Playing a Classic when you never knew it

[Brett Wiesley]

I'm new to the serious study of golf architecture (although, still a recreational hobby), and have read a lot about many of the great classic architects.  When doing so, it makes you yearn to play some of their courses, but lament to find out many of them do not exist, or if they do, remain in the hands of private clubs.  Not to be openly shared.  However, you may find a gem, or in my case realize later that a course you played in the past was actually one of the classic architects.  

In this circumstance the course is Capital Hills at Albany, NY.  This is a municipal course, which by all means appears to have always been so.  It was originally designed by Devereux Emmet, and has had some revisions since then.  I always remember my time as a medical resident in Albany, using any spare time to play this course.  Always coming away noting it was a cool course, and great layout.  Not really realizing what that all meant until now.  I'd suggest anyone in the upstate NY area check this course out.  It won't set you back much, ~$50 and is a great opportunity to see a classic routing by Devereux Emmet.  

[Tom_Doak]

I had the same experience when I played Leatherstocking GC in Cooperstown with my brother, many years ago.  I was 20 and didn't know who Dev Emmet was; but it only took about three holes to see that it was a really cool course.

[JMEvensky]

I had the same experience when I played Leatherstocking GC in Cooperstown with my brother, many years ago.  I was 20 and didn't know who Dev Emmet was; but it only took about three holes to see that it was a really cool course.

Same experience--except I didn't know who Emmet was until I started looking at this website.

[ward peyronnin]

Stoke Poges for me. Hadn't a clue but started picking up on the graveyard next to nine I think and the neo classical clubhouse and the flow of the routing.

All pre GCA of course. I believe it is a Colt-Allison. Got my chops busted by Secretary for wearing trainers to play and into the bar. Brought him over to my side with pleas of ignorance and praise for his enforcing dress code when my club at home was too silent about jeans

[Ronald Montesano]

Charlotte Golf Club for me...

[Kevin Lynch]

I had the same experience when I played Leatherstocking GC in Cooperstown with my brother, many years ago.  I was 20 and didn't know who Dev Emmet was; but it only took about three holes to see that it was a really cool course.

Same experience--except I didn't know who Emmet was until I started looking at this website.

Must be something about that place, as I had the same reaction.

Since I actively avoid researching courses before playing (expectations disappoint too often), I assumed I was in for some short, target golf resort course when I pulled in.  To this day, Leatherstocking is the course that I "felt" the most.  Hard to put a finger on the exact elements, but the greenside shaping and heaving fairways struck a chord deep within me.


Aside from Leatherstocking, I was surprised to discover that Sleepy Hollow (Cleveland Muni Course) was a 1920s Stanley Thompson design (before I knew who he was).

[Bryan Drennon]

Palmetto GC in Aiken. I was 16 and had only been playing for 3 years. I played in a high school tournament there and it was playing super firm and fast. Everyone complained about it but I was in awe. I played terribly but was instantly in love. I started reading everything I could get my hands on about Palmetto and golf course architecture. I started drawing golf holes on everything in front of me in class. I was hooked and didn't know why. The first professional tournament I attended in person was the Masters and I was already starstruck by that place. Learning about the connection between the two courses only cemented my love for the architectural side of the game.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

I never dreamed that my home course while I was in law school would ever appear here:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/courses-by-country/usa/walnut-lane/

[Chris_Blakely]

I'm new to the serious study of golf architecture (although, still a recreational hobby), and have read a lot about many of the great classic architects.  When doing so, it makes you yearn to play some of their courses, but lament to find out many of them do not exist, or if they do, remain in the hands of private clubs.  Not to be openly shared.  However, you may find a gem, or in my case realize later that a course you played in the past was actually one of the classic architects.  

In this circumstance the course is Capital Hills at Albany, NY.  This is a municipal course, which by all means appears to have always been so.  It was originally designed by Devereux Emmet, and has had some revisions since then.  I always remember my time as a medical resident in Albany, using any spare time to play this course.  Always coming away noting it was a cool course, and great layout.  Not really realizing what that all meant until now.  I'd suggest anyone in the upstate NY area check this course out.  It won't set you back much, ~$50 and is a great opportunity to see a classic routing by Devereux Emmet.  

From my research, unfortunately, Capital Hills has almost no Emmet left, it was completely redone in the 90s. I am not sure if they kept Emmets routing.

My experience came recently with Rolling Hills outside of Albany.

Chris

[Paul Gray]

Junior golf (quick disclaimer to explain that I was literally only 13 years old), day off school to play in some regional final which, to this day, I literally have no idea how I qualified for.

Anyway, by the process of elimination over the subsequent years I have now concluded that I either played St. George's Hill or West Hill. At that age I was entirely focused on how I scored and having played horrendously, to my eternal shame, I concluded that the course was pretty average. I vaguely remember saying something about how, although you could generally find your ball, the rough was stupidly thick. And it seemed to have lots of little stumpy bits in it. I now know it to be something called heather!