"This is the coolest place I've ever been!"

[Tommy Williamsen]

On May 8, 1995 my wife and I were playing Dornoch. It was my second time and her first.  It was a sunny day and we had nobody around us.


We got to the top of the hill in the middle of the 8th fairway and as we looked down on the 8th green, a piper started playing up in Embo.


It was the 50th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe, I got chills.


I already loved Dornoch, but it was the day I knew I wanted to be a member.

That would send shivers down my spine. Very touching.

[cary lichtenstein]

Biarritz 9th at Yale!

I agree!!!!!

[Scott Szabo]

Back of 2 green at Sand Hills

[Scott Weersing]

I think my favorite cool place is walking down to 17th green at Cabot Cliffs and wondering, did I reach the green? And what an amazing view down the coast to the 18th hole.


The second favorite cool place is cresting the hill at Old Mac on hole no 3, as you pass the Ghost Tree and see the rest of course and the adventure that is to come.

[archie_struthers]

 


When we took the left hand turn towards the 5th tee at Portrush! Thought it was the gate to Brigadoon!

[Tommy Williamsen]

I think my favorite cool place is walking down to 17th green at Cabot Cliffs and wondering, did I reach the green? And what an amazing view down the coast to the 18th hole.

That is a pretty magical place. I've played 17 two different ways. The first was to hit something about 190 yards to the top of the hill and hope it rolled all the way to the green. The second is to hit drive across the ocean. Both work and both are exciting to see where the ball ended up.

[Ian Andrew]

Sometimes the weather is the best part of an experience ....

[Niall C]

Ian


100% agree. I played down at Gailes a couple of weeks ago when there was a hard frost and they were on winter greens. Everything had to be played short to allow for the bounce and roll, no matter what club you had in your hand. Just great fun.


Niall

[Mark Pearce]

Machupichu.  Or the Grand Canyon.  Or Spider Rock.  Or seeing Albi poking through mist, like a ship on the see.  Or cresting the Galibier.  Or seeing les Lacets de Montvernier as we approached them.  I'm afraid no golfing experience gets close.


But if it is golf you are limiting it too, and you have played the 1st at TOC and that tee is not your answer, you have no soul.  After which 15th tee at CPC, 5th fairway at NSW as you crest the hill, anywhere on RMW, the 14th (?) at Port Fairy, 10th green at Elie, lounge at Muirfield all contend.

[Stewart Abramson]

But if it is golf you are limiting it too, and you have played the 1st at TOC and that tee is not your answer, you have no soul. 
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+1 for TOC 1st tee.


Arriving at the 4th tee at Ballyneal for the first time deserves an honorable mention.

[Tom Fagerli]

I would have to say the Redan at Yeamans Hall.  I had played in an event where they allowed amateurs to play with Carolinas Senior PGA members for 3 days.  It was quite amazing to see and hear the reaction of non-gca golfers as they began their complaining on the double plateau green on the first hole and never let up from there.

Jerry- having been so lucky to play in at least three of those CPGA Sr events at YH, I am with you. One year the pin on 1 was on the front left plateau. Welcome to Seth Raynor gentlemen! Oh how I love Yeamans Hall.

[Andrew Carr]

I'm very surprised to see no one has mentioned the 6th tee at Creek Club.  While it lacks the importance of being on the 17th at Cypress of the 17th at NGLA, although not by much, to me it's a nicer vista and there are still 13 holes left to play!

[Tom_Doak]

Tommy:


I enjoyed the title of this thread because it reminded me that 40+ years ago, when I was traveling to see all of these places for the first time, I used to call my mom [from a pay phone] to check in, and often when I was especially enthused about a course I had just seen.


I remember a particular phone call from the red phone box in Port Erroll, across the stream from the 4th hole at Cruden Bay.


But I used to get that feeling pretty often back in the day.  At Harbour Town and Pebble Beach and Cypress Point, even before that.  At Pine Valley in 1980, and again at Merion the next day.  SFGC, first off the tee in the fog.  St. Enodoc and Pennard, a few days apart.


After all of those, I guess I've been pretty jaded, but Royal Melbourne was everything I imagined it to be, and Himalayan Golf Club was more than that.


It does mean a lot to me that I've done some courses that others would mention here.  That's what the work is all about, really . . . to provide the same kind of excitement that got us into the game.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Tom, four and thirteen or fourteen tee box at PD are two places that are ethereal and otherworldly, but so is the seventh tee at Ballyneal. There are a few of your courses that could qualify as "The coolest place I've ever been."


I hesitated to name Pine Valley, but the first time I stood on the second tee, I was speechless. I didn't want to leave the tee. I wish I were a painter.