One and done

[Anthony Gray]

 What are the courses that you would only play once? Maybe a bucket list course that one time is enough. A must play.


 Recent threads have hit on this. Sawgrass and the Kangaroo island. Sawgrass may have priced itself into,a one and done now. Some so remote it’s too difficult to get too.


 Brandon would be the opposite most likely. A place you would return to.

[Rob Marshall]

Ocean Course at Kiawah. Just didn't think it was worth the money.

[Tim Martin]

Atlanta Athletic Club Highlands-Overly repetitive and difficult on a regular basis. Plus side is the tournament history and Bobby Jones connection.

[Ira Fishman]

I was not a fan of the experience at either Castle Stuart or Kingsbarns and did not think the courses good enough to then warrant a return visit. I could play three rounds at Golspie, Kilspindie, or Elie for about the same price as one round at either CS or KB.


Ira

[Jeff_Brauer]

Anthony,  For perhaps 80% of golfers who seek out the new experience, I would suspect even Bandon is a one and done.  Ditto, Pebble Beach.  If you are the type that collects top 100 plays, you probably want to move on to the next one before coming back to any particular one.  JMHO and I could be wrong.

[Steve Salmen]

One and Done:  Cascata and Rich Harvest


None and Done: Spyglass

[Doug Bolls]

Firestone South - It was a long, boring slog for me.

[Dan_Callahan]

Given what they charge, I would probably pay to play Pinehurst #2 once and only once. I'm sure I would love it, but ... not enough to pony up that much money twice.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I can think of bunches. Just in Wales: Pyle and Kenfig, Conwy, Ashburnham. California: Spyglass, Links at Spanish Bay, Quarry at La Quinta, The Preserve, CordeVale, PGA West Dye.


The world is full of one and done.
NOT on the list: Ocean Course, Pebble, TPC Sawgrass.

[Tom_Doak]

Anthony,  For perhaps 80% of golfers who seek out the new experience, I would suspect even Bandon is a one and done. 
 JMHO and I could be wrong.

Yes, you could be wrong.  There have been times where the resort was almost completely booked out a year in advance by the people who were staying on site making their reservations to come back.  Bandon Dunes is so successful because of repeat business.  I don't know the number, but I would guess it's more the other way around, that well over 50% of their guests have been there before.

[Garland Bayley]

Anthony,  For perhaps 80% of golfers who seek out the new experience, I would suspect even Bandon is a one and done.  Ditto, Pebble Beach.  If you are the type that collects top 100 plays, you probably want to move on to the next one before coming back to any particular one.  JMHO and I could be wrong.

It seems Bandon would be the least likely to be one and done. When it opened, it offered something you could get nowhere else in the US.

Is Yellowstone Park one and done? Or, do most people dream of getting back?

Is Broadway one and done?

Back in the day was Disneyland one and done?

[Paul Jones]

I would think courses that are too remote, too difficult and/or too expensive. 


I would put Barnbougle in that category - played both courses and a Tiger Snake ran across my foot walking to the 2nd tee box.  I told the owner after, and he joked that it is mating season, but they don't say anything to scare off people.


It was a neat experience, but too remote for me to ever go back.  I have another trip planned to Australia, but playing Royal Melbourne and Victoria again.

[Garland Bayley]

Too expensive, zero and done.
Too aggravating, one and done.
Almost everything else deserves replays.

[Kalen Braley]

Jeff's comments seems fairly accurate in the context of all golfers, not just the well-heeled traveling golfer where a trip to Bandon is a mere dip into the proverbial petty-cash pouch.

Over the years, I've bumped into countless golfers on the public links, workplace, social gatherings, etc...and most have never heard of Bandon much less been there. I only met one person who went there and for him it was a one-and-done bucket-list buddy trip.  I've also known and played with several other friends who were regular golfers and have far deeper pockets than me... but are perfectly content staying home and playing DS 3 courses as Tom alluded to in another thread.

P.S.  I'm glad to hear there are plentiful repeat visitors to keep Bandon tee sheets packed, but it certainly represents a tiny slice of the golfing population.

[David Jones]

Old Head. It's worth going to see just to help people like me understand a spectacular site isn't all you need to build a great golf course.

[Jim Sherma]

If I am going out of my way to play a course I have interest in I like to play it twice, even if it's 36 on the same day. I feel like I get a lot more from a second round even with the same hole locations. Cost, access, and travel certainly plays a role in whether I'll make the effort to return someplace. There are certainly some destination and higher-end privates that I simply don't feel are worth $250+ now that I have played them, if I was invited back and getting comped the list would shrink quickly.


I think a more interesting question is which courses would you just not want to play again abstracting from the cost, access, and travel constraints. Looking through my personal list there are not many known courses that I would simply not want to play again based on architectural considerations. [size=78%] [/size]

[Paul Jones]

I think a more interesting question is which courses would you just not want to play again abstracting from the cost, access, and travel constraints. Looking through my personal list there are not many known courses that I would simply not want to play again based on architectural considerations.

Which courses you would rather play your home course instead of playing again?

[JMEvensky]

Old Head. It's worth going to see just to help people like me understand a spectacular site isn't all you need to build a great golf course.

First course I thought of and for the same reason. I kept thinking that at some point the holes would be worthy of the setting--but it never happened.


Spanish Bay would be a close second for me.

[Paul Jones]

Torrey Pines was the biggest disappointment for me.  I was expecting Ocean views from every hole and exciting round of golf - I got neither and it was expensive (at least compared to what was advertised for the locals).  This was in 2004 and still have no desire to go back.

[Tom_Doak]

Jeff's comments seems fairly accurate in the context of all golfers, not just the well-heeled traveling golfer where a trip to Bandon is a mere dip into the proverbial petty-cash pouch.

Over the years, I've bumped into countless golfers on the public links, workplace, social gatherings, etc...and most have never heard of Bandon much less been there. I only met one person who went there and for him it was a one-and-done bucket-list buddy trip.  I've also known and played with several other friends who were regular golfers and have far deeper pockets than me... but are perfectly content staying home and playing DS 3 courses as Tom alluded to in another thread.

P.S.  I'm glad to hear there are plentiful repeat visitors to keep Bandon tee sheets packed, but it certainly represents a tiny slice of the golfing population.

Well, yeah, but by that standard every course out there is a one and done, and most are not worth paying up for even once.


Anthony's question was what courses we, on the DG, consider a one and done.  Bandon isn't going to be that for very many here, as he said in the OP, although I suspect many would have one course or another that they'd skip there, in favor of the others.


I will answer the question by saying which famous courses I checked off many years ago, and have never felt compelled to go back to, nor to show any of my associates or interns around.  It's a partial list:


Turnberry [although I should go back to see the recent changes]
Royal Birkdale
Wentworth [if people are even interested in it]
Aronimink [too many better things around there]
Oak Hill East [same caveat as Turnberry]
Congressional [completely changed now, I guess]
East Lake
Scioto
Medinah #3
Colonial

[Thomas Dai]

Like probably most, there are dozens of courses located all around the world that are on my win the lottery, good health and no Covid around play list but the achievability factor is tiny. As to more realism, there are a very small number of courses in the U.K. that I’ll be annoyed if I never get to play even as a one-and-done and they all have sleeper faced bunkers.
There are also a bunch of big name courses that I no desire to play again. So many under the usual radar, lessor lights and rural and rustic courses out there to play.
Atb

[Jordan Standefer]

Being hard to get to is probably the most likely reason for "one and done" from me, but I think the neighborhood also plays a factor (which Tom alluded to).

Years ago, I had one day available to play golf when visiting Raleigh, NC. I made the trip to play Pinehurst #2. Spent a boatload and was happy to do so. But if I ever find myself back there, I would love to play Tobacco Road, Mid Pines, Dormie, Pine Needles, #4, #8, #9 and probably a few more. Nothing against #2, but I'd want to play the above before thinking about another round there.

[Anthony Gray]

Given what they charge, I would probably pay to play Pinehurst #2 once and only once. I'm sure I would love it, but ... not enough to pony up that much money twice.

 I played it before the makeover and the course looks completely different but I would not spend the time and money on a trip there again.


 

[Tim Martin]

Jeff's comments seems fairly accurate in the context of all golfers, not just the well-heeled traveling golfer where a trip to Bandon is a mere dip into the proverbial petty-cash pouch.

Over the years, I've bumped into countless golfers on the public links, workplace, social gatherings, etc...and most have never heard of Bandon much less been there. I only met one person who went there and for him it was a one-and-done bucket-list buddy trip.  I've also known and played with several other friends who were regular golfers and have far deeper pockets than me... but are perfectly content staying home and playing DS 3 courses as Tom alluded to in another thread.

P.S.  I'm glad to hear there are plentiful repeat visitors to keep Bandon tee sheets packed, but it certainly represents a tiny slice of the golfing population.

Well, yeah, but by that standard every course out there is a one and done, and most are not worth paying up for even once.


Anthony's question was what courses we, on the DG, consider a one and done.  Bandon isn't going to be that for very many here, as he said in the OP, although I suspect many would have one course or another that they'd skip there, in favor of the others.


I will answer the question by saying which famous courses I checked off many years ago, and have never felt compelled to go back to, nor to show any of my associates or interns around.  It's a partial list:


Turnberry [although I should go back to see the recent changes]
Royal Birkdale
Wentworth [if people are even interested in it]
Aronimink [too many better things around there]
Oak Hill East [same caveat as Turnberry]
Congressional [completely changed now, I guess]
East Lake
Scioto
Medinah #3
Colonial

I mentioned Atlanta Athletic Club Highlands in an earlier post and agree on East Lake. They both seem to get somewhat of a pass due to the tournament history and Bobby Jones connection. I would rather play East Lake out of the two.

[Joe_Tucholski]

Realistically as many have indicated finances play a large role in answering this.  For me any course that is over $250 is questionable for a single play.  I don't think I've ever replayed a course that cost me more than $150/round.  I do have a return visit to Bandon on the books and even with the military rate and replay rates there is a chance it will be over $150/round, but there are new courses at the resort I have yet to play. 


I just calculated my hourly earnings and it comes out to around $65/hr (just over $250 for 4 hours of work).  Are there are lot of people willing to spend more per hour on their leisure activities than they earn per hour?


It's possible I'm just cheap.