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Ash Towe

  • Karma: +0/-0
Golfing Highlight of 2017
« on: December 10, 2017, 06:13:13 PM »
Another year is nearly done and it is often a time for reflection. With golf it is so often pleasurable, or sometimes a selective memory is helpful.


This year my highlight was a trip to the US. I started off in Chicago and stayed with Jim Colton and nobody could be a better host. His family are delightful. Look for Jim to play very well next year. His projector in his basement could be a big help.


We played at Hinsdale and Chicago GC. The member we played with at the latter course shot an even par 70 off the back tees. It was wonderful to see the game played so well.


Then on to Lawsonia Links, Sand Valley and a preview of Mammoth Dunes. This time we were joined by Jim Tang, Brandon Urban, Gary Albrecht and Jonathan Kunkle. Thanks to all for a wonderful experience both off and on the course.


I moved on to Cabot Cliffs and Cabot Links in the company of an old friend, Matt Schulte and his lovely wife. The finale of the trip and a very fitting one it was at NGLA, Maidstone and Shinnecock. Once again the people I was with will be the outstanding memory.


Thanks to all for a great year.

Tom Bacsanyi

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2017, 06:56:26 PM »
Sounds like a rough summer bud.


My golfing highlight was fatting a tee shot off the 14th tee at my home course, leaving me 217 yards to a back pin where over the back was complete death.  With my 3 skins game opponents safely in position A 50 yards ahead in the fairway I figured I should go for broke with a hybrid from a hanging lie in the right rough.  My shot found the green 20 feet hole high to the left.  Huff caught a gust and went over (dead), Timbo and K man timidly played to the front of the green and 3 putted.  My first putt slid 5 feet by, but I made the pressure packed comebacker for a 4, 7 skins, and locked up the overall.  My opponents just about ate their hats.  It was beautiful.
Don't play too much golf. Two rounds a day are plenty.

--Harry Vardon

Joel_Stewart

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2017, 07:43:39 PM »
Attending the Walker Cup will be my choice.

David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2017, 11:04:29 PM »
Winning the Mid-Handicap flight of the Tain GC Senior Open Stableford in May with 41 points (off a 14 handicap). No one was more surprised than I was. ;)

Garland Bayley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2017, 11:41:09 PM »
Sounds like a rough summer bud.....

Presumably it was Ash's winter.
Wish my winter was such. Played in 3 to 4 club wind today with a high of 42F

My golfing high light was playing Crestview on the Oregon coast. Maybe I will do better next year.
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Mark_F

Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #5 on: December 11, 2017, 12:21:51 AM »
Another year is nearly done and it is often a time for reflection. With golf it is so often pleasurable, or sometimes a selective memory is helpful.


This year my highlight was a trip to the US. I started off in Chicago and stayed with Jim Colton and nobody could be a better host. His family are delightful. Look for Jim to play very well next year. His projector in his basement could be a big help.


We played at Hinsdale and Chicago GC. The member we played with at the latter course shot an even par 70 off the back tees. It was wonderful to see the game played so well.


Then on to Lawsonia Links, Sand Valley and a preview of Mammoth Dunes. This time we were joined by Jim Tang, Brandon Urban, Gary Albrecht and Jonathan Kunkle. Thanks to all for a wonderful experience both off and on the course.


I moved on to Cabot Cliffs and Cabot Links in the company of an old friend, Matt Schulte and his lovely wife. The finale of the trip and a very fitting one it was at NGLA, Maidstone and Shinnecock. Once again the people I was with will be the outstanding memory.


Thanks to all for a great year.


Glad you are still managing to get out for a hit, Ash.




Ash Towe

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #6 on: December 11, 2017, 03:37:05 AM »
Garland,


It was great to get out of an exceptionally wet winter.


Mark,


Thanks for your interest. I do get out for a hit but they are getting shorter and shorter. Hope you are enjoying the renovations at Peninsula. Would love to get there soon.

David Davis

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #7 on: December 11, 2017, 08:37:42 AM »
2017 has been another year full of humbling and fortunate experiences with no possibility of picking out highlights. The highlight would be meeting and teeing it up with so many wonderful people, playing great courses and combining that with absolutely crazy experiences to make the stories live up to the rest of it.


I can best breakdown highlight per country in order in which they happened.


Australia: so fortunate to revisit some amazing tracks: Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath, Royal Adelaide, Ellerston, Barnbougle Dunes, Lost Farm, Cape Wickham and Ocean Dunes.


Meeting up with some of the world's best hosts and friends to many of us including, Ben Jarvis, Dan Cooper, Andrew Bertram, Gary Lisbon, Bob Harrison, Graeme Grant and a wonderful coincidental couple of days together with Jim Gold and his lovely wife in of all places Tasmania.


New Zealand:


Kauri Cliffs, Tara Iti, Cape Kidnappers, Kinloch, Paraparaumu Beach, Jack's Point and Arrowtown.


Meeting again with wonderful hosts all over the place: Ryan Brandenburg, Paul Reid, Jon MacCord and Gary Grootelaar.


England: Alwoodley and Ganton


Meeting with my colleague Brian Ward who some of you have had the pleasure of playing with.


Scotland: Ardfin, The Machrie, Machrihanish, Mach Dunes, Loch Lomond, Royal Dornoch, Castle Stuart, Royal Aberdeen, Cruden Bay and Trump International.


Meeting with a few of our regulars including Adam Messix, Mitch Reese, Jon Wiggett and every so briefly David Tepper.


Canada: Cabot Cliffs, Cabot Links, Highlands Links, Royal St. Georges and Hamilton.


Finally meeting Matt Bosela for a great day out and watching him turn it on and come back from 3 down with 4 to play to keep all the pride in Canada and send me South with my tale between my legs. To his credit he was 2 or even 3 under on the last 4 holes. I could only applaud the great effort.


US: Dormie Club, CCNC courses, Mid Pines, Pine Needles, Pinehurst 2, Southern Pines, Old Town Club, Roaring Gap, Tobacco Road and Peachtree.


Wonderful hosts many of us are friends with: Dunlop White, Will Spivey, Richard Brown, one Mr. Morrissett and his ever so lovely better half, Jay Mickle, Kyle Franz and perhaps most importantly Cory Lewis who was there for my first ever hole in 1 at Dormie Club (with of all people my daughter Indy on the bag) and managed to join for a few other rounds during our stay.   


Another highlight of this trip was my lowest round ever and first time I ever broke 70 at Tobacco Road from the back tees.


Follow up US trips this year including:


Oak Hill courses, Oakmont, Oakland Hills South, Chicago Golf, Shoreacres, Onwentsia, Old Elm, Colorado Golf Club, Ballyneal, Prairie Dunes and finally Southern Hills.


Many wonderful people of course on this trip as well but not to my knowledge GCA'ers except; Barry Doyle, Jason Way and to a lesser extent Mel Hughes.


Brazil and Argentina with visits to several courses and games with many of the well known South American Golf enthusiasts including Marcos Cutterbuck, Javier Pintos and Alex Vasarhelyi to name just a few.


Visits to Santapazienza, Olympic Course, Gavea, The Jockey Club, Ellerstina and Olivos Golf Club to name a few.


Finally the last trip a few weeks ago to the Dominican Republic with Robert Birtel being an absolute gem of a host for visits on Teeth of the Dog, Dye Fore and Punta Espada.


Back home I was lucky to host many foreign dignitaries for some great golf and in most cases the weather cooperated nicely. Among the guests were Simon Holt with 7 close friends for a wonderful exchange, also Jim McCann, Brian Ward and Barry Doyle.


A huge highlight is playing all that golf while traveling and having near perfect weather everywhere and not a single rain out or missed round for any reason. That's truly remarkable even to the point of this last story I will leave my long post with.


On one of my trips to the US, logistics had me visiting my mother in Oregon about 52 miles from the Portland Airport. I was scheduled to depart PDX Saturday the 30th of September at 5:15 am. I need to give about 1 hour for the drive due to the fact that quite a bit takes place on secondary roads and partially through two small towns. I was to play Southern Hills at 2 pm that day on my way home to Amsterdam, Tulsa being a place that is extremely difficult to get to living in Europe. My flight the earliest possible only arrived just after 1 pm so it was cutting it tight anyway which I normally don't do.


I set my alarm for 2:30 am and wouldn't you know, it didn't go off. I awoke in shock at 4:02 am. The first thought was, impossible to make this and that means another trip from Europe just to visit Southern Hills sometime. Quite an expense and time commitment of course not to mention a huge waste of money just for sleeping through my alarm. I jumped out of bed and left the house at 4:10 am. Utilized 23 years of German Autobahn driving skills and managed to arrive at the rental car return at 4:50 am. Boarding started at 4:25 and closed at 5:00 am. I didn't have time for stress as you can imagine. Ran to the elevator up over the terminal bridge and down to the United checkin. Imagine my surprise to find absolutely huge lines and with me flying economy with an airline I have no priority with. Thinking on my feet as we sometimes have to, I quickly located the friendliest elderly lady who was working with United, I ran up to her and put on my best Catholic face and said,"Excuse me, ma'am. I know I'm very late but could you please help me, I have to make this flight,...pause... my wife is giving birth now!" It was the only thing I could think of once I looked into her kind blue eyes. As a disclaimer, my last major lie happened when I was 12, a terribly guilty conscious keeps from repeating it. Somehow I've been able to rationalize this last one.


Her sweet reaction lead me to believe I chose correctly. She said, "oh honey come with me let's get you on this plane, no promises but we will do our best." Then she took me over to the first open computer system and called the gate, told me they would hold it open as long as they could and said I could run for it. She then called the baggage department and within 1 minute there was a guy there to grab my bags, golf bag and suitcase. Then I was off racing around the corner only to find a nightmare at security. In 3 minutes I had excused my way through about 200 people to the front of the backed up security checkin. People were wonderful, obviously not a single person said stay behind me. The TSA agent that welcomed me laughing with a big smile said, I watched you talk your way all the way to the front of that huge line, that was amazing, let's race you through this so you can catch that flight. Go figure, sometimes the stars are in alignment. I ran off down the hall towards the gate, and about 75 yds out I heard this lady yelling my name, "are you David" she says, I smiled and said yes. She said, "Well come on honey we held the door open for you." I was on the plane at 5:08 am. I sat in my window seat 7F (?) and looked out the window to see the baggage handlers finishing when a cart pulled up and I watched as my suitcase was safely loaded. I thought to myself, so much for the golf bag. Then I watched as the gentleman loading picked up his walkie talkie and then yelled to the guy driving away with the buggy, not 2 minutes later he came back with my golf bag.


And so ends my long and drawn out highlights for 2017. As always some may enjoy the read and others detest it. C'est la vie! However, it was a very rare year in terms of golf, one I can in no way pick out the highlights for and one that in my mind deserves to be shared given so many of you were a part of it. I go into this golf-less holiday season extremely grateful for all the new friends, old ones and hosts that made 2017 so special!





Sharing the greatest experiences in golf.

IG: @top100golftraveler
www.lockharttravelclub.com

Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +2/-1
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #8 on: December 11, 2017, 08:53:08 AM »
As usual, I traveled a lot of places this year and I don't intend to list them all here.  Some of you get my Christmas letter which will have a partial rundown, which I did print part of in Sean A's Yank Awards thread.


I was playing with a bum shoulder for a lot of the year and my golfing form was probably the worst it's been since I was a teenager!  So from that standpoint the highlights were my last couple of rounds of the year, finally back to swinging freely.


My competitive highlight was making an up-and-down par out of the water hazard in front of the 9th green at Lost Dunes, to win a match at the Doak Cup.  It made me feel like a kid again.


Perhaps the other highlight was just the other day, when a friend had arranged for me to visit the home of Seve Ballesteros after a walk around Real Pedrena where he learned to play the game as a youngster.  In Europe they will tell you that Seve was every bit as good as Tiger and I am lucky to say I got to see him play in his prime.  It's hard to believe he is gone really, he was only four years older than me.

Brad Tufts

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #9 on: December 11, 2017, 09:07:33 AM »
Lots of good stuff for 2017...


The America's Cup and Mid-Ocean in June.



5th Club Championship win in July, 2nd in a row.  Playing in the Mass. Amateur at Charles River.  Another successful Met League season where I went 7-1 in my matches, even though our club got throttled in the playoffs.


An unreal trip to Sand Hills with some GCAers in Sept!


Playing the Cleveland faves for the first time.


Drinks with Bart Bradley at Olde Farm, followed by the fog at Roaring Gap!


A recent full iron/wood fitting and a new set has me fired up for 2018...to the point where I'm watching obscure Euro Tour events when my golf mind usually goes dormant until April!



So I jump ship in Hong Kong....

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #10 on: December 11, 2017, 09:36:34 AM »
A quiet year in playing terms but some highlights stand out, in no particular order -


Finally, finally, after several attempts all cancelled at the last minute for various non-golf reasons, getting to play Pennard and RND at Westward Ho!
Playing the 11th hole at a course near Bristol when the owner drove up in a buggy and an hour plus later we’re still there chatting golf.
A recent eye opening trip to see some experts work on a famous Lincolnshire course including a delightful golf chatty meal and viewing last years completed work, this years work in progress and next years plans.


Non-golf sport wise, and regrettably on TV rather than with my own eyes, but a win and a half each for the Lions and NZ in the ‘Red nose’ (!) tour.


One regret, not being able to make Buda this year. Looking forward to next year though.


Atb

Peter Pallotta

Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #11 on: December 11, 2017, 09:40:25 AM »
It's always a pleasure to read these golfing highlights - fine companionship, wonderful courses, special wins (congrats David on your victory at Tain!)

And Brad's mention of being fired up after a club fitting reminded me of how great a game it is; judging from chats with old friends who don't play golf, there aren't many things left for reasonable men of a certain age that (reliably) provides so much fun!
   

jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #12 on: December 11, 2017, 11:18:12 AM »
Talking golf regularly on the radio and phone with Guy Yocum


my wife is jealous....


"khakis...."
"well he's a guy so..."
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

PCCraig

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #13 on: December 11, 2017, 11:34:24 AM »
I have been very lucky and have much to be thankful for this year on the golf front.

I was able to make a few trips down to Charleston/Kiawah, with each visit including at least some golf. In late July I played in the Founders Cup at Shoreacres with one of my oldest friends which was a huge treat, especially being able to play a handful of rounds in just perfect 80*/Sunny weather. I also made my first trip to Sand Valley in August (again, perfect weather), where I met three great friends from Chicago for a few days of golf and a couple of nights of drinking & night putting.

I wasn't able to play quite as many rounds with fellow GCAers this past year, and I had to pull out of the Midwest Mashie in Iowa which was a huge bummer. But I did manage to play a couple rounds with folks like Jim Franklin & Andy Troeger at Hazeltine, as well as playing about 9 holes of post-rain delay/drinking golf with Jason Topp which is always a blast!

Perhaps the golfing highlight for me this year was joining a new club here in town. I had been a member of Town & Country in St. Paul for 6 years and enjoyed it very much, however I had an opportunity to join a club which will both allow my daughter to spend her summers spending time with her cousins, as well as allow me to play my favorite golf course in Minnesota on a regular basis.

Later in the year, I was pleased to be able to accompany our fearless leader, Ran, around my new home course. He had let me know that he was going to be visiting in Mid-October. As most here can figure, mid-October in Minnesota can be a weather crapshoot...either perfect golfing weather or snow. We were lucky to play on a PERFECT fall day with leaves in peak form and 75* without a cloud in the sky. I think Ran enjoyed the course and afterwards we met a few guys in St. Paul for a Jucy Lucy and a couple of beers. A wonderful afternoon and a highlight for sure! Of course, it snowed the following week...  :)
« Last Edit: December 11, 2017, 11:37:00 AM by PCCraig »
H.P.S.

Jonathan Mallard

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #14 on: December 11, 2017, 12:19:13 PM »
Hitting a solid drive, a stout 5 wood, and having my putt just catch enough of the hole to fall in, playing into a fresh breeze on Watson's hole at Ballybunion.

Mike Hendren

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #15 on: December 11, 2017, 12:39:43 PM »
Highlights later.  My lowlight was getting called to meet with HR after they ran across one of Bill Schulz's threads featuring scantily clad females when IT was reviewing my internet activity at work.

Fortunately I was granted amnesty.

Mike
Two Corinthians walk into a bar ....

Will Stockert

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #16 on: December 11, 2017, 02:52:52 PM »
I don't post too often and my current status as a grad-student at UofM in Ann Arbor limits my ability to truly get out and play some of the special locale's you all chat about regularly (minus student-priced access to a Mackenzie original and occasional trips to the wonderful Pete Dye designed Radrick Farms on campus). 

However, my highlight was a whirlwind day starting with a 5 am wake-up call and 3 1/2 hour trip up to Northern MI's Kinglsey Club with fellow GCA'er and student Zack Molnar.   We spent a spectacular sunny fall day in October walking the course twice, only to then hop back in the car and make the trip back home to campus.


I've been lucky enough to navigate around Kingsley before, but playing hooky on a Thursday to play twice was a dream (and I'm sure I'll relearn the accounting that I missed).  The first round 75 (with birdies on 10, 17, and 18) was certainly the scoring highlight of the year (lets just say I lost the card for the 2nd 18.)

The workforce takes us back next year, but that will be a day that I remember for quite some time.
« Last Edit: December 11, 2017, 02:59:51 PM by Will Stockert »

Tommy Williamsen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #17 on: December 11, 2017, 03:02:17 PM »
I had two. Shooting my age before turning 70 in a tournament and a 74 at the Highlands Course at Atlanta Athletic Club with a double on a par five.
Where there is no love, put love; there you will find love.
St. John of the Cross

"Deep within your soul-space is a magnificent cathedral where you are sweet beyond telling." Rumi

Rick Lane

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #18 on: December 11, 2017, 03:22:40 PM »
Seeing the amazing work done at Beverly, inspiring me to continue to fight at my club to remove trees, open up vistas and add strategy and beauty to the original old design.  Its a tiring fight, but my day at the Bev with my friend Kip renewed my energy.

Tim Martin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #19 on: December 11, 2017, 05:08:27 PM »
I had two. Shooting my age before turning 70 in a tournament and a 74 at the Highlands Course at Atlanta Athletic Club with a double on a par five.


Tommy-Nice round at AAC. Regardless of what set of tees you play from and I think there are at least six it's a tough golf course to score on.

Ira Fishman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #20 on: December 11, 2017, 06:12:22 PM »
All of mine actually have to do with my wife (perhaps shows you how much good feelings I get from my game):


Watching her birdie Number 3 at Pine Needles and Number 2 at Mid Pines on consecutive days.


Seeing the relief/pride on her face after conquering the anxiety of hitting it over the hedges on Number 1 at Cypress.


Her being awarded Most Improved Woman Golfer at our club.


The pure joy and laughter she (we) experienced playing Bandon Preserve.


A happy holiday season to all.


Ira

Pete_Pittock

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #21 on: December 11, 2017, 07:33:34 PM »

Very much an off year.  Highlights were two trips to Silvies Valley Ranch in east-central Oregon and a long road trip to Texas that started with the invite to play Wolf Point at the end of October. 


2018 will be much better with a 18 day, 7 rounds of golf trip to New Zealand. 21 Jan -10 Feb..

Tommy Williamsen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #22 on: December 11, 2017, 08:50:58 PM »
I had two. Shooting my age before turning 70 in a tournament and a 74 at the Highlands Course at Atlanta Athletic Club with a double on a par five.


Tommy-Nice round at AAC. Regardless of what set of tees you play from and I think there are at least six it's a tough golf course to score on.


We played the White Tees, just under 6300 yards. Made it playable for my 70 year old body. Loved the course and the grasses.
Where there is no love, put love; there you will find love.
St. John of the Cross

"Deep within your soul-space is a magnificent cathedral where you are sweet beyond telling." Rumi

Matthew Rose

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #23 on: December 12, 2017, 02:42:59 AM »
Without question, a round at Pebble Beach with my father and brother as a surprise 40th birthday present. Obviously not just a 2017 highlight but an absolute life highlight.

A distant second but a contender in any other year would be getting to play Columbine CC in October. For someone who very, very rarely gets to play any kind of tournament venue, let alone a major championship site, to be able to do it twice in a calendar year is pretty awesome, even if one of them may be on the more obscure end of the scale.

They were a nice way to bookend my usual standard diet of Doak 1s and 2s.

Unfortunately I didn't play particularly well this year..... I don't play enough these days to keep an official handicap, but I'd guess I've probably gone up 2-3 strokes. I fought the pull hooks for a good portion of the spring. On the other hand, I'm probably having more fun that I ever did before.... I'm trying not to take the game for granted these days.
American-Australian. Trackman Course Guy. Fatalistic sports fan. Drummer. Bass player. Father. Cat lover.

Connor Dougherty

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Golfing Highlight of 2017
« Reply #24 on: December 12, 2017, 08:28:24 AM »
Well, for the first time working through a project I found myself living in Dallas, TX for the year, although I'll be packing my bags this weekend and moving to sunny San Diego.


I broke my collarbone in August, which significantly hampered my ability to play during primo golfing season here in Texas, however, before that had occurred, I was able to make a trip out to Scotland. For 30 years, my father's college friend and his brother have organized a golf tournament, traditionally a two day event featuring a Match Play event between Northern and Southern Californians and a scramble. However, for the 30th anniversary this year, a weeklong trip was organized to Scotland. I was only able to make part of it, but that part featured a best ball tournament at North Berwick and a Ryder Cup match against the Scots at Niddry Castle Golf Club (the Club President at Niddry has made his way over the pond several times to play in the event, and he was kind enough to line up as many Scots as we brought Americans. Niddry was a wonderfully quirky, fun golf course and I'm glad I saw it).


It was my first time seeing North Berwick, and from an architectural perspective, it was one of the most enlightening experiences I've ever had. However, the round at Niddry will likely be the best golfing experience of my life, as it will be hard to beat the hospitality and the kindness of the Scots.

I sadly missed the final dinner in Saint Andrews, where Peter Dawson was kind enough to lend his time to the group and chat for a dinner. All in all, it was the trip of a lifetime.




"The website is just one great post away from changing the world of golf architecture.  Make it." --Bart Bradley

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