The best course you could have played but didn't...

[Darren_Kilfara]

What's the course you most looked forward to playing but ultimately didn't get to play, for whatever reason? Maybe you were invited to play it but had to cancel at the 11th hour; maybe your plans to play it were scuppered for reasons beyond your control (your host couldn't make it, you ran out of money to pay the greens fee, etc.). But the point is, you thought you were going to play there, and you really wanted to play there, but then you didn't, and you feel much the poorer for your loss.

I ask this in part because I was supposed to play Pine Valley yesterday, during a day off in the middle of a business trip to the States - but my business trip got cancelled on Friday (for reasons I won't bore you with), and with it went my golf date. Sigh...

Cheers,
Darren

[James Edwards]

CPC on the tuesday after the ATT at PB this year, on one of the best days of the year....

The converstaion went something like.. you guys can go and play if you wish? and the reply from my boss was, "they will get more from walking the course"...

 

Bill,
tough beak although judging by the scores that year, it may have saved you a few golf balls.

[Craig Van Egmond]

I got invited to play Prairie Dunes, one of my top 3 want to play courses, but couldn't because of prior comittments.  

[Brian Phillips]

James your boss is right...

Brian

[Mike Hendren]

Darren,

Life is too darned short.  I would have been on that plane in a N.Y. minute.

James,

I believe I'd get a new boss.

In both instances, please note the absence of smileys.

All of my life
I've been waitin'
Tonight there'll be no hesitatin'
Oh boy
- The Late Great Buddy Holly

Mike

[ian]

Had an invite to play Sand Hills (with a lot of great architects) on the day of my 10th anniversary.

My wife has always supported my travel to see famous courses, and the decision I made that day is why.

No regrets.

[Mike Hendren]

Ian,

To borrow a phrase from Barney, my wife is better than your wife

Mike

[David Wigler]

Pine Valley the first day of my old club's invitiational.  I decided to play in the invite instead - If only I had realized that PV invitations are few and far between, while club invitationals happen every year.  

[david h. carroll]

Oakmont in the late summer two years ago....I missed it b/c I nearly sliced my finger off while making guacamole at the beach ten days before the trip...stitches couldn't come off for two weeks and seven stitiches at the top of your index finger isn't something to mess with

[Allan Long]

When I was in college I was invited to play Cypress Point. That trip, my Dad  and I also played Spyglass and had a time at Pebble. We cancelled Pebble because at the time the green fee was like $100, instead to play Del Monte.

To this day, that decision still haunts us both. By far the dumbest thing I ever did.

[Brian_Gracely]

I played in my father's invitational a few years ago and on the 11th hole (uphill Par3), one of our opponents tore a muslce in the back of his leg (calf or achilles).  It literally popped and rolled up his leg.  He hobbled along for the remainder of the match, and rarely played another shot, but kept walking along.  

After the match I wished him well and told him to see a doctor so it wouldn't get worse.  He proceeded to tell me that the following week was the Pine Valley invitational and there was NO WAY that he was going to miss it.  So he found a way to hide it from his wife for the remainder of the week, showed up at the invitational each day (albeit hobbled) and I assume went off to the PVGC invitational the next week.  

I knew almost nothing about PVGC at the time, but he convinced me that day that there was no reason that someone should skip a visit if invited....it's that special.  It was also the reason I ultimately found GCA.com as I was inspired to figure out why this Pine Valley place was worth all the effort.    

[James Edwards]

Brian,

You know what fella, you might be right...  I have pondered the question long and hard myelf and I suppose we had 6 hours of blissful serenity walking it instead of hacking around it...  The funniest moment was on the 3rd green when I told Rich about the pro shop moment, which he was unaware of and his face was a picture... Im tellin ya.. It was a picture of disbelief!  The opportunity doesn't come about too often, now does it, he said walking to the 4th tee?

Another classic was at Merion GC wth Cliff Stanfield... We had viewed PV in the morning and drove across to Merion in the afternoon to meet Matt Schaffer and the crew for a walk on the course - he met us at 10 with a cold drink and said how about we go to the shed, look at the Macdonald renovation pictures and then you head out and play...  Of course we wanted too but we needed to be up in the Baltusrol area in the evening...  so we finished walking the course and headed out without pegging it up

[Jerry Kluger]

I was scheduled to play Prarie Dunes and my wife went into labor -- had to cancel entire trip.

I was in the art business at one time and represented Leroy Neiman in my area.  I arranged for him to go to the Masters through a local member who was on a number of the committees and owned some local hotels in the area as well as the local newspaper.  Leroy then did a painting which I titled "April in Augusta" and we made a limited edition serigraph of it.  I sold one to the head pro at Augusta and Leroy signed a print of it to the member.  Like a dummy I never followed up to try and play the course through either the member or the pro.  

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

My tale of woe is full of almost jaka b like contridictions. Well not really lol. I could have played ANGC several times but cannot bring myself to date the members daughter who would be taking me there. Many of you would say how could you turn down sex and the opportunity great golf. sadly there no good answer.....And now the opportunity will be passing over the next few months....

[James Edwards]

John,

Reminds me of your good self and I leaving Royal St Georges after looking at the course during the England France match, trying to find the mens room! Then we met Doug, long time caddy on the european tour in the caddy hut and subsequently offering us the chance to play the course the following day in the evening with him Free of charge - but you had to go to St Enodoc after 36 holes at Rye!   and I had to go to work!  

[Jim Franklin]

Muirfield this year. We could only play there on Tuesday, but we also could only get a guaranteed time for The Old Course on Tuesday. I had to cancel Muirfield in order to make my pilgrimage complete.

[David Wigler]

.....And now the opportunity will be passing over the next few months....

Back the frickin truck up!!!  I know I have been MIA from GCA for the better part of six months but that statement reads like you are either a. dieing or b. getting married (Our friend the Armenian would say there is no difference).  Is it true?  Stettner and now yourself.  Bring me up to speed, please.

[Matthew Delahunty]

Missed Carnoustie last year but that was in favour of TOC, so I wasn't complaining.

[Martin Del Vecchio]

The Country Club, Brookline.  The father of a friend of mine is a member, and she invited me to play, "any time, really; just ask."

I politely declined on principle; I heard that TCC had discriminatory membership policies.

[Gene Greco]

Was invited on a private plane to play Fishers Island, Myopia Hunt and The Country Club and had to say no.

I already committed to play with GCAers at Cypress Point, San Francisco, Pacific Grove and Pebble.

When it rains it pours!!

[James Edwards]

Bloody Hell Gene, what way was that plane flying?

[Brad Swanson]

The best course I could've played but didn't, Sand Hills.  I didn't want to go alone and I couldn't round anyone up on a relatively short notice to make the trek with me from Denver (despite my best attempts at arm twisting with several golf-buddies).  Still regret it to this day.

Cheers,
Brad Swanson

[Craig Van Egmond]

Brad,

           You reminded me that I had to turn down a chance to play Sand Hills also.      It was the year I hurt my back and I simply could not swing a club much less fly on a plane.  Bummer, I had totally blocked that from my memory.

[Brad Swanson]

Craig,
   Sorry to bring back such painful memories (double entendre intendred).

CHeers,
Brad

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

James that is so true. We both just needed an extra day that week. David, all is well here. I just cannot pull the switch on doing what I have to do to get the invite.