There comes a certain point in life when you start reflecting on the past more than worrying about the future.
I think I’m there. This is my 25th year writing about golf and travel. As for the next 25? Maybe I’ll be playing golf when I’m 77, but I hope I’m not writing about it. Even if writing about golf is the best job in the world, retirement doesn’t sound too bad, either.
I’m grateful to reach such an incredible milestone. When I graduated from college in 1995, I didn’t even know the job “golf writer” existed. I wanted to be a sports writer covering Super Bowls and Final Fours. I was a casual golfer at best, as I had only been playing this silly game a couple years after taking a job at my college golf course, Eagle Crest, at Eastern Michigan University.
But I caught a lucky break in 1999: My wife found an online ad asking for golf course reviews. I faxed my resume and newspaper golf clips at least three times before I finally heard back. If there’s anything I’ve learned over the years, it’s persistence and hard work pays off. Here we are two-plus decades later … a career where I’ve played, reviewed and photographed more than 1,100 courses in 26 countries.
I could attempt to compare and contrast all the courses I’ve played into some sort of ranking, but what’s the fun in that? Everybody does it. I’m doing something different instead – creating 25 short lists that I hope capture the best of what I’ve experienced while sharing a few nuggets of wisdom for today’s traveling golfers looking for advice.
I tried hard not to list a course more than once. For example, since I included Turnberry’s Ailsa course among the best golf experiences I’ve had, I didn’t list it among the best links I’ve played.
I hope you have as much fun reading as I did writing this trip down memory lane. Here goes:
If you have any lists you want me to create, please share your thoughts in the comments below. Five favorite resorts, five most scenic courses, five best family golf trips … I could go on and on.
