Getting your Ross on

[Tim Martin]

Brad Becken has played all 359 known Ross courses in the United States. I think Michael Fay of the Donald Ross Society can make the same claim but I don't know of anyone else. An interesting adventure for sure.


https://www.golfdigest.com/story/meet-the-guy-who-just-finished-playing-every-donald-ross-course-in-the-united-states-brad-becken/amp

[Ira Fishman]

Having just played Hope Valley this afternoon, quite glad that it is the course that inspired his quest. I am 349 courses behind him though.


Ira

[Adam T]

I am 14 in on my journey to play as many Ross courses as I can. Do senior members of this site have recommendations on starting the journey for a beginner?

-Adam

[Cal Seifert]

I am 14 in on my journey to play as many Ross courses as I can. Do senior members of this site have recommendations on starting the journey for a beginner?

-Adam

Joining Ross society would be my best guess, if you have not already.

[Mike Sweeney]

I am 14 in on my journey to play as many Ross courses as I can. Do senior members of this site have recommendations on starting the journey for a beginner?

-Adam

Joining Ross society would be my best guess, if you have not already.

At 14, I would add that you should become a caddy at the best Ross course in your neighborhood.

[Cal Seifert]

I am 14 in on my journey to play as many Ross courses as I can. Do senior members of this site have recommendations on starting the journey for a beginner?

-Adam

Joining Ross society would be my best guess, if you have not already.

At 14, I would add that you should become a caddy at the best Ross course in your neighborhood.

I believe he meant he has already played 14 Ross courses.

[Peter Pallotta]

I think Mr. Becken would be an excellent candidate for one of Ran's feature interviews.
His is a perspective (the avid 18 handicap) that matters very much. I'd also be interested in seeing what 'terms' he'd use to describe the courses/his experience, since he's not coming from the pov of an architect or critic or writer or historian, but as someone who simply loves to play golf.   
Peter

[Adam T]

I am 14 in on my journey to play as many Ross courses as I can. Do senior members of this site have recommendations on starting the journey for a beginner?

-Adam

Hi Cal - yes - I have played 14 Ross courses (age 26). I am hoping Christmas money will cover Ross Society dues. Thanks!

Joining Ross society would be my best guess, if you have not already.

At 14, I would add that you should become a caddy at the best Ross course in your neighborhood.

I believe he meant he has already played 14 Ross courses.

[Brian Finn]

I am 14 in on my journey to play as many Ross courses as I can. Do senior members of this site have recommendations on starting the journey for a beginner?

-Adam

I'd take a look at the Ross Society list and plan travel to one of the regions that have several Ross designs.  For example, North Carolina has over 40, many of which are both tightly bunched geographically and accessible to the public.

http://rosssociety.org/Resources/Documents/DRSList_Rev_July_2014.pdf

[Mike_Young]

I guess congrats and Interesting....never have figured out what would drive such a feat.  Sort of like dating 359 women once each....would much prefer to play Holston Hills 359 times and would probably learn more re Ross. 

[Ronald Montesano]

....never have figured out what would drive such a feat.   

I agree and empathize. I've been playing PokemonGo for 18 months, trying to get to the top level (40.) I'm 800K points away (you need 20 million overall to get there) and I'd say I'm a B- on the F-A scale (A being the most passionate.) I've gotten to see lots of western New York (and Rome and Madrid and Gijon) that I wouldn't have normally seen, w/o the game. I expect to summit sometime in the new year, at which point I hope to play less. This thing semi-consumed me from the beginning, and I cannot explain why. I grew up in the Space Invaders arcade era, and don't play interactive, online games.


This chap had the drive and the funding to access the courses. Similar to JonCav and his golf course photography (of which I'm jealous on a daily basis.) As I put my jealousy aside, I appreciate the feat and learn from their successes.


--My Xmas Confessional

[Mike_Young]

Ronald,
I'm not condemning the guy for doing such.  But that is almost 50 courses a year for 7 or 8 years which would be hard work.  We are meant to play most of our golf on a hand full of courses. 
Merry Christmas...

[Brian Finn]

We are meant to play most of our golf on a hand full of courses.

Says who? Why try to dictate how others enjoy the greatest game?

[Mike_Young]

We are meant to play most of our golf on a hand full of courses.

Says who? Why try to dictate how others enjoy the greatest game?

Sorry if that sounds like dictating but IMHO if you played a few hundred different courses you would not enjoy the game and most would quit...   for most part of the lure is the familiarity and the constant of people and surrounds...
When you say "enjoy" , do you think you can "enjoy" playing a course you have never played before just one time so that you have played it..more than a good course you play often?  Without dictating I say most can't. 

[MCirba]

We are meant to play most of our golf on a hand full of courses.

Sorry if that sounds like dictating but IMHO if you played a few hundred different courses you would not enjoy the game and most would quit...   for most part of the lure is the familiarity and the constant of people and surrounds...
When you say "enjoy" , do you think you can "enjoy" playing a course you have never played before just one time so that you have played it..more than a good course you play often?  Without dictating I say most can't.

I love how we disagree on so many things and still get each other, Mike.   Particularly the humor.   Merry Christmas to you and your's!   

Signed,
Playing courses 1073 & 1074 in Scottsdale this week if all works out and greatly enjoying each and every one. 

[Mike_Young]

We are meant to play most of our golf on a hand full of courses.

Sorry if that sounds like dictating but IMHO if you played a few hundred different courses you would not enjoy the game and most would quit...   for most part of the lure is the familiarity and the constant of people and surrounds...
When you say "enjoy" , do you think you can "enjoy" playing a course you have never played before just one time so that you have played it..more than a good course you play often?  Without dictating I say most can't.

I love how we disagree on so many things and still get each other, Mike.   Particularly the humor.   Merry Christmas to you and your's!   

Signed,
Playing courses 1073 & 1074 in Scottsdale this week if all works out and greatly enjoying each and every one.

We probably agree on much more than we disagree but people never discuss those things like they do the ones where they disagree....    Congrats on playing 1073 and 1074....  MAGA  and Merry Christmas....

[MCirba]

 

[PCCraig]

....never have figured out what would drive such a feat.   

I agree and empathize. I've been playing PokemonGo for 18 months, trying to get to the top level (40.) I'm 800K points away (you need 20 million overall to get there) and I'd say I'm a B- on the F-A scale (A being the most passionate.) I've gotten to see lots of western New York (and Rome and Madrid and Gijon) that I wouldn't have normally seen, w/o the game. I expect to summit sometime in the new year, at which point I hope to play less. This thing semi-consumed me from the beginning, and I cannot explain why. I grew up in the Space Invaders arcade era, and don't play interactive, online games.

This is an elaborate joke, I hope?

[BHoover]

We are meant to play most of our golf on a hand full of courses.

Says who? Why try to dictate how others enjoy the greatest game?

Sorry if that sounds like dictating but IMHO if you played a few hundred different courses you would not enjoy the game and most would quit...   for most part of the lure is the familiarity and the constant of people and surrounds...
When you say "enjoy" , do you think you can "enjoy" playing a course you have never played before just one time so that you have played it..more than a good course you play often?  Without dictating I say most can't.

I have played many courses for the first time and “enjoyed” them.

[Mike_Young]

We are meant to play most of our golf on a hand full of courses.

Says who? Why try to dictate how others enjoy the greatest game?

Sorry if that sounds like dictating but IMHO if you played a few hundred different courses you would not enjoy the game and most would quit...   for most part of the lure is the familiarity and the constant of people and surrounds...
When you say "enjoy" , do you think you can "enjoy" playing a course you have never played before just one time so that you have played it..more than a good course you play often?  Without dictating I say most can't.

I have played many courses for the first time and “enjoyed” them.

I didn't say you could not...I stated that compared to other courses one plays often,  a course played once will not be enjoyed as much...

[BHoover]

I have played many courses for the first time and “enjoyed” them.

I didn't say you could not...I stated that compared to other courses one plays often,  a course played once will not be enjoyed as much...

I played NGLA once...and enjoyed it every bit as much as Canton Brookside, which I have played many times.

[Mike_Young]

I have played many courses for the first time and “enjoyed” them.

I didn't say you could not...I stated that compared to other courses one plays often,  a course played once will not be enjoyed as much...

nice...



I played NGLA once...and enjoyed it every bit as much as Canton Brookside, which I have played many times.

[jeffwarne]

You had me at 359 women....

[Ed Oden]

Brad is a terrific guy and friend to several on this site.  He could easily have belt notched his way to this or that top 100 list.  Instead, Brad chose to explore Donald Ross’ work from soup to nuts, including places that many here wouldn’t waste their time on.  And he backs it all up by heading the Donald Ross Society’s historian project.  Major kudos to Brad for a job well done and for his devotion to golf architecture and history. Peter is right, he would make a great feature interview with Ran.

[Mike_Young]

Brad is a terrific guy and friend to several on this site.  He could easily have belt notched his way to this or that top 100 list.  Instead, Brad chose to explore Donald Ross’ work from soup to nuts, including places that many here wouldn’t waste their time on.  And he backs it all up by heading the Donald Ross Society’s historian project.  Major kudos to Brad for a job well done and for his devotion to golf architecture and history. Peter is right, he would make a great feature interview with Ran.

Ed,

As the author says, "interesting" and my follow up was in no way intended to belittle anything Brad had done regarding such a feat.  I also find it interesting and wonder what makes someone wish to do such.  Without sounding like I am slamming Brad in any way, it would not make me want to play golf if I was to try such.  I once hiked about 780 miles of the Appalachian Trail and it made me stop hiking.  I didn't see anything....   Oh well...