A Ten Year Plan

[Mike Hendren]

Let's say a man of modest means can afford one brief golf trip in the states annually and can only play two or three courses on each trip. He desires to see a wide variety of golf courses in diverse settings from as many architects as possible.  He'd rather not grovel and lists and rankings are irrelevant.    

Ten years.  Thirty courses in proximate groups of three.

Recommend a plan.

[Tom Huckaby]

GREAT question.

I assume by "he'd rather not grovel" that we are to leave out the great private clubs, which do require grovelling of one form or another.

So... to start...

Year One:  California.  Fly into LAX.  Play Rustic Canyon at least 2-3 times.  Stay out there in Moorpark, lodging very cheap.  Then either get a cheap flight to San Jose, or drive up, and play Pasatiempo once, DeLaveaga once.  Stay at a modest hotel in Santa Cruz area.  Pasa will be a splurge, but you will have saved $$$ as Rustic is very reasonable.  We'll add DeLaveaga just because it is fun and quirky and worth seeing.  Fly home out of San Jose if possible, with a large smile on your face, having seen some of the best that modern golf can offer, as well as the best that MacKenzie has to show you here in the states.

I'll continue with Year Two, so long as this is what you are after.... am I on the right track?

TH

[Mike Hendren]

Yes, Tom.

With 1500 members in the treehouse, I assume that are more than a few who envy those fortunate souls who always seem to be playing somewhere fabulous every other week.  We tend to always think it's the other guy that's so lucky, until we examine our own incredible experiences.  

Feel free to include a few great privates.  Anybody who earnestly participates in this forum and is a decent human being will sooner or later get a wholly unexpected invitation to mecca, don't you think?  The benevolance of GCA is overwhelming.  

Mike

[Tony_Muldoon]

Bogey you must have been thinking of me.

Can I add a sub clause. This family man could get way with 3 rounds of golf if the others have something to do.  So  if it would be possible to link these 'areas' to some other attractions, that would be most interesting.  As you guys know it's a long way to go for a 3 day golf trip.

Keep 'em comming Tom.

[Tom Huckaby]

Hmmmmmm.....

Well, it's all too easy to make year one Pebble Beach area and say Cypress, Pebble, MPCC.  I just figured that while sure, there is a lot of benevolence here, one ought not to COUNT on it... and since we are talking "modest means" we also ought not to include big-ticket items like Pebble.

Tony's sub-clause also would change things considerably.  I seriously think that means two different lists - or at least some years, it's family time, some years, it's solo golf.  For example one of these years Nebraska is going to feature, and well... no offense to my friends out there, but that's not an area the wife and kids would pick for vacation.

So, let's change this a bit.

Year one:  SoCal.  Fly into LAX, use connections to play one or another of LACC/Riviera/Bel-Air.  Then play at least two rounds at Rustic Canyon.  The former will give you traditional golf at its finest, the latter will allow you to see a modern version of the same, and will save the pocketbook.  Bring the family - countless things for them to do.

Year Two:  Norcal.  Fly into San Jose, drive south to Monterey.  Use connections to play MPCC, both courses if possible.  If you REALLY have connections, add Cypress Point.  One way or the other, play Pacific Grove Muni as well, then head north, play Pasatiempo.  If you can't go home smiling after this, you have no soul.  Again, lots for family to do, bring them along.

Year Three:  Colorado.  Fly into Denver, play Cherry Hills if you can swing it, or any of a number of other great clubs close in to Denver - Denver CC would be a great sub as well.  The head east, two hour drive, play Ballyneal at least 2-3 times.  If time allows, find one of the great Engh courses and add that in.  Bring family, lots of hiking plus Denver is a great city, lots to see both urban and rural.

Year Four - Bandon.  Enough said.  This will be a splurge, but it will be absolutely worth it.  Fly into Portland, connect to North Bend.  Stay on-site.  Play as much as your legs and wallet will allow, over all three courses (or a 4th if it exists by then) and Sheep Ranch (if that still exists).  Leave family at home - go with golf buddies.

That's enough for now... I was going to head further east, but man there's still a lot West of the Mississippi to conquer...

TH

[JR Potts]

Chicago:  Fly into Midway.  Contact a certain other member of this forum and play Beverly and Olympia Fields in one day.  If looking to stay on the cheap, rent a room in Oak Brook, Illinois.  Play Cog Hill #4 - Dubsdread in the AM and then contact me and we'll play Medinah in the PM.  Either take flight out that night or stay the night and attempt to grovel your way onto Rich Harvest or Chicago Golf. (Good luck).

[ForkaB]

Mike

I know you said "the states", but if you want to widen your horizons, you could do a lot worse than attend the Buda Cup event each year.  So far, we've done (or are doing), over a 3-day period:

Dornoch/Brora
Painswick/Painswick
Littlestone/Deal
Hoylake/Wallasey

Despite what Tiger Bernhardt says, the on the ground costs over here are comparable to or cheaper than US prices, and it probably costs less to fly to the UK than it does to Bandon, from most places in the States.

Even if foreign travel does not suit you, there is always the King's Puttercup, and you never know, somebody might just step up to the plate one of these years and organize a Buda Cup in the USofA.  Nobody is stopping you!

[Matt MacIver]

Year ?: Fly into Charleston, SC.  Play The Ocean Course (Dye), Bulls Bay (Strantz, private but I think agreeable to outside play while ramping up), and either Wild Dunes/Rivertown/Dunes West on the public side or certainly CC of Charleston or Yeaman's Hall if you could swing the private side.  

or:

Year ?: Pinehurst.  Play #2, Ross jewel, and either #4 if you want more or #7 or 8 if you want Fazio.  Play Tobacco Road (Strantz) and you'd have a choice of 20+ others for your last round -- CC of NC has two courses, or Pine Needles or Mid-Pines, more Ross.  

[Bob Jenkins]

If you are looking for something different and out of the way but excellent golf, fly to Kelowna, B.C. (direct from Seattle, Vancouver, Toronto and maybe a few others), rent a car and drive up to Vernon and stay and play at Predator Ridge (all 27), then back down to Kelowna to play Gallaghers Canyon, then take a drive south about 1.5 hours to a town called Oliver and play Fairview Mountain. The Okanagan Valley is very dry and hot in the summer. Lots of good wineries too. Many from Seattle and Portland spend time up there. You would not be disappointed with the golf at all!

Bob Jenkins

[HamiltonBHearst]

I love this place.  We have a question about a inexpensive golf trip and part of the answer is to rely on others to play.

Does anyone ever offer to pay a host or pay for the caddies when playing on a GCA invite?  

Some of you might be schocked to learn this but playing at Rustic Canyon is still cheaper than paying a guest fee at a private club.

[Tom Huckaby]

Now Rich, he did say "the states".    But you do make a good point - it is likely cheaper to do the Buda Cup than it is to do Bandon, for those east of the Mississippi anyway.  Mike, whaddya think about adding in a splurge trip overseas as one or two of those 10 years?  It is rather mandatory... and the way the Buda Cup has gone, Rich is right - that would be a fantastic way to do it....

As for the various Cups, remember, all are always welcome, and all are always worthwhile every year.  In fact Mike, you could just do a ten year plan like this and you'd be guaranteed of a good time, seeing great courses:

1 - TKP
2 - Dixie Cup
3 - Buda Cup
4 - TKP
5 - Dixie Cup
6 - TKP
7 - Dixie Cup
8 - Buda Cup
9 - TKP
10 - Dixie Cup

That even keeps it in the "modest means" category, most likely....

TH

[Tom Huckaby]

I love this place.  We have a question about a inexpensive golf trip and part of the answer is to rely on others to play.

Does anyone ever offer to pay a host or pay for the caddies when playing on a GCA invite?  

Some of you might be schocked to learn this but playing at Rustic Canyon is still cheaper than paying a guest fee at a private club.

Hammy - that is all understood by me.  You'll note my first post assumed we leave private clubs out.  Shock of shocks, I agree with you on this point.... But Mike did then say to include such things....

TH

[Tim Pitner]

I'm not sure what is meant by "modest means."  Does that limit what courses a person can play, or does it simply mean that he can afford to only take one golf trip a year?  The Ocean Course and Pinehurst #2 are quite expensive and won't fit everyone's budget, even if they are willing to pay a premium for golf.  

[Bob Jenkins]

Tom,

Please forgive me but what is a Buda Cup? I am still new here?  I did overlook the reference to "the states" but, what the heck, Kelowna is not like a trip abroad.

Bob J

[Tom Huckaby]

Bob - over the years we've set up various gatherings... they go like this, with these being the ones that have been held two or more years:

Buda Cup - held in UK to date - idea is US v. Europe.

The King's Putter - held in CA - idea is NorCal v. SoCal, but it's VERY loosely based.  Folks from all over attend.

Dixie Cup - held somewhere in the US south - idea is Yankees v. Rebels, but again it's very loosely based.

All tend to be held at very fun courses.

TH

[Bob Jenkins]

Tom,

Sounds like fun. Thanks.

Bob J.

[Tom Huckaby]

Tom,

Sounds like fun. Thanks.

Bob J.

I can attest that they are EXCEEDINGLY fun.  Keep a watch on here for details.  TKP just happened, but each of Buda and Dixie are in the fall... there is room for more players in each...

 

[Glenn Spencer]

Bogey,

I am not sure about the grovelling part, but I could see one of the trips being to Indianapolis. The public golf there is absolutely amazing, apparently. I just recently went and played The Trophy Club and I thought it was fabulous. The greens were the best I have putted on in a long time, maybe ever, it was shocking. The golf course had everything. I was talking to the pro and he starts selling me on playing Purgatory which I have heard is pretty good, then there is The Fort which is supposed to be nice and some others. Otter Creek is well thought of for public plus Brickyard and some other gig, Legends maybe. I haven't been out to those, it seems like they are everywhere. Trophy Club was really good and it was $47 or $60 all day. A steal!! On the grovelling side, Wolf Run and Crooked Stick are right there to be groveled for. Meridian Hills has some good holes and bad. I know the CC of Indianapolis has been used by the USGA for a few events in the past. Indiana has it all for cheap and access. It has to be a golf trip though, not much else going on.

[Brian Joines]

I would have to second the Indianapolis suggestion. There are some really good public courses for very affordable prices.

My next suggestion would be Northern Michigan. Arcadia Bluffs is my second favorite course of those I have played (not too far behind Pinehurst #2). The Kingsley Club is private but you should have no problem playing there if you contact the pro, as they have a very friendly playing policy there. Kingsley is really a great place to play, also.

There are plenty of other options in the area for golf and family activities.

Last summer I made this trip and we're going back for a return trip in July. Playing Arcadia and Kingsley on the same day (after 45 holes at Treetops the day before) is hard to beat. The only thing that could make that better would be to add Crystal Downs into that rotation but I think you will need some good connections for that.

[Tim Pitner]

Brian,

Arcadia over Kingsley . . . interesting.  I've not played either, BTW, just read quite a bit about both.  

I'm not sure about the proximity, but it seems like a Michigan trip could include a Doak course or two as well--High Pointe and Black Forest.

What about Forest Dunes--is that in the area?

[Brian Joines]

Tim.

I confess that the lake views may have influenced my opinion on Arcadia. Man, what a beautiful place! I am really excited to go back and see these courses again. My eye for architecture has been opened quite a bit in the past year, so I'll have to reevaluate the two courses again.

As for the Doak courses you mentioned, they are all within driving distance of Arcadia/Kingsley/Crystal. I have not played any of them so I can't really offer much insight. In fact, i have never played a Doak course at all! But that will all change on Friday at Lost Dunes  

Maybe I will have to add one of those N. Michigan Doak courses to my summer plans. If any of you have played them, which one would you recommend getting out to?

[Tim Pitner]

Brian,

I have not played High Pointe or Black Forest.  In fact, I've also only played one Doak course--Pacific Dunes (quite a few times).  That's about to change for me as well (Ballyneal).  Black Forest intrigues me because it doesn't have the dunesy links look that many people tend to associate with Doak, and because I understand he was instructed there to build a difficult golf course.  That could yield some interesting results.  

[Tony_Muldoon]

Great stuff guys I've book marked this thread.  But from my selfish perspective what about the east coast?

3 prospective holidays for me might be

1 New england in the fall.

2 New York, again in the autumn, as a pre christmas shopping/theatre trip.  Is there any 'reasonable' golf to be had (using public transport) and how late could you go and reasonably expect to have an enjoyable game? (ok I just figured this one out Bethpage).

3  Busisness has taken me to Miami many times and I'll admit to loving it for a quick refresher (Ft Lauderdale too).  But I've only ever had half a day in the everglades and never seen the Keys.  While the wife and daughter spend a couple of days at Sawgrass Mills "the worlds largest discount shoping centre" is there any fun to be had?

[Craig Sweet]

By the time you get to year 10 we might have 3 or 4 decent courses here in Montana....

[michael_j_fay]

One of the guidelines I have followed is pursuit of US Open courses with emphasis on the courses from the early days of the Open.

I think there is a lot to learn from coursse that have handled the Open in every era. Many courses are accessible and you will see a lot.

In Scotland and England I have had a ball playing some of the qualifying courses for the Open.

If I were generalize I would say that the courses used for National Championships and some of their qualifying courses were chosen because they were the best at a given time.

Old Open venues:

Myopia
Five Farms
Ridgewood
Oak Hill
Worcester

Qualifying sites:

Western Gailes
Hillside
Southport and Ainsdale