The usual suspects—Augusta, Pine Valley, St. Andrews—and several courses on Long Island were among those most frequently mentioned when close to 100 pros were asked to name the courses they hadn’t yet visited but would most like to play.
Michael Whitmer of The Boston Globe recently asked close to 100 players on the PGA Tour to name the course they hadn’t yet visited but would most like to play, and the results surprised nobody.
Augusta National Golf Club was an obvious choice for those that hadn’t yet played in the Masters tournament, while other popular choices included the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland; Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey; Cypress Point in California, and a number of courses on New York’s Long Island, including National Golf Links of America, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club and Sebonack Golf Club.
The Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon, Chicago Golf Club, The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., San Francisco Golf Club, and Sand Hills Golf Club in Nebraska were also mentioned, as were historic overseas courses like Royal Portrush and Royal Melbourne.
Most of the players, Whitmer noted, had a ready list of courses, while a handful—including Bubba Watson, Boo Weekley, John Daly, Ryan Moore, Jeff Overton, Charl Schwartzel and Phil Mickelson, among others—chose not to participate. “I’ve played them all” said Mickelson “All the ones I’ve wanted to, anyway.”
Schwartzel, winner of the 2011 Masters, said he had no desire to play ‘that kind of golf’ because he plays the game for a living. Likewise, Daniel Summerhays said he already goes on 35 golf trips a year and that his idea of a vacation is sitting on his couch or playing with his kids at home.
Two of the more notable responses came from former world number-one player Adam Scott, and 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson. Scott, who chose Sand Hills, Royal Portrush, and Bandon Dunes, said he prefers to play his social golf with his parents. “If I can do it with them that’s good, because I don’t get to spend much time with them and they’re both golfers,” he added. “I like some social golf. It used to all be too serious. It’s just fun to play.”
Johnson, meanwhile, said he would choose to play Royal Melbourne, Chicago GC and San Francisco GC, but then added that his “bucket” list would actually have nothing to do with golf.
“I’d like to go to Wimbledon, the French Open, the World Cup, and other great sporting events,” Johnson continued. “If I had a normal job, I’d probably say otherwise.”
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