If you could play any course at any time in history...

[Mark Fedeli]

If you could play any golf course that has ever existed, at any time in its existence, which course would it be, which year, and why?

It's an interesting exercise in determining which traits we value the most: is it a single prominent feature that disappeared years ago, an entire NLE course, experiencing the game in ancient times, or something far more personal?

I'm tempted to choose Bethpage Black in the late 1930's. That's my home course and I'd love to play it with all the options that wider fairways and fewer trees would provide. But since that set-up could technically still be possible without a wish-granting genie, I think I'll go with:

Biarritz in 1895-96. This could have been the period when the original, longer Chasm hole still existed along with the new Chambre d'Amour holes and Cliff hole. It's definitely the romantic, less academic choice, but I'm pretty fascinated at how completely adventurous they were when laying that course out.

[Ken Fry]

Lido.

How can you NOT want to see and play this course in it's heyday.

Ken

[Ian Andrew]

.... thought about this more, the answer will change every 15 minutes because there's so many courses I would like to see at specific times, for very specific reasons.

[Mark Fedeli]

Lido.

How can you NOT want to see and play this course in it's heyday.

Ken

Ken, a few years ago that would have definitely been my choice. But since it's possible we may soon see a re-creation, I had to bump it down a spot.

[Scott McWethy]

Cypress Point on opening day.  To be out there with Mackenzie, Hollins, Lapham, and some of the others would be incredible. 

[Ken Fry]

[
Ken, a few years ago that would have definitely been my choice. But since it's possible we may soon see a recreation, I had to bump it down a spot.

Mark,

A recreation yes, but it can never be the original.  Regardless how well the recreation will be, and I'm hoping like many to see the final product, it will still be a recreation of an original.  My hope is the course will be outstanding enough to not have the burden of constant comparison.

Ken

[Tim_Weiman]

Several factors would drive my decision, including:

A course that no longer exists
An existing course that has been significantly changed
A course that has some architectural significance

By these measures, it would be hard not to select the Lido or possibly even Augusta.

But, to me I would also want to have some personal connection.

Thus:

3rd Choice - Ballybunion  Cashen - 1982
2nd Choice - Pelham Country Club - 1923

PCC was the site of Gene Sarazen's victory in the PGA and before construction of the New England Thruway in the 1950's. Love to see the original design

1st Choice - Pelham Country Club -9 Hole Course - circa 1900. This course was built just off the Boston Post Road at present day Fowler Avenue well before any houses were built. I grew up on Fowler Avenue in a house built circa 1925. Would just love to see how the nine hole course was laid out.

[Jason Way]

Having grown up in Lake Forest, IL, I think it would have been cool to be there to play with CB Macdonald on the course that he designed for Senator Farwell on the Fairlawn Estate overlooking Lake Michigan.  There's CB, trying to illuminate these folks to what golf is truly supposed to be, on a wealthy man's backyard golf course that he designed and built.  The visitors weren't quite getting it yet, but they ultimately did, and the rest is history.  

I would like to have seen the moment when the lightbulb went on.

[Peter Pallotta]

My old dream - Walton Heath when Mr Braid was there. A hearty breakfast, then quietly sitting in a corner smoking a pipe and watching  Mr Braid do his work in the pro shop, and then a proper lunch, followed by a round of golf with Mr Braid and the club Secretary and some interesting and amiable 4th; and then a long leisurely dinner with good conversation over coffee, moving over to a sitting room with a fireplace going for scotch and pipe, and then staying up late with an early edition of John Low's book. The next day, a train ride into the heart of London for a meeting with my Solicitor (I would of course have a solicitor on retainer, handling in part my 'income'), and then a stop at my British publishers (I have American publishers as well) to look over the galleys of my latest (and much anticipated) book on the linkages between modern philosophical thought and the emerging truth of quantum physics. Later, after fine dinner and even finer lodging in a smart London hotel, a morning's walk as my bags are brought down to the train station for the trip to Southampton and the subsequent 10 day voyage on the Queen Mary back to New York and my townhouse in the Greenwich Village.

Peter

[Mark Fedeli]

A recreation yes, but it can never be the original.  Regardless how well the recreation will be, and I'm hoping like many to see the final product, it will still be a recreation of an original.  My hope is the course will be outstanding enough to not have the burden of constant comparison.

Absolutely true. But I didn't want to steal your answer!

[David_Tepper]

Mackenzie's original Sharp Park (Pacifica, CA), with Willie Watson's original Ocean Course at the Olympic Club a runner-up. Both courses were damaged/compromised by coastal erosion not long after opening.

[Rich Goodale]

Whatever course I next play.

[Bill_McBride]

Cypress Point on opening day.  To be out there with Mackenzie, Hollins, Lapham, and some of the others would be incredible. 

Bobby Johes was there too when Pasatiempo opened soon after.  Those were the days, 1929 pre-crash!

[Bill_McBride]

My old dream - Walton Heath when Mr Braid was there. A hearty breakfast, then quietly sitting in a corner smoking a pipe and watching  Mr Braid do his work in the pro shop, and then a proper lunch, followed by a round of golf with Mr Braid and the club Secretary and some interesting and amiable 4th; and then a long leisurely dinner with good conversation over coffee, moving over to a sitting room with a fireplace going for scotch and pipe, and then staying up late with an early edition of John Low's book. The next day, a train ride into the heart of London for a meeting with my Solicitor (I would of course have a solicitor on retainer, handling in part my 'income'), and then a stop at my British publishers (I have American publishers as well) to look over the galleys of my latest (and much anticipated) book on the linkages between modern philosophical thought and the emerging truth of quantum physics. Later, after fine dinner and even finer lodging in a smart London hotel, a morning's walk as my bags are brought down to the train station for the trip to Southampton and the subsequent 10 day voyage on the Queen Mary back to New York and my townhouse in the Greenwich Village.

Peter

Better the Queen Mary than the Titanic!

[Mark Bourgeois]

No question, Pine Valley when it opened. Looked like it was raw, dramatically so, and far less tree covered, than the present-day course.

[Rees Milikin]

The early years of ANGC

[John Kirk]

Cypress Point GC in 1958.

I was born in 1958, about a two hour drive from the Monterey Peninsula.  I would drive south from Palo Alto to Carmel, when Santa Clara County was the world's most prolific fruit producer, and the high tech industry was in its infancy.  The second world war was a memory, and America was growing and optimistic.

I would have loved to see my home area before the growth and decadence overwhelmed its natural beauty, including a round of golf at California's most beautiful golf course.  To gain a greater perspective on where I come from.  

[Jon Wiggett]

TOC 1860s before many of the changes that made the course close to what it was in the modern era.

[Duncan Cheslett]

Reddish Vale in 1913.

How sad am I? 

[Ryan Coles]

Augusta National.

Tomorrow morning.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Augusta National.

Tomorrow morning.

Smart.

[Tim Leahy]

Mackenzie's original version of Haggin Oaks in Sacramento in 1932 before rerouting and so many changes it is Mac in name only. I have seen the original plans in the clubhouse snackbar and can only imagine what a great track it could have been.

[Mark Fedeli]

No question, Pine Valley when it opened. Looked like it was raw, dramatically so, and far less tree covered, than the present-day course.

And you'd get the alternate 17th fairway.

[Mark Bourgeois]

And the pimple on 18 green, a Hells Half Acre like no other, and--

[Brad Tufts]

Fun topic.

My home course, Tedesco CC, in 1931, when we had 36 holes in play.

One of the extra 9s we only owned from the late 20s to early 30s before selling (it was public until sold for housing in 1953), and the other 9 was new in 1930, and was abandoned after the 1935 season.

The core 18 was similar to now from 1912-1930, then 1935 on.

For another answer, I'd go with Lido or Timber Point in their heydays...or something else from Wexler's NLE book.