GCA and the Pizza Man! The Silent Majority?

[Steve_ Shaffer]

I recently had a "Pizza Man" moment while checking in  for a tee time at a local course . The assistant pro behind the desk asked me if I was THE StevE Shaffer from Golf Club Atlas. I answered in the affirmative and we proceeded to have a good conversation about local courses and Philly courses once I told him that I had moved here from Philly. He was envious of all the Flynn, Ross, MacRaynorBanks courses ( including Merion) I have played. We concluded by agreeing that Desert Forest ( pre renovation) was the only classic course here in PHX. He wants to get a job in Philly. He hasn't joined here...yet.

[Jon Heise]

Holy moly, how have I never seen this?!!?

I've had a Pizza Man story.  About a year ago, had a guy approach me as I'm annihilating a burrito at a Chipotle in downtown Chicago.  "hey, I see your work name tag... do you post on GCA?"  "Uhhh, yes, I do." (not a lot though!!!)  Was very nice and very random - had a fun little "small world, eh?" conversation.  I've yet to tee it up with my Chipotle admiring fellow member.  If you see this, we should play next year!

[Jeff Taylor]

I hope this thread is not deleted.

[Tommy Naccarato]

This remains my all-time favorite story from this website. All that it took was one simple man, probably a hero countless times, thanks to his profession and he made us all seem so important and worth something. At least for me he did. I think guys like him go on to even more blessings in the great hereafter. I'm sure he was probably one hell of a father and husband too!

A week ago while at Rustic Canyon, we talked of the Pizzaman story. To this day, I dont know his actual name, but I feel that I know the soul!  This thread actually makes me know that participating on GCA (as well as Max's!) was probably the best thing I ever did in my life. At least in terms of my desire to learn about the greatest courses in the Sport.

Tommy, Tommy, Tommy,

You have forgotten what preceded GCA and even TraditionalGolf.com. How about the gals at the Ralph Miller?

Well all of it as a whole! LOL!

[Garland Bayley]

My closest thing to a Pizza man story is related to the GRUDGE MATCH (http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40942.0.html).
The match was to be played at Dan Hixson's Wine Valley I believe within a year of it's opening. I decided for some reason to have a tune up round at Quail Valley west of Portland. When I signed in for the round and gave the man behind the counter my credit card, I got a strange reaction, and a "harrumph". Seemed odd, but I guessed he found Garland to be an unusual name. On about the fifth hole or so, I happened to look at the score card, and noticed the words "Doug Hixson - Head Professional". At that point I realized that I had just ran into Dan's brother, and he had recognized my name from the online trash talking Kalen and I had been doing prior to the match.

[BCowan]

This thread needs to be bumped every now and then.  Perfect for newbies.  It's too bad he never joined the site. 

[Daniel Jones]

I think this is what the kids would call "Epic."

[Brad Tufts]

I love that we refer to these moments as "pizza man" moments.


I've been recognized by name a few times all over the country...at Tobacco Rd. once comes to mind.


I've also had it backfire...I was on a work training trip visiting clients when I was a newbie at my company, and made the mistake of telling my co-traveler that I thought one of our clients was someone from GCA (same name and general region as the supposed GCAer)...I wouldn't have made mention unless the conversation went to golf...but my co-worker prodded me so I was forced to awkwardly ask the guy if he was a golf nut, to which he made a face and replied "no, sorry."  Luckily it was all good, as it turned out his daughter was a college classmate of mine, and was married to one of my college friends...saving a really strange conversation...

[Joe Sponcia]

I've had the, "you're not one of those guys that posts to GCA are you"?

Yes, I am.  No, I'm not an expert, I have a day job.  Yes, I love architecture, study it in my free time, and play to a low handicap.  Yes, I can talk about my preferences.  No, I don't think they exist in a vacuum...but I do believe wholeheartedly there are principles in place that are universally loved by many once they take interest beyond the surface.

[Tim Gallant]

This is a brilliant thread to read as a newbie. I do feel like that sometimes when I see some of the heavyweights going punch for punch on a particular topic. I am happy to take a step back and enjoy all the action from a front-row seat. Reading comments on golf architecture from some of the most respected names in the industry is the equivalent of sharing a pint with Lewis & Tolkien in the Eagle & Child.

[BCowan]

Top 5 GCA threads of all time.  I wonder if he is still playing golf. 

[Jason Thurman]

Ben, this is indeed an all-time thread. You should read it.

[BCowan]

Ben, this is indeed an all-time thread. You should read it.

I have numerous times, wanted to see if people were paying attention.  Some of us believe in the after life     



Hard to believe that thread was almost 4 years ago.

Pizzaman became a good friend and I had the pleasure of playing golf with him dozens of times over the next few years.
He loved Whitinsville a great 9 hole Ross track.

The world lost a good man in October of 2003.

He never could bring himself to post, but remained a regular lurker.

I persistently kept asking him to post until during a round at Mt. Pleasant in Boylston Ma. he turned to me and said, " you know Eddie, if I post under my real name I'll embarrass myself because I can't write like I think, if I post under Pizzaman then I'll never live up to the myth." With that he walked to his ball and said, "Did you ever notice how a lot of Ross cross bunkers are a longer carry to clear on the slice side?"

I hope he's playing all the Ross courses now and hitting soft draws.  I miss him.


Complications from diabetes, he was 71. He was already starting to lose the feel in his hands and feet from neuropathy.
When we played in the fall, he would carry one of those butane hand warmers with him, "helped his putting" he said.

Interestingly enough he took the Pizza job to fill his evenings after his wife had passed only 6 months after he had retired or I never would have met him. He was a career fire fighter and one of those "salt of the earth" instantly likeable people that are oh so rare. He was so sincere and self effacing that it took quite awhile to figure out that he really wasn't putting you on, yet he still had a good sense of humor.

I took him to Myopia once and we parked in that little upper lot by the stables. He took one look at the horses being groomed and led out for exercise, the stately old clubhouse, and he wouldn't get out of the car until I produced our host who assured him that he was indeed a legitimate guest for the day. Some where on the front nine we saw one of the grounds crew guys driving one of those utility carts and I looked at him and said, " Oh Jesus, we're in trouble now, here comes the superintendent to throw us out!" Well, he turned white and started dancing around like a boxer ducking hooks, he didn't know which way to go, I thought our host was going to get a hernia he laughed so hard. It was hilarious, and after he calmed down he laughed right along with us, just a great guy. He loved the stories about Leeds putting the bed sheets down to add bunkers to the landing areas after the early opens up there.

I met a lot of his friends too, and they eventually let me fill in if they had a no show on Tuesday nights, I was honored, and had an absolute blast every time.

[Mike Bodo]

Beautiful and still poignant discussion group thread! Thanks for bringing this back to the top of the post list, as I doubt I ever would have come across it. I'd like to know what became of Ed Baker, as I don't see his name come up on any current threads? He seemed like a very likeable and humble individual.


As a newbie, I can particularly relate to this post.

Pizza man, I hope you do join the site as we need others to argue with TE Paul and Pat Mucci.  We have all tried and failed most of the time, but be careful what you say about Pine Valley or NGLA as they will bite your typing hand off!!

My arse is still smarting from the daggers thrown at me regarding criticisms I had with Pine Valley's placement over ANGC on Golf Digests Top 100 list. That said, it was a good learning lesson and one that is necessary to help me grow and better understand the nuances of this well-informed group of individuals and contributors.

[Garland Bayley]

I finally had my pizza man moment.

I played with a new member yesterday. After the round he told some friends he had played with someone named Garland. He got peppered with questions. Garland who? What's his last name? Did he seem to know a lot about golf courses?

When I saw him at the course today his first question was what's your last name? He happened to have his buddies with him so we stood in the rain and wind and talked golf courses and GCA for a bit.

[Bill Brightly]

I had mine a few years ago. I live in Northern New Jersey and know a guy who belongs to Stonewall outside of Philadelphia, a good 2 1/2 hour drive. He was having a beer at the Stonewall bar and met three guys from Paraparumu Beach Golf Club in New Zealand, including their pro and GM. They got to talking and he said he lived in NJ. They asked if he knows a guy from New Jersey named Bill Brightly who is a a Macdonald/Raynor nut. He almost fell out of his chair and said "YES, I play platform tennis with that guy!" (I've only played golf once with him.)


Fast forward two years later and I went to NZ and played Paraparumu Beach and met those guys! Really nice, linksy course, fun membership. It is the club where Tiger's ex-caddy Steve Williams used to play, and he convinced Tiger to play in the NZ Open when it was there.

[Ronald Montesano]

Since the PM made contact with GCA, social media and web 3.0 have given us the power to push our message faster, easier, farther. If we're not doing so on our personal social media accounts, we need to admit that we could do more to ensure that this discussion group outlives all of us.


By the way, Ran, Joe, Ben CD, you guys should be looking (far) down the road at how you will hand GCA off to a next generation.


Go about your business, live your lives, golf your balls.