The first great course(s) you ever played

[Jim Sweeney]

It depends on the definition because I was fortunate to learn to play at CC of Waterbury in Connecticut, which was (and is, depending on conditions) frequently ranked at or near the top in Connecticut.  I played the state junior at Brooklawn, which was very highly regarded. Mt first "top 100" was Wigwam Gold, I was probably 14. But my real eye opener was Olympic at the 1984 US Amateur.

[Cory Lewis]

Pinehurst No.2 when I was 13.  When I saw those greens it blew my mind.  I had never seen greens that were so demanding to the short game, my caddie had me hit shots I had never thought of trying to hit, I think that is when it dawned on me there was something to this golf architecture stuff.

[Chris Moore]

Western Gailes.  I was totally flummoxed.  

[Kyle Harris]

Course!?

Heck, I remember the shot.

In my third year of playing the game as a junior in HS I was locked in a fairly decent match with one of the league's better players.

Abington High School plays at Huntingdon Valley Country Club. My match had reached the ninth hole and I had hit a decent drive down the right side. The hole plays very much downhill to a green benched into the hillside. The green is severe and undulating with a tier running through the middle. On this particular day the hole was cute right on the tier.

Anyway, I've got 175 uphill to the green on a downhill lie. I sat there for about 3 minutes trying to figure out how to get the ball to the hole using the features knowing that it would come out low and fading.

Hitting a cut six-iron to within 7 feet and holding the tier sealed the deal.

Three putting from there made me realize just how fun this game can be.  

[Jesse Jones]

I got a late start in the game..
Pinehurst #2 at 30..

[Bill_McBride]

I had only played a handful of courses when my dad took my brother and me down to Pebble Beach when I was 14.  Nothing had ever looked like those holes along the ocean, and nothing still does to this day.  I didn't really understand why it was great golf architecture, just knew it was beautiful and awesome.  In college I was able to play the Valley Club in Montecito and Bel Air and LACC in Los Angeles.  Great courses, but Pebble Beach allowed me to understand there is a huge divide between good courses and great courses.

[Tom Huckaby]

I had only played a handful of courses when my dad took my brother and me down to Pebble Beach when I was 14.  Nothing had ever looked like those holes along the ocean, and nothing still does to this day.  I didn't really understand why it was great golf architecture, just knew it was beautiful and awesome.

Bill - you knew - beautiful and awesome means a great golf course, perhaps not in all courses, but certainly in this case.  Why much it up by even wondering about "great golf architecture"?  Your 14 year old eyes saw all you needed to see.

[Doug Siebert]

I played Harbour Town when I was 15.  But my eyes weren't really opened for another 10 years on my first visit to Scotland, when I played Western Gailes on my first day on rock hard ground and a 30 mph wind, and really "got it".