The year 2024 was a banner year in terms of number of courses played. Before this year, I had never played 200 new courses in a year. This year I blew way past that number and ended up with a staggering 262 new courses played. I was incredibly aggressive this year because I knew what would be coming in 2025. More on that later. The major highlight of the year was the bucket list trip to New York I took with my wife in July to revisit some of the best courses in the world that I hadn't seen in 20 years. It was very emotional getting to play one of my favorite courses in the world, Fishers Island, with my wife, with whom I have shared this crazy journey for the past fifteen years. The second half of that NY trip where we played a lot of Donald Ross courses was also a major highlight. Trips to Kentucky, St. Louis, Tennessee, and my new home state of Florida, were also wonderful highlights of 2024.
 |
| Getting to play Fishers Island again after twenty years was the biggest highlight of 2024 |
The year 2024 was also a year of transition because I said goodbye to my job at one of the best clubs in the country, Yeamans Hall, and began a new adventure in South Florida at a brand new high profile design near Jupiter. Leaving Yeamans Hall was very emotional because I had so many amazing experiences in the 3 1/2 years I spent working there. I ended up writing about the experience which you will see further down.
 |
| Sunrise at Yeamans Hall, which I left in 2024 after 3 1/2 amazing years |
 |
| The Backyard course at McArthur. An amazing new course by Coore & Crenshaw |
Just like every other year, my first trip of 2024 was to Florida. Unlike other years, this trip took place exclusively in South Florida. The overwhelming highlight was the brand new Backyard course at McArthur Golf Club in Hobe Sound, my favorite new course played in 2024. There were also some very nice surprises in West Palm and Naples. Read all about my trip to South Florida here: Florida Trip 2024
 |
| The Park West Palm |
TENNESSEE TRIP
 |
| Troubadour Golf & Field Club, where I exorcised some demons in 2024 |
I returned to a place I have traveled many times other the years, Tennessee, in 2024. The focus of this trip was the Nashville area but a stopover in Kentucky to check out a hot new course was also on the agenda. I also expelled some demons in a return trip to a course in the Nashville area. Check out my exploration of Tennessee here: Tennessee Trip
 |
| The Grove |
KENTUCKY TRIP
 |
| Louisville Country Club |
 |
| Sultan's Run Golf Club |
OTHER COURSES
 |
| The Tree Farm, an exciting new addition to the SC golf scene |
Once again in 2024 I played a couple courses that were not part of a trip that I felt should be highlighted. The Tree Farm is a very high profile course in the Aiken, South Carolina area with a routing by Tom Doak and a design by Kye Goalby. PGA Tour player Zac Blair is the visionary behind the course and the course is a ton of fun to play with a wonderful driveable par four finishing hole. The other big name course I played that wasn't part of a trip was Pinehurst #10 designed by Tom Doak. I worked in the Pinehurst area for many years and lived a couple miles down the road from where this course was built right off Route 5 south of Pinehurst. The course is everything you love about Tom Doak designs with a little bit of restraint on the greens for the resort crowd.
 |
| Pinehurst #10. An exciting addition to the Pinehurst landscape |
MISCELLANEOUS STATISTICS
New Courses Played: 262
Top 10 Courses by Architect
12 Donald Ross
Top 10 Courses by State
1. 200 courses played in FL
Favorite Course: Fishers Island
Least Favorite Course: Pfau
Most Overrated: Shinnecock Hills
Most Underrated: Country Club of Rochester/Yahnundasis
Favorite Par 3: 11th Hole-The Park
Favorite Par 4: 4th Hole-Fishers Island
Favorite Par 5: 14th Hole-Friar's Head
What's in a name
67-Cape Club of Palm City, Golden Bear, Heritage Hill, Palm Beach CC, Thendera, Yeamans Hall
Worst Scores
81-Turtle Creek
77-Hidden Cypress, Yeamans Hall
 |
| My return trip to Friar's Head was even better than I could have imagined! |
 |
| My wonderful wife and our caddie walking in front of the infamous Redan at Shinnecock Hills |
 |
| CC of Rochester, the biggest surprise of our trip to Western NY |
 |
| Yahnundasis Golf club, a Walter Travis classic! |
 |
| Bellerive Country Club |
 |
| Old Warson Country Club |
FAREWELL YEAMANS HALL
 |
| Sunrise at Yeamans is a beautiful thing! |
 |
| My wife walking on my favorite hole at Yeamans Hall, the 14th! |
WELCOME TO FLORIDA
 |
| The Village course at Jupiter Hills is one of the most fun courses to play in Florida! |
 |
| High Ridge Country Club |
9 HOLE COURSES
 |
| Spy Ring is an amazing debut by architect Tyler Rae |
 |
| Schroon Lake Golf Course is a brilliant nine hole Donald Ross course. |
 |
| One bounce and in! |
 |
| Royal Palm Golf & Yacht Club, 8th Hole. 3rd Hole in One. 161 yards, 8 iron. |
 |
| Top Left to Right: #1-Colleton River(Borland), #2-Palm Beach CC, #3-The Legacy, #4-Sebonack, #5-Hideout, #6-Nashville G&CC, #7-Teugega, #8-Onondada, #9-Little Sandy |
 |
| Top Left to Right: #10-McArthur(Backyard), #11-The Park, #12-Windsor, #13-Panther National, #14-High Ridge, #15-Louisville, #16-Belle Meade, #17-Pinehurst #10, #18-Brook-Lea |
 |
| Top Left to Right: #1-Sultans Run, #2-Park Mammoth, #3-Cape Club of Palm City, #4-McArthur(Backyard), #5-Blind Brook, #6-Pinehurst #10, #7-Bear Trace at Cumberland, #8-Brook-Lea, #9-Richland |
 |
| Top Left to Right: #10-Louisville, #11-Boone Valley, #12-Panther National, #13-Admirals Cove(East), #14-Old Warson, #15-Bellerive, #16-Watchung Valley, #17-Hideout, #18-Tree Farm |
 |
| Top Left to Right: #1-The Park, #2-The Grove, #3-Ballenisles(East), #4-Mark Twain, #5-Teugega, #6-Richland, #7-McArthur(Backyard), #8-Vero Beach, #9-Spy Ring |
 |
| Top Left to Right: #10-Pinehurst #10, #11-Panther National, #12-Cape Club of Palm City, #13-Tree Farm, #14-Belle Meade, #15-CC of Rochester, #16-Crag Burn, #17-Bellerive, #18-Louisville |
No comments:
Post a Comment