If “Golf course rankings aren’t really worth the paper digital ions they’re written on,” then people who read through this ridiculous dribble are owed some form of actual compensation. What are strange way to promote resort golf, while degrading the work of thousands of knowledgeable people who know a lot about golf course architecture and sink their own time and money into helping people understand the quality of golf courses across the country. I might actually be dumber for having read this, but I know I am definitely more depressed.
Gary, I played Pacific Grove a few times on my first trip to the States in 1981. As a young man from Scotland on a relatively tight budget, the $6 green fee was perfect. Pebble was $70, which was a bit too much but we did splash out and paid $25 for a round at Spyglass Hill. Happy days!
Fun piece. Charles Blair MacDonald (CBM) designed Chicago Golf Club. Seth Raynor became CBM’s protege later with the CBM design of National Golf Links of America as the surveyor and engineer.
Pound for pound, either Suffolk County or closer to NYC Nassau County, surpass ChicagoLand for quality of golf in my opinion which could be buttressed by the Top 200 Course Ratings by Golf Digest. However, a visit to the Illinois treasures is always a welcomed treat.
Lastly, thanks for not burying the lede in your accolades for Pacific Grove. Honorable Mentions for fun would include Tobacco Road and the short course at Pine Valley.
thx gary. i wrote a big piece on pg for Golf World but it was back in early 1990s. have played there multiple times since but not in last decade or so. couldn't get all the quirks in this short item. i'd also forgotten that its not all 17-mile drive, part of Ocean Blvd. appreciate the update.
How did you miss the fact that not only does PG Golf Links open with back-to-back par-3s (and I agree, #2 is a bear), but it follows them with back-to-back par-4s, and doubles down with back-to-back par-5s? And just as a fact-check from a local – the road that winds along the periphery of the back nine at PGGL is not 17-Mile Drive; it’s Ocean View Boulevard; the street you cross between hoes 3 and 4, and again between holes 7 and 8, is 17-Mile Drive.
Always a pleasure reading your wide-ranging stuff, Gary. But Greater NYC, Boston and Philly all have Chicagoland beat, and it ain't close. We'll come cards on that, as it were, someday.
Yup, nice work if you can get it... and speaking of margaritas, the best way to make new friends and break the ice is pour tequila over it... works great for making decisions, too......
If “Golf course rankings aren’t really worth the paper digital ions they’re written on,” then people who read through this ridiculous dribble are owed some form of actual compensation. What are strange way to promote resort golf, while degrading the work of thousands of knowledgeable people who know a lot about golf course architecture and sink their own time and money into helping people understand the quality of golf courses across the country. I might actually be dumber for having read this, but I know I am definitely more depressed.
so many courses, so little time. how's a guy going to play all 15,000 in one lifetime? thx for reading jim.
those were the days, for sure.
Gary, I played Pacific Grove a few times on my first trip to the States in 1981. As a young man from Scotland on a relatively tight budget, the $6 green fee was perfect. Pebble was $70, which was a bit too much but we did splash out and paid $25 for a round at Spyglass Hill. Happy days!
Gary -
Fun piece. Charles Blair MacDonald (CBM) designed Chicago Golf Club. Seth Raynor became CBM’s protege later with the CBM design of National Golf Links of America as the surveyor and engineer.
Source: https://sethraynor.squarespace.com/seth-raynor-bio
Pound for pound, either Suffolk County or closer to NYC Nassau County, surpass ChicagoLand for quality of golf in my opinion which could be buttressed by the Top 200 Course Ratings by Golf Digest. However, a visit to the Illinois treasures is always a welcomed treat.
Lastly, thanks for not burying the lede in your accolades for Pacific Grove. Honorable Mentions for fun would include Tobacco Road and the short course at Pine Valley.
Thanks for a thought provoking read!
thx gary. i wrote a big piece on pg for Golf World but it was back in early 1990s. have played there multiple times since but not in last decade or so. couldn't get all the quirks in this short item. i'd also forgotten that its not all 17-mile drive, part of Ocean Blvd. appreciate the update.
Gary, Gary, Gary…
How did you miss the fact that not only does PG Golf Links open with back-to-back par-3s (and I agree, #2 is a bear), but it follows them with back-to-back par-4s, and doubles down with back-to-back par-5s? And just as a fact-check from a local – the road that winds along the periphery of the back nine at PGGL is not 17-Mile Drive; it’s Ocean View Boulevard; the street you cross between hoes 3 and 4, and again between holes 7 and 8, is 17-Mile Drive.
You can read more about PGGL here – http://willotheglenongolf.blogspot.com/2011/12/pacific-grove-golf-links-poor-mans.html
Gary: Thank you for pointing out the road issue. We fixed it in Vans' story.
Always a pleasure reading your wide-ranging stuff, Gary. But Greater NYC, Boston and Philly all have Chicagoland beat, and it ain't close. We'll come cards on that, as it were, someday.
Yup, nice work if you can get it... and speaking of margaritas, the best way to make new friends and break the ice is pour tequila over it... works great for making decisions, too......
I would recommend Gold Canyon Dinosaur Mountain in Mesa Arizona to anyone visiting the Phoenix area