As long as we are all hallucinating here, how about using the Starship Enterprise to beam me on command to:NGLA Mon-Wed-FriCounty Down Tues-SatCypress Point Thurs-SunYes, that is cheating, but there is no way to choose from that list without tearing your hair out.

I'll still go with ROYAL Dornoch and Muirfield. I havn't seen Maidstone but it's hard to believe that it's the equal of Dornoch.  Shinnecock and Muirfield (as the Redanman said) are as equal as you can get. Happy to be at either one on a regular basis.Just the thought of the traffic in the Hamptons during golf season is a tie breaker for me!

Whatever you all decide is least appealing, I'll take...

Sean, I saw this thread yesterday and thought about bringing it forward.  what is that they say about great minds?

I thought of a lot of courses that I like.  Royal County Down, Pine Valley are courses I love.  They can also beata you up.
If I had to choose one it would be Cypress Point.  I have only payed it once, twenty years ago. I not only remember every hole, I remember every shot I hit and every shot my buddies hit.  It has it all: towering pines, sand dunes, lonely cyress trees the ocean and a desing that is alomost flawless.  It has short par fours, rechable par fives, two of the most exciting par threes in the world and no play.

Wow, very difficult choices...after much deliberation I'll go with American Classics -- if for no other reason than 2 of the 3 are "local" for me.

I'm interested to hear what newcomers (since 1999) feel

Is this like asking people in the real world an opinion, but only if they are under 100 years old?

I know I took you a bit out of context, but it I found it funny to highlight (since 1999). Sorry.

Swapping Friars Head for Maidstone makes LI more tempting, but if I can substitue Carnoustie for the Old Course, I'll stick with Scotland.

Only because of the weather, I'd take the California Dreaming courses while I wait for the Cape Breton Trio to be added.
Ran, maybe we need an "all season trio" while we wait for Al Gore's weather pattern to finalize.

And of course no peaceful 'Mountain, Lake, &Forest' set to vote on.

Sorry to say that in my deprived career I have not yet played a single course listed. Cannot possibly vote, except by guess. I certainly think I would enjoy them all.

Doug

The choice is so easy, based on weather alone, you got to go with the Cypress group, you can play it 365 days a year

I actually like that some of these destinations are not regularly visited and don't mind looking forward to occasional visits; it makes the experience more enjoyable in my mind.  So I'll keep the California courses, Ireland, Scotland in that category along with England/Wales, New England, the Great Plains and Australia.

So that leaves me the American Classics or the Long Islanders.  Shinnecock is my favorite course of all.  So that gives that group a fast start.  I have an exceptionally high regard for NGLA, but not enough to sway the decision much.  I have only walked Maidstone, albeit with Tom Paul.  It fascinates me, in some ways more so than NGLA.  The 9th hole is a wonder, even more so knowing how it came to be.  

Then there is the mostly local selection of Merion, Pine Valley and Augusta.  Merion is my second favorite course and Pine Valley my third favorite.  Two out of the top 3 in one group.  That would be hard to top.  Throw Augusta National in there and that is the end of story.  Honestly though, you could change Augusta to TCC, Kittansett, Indian Creek, Crystal Downs, Prairie Dunes and several others and I would still choose the American Classics.  I wouldn't even mind that much if it was only Merion and Pine Valley  

But then again, Shinnecock does beckon strongly.....

Can you really play golf in Monteray 365 days a year?

Well on average 3 London Lovelies are open 364.

1  Royal st Georges
2  Sunnigdale Old
3  The Addington


All less than 1.5 hrs from my front door, so you get to sleep in your own bed after each. (Multiple property owning magnate's are henceforth d/q'd from voting on this thread.)