Your Best 36 Hole day

[Tim Gallant]

Echoing the sentiment of a few others before, a 36 hole day at Sunningdale with drinks on the veranda in between is an idyllic way to pass the time.


In terms of different courses, 18 at Gullane 1 followed by lunch and foursomes at Luffness is pretty neat.

[Will Lozier]

While my dad did ride in a cart for much of the trip, he did walk all 36 on Day One at Ballyneal. 

THAT...is impressive!!!!!


Cheers

[Phil Lipper]

We did 18 at Enniscrone in the morning and 18 at Lahinch late afternoon. When the driver was told we were going to wake up at a hotel in Sligo and play  Enniscrone and Lahinch the same day he kept telling us it couldn't be done.   He discounted the craziness of golfers, combined with the fact it get dark so late in July.

[Andrew Buck]

I would say this Monday was pretty special, given the conditions.

Played 18 in the morning at Pine Needles.  Because they were closing the course for a green conversion Tuesday the let the greens get faster (they weren't that bad) and used the "toughest" individual day pin on each hole from the 2007 Women's open.  While many were playable, the first hole gave me a new appreciation for the skill level of the best, as two shots left me on the left fringe looking at a seemingly benign up and down for an opening birdie.  I hit a bump and run that I thought would be adequate and ended up leaving with an opening triple bogey including three bunker shots.  David Madison was nice enough to forego their club event to play with us, and while most holes were playable, we each had one or two "get away" from us. 

In the afternoon, we moved over to #2, who was hosting North South Amateur in the morning.  As we were getting our caddies we overheard a few caddies laughing at the "suckers" who would be going out with resort guest in those conditions.  Greens were running at similar speeds to Pine Needles (I suspect 11.5) and all pins were close to edges with a few in crazy places.  While on player in the North South did break par, there was also a guy in the field who shot a higher number there than either of his rounds at the US Open the prior week. 

A very fun and long day in the heat that was also a fully humbling experience.  One takeaway I have is I fully understand why professional golf takes so long, particularly around the greens.  When relatively small misses can add several shots with difficult pins, and stakes are so high, it really is hard to fault the players for taking there time on the greens.   

[Dave August]

I played 45 at Sand Hills in September. Walked the first 18 and rode the rest.
I played Pinehurst #2 and The Dormie Club the same day in Dec 2013.
I play 36 holes at my home course about one time a month, walking.

[Mark Pearce]

It seems to me that anyone answering this question woth two different clubs doesn't get it. 

For me Muirfield (on a Wednesday), RSG (as Andrew said), The Berkshire and Swinley Forest all come into it, but Muirfield pips it.

I think I still agree with this, though I'm rather hoping that within the next 6 weeks I'll have at least a couple of others to add to the list of the very best 36 holers...

[Tim Martin]

Through the generosity of another GCA member we recently played Quogue Field Club in the morning and West Hampton CC in the afternoon. A fantastic day with great company. Quite a contrast as Quogue has most of their green's at grade while WH have many of theirs raised/pushed up in the Mac/Raynor style.

[Scott Champion]

Echoing the sentiment of a few others before, a 36 hole day at Sunningdale with drinks on the veranda in between is an idyllic way to pass the time.


In terms of different courses, 18 at Gullane 1 followed by lunch and foursomes at Luffness is pretty neat.

Agreed! 36 at Sunningdale was among the best. A few others from the recent trip were not bad either:

Machrihanish / Mach Dunes
Kingsbarns / Elie
Trump Aberdeen / Fraserburgh
Moortown / Alwoodley
Swinley Forest / Woking

[Tim Gallant]

Recently I was able to get to Winged Foot and play the West in the morning before heading to Sleepy Hollow for a pm round. Dew sweeper duty and 2nd off on the West was thrilling, and was my first time on the property. A tour around the clubhouse and a lunch in the big room before I jumped in the car and drove 40 minutes to Sleepy Hollow. We finished as the sun was setting over the Hudson, which was pretty spectacular.

[Jon Wiggett]

Alwoodley/Moortown
Kings/Queens Gleneagles
TOC (36 holes)
Wick/Brora

[Tony_Muldoon]

I'm prety much with Mark inthat the use of a car between rounds knocks points off the day.


But the exception for the GCA aficiaonado


Lundin/Leven is a must do.

[Niall C]

One I did this year was Glasgow Gailes and Western Gailes with a very pleasant lunch in between.

Niall

[Tim_Weiman]

Wasn't my experience but there is a related story I will never forget.


Back in the early 1980s Chevron sold a refinery in Louisiana to Standard Oil (Ohio). To celebrate the closing Chevron management invited a couple Sohio brass to San Francisco for a game at the Olympic Club. The Sohio guys accepted and decided to first play a round at Canterbury before leaving Cleveland for the flight to California.


The group played an enjoyable round at Olympic. When they were finished, a Chevron guy said "any chance you guys could stick around for another day and play Cypress Point?", an invitation that was promptly accepted.


Well, all good things come to an end and the Sohio guys took the corporate jet home. But, shortly after lunch the next day, the senior Sohio guy called his colleagues and said "I kind of feel like playing Firestone this afternoon".


So, they jumped in the car and went down for a round at Firestone.


Maybe not the greatest, but Canterbury, Olympic, Cypress Point and Firestone wasn't bad for a work week.


Well, not too many people heard about this in the company, Sohio being a pretty conservative, hard work ethic kind of place. But, fortunately I did!


The next day I ran into the President of the Company on the elevator and asked him how his golf game was.


I never saw someone so flustered!

[David Wuthrich]

Start out playing 18 at Shinnecock with the first tee time of the day, racing to the airport to catch a plane to Fisher's Island, playing 18 at Fisher's and finishing at dark, having to return via a boat to CT because FI has no lights for a airplane to navigate after dark, so flying from CT back to Southampton, followed up by a big steak dinner and then drinks until 2 am at NGLA.  What a day!!  Right Joe A?

[DFarron]

Shinnecock and Maidstone
Cypress and Pebble
Olympic and SFGC
Scioto and TGC
Machrihanish (54 holes)

Those were the days, 36 too much for me any more lol!

[Steve Salmen]

36 at Muirfield: once with my wife, once with a member, 5 times with my best friend.
Distant second is Shinnecock-National with my best friend.

[jeffwarne]

I'm a big fan of a BIG course, small course combo, or 18 then 9.
Machrihanish followed by Dunaverty was a great day.


Pretty hard to beat Narin and Portnoo followed by Cruit in the 27 hole dept.


Two places I've played and enjoyed so much I cancelled my afternoon round elsewhere and went right back to the first tee.
CC of Charleston and Brora (canceled Dornoch to do it)

[John_Cullum]

I did Turnberry  and Irvine   on the same day in less than 150 strokes. I'd say that was my best 36 day. I've had some great days in Nebraska but they went over 36.

[BCowan]

To me its not so much the quality of courses you play its about being with your buds.  On Wed we did an Interstate 36er at Crooked Stick and Moraine preceded by boozing the night before.  Solid Golf, great weather, and good company.  There are other hardcore nuts like us we found.  Ran into the same Detroit GCAer last week and at Moraine on Wed, small world. 

[David Davis]

This one is really tough as there are so many.


I think my most prolific would be Shinny/NGLA. With lunch at one and dinner at the other. Honestly I wouldn't recommend that. I think those should each be a full day, heck a full week if you can swing it. I had no choice so it was a heavy day I will never forget.


There are really so many great ones.


Any two courses at Bandon Dunes Resort.
MPCC Dunes/Shore
Sunnindale as previously mentioned.
Walton Heath is pretty great.
Turnberry/Prestwick.
Muirfield/North Berwick
Old Course and any other course at St. Andrews.
Pinehurst/Mid Pines
Roaring Gap/Old Town
Sand Hills
Dismal
Ballyneal
Wolf Point


Where do I stop. How about some of the more unique ones I've done several times combining links and heathland in a single day.


De Pan/Royal Hague
De Pan/Kennemer
De Pan/Noordwijkse
Rye/Swinley Forest - including a huge buffet lunch at Rye and 1.5 hour traffic jam on the way. That was quite a crazy day together with Fergal O'Leary.

[Mark Greer]

I've had a few good ones.....Pebble/Spyglass....Spy/Pasatiempo....Pacific Dunes/Bandon Dunes....Baltusrol Upper/Sleepy Hollow.....Cypress Point/Monterey Peninsula Shore....Cherry Hills/Castle Pines....Dismal River Red/White.....Cabot Links/Cabot Cliffs

[Carson Pilcher]

While I have had many 36 hole days much like the previous posters...Cypress/MPGC, Any 2 Bandon courses, etc....  Two days stand out the best to me.


Back in 1994, I was in the USAF in pilot training out in Texas.  My roommate/ best friend and I went down to play The Quarry in San Antonio.  After the round, we decided to go to the base golf course and play another 18.  We both played great at each course which added to the enjoyment.  From there we went and got crab legs, wings and beer.  Left there, went to the Officer's Club, met some female officers in nursing school and the rest is history.  As my friend and I have commented for the next 20 years, "THAT was a pretty good day"!


Recently, I had another great day at Yeamans Hall.  We played 18, then the member said, "We can go in and have a sit-down lunch, or we could grab a sandwich and play another 18".  Of course, we chose another 18.  After our 36th hole, the member said, "Well, there is about 2 hours before it gets dark".  Of course, we headed back to the 1st tee for another 9 holes!!!  Finished the day with a beautiful sunset, ducks flying over and putting out on the 9th.  Epic!  Drove from there to Secession to do the same thing the next day!!!


I will never forget either day!!!

[cary lichtenstein]

I had a few:


Pine Valley and Merion
Pebble and Spyglass
Ballybunion Old and New Cashen
Carnoustie twice (now that was dumb day)
Winged Foot East and West

[Will Lozier]

Deal / Royal St. George's is a good day!

[Tim Martin]

While I have had many 36 hole days much like the previous posters...Cypress/MPGC, Any 2 Bandon courses, etc....  Two days stand out the best to me.


Back in 1994, I was in the USAF in pilot training out in Texas.  My roommate/ best friend and I went down to play The Quarry in San Antonio.  After the round, we decided to go to the base golf course and play another 18.  We both played great at each course which added to the enjoyment.  From there we went and got crab legs, wings and beer.  Left there, went to the Officer's Club, met some female officers in nursing school and the rest is history.  As my friend and I have commented for the next 20 years, "THAT was a pretty good day"!


Recently, I had another great day at Yeamans Hall.  We played 18, then the member said, "We can go in and have a sit-down lunch, or we could grab a sandwich and play another 18".  Of course, we chose another 18.  After our 36th hole, the member said, "Well, there is about 2 hours before it gets dark".  Of course, we headed back to the 1st tee for another 9 holes!!!  Finished the day with a beautiful sunset, ducks flying over and putting out on the 9th.  Epic!  Drove from there to Secession to do the same thing the next day!!!


I will never forget either day!!!

Great to see a member love his club so much that he wants to play 45 holes in a day. Good stuff!!!!!