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Golfer Memory


bkuehn1952

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There is a thread in the “Forums” where the total number of courses played has been discussed.  I have undoubtedly played more courses than the average golfer but certainly not as many as some of the more prolific players have stated.  One point that interested me was a comment someone made about not remembering every course without the aid of an actual written list.  I suspect that many of us could list every course we have played from memory and give some story or incident that occurred.  We may not remember a birthday or appointment but that day at Black Forest when sun alternated with sleet and rain is etched in our memory.

On courses I play frequently I seem to have one or two permanent memories for each hole.  The 17th at U of M is thought of as “The Skunk” hole.  One evening we were finishing up our round when the driver of our cart, Marty, saw a skunk moseying along the left side of the rough.  He thought it would be interesting to get a closer look; I jumped out of the cart before he got too close.  The rest is history.

The 15th at Hudson Mills is the site of the 8-putt.  My wife and I were playing a mixed couple two-person scramble event.  On the 15th green the hole had been placed on a diabolical slope.  My wife and I negotiated it in 2 putts.  The other couple was not so lucky.  Their first efforts up the hill left his putt 3 feet above the hole and hers 12 feet short.  Eventually they decided to take the shorter putt and when they both missed their closest ball was now 15 feet away.  When they both missed again, one short and one long, they had now accumulated 6 putts and still had a choice of an uphill 5-footer or a downhill 3-footer.  This time they took the uphill option; she missed and he made for a team total of 8 putts.

Playing a new course is always exciting.  Still, it is nice to tour a familiar course and recall all the triumphs, tragedies and comedies.  We don’t need a list, we have a golfer’s memory.

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My wife laughs at me, says that I remember every hole on every course I've ever played.  That's a little bit of an exaggeration, but I remember an awful lot of them, and sometimes I remember shots I hit a decade back. Sadly, most of the ones I remember are shots I'd really prefer to forget.

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5 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

My wife laughs at me, says that I remember every hole on every course I've ever played.  That's a little bit of an exaggeration, but I remember an awful lot of them, and sometimes I remember shots I hit a decade back. Sadly, most of the ones I remember are shots I'd really prefer to forget.

It depends on the golf course. A lot of courses I can remember vividly, while others I don't remember much. I don't remember much of TPC Sawgrass though it's an iconic golf course. 

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It used to be that outside of my normal rota of courses locally I could remember most of the holes at away courses only if I play it out in my mind in sequence from the first hole. I feel it has grown considerably in the last year or so where I remember more holes and shots, and also thoughts and feeling associated with those shots.     

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On 6/29/2016 at 1:31 PM, DaveP043 said:

My wife laughs at me, says that I remember every hole on every course I've ever played.  That's a little bit of an exaggeration, but I remember an awful lot of them, and sometimes I remember shots I hit a decade back. Sadly, most of the ones I remember are shots I'd really prefer to forget.

My wife laughs at me for exactly the same thing.  I also remember an awful lot of the holes, as well as the shots on those holes.

It really comes into focus when I go back to the course and start replaying the course in my head, even though I haven't been there in years.  And then I freak her out when I start remembering her shots on the hole.  :-D

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On 6/29/2016 at 1:31 PM, DaveP043 said:

My wife laughs at me, says that I remember every hole on every course I've ever played.  That's a little bit of an exaggeration, but I remember an awful lot of them, and sometimes I remember shots I hit a decade back. Sadly, most of the ones I remember are shots I'd really prefer to forget.

Yep... my wife does the same thing!  I'm lucky in that my wife actually allows me to ramble.  She half-listens, but... at least she doesn't tell me that she doesn't care.  

As for remembering every course I've played... if it's named, yes... I can remember it.  If you ask me to start listing them, there's just no way.  I probably play less golf than the average 'dedicated golfer'... but, I would venture to guess that I've played far above the average number of courses of that same golfer.  I like to play at new places, and some of the clubs I've joined have allowed me to play different courses throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and South Carolina.  

I love the stories from the individual holes!  I have a few that, every time I think of those holes, they make me smile or laugh... and sometimes wince.  

Good post!

CY

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On June 29, 2016 at 1:31 PM, DaveP043 said:

My wife laughs at me, says that I remember every hole on every course I've ever played.  That's a little bit of an exaggeration, but I remember an awful lot of them, and sometimes I remember shots I hit a decade back. Sadly, most of the ones I remember are shots I'd really prefer to forget.

Sure you already know this but there is a reason why, we are wired to remember unpleasant events more so than positive ones. Apparently just part of our natural survival and eviction. Poker players will say the same, they can tell you lots of their bad beats but rarely the good ones. 

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