Courses you need to see again because you played out of your freakin mind

[Jim Colton]

A flip side to the other thread, are there courses (or holes) you think you need to see again because you played abnormally great the first time around? Either you were on the stick and never got to fully experience the green contours, played so well that you have nothing but warm, fuzzy feelings for the course, or maybe you think the course is too easy since you mastered it in one try.

[Andy Troeger]

If Ken Fry sees this he may be able to attest to this, but I remember getting an abnormally large number of good bounces in my one round at Sycamore Hills in Ft. Wayne, IN on my one play. I think I 3-putted the last two holes for a 74, which is abnormally good for me from 7,000 yards on a tough course. I played well, but a few poorly played shots turned out better than I deserved.

I shot 32 (still my best ever nine holes) on the back nine at Lost Dunes the only time I played it. I also wasn't feeling well and had a 101.8 fever when I got home, so I just tried to follow my caddies' instructions and it obviously worked out well. I made a 50+ foot putt on #17 for birdie that broke about three times--had to give the caddie a bigger tip after it went in!

I'd happily go back to either one, but I think I still got to experience both courses in a reasonable fashion. Its just nice for a player of my abilities to make it around a new course and actually execute shots correctly instead of having good intentions and poor actual shots!

[Mark Saltzman]

Jim,

Absolutely.  And I'm glad to say there are many!

The biggest one is TOC.  I shot 71, including a double on 17 (I know, choke).  Every hole my caddie just said "hit it here" and I did.  I really enjoyed the round but I think I missed out on learning a lot about the golf course.

[Scott Sander]

Yes!  I hold Cherry Hills in unusually high esteem, and it's entirely because I shot my PB by several strokes there.  Somehow I managed to be in all the 'right' spots all round - my host kept saying things like "Oh, you've got a shot that Nicklaus stiffed in the final round of the Senior Open," or "Jay Sigel birdied from that same spot in the Mid AM..."
Even my worst shot was perfect - "Tommy Bolt threw his driver in the lake when he did that..."
It was like a history lesson that I'd accidentally aced, and it left me feeling quite chuffed about the course and myself.  

So if Cherry Hills isn't really the best course in the world, please don't tell me.  

[Scott Warren]

At National, aside from one bad swing in the 15th fairway I was +3 for 17.5 holes (doubled the 15th).

From the 13th tee to the 15th green I was in a bit of a state as I considered that I could very well match or beat my best ever round of +1 and it messed with my head a bit. Try as I did to enjoy the course first and foremost, for that half hour or so my prime focus was on executing my shots and then preparing for the next.

I'm glad that only happened in that stretch and not from 1-12 or 16-18, but even at the time I was trying to get myself to just relax and take it in, but the lure of shooting a career round was too strong.

Course it was a curse -- through 12 I was +2, then played the three holes in question in +3 and following a shank that caused a double bogey at the 15th I relaxed, accepted I wasn't going to go low and proceeded to par the last three!

Stupid game...

[Michael George]

Jim - I actually think this is the harder question.  

I shot 75 from the tips at Pete Dye GC.  I loved  the course and probably would have loved it even if I played like crap, but that is as good as I get from the tips on a course that difficult.  One of my friends, who is a 2 handicap, shot 88 and "went dark" on the 5th hole after making a mess of that green.  He thinks it is the most difficult course he has played.  I thought it was very playable.  Don't know which one of us is right.

[Bill Brightly]

Garden City Mens Club. As a 5 handicap, playing the most expensive nassau bet I have ever played, I shot even par for the first time in my life.

[Ken Fry]

If Ken Fry sees this he may be able to attest to this, but I remember getting an abnormally large number of good bounces in my one round at Sycamore Hills in Ft. Wayne, IN on my one play. I think I 3-putted the last two holes for a 74, which is abnormally good for me from 7,000 yards on a tough course. I played well, but a few poorly played shots turned out better than I deserved.

I can fully attest to Andy's round.  I can also confirm I got the bad bounces he wasn't getting!!  It's fun watching someone have "one of those great days" on a tough golf course.

Ken

[Robert Emmons]

Augusta National...can still hear the caddie saying- Mr. Emmons , you own Amen Corner-...RHE

[Kai Hulkkonen]

The Castle Course. Shot 81 on a very windy day, which is way too good for me. That was with a double-triple start and another double at the 15. I think the shortest putt I missed between the 3rd and the 17th was about 6 meters. I'm a theoretical hcp 12 but the second lowest round of that week was 94 at Kingsbarns.

Kai

[JC Jones]

I was 4 over after 3 at The Ocean Course recently and shot 80.  I was also even par on 15-18 dead into a 2/3 club wind.

[Jud_T]

Shoreacres.  Drained a 60 (?) ft. putt through the swale on the Biarritz and holed out on #11 for eagle.  Probably shot 6 or 7 strokes below my handicap and almost felt bad about taking my host all 3 ways on the nassau without breaking a sweat.  Was in the zone, a rarity as anyone who's played with me can attest, and missed seeing the course in detail.

[Mark Johnson]

here is my list.

Ironically, these are all course that i tend to rate lower than most around here.   If you know me, you know i tend not to play from the fairway very much and when I do I can be scary good

Again in no particularly order

1) Interlachen -- i think i hit 14-15 greens
2) Merion West -  at the time was my lowest round ever, a 68 following a 88 or so next door
3) Rich Harvest Links - again, i may have missed 2 fairways and 3 greens all day

[Bill_Yates]

Riviera - Shot 76 the one and only time I played (Great score for me)

Cypress Point Club - Played with Forrest Richardson and Mark Fine and was even through the first seven holes.  Then came the massive dune around which the 8th hole is played, however not for me, I played over the top to nail down a triple.

[Doug Wright]

Jim,

Royal Portrush Dunluce. Second day in NI and still jetlagged the morning after a couple very desultory rounds at Castlerock. Bogied the first hole then 15 consecutive pars, bogeys on 17  and 18 for a 75. Hit one bad shot all day and just followed the caddy's directions. Magical. Quickly returned to form that afternoon at the Valley course. I'm not sure I want to play the Dunluce again though. As a different caddy said in another context, "You can stuff and mount that one lad."

[Cory Lewis]

For me this one would be Shoreacres. I had the absolute perfect setup for me, beautiful fall day, first out by myself with a forecaddie, shot 67 in an hour and a half, played so well and so fast that three hours after the round I had trouble remembering some of the holes. I absolutely loved the course, just was in such a zone that I didn't notice some of the features that I should have.  I would actually like to go back when it's busy so I have time to just look around.

[C. Squier]

Cypress Point - left my 5 ft eagle putt 2 feet short on #10.....made the birdie to get to -5. 

I played 17 great holes and never saw #16 (at least not how I hit my tee shot and my re-tee).  I'm not that good and I still haven't played the world's best par 3.

[Ed Brzezowski]

Gullane number 1
Bird triple double double start and shot a 75 while watching the guy that married Princess something this summer. He played as an eightsome in front of us, very nice guy but good Lord he was hammered. Great pre wedding round, Mark Tinsley was his name, I think. Went eagle bird par par bird to finish. Great story, amazing who you run into playing this game.

[jeffwarne]

Does anyone "need" to see a course again because they played great......
or do they just want to

I completely understand wanting another crack at a great course you played poorly on the first time, or going back to a course because you loved it---------but I'm sure I don't understand wanting to go back to a course to disprove your warm fuzzy feeling or to "fully experience green contours"  

[Michael Goldstein]

Good question.  I found when playing well that I focused more on my score than the course.  And like Cory said, when I'm striping it the rounds often go more quickly which means less time to see the course!

Some examples of courses I want to see again for this reason:  back nine at WFW (Ogilvy-esque down the stretch), Shinnecock & Elie.

[J_ Crisham]

Cypress Point - left my 5 ft eagle putt 2 feet short on #10.....made the birdie to get to -5. 

I played 17 great holes and never saw #16 (at least not how I hit my tee shot and my re-tee).  I'm not that good and I still haven't played the world's best par 3.

This was a day/round we will always remember! Sad when the 2 chops in the group nut tee shots on 16 into the center of the green - isn't there still a ball in the greenside tree on 18? Time to head back for a rematch!I also recall a drive the day before on 4 at Pebble that was nutted so well it rolled between a guys legs greenside!

[C. Squier]

Cypress Point - left my 5 ft eagle putt 2 feet short on #10.....made the birdie to get to -5. 

I played 17 great holes and never saw #16 (at least not how I hit my tee shot and my re-tee).  I'm not that good and I still haven't played the world's best par 3.

This was a day/round we will always remember! Sad when the 2 chops in the group nut tee shots on 16 into the center of the green - isn't there still a ball in the greenside tree on 18? Time to head back for a rematch!I also recall a drive the day before on 4 at Pebble that was nutted so well it rolled between a guys legs greenside!

The ball sticking in the top of the tree guarding 18 green was the cherry on top.  I went from my caddy trying to think of members who'd want to have me in their member guest to "well, nice front nine....see you next never". 

I still guarantee nobody has played Cypress and Rock Creek with as little time in between rounds as Greg and I did.  Great trip, need to recreate as much of it as we can again!

[JR Potts]

I have two.

August, 2010 - after a month off of golf due to metal wellness rehabilitation, I played Whstling Straits.  I played really well on the front and shot 35....then I started drinking vodka lemonades....30 shots later (5 birdies, an eagle, two pars and a bogey), I carded a 65.  Haven't sniffed that score on any course since.

April, 2006 - was in LA for an ABA meeting.  We escaped for the day and went over to Riviera with my boss and two other gambling/drinking golf enthusiasts.  My boss and I were playing the other two....and we were getting thrashed on the front despite my 39.   We were down 185 dollars that I didn't have.  So.....we started drinking Amstel Lights by then dozen to mask the pain.  I birdied 10, eagled 11, birdied 12 and 13......shot 31 on the back for a 70....and three putted 18 for a heartbreaking bogey.  Needless to say, we also won the game by a pretty large margin.

Both rounds I was laughing and smiling the whole round....I guess there is something to enjoying yourself on the course.  I can't wait to get back to both places.

[cary lichtenstein]

I played Lakota Canyon dozens of times, but one day I start, birdie, birdie, birdie, birdie, eagle, 6 under after 5 holes, all I wanted to do was go in and have a double cheeseburger, fries and chocolate shake!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Norbert P]

 

   North Berwick

  I didn't play great but the conditions were windy and rainy. Went out in a happy 44 with the wind and knew I'd have to shout 55 against it to break 100.  With my untrusty 2 iron (nicknamed "Drunken Buddy"*)  the clubs shot another 44 for an 88.  Thank you Scotland. You let me have one. 




* It's either my best friend or my biggest liability.