.

The Orange Course at Wailea was a jewell, unfortunately lost to RTJ2 so he could build the Emerald. But that's another story.

Wazo,

Great post!!

A quick suggestion for you.  Go back a couple of pages and find the "Who are you guys" thread and add your info.  You will be amazed at the network of friends that can grow out of it.

You didn't play it! My God, man. I am comforted to know you played the Orange before it was eaten and spit out by the wonder of minds at work on the Emerald City and the Gold Brick Road. The Orange was a tight monster, but with lots of character. Interestingly, it only became tight after the kiawe trees received water from the irrigation — and were promptly never trimmed again — until they dropped their limbs on unsuspecting tourists. Jack always felt it needed thinning, but only managed to convince the club to take down a few trees. So, it simply became the opposite of the Blue in terms of elbow room.

I hate playing any course after castration. Always allow two weeks before using longer irons.

Same here....about to leave for 7 days in Ireland with 3 friends and everytime I make the mistake of telling someone about it in front of my wife you would think that I was going away for a month and asking her to go into work for me while I'm away.  Won't stop me though, just a very small price to pay.

Grandwazo, your wife and mine must be kindred spirits or cousins or something.  Or maybe all wives are just this way.  I haven't dared mention the "S" word for months, and it is all tip-toes and eggshells this week.

Ahhhhh, Ireland... as Rich Goodale moved "home" to Scotland, if I was as fortunate and/or daring as he, that would be where I move to... Have a great time, gentlemen!

TH

...  I haven't dared mention the "S" word for months, and it is all tip-toes and eggshells this week.

Hmmm ... 3 letters?    

Scott:

Yep, "Scotland".  Damn, I said it!  Whew... she's not in earshot, thank God.... As for the three-letter "S" word, I did mention how frosty things are on the homefront, didn't I?  

And oh yes, wives could care less what we miss, without a doubt.  I tried the "I could play every day if I wasn't so family oriented" tack a couple times and it went over like the proverbial lead zeppelin....

Which left me dazed and confused.  

TH

That is my plan as well, Scott.

So far it's not working.  The kids equate golf to me being gone, and since they still seem to like me, that's a bad thing.  So golf is a four-letter word to them, and although we have had many range sessions, and my 8-year old girl has completed one 9-hole par three round, a passion for the game seems to be noticeably absent for them.

Here's hoping, though....

TH

Mike,

Sounds like time to upgrade that Downtown membership!