[G Jones]

Wow this thread has been going for a while...
Well I'm new, and I don't want to start a "hi I'm new" thread so here goes...

Handicap: was 6 when I was 13. I'm now 23 and I only play matchplay or foursomes. Not sure what my handicap is. Golf isn't about handicaps.

Home club: I feel as though I have two home clubs, although I'm only currently a member at one of them. I have been a member at Panmure in Scotland (est.1845 so a fairly nice old place) since I was 10 and it will always be my home club.
But I was a member at East Lake in Atlanta last year while I lived there - I still regularly go back to play there - and it's my spiritual golf home in the US.

Previously a member of: Druid Hills (atlanta), Carnoustie GC., St Andrews students GC, Letham Grange G&CC. Plus strangely had unoffical membership at the Island GC in Dublin for a year when they had no presents to exchange with us on a golf tour my county did in Ireland, so they gave us temporary membership instead!

Favourite course played: Augusta.
Hardest course played: Carnoustie.
Best design played: Pine Valley.
Best clubhouse: Panmure (biased!).
Course I'd sell my brother to play: CPC.

I play with Mizuno irons, Titleist woods, a ping one iron and a ping scotsdale anser putter.

I also have a bunch of hickory clubs that I play with including a great driving brassie and vardon cleek from Louisville Golf.


I'm new to this board. Nice to meet you all!

Gordon

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

Wow this thread has been going for a while...
Well I'm new, and I don't want to start a "hi I'm new" thread so here goes...

Handicap: was 6 when I was 13. I'm now 23 and I only play matchplay or foursomes. Not sure what my handicap is. Golf isn't about handicaps.

Home club: I feel as though I have two home clubs, although I'm only currently a member at one of them. I have been a member at Panmure in Scotland (est.1845 so a fairly nice old place) since I was 10 and it will always be my home club.
But I was a member at East Lake in Atlanta last year while I lived there - I still regularly go back to play there - and it's my spiritual golf home in the US.

Previously a member of: Druid Hills (atlanta), Carnoustie GC., St Andrews students GC, Letham Grange G&CC. Plus strangely had unoffical membership at the Island GC in Dublin for a year when they had no presents to exchange with us on a golf tour my county did in Ireland, so they gave us temporary membership instead!

Favourite course played: Augusta.
Hardest course played: Carnoustie.
Best design played: Pine Valley.
Best clubhouse: Panmure (biased!).
Course I'd sell my brother to play: CPC.

I play with Mizuno irons, Titleist woods, a ping one iron and a ping scotsdale anser putter.

I also have a bunch of hickory clubs that I play with including a great driving brassie and vardon cleek from Louisville Golf.


I'm new to this board. Nice to meet you all!

Gordon

Welcome Gordon!  Where do you hail from now?  

I played Panmure when I went on my pilgrimage of Scotland back 10 years ago.  I loved it.  I got to Carnoustie on a day that something was going on and couldnt get out, and I recalled that Hogan had done most of his practing for the Open at Panmure.  That was enough for me to want to go there.

When I got there I was not dissapointed.  The staff couldnt have been nicer to this passing Yankee, and the members that I met were wonderful as well.  I played through a group of gentleman on one of the holes, and then proceded to take a wrong turn off of the next tee only realizing I had made a mistake when I got to my drive and recognized the approach shot I was facing.  When I got back to the correct tee, I notice those guys had gotten there ahead of me, they offered to have me go through again, but I felt bad doing so, they managed to convice me to just play with them instead.  Probably to make sure I didn't get lost again.

We got to talking and found out that one of the guys daughter lived in Spartanburg, SC just down the road from me.  It is a small world.  I just had a wonderful time on a fantastic golf course.

I should see if I can find any pics from that day and scan them into digital form to post on here.

I would love to get back someday.

[G Jones]

Hey,

glad you enjoyed Panmure. it's definately a friendly club but traditional also. There are only 500 members and because it's not that well known we don't get all that many visitors... which probably helps with member/visitor relations!

I currently live in London, although I work around Europe and am only in London on weekends. Sadly I'm fairly disconnected down here from golf having neither the contacts nor the time to play, so I just look forward to a couple of golf holidays each summer. I always used to think visitors should only be allowed on weekdays, but now it means that I can't play golf! Hopefully this board can be an outlet for my golfing flustration!

Whereabouts in South Carolina do you play?

And yeah, I love looking at old photos of courses, and I don't really have any of Panmure... if you do have any photos from 10 years ago I'd love to see them, just to see how things have changed! - They've cut down all the trees behind the 17th green, and the ones behind the first tee (and added links-like mounding)... and some of the ones out at the far end... people didn't like it at first but when the summer rough grows up the first few holes will look a lot more linkslink as they apparently did 50 years ago.

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

I currently live in London, although I work around Europe and am only in London on weekends.

Whereabouts in South Carolina do you play?

Darn, I was hoping from your post that you still lived around the Southeastern US somewhere, I was looking forward to a game someday.

I live in Greenville, SC and play out of Musgrove Mill in Clinton, SC.  However I plsy most of my rounds when I travel around the Southeast on business.

[G Jones]

:-P trust me I wish I still lived in the south.

[K. Krahenbuhl]

I live in Houston, TX and work in the oil business.  If you're ever in town and need a game shoot me a message.

Home Club:  Champions Golf Club

[RSLivingston_III]

Ralph Livingston III
Grand Rapids, MI
Should hit 50 later this year.
Occupation: Commercial Photographer
Pre-occupation: Golf History - pre-1931
Club: Kingsley Club
Clubs: Old stuff, mostly made by Tom Stewart of St. Andrews
Handicap: Not sure. A few years ago it was about an 8 with the old clubs. Hope to be breaking 90 this year.
Bio: There was one in the Feature Interviews unless Ran decided to clear out the old junk.

[David Jones]

Hey, as above this is my first post here. This group was recommended to me by my brother, so you might experience mild deja vu below...

H/c: 6 these days
Clubs: Currently Panmure (Scotland), but in times when I played more regularly: Carnoustie GC, Letham Grange G&CC, and St Andrews SGC... plus last year I played out of East Lake and Druid Hills (both Atlanta).

Currently working a city job in London, so consequently haven't  had time to play a full round since September.

I've stopped worrying about my golfing equipment, after tearing it up with what appeared to be medieval weapons that I rented from a golf club in China.

Favourite course played: Augusta or North Berwick (West Links).

Hardest course played: Shinnecock Hills (after only missing 3 greens at Augusta, I only hit 3 at Shinnecock a few days later).

Best design played: Pine Valley.

:-)

[G Jones]

david, i think that was more to do with your swing than the course being tough... violent snap hooks tend to not be the best shape on a lot of tee shots.

[ed_getka]

Ah, brotherly love.  

[Garland Bayley]

...I've stopped worrying about my golfing equipment, after tearing it up with what appeared to be medieval weapons that I rented from a golf club in China.
...

You can't expect us to believe that. Everyone here knows that the new clubs designs have removed many strokes from everyones handicap. If you don't believe me, then just ask Pat Mucci.

The reason the national handicap average never changes is that these new clubs are offsetting our degeneration into old age feebleness.
 

[Tom Yost]

I'll use this thread to offer my introduction to the group.

I'm a 52-year-old  public course golfer and resident of the Phoenix Arizona metro area.  I've been playing since about age 11, but with intermittent periods of inactivity, most recently spanning the last seven or eight years. This, coupled possibly with the lack of any professional instruction, has kept my game from serious improvement, and I remain stuck at about a 12-14 handicap.  I am, however, now enjoying the "empty nest" syndrome and hoping to ramp up my activity, sharpen my game and enjoy some golf vacations, perhaps someday visiting the famous links of Scotland.

I grew up in SW Ohio and honed my skills on a 9-hole "executive" course.  Moved to AZ after a Navy tour and have enjoyed the weather and great variety of courses the Phoenix area has to offer.  Somewhere along the line, I picked up a copy of the Whitten/Cornish book which sparked an interest in golf course architecture.  I confess to the nerdy hobby of maintaining a database of Arizona golf courses.

Living in Arizona, I have not the opportunity to play any of the courses from the great designers of the "golden age," but, I hope I can learn more about golf architecture and possibly offer some insight from the Arizona golf scene.

Regards,
Tom

[Mark Chaplin]

Mark Chaplin
Tonbridge, Kent, England
42yrs old police officer
9 handicap, lowest 3
Home club; Royal Cinque Ports known as Deal

I'm a true lover of traditional links golf and will always welcome fellow GCA'ers to Deal, if I'm working I can usually hook you up with a game. I've just been elected to the Board of Directors and am keen to ensure the renovation of Deal is completed to the high standards set by Gordon Irvine.

I've yet to play any decent US courses although this will change hopefully later this year. Luckily I have used Deal reciprocals to play most of Australia's Royals including RM and RA as well as the fabulously conditioned Metropolitan in Melbourne. Next time I'm downunder I hope to hook up with some Aussie GCA'ers and play some good courses.

Regards

Mark

07/10 - little did Ari know his post below would result in him becoming a Deal member and a good friend!

Also both Jones brothers (see above) are now long term Deal members and top chaps.

[Ari Techner]

Ari Techner
Eugene, Oregon USA
President/CEO of Scratch Golf Co. (www.scratchgolf.com)
3 handicap
28 years old
Hole in One: Pacific Dunes 14th hole, 5 iron into 30 mph wind
Best Score w/ Modern Clubs: 5 under Par 65
Best Round: 73 at Pacific Dunes with Hickory and alot of wind
Home club: Eugene Country Club
Grew up playing Franklin Hills Country Club in MI

Growing up I was always interested in GCA and what made one course better than another in my eyes.  Fortunetly growing up in  Michigan there is alot of great old golf courses and alot of Donald Ross and I was lucky enough to play most of them in my time there.  Early on in my golfing life I realized that 9.5 times out of 10 a course built in 1925 would be much better than a course built in 1985 and I wondered why that was.  I would however say that I really dove into GCA head first after moving to Oregon and playing Bandon and especially Pacific Dunes.  I fell in love with the hard and fast links feel of the courses and all the shot making options that they presented.  This is when I truely realized there can be much more to golf than the hit it between the trees and hazards target golf that most courses in the USA are.  I am now looking forward to discovering the great true links of Europe in the next few years.  I will be traveling to Ireland for the first time this summer for a friends wedding that will turn into a golf trip and I hope to get to play Royal Cinque Ports next week when I am in London.  

I generally do not get along with more modern golf clubs, "woods" especially, so I play most of my rounds with Persimmon woods or a full set of Hickory.  I find that I enjoy the game more with wood.  I can work the ball left, right, high and low instead of just swinging hard and hoping I find the fairway.  I feel like I shoot my best scores with my Scratch Blades, Wedges and custom Putter and my Joe Powell custom Deep Face Persimmon driver, Wood Bros Persimmon 3 wood and Cleveland Classic Persimmon 4 wood.  

I have spent many hours reading threads on this site and looking at pictures.  I have learned a ton from everyone on here and I want to thank everyone for their insight and help.  

Anyone who is going to be in Eugene or driving through Eugene on their way to Bandon, I would be happy to host you at Eugene Country Club, just send me a PM.  

[Gene Greco]

Ari:

   Went to Ireland (and Scotland) with your head pro. Say hello to Mark for me, won't you?

     Gene

[Bill_McBride]

Ari Techner
Eugene, Oregon USA
President/CEO of Scratch Golf Co. (www.scratchgolf.com)
3 handicap
28 years old
Hole in One: Pacific Dunes 14th hole, 5 iron into 30 mph wind
Best Score w/ Modern Clubs: 5 under Par 65
Best Round: 73 at Pacific Dunes with Hickory and alot of wind
Home club: Eugene Country Club
Grew up playing Franklin Hills Country Club in MI

Growing up I was always interested in GCA and what made one course better than another in my eyes.  Fortunetly growing up in  Michigan there is alot of great old golf courses and alot of Donald Ross and I was lucky enough to play most of them in my time there.  Early on in my golfing life I realized that 9.5 times out of 10 a course built in 1925 would be much better than a course built in 1985 and I wondered why that was.  I would however say that I really dove into GCA head first after moving to Oregon and playing Bandon and especially Pacific Dunes.  I fell in love with the hard and fast links feel of the courses and all the shot making options that they presented.  This is when I truely realized there can be much more to golf than the hit it between the trees and hazards target golf that most courses in the USA are.  I am now looking forward to discovering the great true links of Europe in the next few years.  I will be traveling to Ireland for the first time this summer for a friends wedding that will turn into a golf trip and I hope to get to play Royal Conque Ports next week when I am in London.  

I generally do not get along with more modern golf clubs, "woods" especially, so I play most of my rounds with Persimmon woods or a full set of Hickory.  I find that I enjoy the game more with wood.  I can work the ball left, right, high and low instead of just swinging hard and hoping I find the fairway.  I feel like I shoot my best scores with my Scratch Blades, Wedges and custom Putter and my Joe Powell custom Deep Face Persimmon driver, Wood Bros Persimmon 3 wood and Cleveland Classic Persimmon 4 wood.  

I have spent many hours reading threads on this site and looking at pictures.  I have learned a ton from everyone on here and I want to thank everyone for their insight and help.  

Anyone who is going to be in Eugene or driving through Eugene on their way to Bandon, I would be happy to host you at Eugene Country Club, just send me a PM.  

I had the pleasure of a round with Ari at Eugene CC last summer, he is a terrific tour guide and showed us the 'before and after RTJ turned the course around" routing plans in the clubhouse.

Ari, look forward to seeing you in Portland this summer.

[Ari Techner]

Ari:

   Went to Ireland (and Scotland) with your head pro. Say hello to Mark for me, won't you?

     Gene

Gene,

Will do!  Mark is a great guy (and a great player!)  We are very lucky to have him.  

[Ari Techner]

Ari Techner
Eugene, Oregon USA
President/CEO of Scratch Golf Co. (www.scratchgolf.com)
3 handicap
28 years old
Hole in One: Pacific Dunes 14th hole, 5 iron into 30 mph wind
Best Score w/ Modern Clubs: 5 under Par 65
Best Round: 73 at Pacific Dunes with Hickory and alot of wind
Home club: Eugene Country Club
Grew up playing Franklin Hills Country Club in MI

Growing up I was always interested in GCA and what made one course better than another in my eyes.  Fortunetly growing up in  Michigan there is alot of great old golf courses and alot of Donald Ross and I was lucky enough to play most of them in my time there.  Early on in my golfing life I realized that 9.5 times out of 10 a course built in 1925 would be much better than a course built in 1985 and I wondered why that was.  I would however say that I really dove into GCA head first after moving to Oregon and playing Bandon and especially Pacific Dunes.  I fell in love with the hard and fast links feel of the courses and all the shot making options that they presented.  This is when I truely realized there can be much more to golf than the hit it between the trees and hazards target golf that most courses in the USA are.  I am now looking forward to discovering the great true links of Europe in the next few years.  I will be traveling to Ireland for the first time this summer for a friends wedding that will turn into a golf trip and I hope to get to play Royal Conque Ports next week when I am in London.  

I generally do not get along with more modern golf clubs, "woods" especially, so I play most of my rounds with Persimmon woods or a full set of Hickory.  I find that I enjoy the game more with wood.  I can work the ball left, right, high and low instead of just swinging hard and hoping I find the fairway.  I feel like I shoot my best scores with my Scratch Blades, Wedges and custom Putter and my Joe Powell custom Deep Face Persimmon driver, Wood Bros Persimmon 3 wood and Cleveland Classic Persimmon 4 wood.  

I have spent many hours reading threads on this site and looking at pictures.  I have learned a ton from everyone on here and I want to thank everyone for their insight and help.  

Anyone who is going to be in Eugene or driving through Eugene on their way to Bandon, I would be happy to host you at Eugene Country Club, just send me a PM.  

I had the pleasure of a round with Ari at Eugene CC last summer, he is a terrific tour guide and showed us the 'before and after RTJ turned the course around" routing plans in the clubhouse.

Ari, look forward to seeing you in Portland this summer.

Bill,

Very much looking forward to seeing CECC again with you this summer!  The rain is starting to go away and the sun is coming........

[Gene Greco]

Ari:

   Went to Ireland (and Scotland) with your head pro. Say hello to Mark for me, won't you?

     Gene

Gene,

Will do!  Mark is a great guy (and a great player!)  We are very lucky to have him.  

Yes, a great player and the consummate gentleman. Definitely a pro's pro.

Mark hit it to ten feet on 18 at The Old Course and had heads poppin' out from every room, apartment, etc. watching as he attempted his eagle putt. A spooky chorus of groans echoed throughout the old toon as his putt slid by the cup but he tipped his cap to the townspeople and we headed to Ma Bells for a post round spirit with Prince William and his "entourage."

[Russ Miller]

I figure this thread is as good as any to make an introduction.  My name is Russ Miller.  I am 29 years old and live in Nashville, Tennessee with my wife and our 5 month old son.  I went to college and law school in Nashville and decided to stay here.  

I have played golf my entire life, but only recently took an active interest in golf course architecture.  My interest was sparked by Tom Doak's book Anatomy of a Golf Course and by the book World Atlas of Golf.  I have been reading the interviews, course reviews and discussions on this site for probably six months or so, and have become more and more intrigued by the subject.  

My list of "great courses played" is meager, so I won't even bother listing them.   I do not belong to a club, and generally play wherever they'll let me.  My favorite courses I've played in Nashville are probably The Hermitage - President's Reserve and Legend's - Ironhorse.  

According to the Discussion Group home page, I'm the newest member of golfclubatlas, so I've got that going for me, which is nice.    
   

[RJ_Daley]

If Mark Chaplin is still looking in after two weeks of posting his personal intro, welcome to a fellow copper and one of Sir Robert Peel's esteemed traditional Bobbies!    

I'm late to welcome you since I've been travelling for a couple of weeks.  On your visit to U.S., if you are near the State of Wisconsin, and want to see some old courses, contact me and I'll see what I can do to steer you right and maybe hook you up with some American golf goofy cops...

[Brian Joines]

I'm the newest member of golfclubatlas, so I've got that going for me, which is nice.    
   

I just watched Caddyshack again yesterday. Never gets old.

[Garland Bayley]

Thought I would put Mssr. Blake's intro here where it can be found.

Greetings all.

Mike Blake
38 yrs old
Worcester, PA (philadelphia suburbs)
married, 2 kids (around 3, around 1)
former teacher, current stay-at-home dad for 3+ years. (not sure how much longer I can do it as i'm beginning to go crazy)

Kids nap time has provided me plenty of time to become a daily lurker on this site for a couple of years now, and to practice my stack and tilt 3/4 swing.

Playing golf since 15yrs old. (has it been 23yrs already?)  handicap has been 11-15 during that time.  Grew up in Essex/Morris County, NJ playing such courses as, Francis Byrne, Galloping Hill, Weequaik (sp?), Flanders Valley.....

Became interested in architecture when a friend of mine and member of this site began a career as a course designer.


Being a stay at home dad with two young kids doesn't allow for much playing as time is scarce and money is tight.  But I have been playing fairly regularly this year..... Mostly play at Jeffersonville (Ross/McGovern?) which is only a few miles from home.  Probably the best bang for the buck around these parts.  Also play twilight rates at Lederach (Kelly Blake Moran.)


The one positive about not playing as much pre-kids is that my interest in architecture make each round much more meaningful and enjoyable now that my eyes are open.

Look forward to being an active member of the site.  And to meeting the Philadelphia area posse of GCA, maybe at the Cobbs Creek outing.  I used to play there a bit in college and I do remember my last time there I had a hard time completing my backswing with the bulletproof vest I was wearing .


Mike

[David Miller]

Name: David Miller
Age: 24
Residence: Charlotte, NC (born and raised in Louisville, KY)
Education: Univ. of Kentucky, Univ. of Texas Law
Occupation: Lawyer (at corporate firm starting this fall)
Home club: none right now, but hopefully Carolina GC soon
Handicap: 5
Favorite courses played: Bethpage Black, Pasatiempo, Valhalla, Charlotte CC
Wish list: Augusta, Oakmont, The Old Course, NGLA and Shinnecock in the same day

I've been an avid golfer since taking up the game 10 years ago but have only recently become interested in course architecture.  I don't claim to possess any deep insight on the topic but am learning and have had a lot of fun participating on this board--great discussion and it seems great people.

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

Name: David Miller
Age: 24
Residence: Charlotte, NC (born and raised in Louisville, KY)
Education: Univ. of Kentucky, Univ. of Texas Law
Occupation: Lawyer (at corporate firm starting this fall)
Home club: none right now, but hopefully Carolina GC soon
Handicap: 5
Favorite courses played: Bethpage Black, Pasatiempo, Valhalla, Charlotte CC
Wish list: Augusta, Oakmont, The Old Course, NGLA and Shinnecock in the same day

I've been an avid golfer since taking up the game 10 years ago but have only recently become interested in course architecture.  I don't claim to possess any deep insight on the topic but am learning and have had a lot of fun participating on this board--great discussion and it seems great people.

Welcome another person to the Carolina Chapter of GCA.com  We will have to add you to the email list for potential get togethers around the area.  Probably time to get a little Musgrove Mill outing going sometime this fall (the next two months are shot already).

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