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ask most amate golfers which course they
would play if they could choose from any
course in the world and they would say
Augusta National austa National if you
ask tour players their favorite course
in the world I’ve actually heard very
few say austa National having played so
many courses now Rick around the world
do you consider austa National to be
your favorite and could you perhap
perhaps offer insight as to why T Pros
don’t rate austa as highly as you might
expect could it be that Augusta is too
hard in tournament play or do they tend
to associate their favorite course with
somewh they’ve won or played very well
what a great question that is a great
question I I would unpack that a few
different ways um Let me let me start
off by and again we did plenty of
podcasts on this last year AUST National
is the best golf course I’ve ever played
been very very lucky to play the quality
of the whole venue is just exceptional
the
experience and you you’ve got to
remember the very few amateurs that get
to play it or not tournament Players
that get to play it are in such a lucky
privileged position that almost that
does absorb a lot of your senses like
you’re literally walking around the
Fairway in disbelief like I was playing
it going I can’t believe believe right
now this is as you mentioned probably
most golfers number one golf of course
they ever want to play and I’m out here
playing it today which is just out of
this world but what’s fascinating about
Augusta as an as a fan of golf is that
you’ve watched the Masters so much that
you propably know the golf course like I
knew every single hole in that golf
course and I’ve never played it before
last year where there’s probably not
many golf courses you can really do that
on you know I Pebble Beach okay I know a
few holes at Pebble Beach but I don’t
know every single hole at Pebble Beach
be no even the old course I’ve been
fortunate enough to play the old course
as as you have a number of times now if
someone said to you what’s the 12th old
at the old course you have to think a
little bit don’t you yeah it’s not it
doesn’t come straight to your brain
straight away where if I said what’s the
16th austa National it’s part three yeah
it’s like it’s so almost ingrained into
our memory so I think a lot of that has
part in playing on this obviously the
condition of the golf course is
spectacular it really really is and each
each and every hole Augusta National is
so unique and different it is a real
standout venue the one thing if I had a
criticism of austa national and this is
normally where I when I look at my other
favorite golf course I’ve ever played
Kings bars Trump International MH um I’m
trying to think of other examples even
even the old course to some degree a lot
of the actual um
surroundings Elevate the experience for
me Kings bars is an amazing incredible
golf course but the views as you know
are absolutely just out of this world
you don’t get that austa National you
don’t get scenery of the ocean or
Mountain views it’s like you’re
basically in a plot in the middle of
like austa it’s a it’s you don’t see
anything else you don’t get you don’t
know the main road outside cuz these
trees on the perimeter are so big so you
don’t get to see about that I think the
other thing from a tour players point of
view
is it almost the cool thing not to say
austa
National yeah is it almost the cool
because it that’s probably the answer
that most people are expecting and is it
the cool thing to not say austa that’s a
good point I suppose the other thing as
well is when you think about why Golf
Course is your favorite in terms of
whoever this is who is’s judging there’s
lots that comes into it and I think for
the average person I will actually put
you in this bracket as well because I
know you get to play some amazing golf
courses but if even if someone said to
you two years ago will you ever get to
play a gusta National I think your
answer would be I hope so and there is a
chance I will for the average average
person there’s no chance they will
really let’s be totally honest it’s very
challenging so I think even for you who
has played it and may want to play it
again at some point I think the fact
that you have played is almost like you
can’t believe it like you’ve grown up
watching that Golf and I think
inevitably that is always then going to
rank it at your number one and I think
for most people who have played the old
course who are normal people the old
course probably goes there number one
because you’ve played the old course
you’ve hit the iconic first t-shot
you’ve played the Road Hole you’ve
walked down 18 over the swilken burn and
the bridge it’s that almost like for me
there’s no way the old course is the
best course in the world but that
experience is my best experience which
you very kindly treated me to and when
you look here there’s a a website I love
um which is the top 100 golf courses
it’s actually got globally a gust at
number 12 that’s mad and you’ve got wary
Cyprus Point Pine Valley Royal County
shinok Hills National Golf Links of
America Royal Melbourne St Andrews
Oakmont Sand Hills Trump ter Trump turn
mfield and Augusta now I guess this is
bad sorry I’ve only played I’ve only
played two of those mfield well no um we
played mfield oh yeah sorry sorry mfield
and St Andrews obviously austa yeah so
done three but that is obviously done
off things like the architecture and all
I find it hard to believe that August is
not 12 that list I find that hard to
believe
but with all due respect and I say this
very very very very
respectfully in my opinion austa
National is better than the other two
golf course I’ve played on that list if
then you found out that anybody not just
just yourself anybody could play there
and it was kind of a bit like the old
course was difficult to do but you can
would that go down could be yeah if it
didn’t hold the Masters would it go down
possibly so but is that not all W that’s
the point then if you’ve almost got the
whole wrap up bit which what we’re
saying I think therefore austa goes
number one and the old CL is so high up
if and you can’t if you could remove all
that packaging around and you went
purely off the golf course would the old
course and in this case austa be as high
the old course definitely not as high no
if you removed if you lifted the the
footprints of the old course up and you
moved it somewhere else and it didn’t
have the history and it wasn’t home Golf
and it wasn’t in that plot and you
dropped it somewhere else and didn’t
hold the open the open every 5 years it
would not be
ranked I don’t
even I’m going to be careful what I say
here but it definitely wouldn’t be
ranked as high as it is on that list but
again that back to original question
that is the point when you go to a golf
course most people unless you’re an
absolute golf architecture nerd are
looking at you looking at the whole day
the experience the pull up in the drive
photograph you can take the feelings
that you might get here Respec of how
you play it’s it’s the whole package I
think with that being said again I’ve
never played a Guster obviously that
that must be why a gusta has to be one
or two whatever I think for players
certainly if they’ve played the the
Masters quite a few times I suppose the
more times you play it the less special
it
becomes well yeah and does is almost two
questions is there what’s your favorite
golf course in which for me if you ask
me that question now the old course
wouldn’t be number one if you said
what’s your favorite golf experience out
of everything I’ve played all course
would be number one did you see this
weekend for three days of the four this
weekend Friday Saturday not Sunday
Monday the old course
opened its doors to a very Selected Few
which I’m a little bit gutted I didn’t
get invited to orbe there was chats
about me being invited to it but the
invitation never arrived is the old
course was played in Reverse yeah Friday
Saturday and Monday you’ve been there
done that I’ve done it listen guy I gred
and I did it on a Sunday correct but it
would have been a hell of an experience
it it’s it’s such a crazy concept and
it’s still to this day at the course
that apparently Tiger Woods is desperate
to play it’s a shame he couldn’t make
the trip over and play with you that was
the plan I’m sure his invite like mine
probably was was lost somewhere um but
the fact you play it in reverse and it
it would have been such a I don’t know
just a cool experience it’s a shame saw
some clip I don’t think the weather was
great up in Scotland this weekend which
was a shame but it’s authentic
um I I would still love to see maybe an
Open Championship one time played there
in Reverse for 150 if that would have
been phenomenal it would have been I
suppose the infrastructure would be the
difficult thing would it change much
actually it would a little bit CU
remember when when I was look looking
enough to play it with Tom but I don’t
think it’s a massive switch around
really maybe one day maybe one day right
need to close your laptop for this so oh
bang that was done well so we’ve just
been talk about the M the Masters is
obvious we’ll do a master Edition next
week I think CU you are going whether we
just double checked my flight I can’t
remember if I’m fly on the Monday or the
Tuesday so if I fly on the Tuesday we
can do a full length episode on the
Monday okay right well if you enjoyed
that video clip be sure to subscribe to
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36 Comments
Thoughtful response
Be curious how Rick rates Carnoustie. That’s the one I remember fondly (sort of)!
It’s the toughest I’ve ever played but is it the best? It doesn’t have the views the guys talk about but it’s a fantastic golf course.
Ask Pros what their favorite tournament is, and many will say The Masters. The course has a lot to do with that, the history is another and the experience in another.
Seriously, who really gives a 💩 if it’s “overrated”… it’s the best and most exciting tournament to experience every year!!
No
I grew up in the Hamptons right by Shinnecock Hills. It’s the course that a lot of the pros say is their favorite course.
You knew what you are doing with that title. You cheeky nando lol.
I played Augusts 3 times. Twice in 1980 and again in 1983 thanks to my uncle who was in business with a member. Different course then and I would imagine nowhere near as pristine as it is today. Although by far the most fabulous golf experience I've ever had. In 1983 shot 78 from the back tees.
Rick saying that so many of the holes are memorable is a vital point.
Is Rick Shields overrated?
I liked what you said, and I think the answer is hidden in it. You don't have the views of St Andrew's or Pebble Beach or…. So many of them do. But, Augusta you have the streams and the bridges and the perfect sand and grass and white buildings and azaleas. So much contrast, and all that trapped inside the pine trees. You're locked in a little golf garden of Eden. The others your mind may wander to distant oceans or faraway canyons, but at Augusta it's just golf in golf heaven. You've left the rest of the world behind and gone to a golfers version of Disneyland. It's a magical escape.
Definitely not overrated but not worth dreaming about too much. Too unlikely most of us will get to play there ever. Thats true of many private clubs which are considered among the best courses though. Augusta is just that much harder to get onto. It’s more likely to play Merion or Oakmont than Augusta.
No it’s not .. but your over rated Rick.
Yes. 1 – Its too short now unfortunately, no one should be hitting short to mid irons into par 5s… 2 – butler cabin – cringe… 3 – fake bird song – cringe…4 – the USPGA throws up better finishes of late and for me although lacking the glam/prestige is always the best to watch – may-tiger, bradley, rory 2014 – the last half dozen masters bar tiger – boring.
I’m sure Augusta is a great course but I won’t know until after 3pm EST Thursday and Friday… media coverage for The Masters is a joke!
If God plays golf ?
Trust me its at Augusta ❤🏌♂️
The Brits don’t get to choose. It’s number 1.
Here in Toledo, Ohio we have the Inverness Club, that has hosted quite a few major championships. It is difficult, but not impossible to play a round there. We also have the Ottawa Park public course as well. Built in 1899 and designed by S.P. Jermain, it hosted the inaugural U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship in 1922. When Ottawa Park opened, it was the 1st public course west of New York City. And while it's yardage is way short by today's standards, (5,000 yards) playing this course gives you a feel for the way golf was played over 100 years ago, and August National was little more than an overgrown weed patch. The Public Links Championship was held in such high regard that the winner of that tournament received an invitation to play in the Masters. It was a sad day when the USGA discontinued this championship, and it's storied past.
Overrated or not, they’ve yet to recuse themselves from deception design influences by Aleister Crowley.
Not as long as TIGER WOODS is playing❤!!!!
Literally I’ll never play Augusta, but St. Andrews seems even more fun to walk, play, and interact with. I wouldn’t call Augusta overrated, but I’ll take a scenic ocean view like Bandon Dunes over tree-lined fairways all day.
What I expected vs what I experienced when I went, I would say that Augusta is actually underrated.
Clickbait tile isn’t doing the channel any favors
not watching the video just wanted to say. im a new golfer and i even know that this question is ridiculous. just dumb. smh.
I dont think a course should be considered the most amazing just because its impossible to get a ticket to the tournament and no matter how much money you have you will never play it.
TPC Sawgrass is my favorite to watch
No other course spends the amount of money as Augusta National. I’m willing to bet they spend twice as much as the next best course. Hell they only play golf on the course 4 months out of the year.
That place is unreal.
It's not overrated but is overhyped. It's a great GC but rises mostly due to its fame..
Better courses to play and clubs to be a member of
I don't really care about the prestige or bragging rights, so I'd rather play somewhere more exotic like Monterey, the Western Cape, Hawaii, or Ireland. Also the pines of Georgia are very familiar
Overrated for sure. Front nine is boring as hell with no personality. Back nine is as good as it gets but overall it could be not even better than your local municipal course.
Is Rick Sheils overrated?
Idiotic topic, plus Rick's short game gives me nightmares – unsubscribed…
Horrendous take
Kinda makes you proud when a Brit says a US golf course is the nicest and most well sorted doesn’t it.
No…end of video
I want my 9 minutes back, come on Rick, you are getting lazy with some of these topics