Your Year in Review 2005

[ForkaB]

Tom

Expect neither demonology or hagiography. A golf course is a golf course is a golf course--even the Old course.

[T_MacWood]

Tom

Expect neither demonology or hagiography. A golf course is a golf course is a golf course--even the Old course.

Thats nice...especially hagiography, since nine out of ten wouldn't know what that means...including me. It sounds like you may keep some of your previous opinions to yourself....probably the prudent thing to do.

[ForkaB]

Tom

If it rankles you so much, feel free to share with all of us any of my previous opinions of the Old Course, or any other course I have commented on on this web site, for that matter.  I'm very happy to defend whatever I said, whenever and however I said it.

And, BTW it's not "hadjiography" for a very good reason.....

[Ian Andrew]

This was my favourite year. A trip with my father to Ireland
that I thought would never happen.

There is nothing in my work life that could possibly compare to that week.

[Brent Hutto]

It was interesting to think I drove an otherwise calm man to tomahawk (or was that toss?) his club against his trolley after an unsuccessful shot.  I am still chuckling.  

The story I heard says that it was definitely a toss.

[mike_malone]

 6 th tee at Portrush ?

[Brent Hutto]

To say 2005 was the best year of my golf life would be a ridiculous understatement. Working totally from memory, here's my recollection of new (to me) courses I played this year. Some of them world-class, some not. Some of them of GCA interest (marked with an *), some not.

The Links at Stono Ferry (Hollywood, SC)
Legend Oak (Summerville, SC)
* Palmetto
* Stevinson Ranch
* Pasatiempo
* Spyglass Hill
* Pajaro Valley (Hi Pete!)
* Cypress Point Club
* MPCC Shore
* Holston Hills
Darby Creek (Columbus, OH)
Forest Lake Club (Columbia, SC)
* Southern Pines
* Tobacco Road (Love that 6th Hole)
* Caledonia

I think there are at least a couple courses that slipped my mind this morning. I'll edit and add them in when I remember. What a year!

[Matthew MacKay]

This year has been a beauty.  

-played Thompson's opposite-end-of-the-country gems, Capilano and Highlands Links - had perfect weather for both, which is quite a feat for Vancouver and Cape Breton.

-enjoyed a beautiful few early-summer days in Boston.  The Country Club was sublime, Winchester CC was EXCELLENT, and taking the bus to play Frankiln Park muni was a lesson in Boston demographics.

-Redtail GC, low-key Donald Steel design tucked away in Southwestern Ontario - me and only me on the golf course on a gorgeous autumn day.

-a Chicago swing that took me to Beverly, Skokie, and Olympia Fields.  All were excellent.  Played Skokie with an older gentleman originally from Wisconsin who was thrilled when I mentioned a desire to play what happened to be his  favourite course - Lawsonia Links.  

[Kyle Harris]

Wow, where to begin. I joined the DG in February, and almost two weeks later had met my first GCAer... Wayne Morrison.

Being exposed to the great people on here has probably been the biggest plus, and I've developed some really good friendships, both golf and non-golf through this site.

Playing Rolling Green with Wayne was an experience, and I had never to that point played golf with anyone as "into" the golf course as he was. Up to that point, I was always that nut, and got more than my fair share of weird glances.

Another highlight was meeting Doug Braunsdorf and finally playing some of the other Bethpage courses, especially the superlative Red Course.

Beechtree in September with Cory Lewis was another highlight, and my first Tom Doak course. Thanks again to Cory for a great day of golf.

I also really appreciated walking around Merion with Tom Paul during the second medal play round of the Amateur. Meeting Tom Paul also lead to my current affiliation with Huntingdon Valley CC and Scott Anderson, for which I am eternally grateful.

This season was marked by less golf played for me, but the battery of courses I played has been the most prolific since I first took this low-hook, deadly inside 50 yards game away from Five Ponds in 1998.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Best surprises of the year:

Kauai Lagoons (Kiele)- the ocean hole is famous, but the quantity and quality of the rest of the holes surprised me.  Some good bunkering, too.

Warren Course - if this course were ultra-private, it would get so much more praise.  I thought it was as good as Chechessee Creek.

Fenway - shouldn't really be a surprise, given Geoffrey's and Ran's glowing praise, but I could not get the course out of my head for days.



Treating my mom and stepdad (who turned 60 and 70 this year, respectively) to a round at Pebble was the highlight of the year.   They would never have played it otherwise, and watching them be completely awed by the experience, as it was far more breathtaking than they ever imagined, made it that much more special.  We will never forget it.  The day after was pretty neat, too.


Any time spent with the Gibster is gonna be good.

Getting to spend a day with the inimitable Rick Holland was a treat, too.

Can never say enough about 'Uncle' Bob.

A long weekend with the long lost Ed Baker will not be forgotten.


And all the rest of you fellow yahoos that I met (or re-met) this year, it is always a treat.

[Peter Pallotta]

A happy golfing summer for me, even though I didn't get a chance to play very often. But most of the rounds I DID play were on Doug Carrick designs, and that made it very good. If anyone gets to the Toronto/Southern Ontario area, do play some of his courses if you get a chance. I have much to learn about golf course architecture (and about golf, for that matter) but for my tastes Carrick is one of the best around. I played (in no order of preference) Osprey Valley (the Heath and Toot courses); Copper Creek, Angus Glen (South), and Nobleton Lakes. Others have spoken very highly of two other courses, but I haven't played them: Eagles Nest (too expensive for me) and King Valley (private). What a pleasure and a privilege it is to play a fine course on a fine day, and I've had a few of those this summer so I feel lucky.
Good holidays to all
P

[Scott_Burroughs]

I really should be working, but....here's another summary, to the tune of 12 Days of Christmas, picked up at '5':


5 New Ross Gems!
4 Tillinghast
3 C&C
2 Doak (and a re-do)
and 1 each of Hanse, Strantz, and MacKenzieeeeeeee

 

I know, the beats don't all match.  

[Ian Andrew]

Mayday,

Yes the 6th at Portrush is correct.

It was a perfect day, a 4 club wind and two major squalls; but somehow it suited the day well.

Ian

[Bruce Katona]

Getting out to play 9 holes with my 8 year old daughter on a Saturday or Sunday after and having her upset she hasn't beaten me yet.  This is her first year actually playing.  The little one is very competitive and is hitting the ball 125 off the tee.

I am in trouble next year when she's 9, but I could never be any more proud  than on the day she beats her Daddy.

[Chris Parker]

Well, 2005 started off in the best possible way, with the birth of my son, Sawyer Thompson Findlay Parker, on January 1st.



He was the New Year's baby in Peterborough, Ontario.

Golfwise, it was kind of a slow year.  Between work and baby, I didn't find a lot of time for golf.  I tried to make the most of it though.

I played Kawartha G&CC in Peterborough and The Sands GC in Gravenhurst, ON, both Stanley Thompson layouts.

In September I had the opportunity to play Brantford G&CC, a much-heralded Thompson, Cumming, Thompson layout.

I also played Holiday Inn Golf Course, a par 28 nine-holer in Sarnia, ON -- the first golf course Mike Weir played as a child.

In August I walked the ultra-private Donald Steel-designed Redtail Golf Course in St. Thomas/Port Stanley, ON as a spectator during the final two rounds of the Ontario Amateur.



But the big golf highlight of my year was the opportunity to meet lots of knowledgeable and friendly people during the Toronto GCA gathering earlier this month.  I look forward to seeing you all again!

And last, but certainly not least, I became a member of this discussion group!

Thanks everyone, and here's to a great 2006!

[Jeff_Mingay]

Cute kid, Chris  

... along with the cute little par-three ninth at Redtail!

[Doug Braunsdorf]

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.

Steve-

  Bethpage Black for 2006 is already a given, you knew that  

Happy Holidays!

DRB

[Brock Peyer]

The highlight of my year was taking my 3 year old little girl, Palmer, to the range for the first time.  She really enjoyed it and hopefully we will spend alot of time playing golf together over the many years to come.

This year was a little light for me, I play only 11 times but on 11 different courses, playing Tobacco Road for the first time and Cuscowilla for a second time.  I love them both.  

I played Cuscowilla with two buddies who are both very good golfers and they enjoyed it but I was suprised when one thought that greens were a little too severe.  He played college golf and has played in the North South Am but that suprised me, he did have a bad round with several 3 jacks.  We played in late October and I think the 3 of us had 17 3 putts between us.  I played Tobacco Road with the same friends and 9 other, our average handicap was 4.5 but I was the only one in the group that really loved TR.  

It just reminds me of something that comes up here all the time is that many people love golf but few people really love architecture.  As we all know, most people enjoy pretty courses that are challenging and easy but also fun.  

Hopefully 2006 will mean more golf and better golf for me.  I played a little less than normal but had several rounds in the high 80s and a continual love/hate relationship with the blade.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

[mikes1160]

Brock,

I'm encouraged: I have 2.5 year old girl, Annika (the wife's idea, not mine, just to be clear) and look forward to seeing if she can make the transition from plastics to the real thing...

As for first-time courses in 2005:

-Victoria National: I know there are mixed feelings about Vic National on this site, but the land is fantastic  

-Loch Lomond: few courses have been planted in a more lovely setting.

-Lahinch: one word: Klondyke. A lot of Klondyke.

-Kapalua Plantation: my first C&C as well

-Caledonia: I hope we see a Mike Strantz book someday - he deserves it

[Mike_Cirba]

Tom

Expect neither demonology or hagiography.

Rich,

I'm tremendously disappointed that we won't be having any demonology.  On the other hand, I can probably get by without hagiography, at least in the coming year.

Slainte,
Mike

[ForkaB]

Tom

Expect neither demonology or hagiography.

Rich,

I'm tremendously disappointed that we won't be having any demonology.  On the other hand, I can probably get by without hagiography, at least in the coming year.

Slainte,
Mike

Mike

Looking at the snippet above, it looks like you ain't gettin' any great grammar neither....

As for demonology and hagiography, I get more than my daily dose of these at GolfClubAtlas.com, and see no reason to be involved in the spread of either of those two virulent tendencies to my work and private life!

Happy Boxing Day!

Rich