First "excellent" golf course you played

[Tommy Williamsen]

I am an army brat, with emphasis on the brat. I grew up on military golf courses in Massachusetts, Germany, and two bases in Maryland. The course at Fort Devens in Mass doubled as a parade field. Until well after I was ordained the best course I had ever played was at Fort Meade, MD. When I was a young pastor I joined Turf Valley CC. It had two courses. I thought I died and went to Heaven.


Then I visited my brother-in-law in LA who got me on Riviera. I got paired with Stan Kertes, who coached Babe Zaharias. All the way around we talked about this green, or that bunker, strategy off the tee on different holes and a dozen other architecture related things. I never thought about golf courses the same again. That was forty years ago and I still remember most of my shots.


Since then I have played a lot of great places but it was Riviera that changed my way of looking at courses.

[Charles Lund]

Fircrest Golf Club, Tacoma, WA, in 1962 PNGA Junior Championship.


I got a bye one day and did not have a match.  I had never been at a course that had practice bunkers.  I spent a couple of hours practicing bunker shots.



Charles Lund

[Paul Rudovsky]

Started playing in July 1955 at age of 10.  First good one was IBM on Long Island...was 9 holes designed by RTJ Sr. (course #7 for me, played in 1959).  Now Sands Point Village Course and Tom Doak expanded it to 18 some 42 years later 


Following year played Bethpage Red and Bethpage Black (courses #9 and #10 for me).


After that:
--Grossinger's in 1961 in the Catskill's about 90 miles north of NYC (#12 but NLE)
--Englewood CC in 1961 on NJ side of GW Bridge, which had hosted the 1909 US Open but by then had been chopped up thru eminent domain (#13 and NLE)
--Longue View in Pittsburgh and Avalon Lakes in Warren, Ohio (one of Pete Dye's first and later a mainstay on LPGA) we're #24 and 25 for me in 1967.


But first great courses were in 1969.  I was working for Ford Motor Co in Detroit and went to Monterey CA on vacation with a friend from work.  In those days Del Monte Lodge had about half a dozen small rooms opposite the main entrance and up a hill with sliding glass doors, single beds, and relatively low costs (no way could I have afforded as regular room).  Played Pebble and Spyglass and then we were told that since we were staying at the Lodge, we could play Cypress one day that week...which we could not believe but we did so (my next trip back was in 1971 and that opportunity had disappeared due to IRS regulations regarding % of revenues from unaccompanied guests not sponsored by members).  Courses 34, 35 and 36 for me and my first real taste of something very very special (that even I could recognize!).


All of the above a bit of a step up from Kissena Park Golf Course, the 4600 yard par 64 muni in the middle of Queens where I played most of my early golf...back then with 18 tees of the purest hard-pan you have ever seen (and not a blade of grass).

[Pat Burke]

As a child growing up in NJ, my dad was the head pro at Deal GC. A nice little course in its own right, but once or twice per summer I would get to play at Hollywood right across the street.


Even as a kid, it was a treat to play there.  Mostly I remember the bunkers it’s fascinating me. 


I also qualified for the Met Junior at Whipporwhil where I had my first taste of decent success in a big event.  I had not played a course like it and remember talking the whole way home with my dad about how different the course was


I was so blessed to grow up where I did with my parents so involved in the golf profession

[Jeff Schley]

Paul,


Wow talk about good fortune!


So you were guests at the lodge's single rooms, which sound like a step above a hostel, and were told you can play Cypress Point if you want since you are staying at the lodge!


May we all be so fortunate at some point in our lives.    


What did you shoot and your fondest memory of the day/round?

Started playing in July 1955 at age of 10.  First good one was IBM on Long Island...was 9 holes designed by RTJ Sr. (course #7 for me, played in 1959).  Now Sands Point Village Course and Tom Doak expanded it to 18 some 42 years later 


Following year played Bethpage Red and Bethpage Black (courses #9 and #10 for me).


After that:
--Grossinger's in 1961 in the Catskill's about 90 miles north of NYC (#12 but NLE)
--Englewood CC in 1961 on NJ side of GW Bridge, which had hosted the 1909 US Open but by then had been chopped up thru eminent domain (#13 and NLE)
--Longue View in Pittsburgh and Avalon Lakes in Warren, Ohio (one of Pete Dye's first and later a mainstay on LPGA) we're #24 and 25 for me in 1967.


But first great courses were in 1969.  I was working for Ford Motor Co in Detroit and went to Monterey CA on vacation with a friend from work.  In those days Del Monte Lodge had about half a dozen small rooms opposite the main entrance and up a hill with sliding glass doors, single beds, and relatively low costs (no way could I have afforded as regular room).  Played Pebble and Spyglass and then we were told that since we were staying at the Lodge, we could play Cypress one day that week...which we could not believe but we did so (my next trip back was in 1971 and that opportunity had disappeared due to IRS regulations regarding % of revenues from unaccompanied guests not sponsored by members).  Courses 34, 35 and 36 for me and my first real taste of something very very special (that even I could recognize!).


All of the above a bit of a step up from Kissena Park Golf Course, the 4600 yard par 64 muni in the middle of Queens where I played most of my early golf...back then with 18 tees of the purest hard-pan you have ever seen (and not a blade of grass).

[Sean_A]

I am not sure what qualifies as excellent, but for me it was probably Oakland Hills as a youngster. What I remember most is that it was incredibly difficult.  I would have seen OH first circa 1978ish...the days when US Opens had horrible rough and very narrow fairways.  I gotta say, it wasn't much fun. I declined offers to go back for a few years until I got better. Needless to say, the news about the renovation was sweet music to my ears.

Ciao

[Rob Marshall]

Played Oak Hill with a buddy who was  bartender there in college

[Kevin Pallier]

I'll classify "excellent" as being a 8+/10


I took up golf at Uni in 1988. Coming from NSW I recall wanting to travel to the "Sandbelt" and wrote to the GM of Royal Melbourne as I knew  they accepted interstate guests. I was giddy when I was allowed to play both RMW and RME on my first visit there in 1991.

[archie_struthers]

 


My buddies and I all started looping at Woodcrest CC back in the 60's (ouch)  We all thought golf wasn't a real sport but we did occasionally play on closed Mondays   It was a really good good course and I still enjoy it today. William Flynn 1929

[Dan Gallaway]

Cabo del Sol - Ocean
Remember thinking, “there is no way there are 97 courses in the world better than this!”

[Brad Tufts]

And now the former Ft. Devens has a great upscale public course!  Not in the nation's T100 public, but it could have an argument for the next 100, probably the best public course in the state if you don't count Taconic.


My first excellent course was Essex County Club, played in a junior interclub when I was about 14 or 15.  Tedesco is excellent too, but not in a national sense. With all the fescue and wild Ross greens, my first score at Essex was 119, then 89, then 76!


It's still my favorite course in New England!

[Andrew Harvie]

Banff Springs. I first played it when I was 14, and I've been lucky to play it 30+ times since. I remember thinking "there's something different here" than the rest of the courses I had played, and that was sort of when I got interested in architecture

[Jim Sherma]

Back in the early 1980's I was fortunate to take lessons from Morrie Holland at Saucon Valley despite not being a member there. After many times on the range there I finally got the chance to play the Old and the Grace courses a few times in High School. I remember the turf being so soft compared to Bethlehem Municipal and having a tough time with being too steep with my short irons (being a digger and a pincher this is still a miss that I fight off at times). The bunker sand was also so much softer than the grit I was used to, the 1950's Pederson SW I was using had a lot of bounce angle, but did not have a wide enough flange for that type of sand, still don't like that real soft baby powder sand. The greens were certainly faster and the rough thicker, but I don't remember being overwhelmed by them.


Next exceptional course I played was Lehigh in 1983 or so, shot 78 in a junior tournament to win my age bracket. Always kept a soft spot for the course ever since.


After playing daily at Bethlehem Muni and the other publics in and around the Lehigh Valley the first club I was a member at was Harker's Hollow in New Jersey. Old Robert White course built up against the side of a mountain. My dad and I were there in the late 80's before the fairway sprinklers were put in, the course was firm and fast and presented a great set of fun and challenging shots in order to score on it.



I don't think that the maintenance difference between a muni and a good club is quite as extreme now as it used to be. Mainly because a lot of public golf has very reasonable maintenance with turf health along with fairway and green heights of cut.

[Ian Mackenzie]

Forsgate in NJ


Morfantaine near Paris.

First, It was Forsgate in central NJ in 1977. Charles Bank. I was painting houses in Princeton as a summer job in high school and one of our "clients" thought we did such a good job on her porch that she thought it a treat to send us to Fosgate as a reward. I was clueless and just thought the whole time, "Man, are these bunkers ever deep."


Second was more consequential and was at Morfontaine outside of Paris.
I was actually at University in the south of France and had an internship in Paris for the summer of 1983. Two guys in marketing were golfers so asked me to join them for the day. WOW...is all I remember. That, and the distinctive clubhouse.


I did not appreciate what I was playing....until about 2009!!!...;-)

[Paul Rudovsky]

Paul,


Wow talk about good fortune!


So you were guests at the lodge's single rooms, which sound like a step above a hostel, and were told you can play Cypress Point if you want since you are staying at the lodge!


May we all be so fortunate at some point in our lives.    


What did you shoot and your fondest memory of the day/round?


But first great courses were in 1969.  I was working for Ford Motor Co in Detroit and went to Monterey CA on vacation with a friend from work.  In those days Del Monte Lodge had about half a dozen small rooms opposite the main entrance and up a hill with sliding glass doors, single beds, and relatively low costs (no way could I have afforded as regular room).  Played Pebble and Spyglass and then we were told that since we were staying at the Lodge, we could play Cypress one day that week...which we could not believe but we did so (my next trip back was in 1971 and that opportunity had disappeared due to IRS regulations regarding % of revenues from unaccompanied guests not sponsored by members).  Courses 34, 35 and 36 for me and my first real taste of something very very special (that even I could recognize!).

I think I had something like a 90...and believe it or not fondest memory was dumping two into the Pacific on #16...and realizing that the place was so beautiful, relaxing and fun...that i didn't mind!!  Of course did bring some tooth enamel about it later 

[Jeff_Brauer]

I was fortunate that my neighbors belonged to Medinah, so no. 3 was my first great course, at age 12, (after no. 2 and no. 1.....and no, that wasn't personal problem......, and one that convinced me I should become a gca.


Wracking my brain as to the second?  I played Midlothian in high school, which is solid, but probably didn't experience another great course until after starting as an apprentice at Killian and Nugent, when we would play the courses around Chicago that we were consulting with, like Shoreacres, Bob O'Link, and a few others.  And, for the first few years of my career, vacations were devoted to playing places like Olympic, Pinehurst, etc.


After I got into ASGCA, meetings focused (usually) on playing great courses in various metro areas, like Philly, NYC, Long Island, Pittsburgh, etc., so my experience on great courses picked up considerably.

[Bruce Wellmon]

Harbour Town with my dad, 1975. Much different from anything I had played near Charlotte, NC.
Our ex head pro took an assistant job there and got us on.


As an aside we were paired with the reps for the union and management of a sheet metal workers strike in California. They had been sent there to settle the strike. They negotiated all round, took a break at 9 to go in and call (landline) the office. I remember the workers got a raise on 18 when their rep hit a huge slice out over the sound and back, safely, into the fairway. It was a great golf day and a unique business experience as well.

[Tommy Williamsen]

  Played Pebble and Spyglass and then we were told that since we were staying at the Lodge, we could play Cypress one day that week...which we could not believe but we did so (my next trip back was in 1971 and that opportunity had disappeared due to IRS regulations regarding % of revenues from unaccompanied guests not sponsored by members).  Courses 34, 35 and 36 for me and my first real taste of something very very special (that even I could recognize!).

Zowey, Paul what a perk. It reminds me of the early 80's when I would call Fred Muller at Crystal Downs and would be afforded the privilege of playing there. Stuff has changed.

[Paul Rudovsky]

Tommy--


Following saying true in both golf and life..being lucky is more important than being good...certainly true in my case!!

[mike_malone]

In the mid 70’s I played Wilmington CC in Delaware which I heard was a top course. I was impressed by the large greens and saw that as a sign of a great course but I found RTJjr not to be my style. I started my architectural critic life on my first great course.

[David Wuthrich]

Growing up in Houston on a flat 9 hole course, my first taste of greatness happened in 1985 when my brother and I went to the Southeast US looking at Medical Schools for him to attend.  We played both Pinehurst # 2 and Harbour Town and we were both hooked.  It was the start of something wonderful.  Have met THE BEST people because of golf, many of whom are on GCA.  THANKS for the memories!!

[Jeff Evagues]

I was a volunteer at the U S Open at Oakmont in 1983 and they let all the volunteers play a round about a month later.

[Pete_Pittock]

June of 1969 I had just returned from a year's stint in Vietnam.  Went to the driving range and immediately broke my laminted driver.
Hopped into the car, drove south for a day and then played Spyglass Hill in in fog with less than 100 yds visibility. The next day played Pebble Beach when the only tees set out was for NorCal Amateur.  On 2 I remember hitting a good drive and splitting the walking path. After the 4th I remember thinking how cool a hole they could build if that cottage wasn't in the way.

[Garland Bayley]

It depends on what you mean by "excellent".

By the standards here, it was probably Chambers Bay as most of my life I spent playing Doak 3s.

However, if you mean excellent by what I value in golf, then it would be the course where I learned to play which NLE is the predecessor to Jawbone Creek. I value terrain and variety above most things. For example, in my local area Royal Oaks is considered the epitome of courses around. To me it is just another FBP course. (flat boring parkland) To me the epitome is to get on a seaside links with variety of terrain and of golf holes.

[J_ Crisham]

Beverly CC in 1976 as a 13 year old on Caddy golf day which was once a Summer. The caddymaster didn't let us hit from the tee boxes- we had to let it fly from in front of the tees in the rough. Anyone who has played Bev knows that the tee box on 6 has a steep downhill slope in front of the box to hit from.  Our caddymaster would drive his car around the course with a bottle of scotch in his lap to "keep an eye on us". Fast forward to 2007 when I joined Beverly I learned that our caddies could play the course after 6pm on the front nine if they had looped that day. Nice way to introduce kids to the game and reward our high school and college kids who do a terrific job year in and year out.