My favorite courses of 2024? They reminded me what is important

We’ve often used this space this time of year to wax poetic – or at least try to – about our favorite courses we’ve played over the past 12 months. There are two reasons for this. One, this is a golf website, and it’s something we can write about to feed the machine. And two, we like to think it’s a good resource for our readers. Maybe it’s a course they’ve played too, but ideally it’s one they haven’t, which can then educate and motivate them to add it to their to-do list. It’s a great thing – opening people’s eyes to great golf courses they might not have heard of.

But here’s a little twist to my entry. I have already written about those courses. So instead of writing about my favorite spots, I played for the first time in 2024 – Chaska City Course in Chaska, Minn.AND Sedge Valley at Sand Valley Golf Resort in Wisconsin – instead I’ll show you what I LEARNING on golf courses in 2024.

I’m sure I’ve written before that I have an unhealthy obsession with trying to get my handicap as low as possible, and it hasn’t been easy. I’m 14, I used to be 13, I’ve thought for a long time that I could be at least 11, but I also never practice and play constantly.

This quest for lower handicaps only led to stressful rounds, as bad days on the course became incredibly frustrating and good days turned into white-knuckle rides, continuing to get them into the clubhouse before the inevitable crash. .

But some time during the summer, everything changed. I’m not sure there was an exact moment, but at some point I started to care less but enjoying more. Part of this was specifically due to my new strategy regarding the courses I played (like the ones mentioned above), which helped renew something that needed renewal: the fun of playing golf.

I learned that more expensive does not always mean nicer. Or prettier doesn’t always mean better. I learned that golf courses are like a dining menu – there is something for everyone and not everyone will agree on what is best. In short, my criteria for which courses I chose to play became simple: less on the punishing aspect of golf, more on the memorable. Places I can’t wait to return to, not places I fear danger at every turn. Maybe that’s the key for average Joe players like me. The ability to play. What a wonderful word.