Bucket List Course... have you played the top one yet?

So I did a search and I did not see a "Bucket List Course" thread?

I was VERY fortunate to play the top of my bucket list last year... Sand Hills. (may have ruined me hahaha... nothing matches it IMHO)

Honestly I do not think there was another on my list LOL. Now that is done, trying to figure out which is next to strive for. St Andrews... about the only one I can come up with? Sure there is a lot of courses out there that I want to play but I can not think of one that is really pulling at me and driving me to work towards playing the course.

Edit: Found a thread from 2011....

Just played Pine Valley last week. Hands down the best I have ever played. Fairways might as well have been putting greens. We stayed onsite at the Centennial House and never left the property. The good was awesome and they are known for their Snapper soup (turtle).

The property/course is real old school. You can only play with caddies and there are no rakes on the course. They only ask that you sweep your foot prints with your shoes before you get out. With a bunker nicked named the Devil's A** ****(DA for short) you can get an idea of how hard this course was.

It is probably the next hardest membership to get next to Augusta.

Tons of history and should be on top 5 list for sure!

Nope have not played my top course. Highly unlikely I will ever play Cypress Point

Nope and unlikely to either. I have several and as they are all private members US courses then the chances are zilch.

I have neither the money or connections to ever play any of my bucket list courses but the list would include:
1. Cypress Point
2. Augusta National
3. Pine Valley
4. Sand Hills
5. National Golf Links

I have had the opportunity to play Bandon Dunes in which all 5 courses(par 3 included) were phenomenal. I've been to Scotland and played the Rota in which Muirfield was my favorite, and am planning an Ireland trip for the next couple of years. Pebble Beach is the one public course I have yet to play that is on the list. Nice thread, I love to dream about this stuff.

I have the pick of the open champion courses over here so I'm fairly set in that respect although I'd love to play some of the US courses like pebble and TCP, as well as some in hawaii

Pebble was mine and I did finally get to play it a couple of years ago. I guess I always figured the big privates (Augusta, Cypress Point, Pine Valley, etc) were really not feasible goals so I never really included them. If an opportunity ever comes about, I'll look at it as an unexpected bonus.

I think next on the list is Bethpage Black.

[quote name='deadsolid...shank' timestamp='1407153117' post='9851737']
Pebble was mine and I did finally get to play it a couple of years ago. I guess I always figured the big privates (Augusta, Cypress Point, Pine Valley, etc) were really not feasible goals so I never really included them. If an opportunity ever comes about, I'll look at it as an unexpected bonus.

I think next on the list is Bethpage Black.
[/quote]

This is my way of thinking. I don't think it's very likely I'll ever play the truly exclusive clubs, so it's unrealistic to include them on a bucket list. I'm going to play Pebble this fall. I've played most of the other high end public/resort courses so I'd have to say Shadow Creek is probably the next one I'd like to visit.

I knew an old touring pro 10 years ago who knew the one armed pro at Cypress. Jim something or other....he said I can make a call and get you on at Cypress. I was a bit intimidated at the thought of going up there and shooting it he 90s...which, at the time, I would have. So, I didn't follow up with it.
Wished I had and will always wish I did it. Oh well. Who knows, maybe Ill tell that story to the right guy and end up getting on. Probably not.
I played Torrey earlier this summer with an Olympic Club member. We were hitting it off pretty well and he said, oh yeah come on up and you can play Olympic with me. As the round progressed he turned out to be an self absorbed a$$hole attorney, I turned my attention to my other playing partners--I just wrote off the possibility. At the end we shook hands and went our separate ways...no mention of the round...I wasn't going to bring it up. Ha Ha

As for my bucket list-- as long as Im able to play into my 60s..I plan on hitting: Bandon, Bethage, Kauri Cliffs in NZ, The Pebble Courses, Pasatiempo, WeKaPo Ridge, Plantation Course, Chambers Bay, That Nicklaus course in the Canadian Rockies near Alberta/Banff, Royal County Down, the Old Course and this one course I saw on the net down in Cabo.

I was able to play my favorite course Oakmont last year and that is an experience that will be tough to top. Living in Michigan Oakland Hills is a course that I always wanted to play and I was able to play that a few times last year. Hope to get some more top private courses in the future.

This week I was able to play the #1 course on my bucket list - Milwaukee Country Club. Basically, if you live in Wisconsin it is the hardest course to get on, and is always argued against Whistling Straits as being the top course in Wisconsin. I also got to play #2 on my list, Arcadia Bluffs, a couple weeks ago. Now that would leave #3 as my top course to play, which is Pinehurst No. 2.

I was fortunate to be able to play Cypress Point.
I've played Pebble three times which was also on the Bucket List.

BTW the pro there was Jim Langley.

[url="http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2013/7/21/rip-jim-langley.html"]http://www.geoffshac...im-langley.html[/url]
[url="http://www.montereyherald.com/ci_23711310/jack-nicklaus-among-those-mourning-death-former-cypress"]http://www.montereyh...-former-cypress[/url]

I have played mine. Which is Bethpage Black, and I will be heading back in late September.

Hmmm Beth Page Black. That one has always looked appealing.

So growing up Pebble was my bucket list course. I had written off most of the big name private courses assuming I would never get on them. Then I got on Cypress and that became my ultimate course haha. Also played Pebble and Spyglass that week.

Played the Old Course Fall of 2012. I was awe struck when I first got there.

Augusta will always be my top choice. A man has to dream.

Realistically where I live it would have to be GoodWood. Less than 80 members, one of the most exclusive ccourses in Ontario. Who knows it could happen, it's just about networking yourself.

[quote name='golfheaven69' timestamp='1407606224' post='9895435']
Augusta will always be my top choice. A man has to dream.
[/quote]

I soooooo agree with this.... but I just have this feeling it will never happen so I really have not added it to my list.

Not yet I have a pretty realistic chance at playing Sand Dunes in NE and that is one of my top go play no matter what if the chance comes up. Just have not been able to make the timing work with my connection yet.

Of course Augusta Pine Valley and Cypress are up there but the chances for those are much much slimmer.

Three weeks in Scotland would be fantastic too.

I did - Oakmont. Watched a playing partner hook his tee shot off #1 onto #9. His second shot back onto #1 fairway left him 80 yards out. Rest of us waited at his ball. When he got back to the ball, he asked the caddie what club for the third shot approach, and caddie advised the putter. We all chuckled, but the caddie gave him the mark to hit, and putt he did.

Probably never see another 80 yards approach shot from the fairway with a putter, let alone one where the ball had enough steam left on it to run through to the back edge of the green.

That place was just unreal.

Augusta and Pine Valley are on top of my unattainable bucket list. My reality bucket list includes Pebble Beach, St. Andrews, and Pinehurst #2, of which I have played none.

My bucket list is Augusta and St Andrews...but by far my number one is Cypress Point. I played Pebble and Spy but being California guy Cypress is my dream. Probably a pipe dream as I dont know anyone...but if someone feels like making my dream come true feel free to PM me! Lol

Augusta National is #1, I have not played there. #2 is Oakmont.

[quote name='NCWolfpack' timestamp='1407254651' post='9862423']
This week I was able to play the #1 course on my bucket list - Milwaukee Country Club. Basically, if you live in Wisconsin it is the hardest course to get on, and is always argued against Whistling Straits as being the top course in Wisconsin. I also got to play #2 on my list, Arcadia Bluffs, a couple weeks ago. Now that would leave #3 as my top course to play, which is Pinehurst No. 2.
[/quote]

Congrats on your round at MCC. I've only played it once and that was light years ago. My game is much better now and I would love to wrangle an invitation back so I could better appreciate the course.

[quote name='Phreddy' timestamp='1407860394' post='9917411']
[quote name='NCWolfpack' timestamp='1407254651' post='9862423']
This week I was able to play the #1 course on my bucket list - Milwaukee Country Club. Basically, if you live in Wisconsin it is the hardest course to get on, and is always argued against Whistling Straits as being the top course in Wisconsin. I also got to play #2 on my list, Arcadia Bluffs, a couple weeks ago. Now that would leave #3 as my top course to play, which is Pinehurst No. 2.
[/quote]

Congrats on your round at MCC. I've only played it once and that was light years ago. My game is much better now and I would love to wrangle an invitation back so I could better appreciate the course.
[/quote]

Thanks a lot. It sure was an amazing experience. Like I've said, I've played many courses and only Whistling Straits can compete with it in my mind.

I've crossed some of my list: Bethpage Black, Muirfield Village, Royal Melbourne, TPC Sawgrass, Old Course St Andrews, Carnoustie, Mauna Kea, Mauna Lani, Kingsbarns

Still want to play: Pebble, Pine Valley, Cypress Point, Augusta, Barnbougle Dunes, Kiawah Ocean, Oakmont, Kauri Kliffs

The big one on my bucket list is [b]Cape Kidnappers in New Zealand[/b]. If you have never heard of it... Google it.

I have played all over the world and this is the one I want before I set the clubs down forever.

I have gotten to play a couple on my Bucket List so far. I have played Kapalua Bay Plantation Course and Bethpage Black. The ones I have left are: The Old Course, Pebble Beach, Torrey Pines, and Bandon Dunes.

[quote name='codylowrygolf' timestamp='1407118245' post='9849877']
Just played Pine Valley last week. Hands down the best I have ever played. Fairways might as well have been putting greens. We stayed onsite at the Centennial House and never left the property. The good was awesome and they are known for their Snapper soup (turtle).

It is probably the next hardest membership to get next to Augusta.

[/quote]

Definitely not the hardest to get into, with ~1,000 members its actually not that bad compared to many others like Cypress, shinnecock, NGLA etc