[Marc Haring]

Gentlemen

As a humble Superintendent, I have got to present a powerpoint to the board in a month or so entitled ‘The Golfing Experience’

What do I need to cover?

Please start your list here.

Also, any high visual impact pics that I can whack in there at strategic moments to stop them falling into coma would be greatly appreciated.

[Andy Hughes]

Marc
What is the reason for the presentation? What are you trying to cover/accomplish?
Andy

[rgkeller]

Photographs of all the members who habitually fail to repair ball marks/divots and properly rank bunkers and who leave cigarette and cigar butts on the course.

That should wake them up.

[Jerry Kluger]

If you think cigarettes and cigars are bad, there are some jerks at my club who I haven't played with yet but I will let them know how I feel when I do, who eat sunflower seeds on the course and spit the shells out on the greens - that has to be the most disgusting and discourteous habit for a golfer that I can imagine.  Cigarettes and cigars are bad enough but usually they don't leave them on the greens.

[Marc Haring]

Andy.

The presentation is intended to encourage discussion on how the golfing experience can be improved upon at my club, which frankly is your bog standard 27 hole parkland setup. The more the punters enjoy the experience, the more they will wish to return, which of course equals more revenue and therefore reinvestment and growth. We are searching for a win, win situation.

I have been inspired by a chapter in Dr Michael Hurdzan’s book ‘Golf Course Architecture’ entitled ‘the recreational process of golf’ Sure the chapter is a bit of a blatant plug for Devils Pulpit but I did like the concept of studying the whole golfing experience from the initial decision to go play the course right through to when the memory of the experience subsides, which could be decades later. He also investigating ways in which it is insured the golfing experience is a positive one.

[Andy Hughes]

The presentation is intended to encourage discussion on how the golfing experience can be improved upon at my club, which frankly is your bog standard 27 hole parkland setup.

Marc, seems a slightly strange topic to have foisted upon the super, as how much of that is actually under your purview?
I can see conditioning, or green speed, or somesuch pertaining to you.  Maybe even changes to the course that will make it more fun for those 'punters' (ah, the words I learn on this site!  )
Maybe chat about some of gca's sacred cows, firm and fast conditions, and enhancing the strategic aspects of some holes (such as tree-thinning), using Oakmont or other well-known courses that have undertaken similar steps with before and after pics?
OK, I am talking off the top of my head here....
Maybe adding interest to some greens that are currently dull or offer no interest to the play of the hole?

[A_Clay_Man]

Marc, If I may suggest some contrasting images of hectic concrete laden city life, juxaposed with the nature I'm sure resides on your 27 holes of bog. Use heavy metal with the traffic and congestion and classical for the course images.

[Doug Siebert]

Sean,

Shit is also biodegradable, but I think you'll agree with me that you don't want people taking a dump next to the green saying "hey, don't worry about it, its biodegradable!"

Of course that's an unfair comparison, cigars smell much worse

[Marc Haring]

I’m getting some good stuff here Guy’s, thanks. Don’t know that I could use any of it but thanks anyway.


Adam.

Sorry about the bog standard term, which I have just found out is of British derivation. I think it means your basic ‘run of the mill’ (what ever that means). I like the contrast idea though. Is that like when Miles Davis or John Coltrane put in those off chord notes to create tension and then balanced the composition with standard chord notes? Are we talking Jackson Pollock does golf course design. It might lead to me getting the boot on the grounds of diminished responsibility but an interesting concept to explore.  


Dave. Thanks for your feedback. It certainly highlights the differences in US and GB golf, but………..


 We don’t have bag drops or locker room attendants or shoeshines.
 
Stiff drinks are compulsory whenever I play especially before the round.

We have a range but it’s tough to take divots out of an astroturf mat.

‘Perfect grass, manicured beyond belief.’
Come on, this is Britain.

’beautiful trees and pretty flowers (hopefully off to the sides of the lines of play) all over the place -- people love to look at them; whether they're in play or not is another story.’
Thanks, I fear you could have hit the nail on the head there.

’Not having to wait’
Isn’t it dreadful. I had a round lasting 3 and ¾ hours the other day.

’a good burger, dog or sandwich at the turn that you don't have to wait forever for’
We don’t do burgers dogs or sandwiches; well not good ones anyway.

’no curbs on the cartpaths anywhere -- they scream "we don't trust you -- moron!"
What are cartpaths?

courteous people who act like golfers, not idiots
But some of our clientele love a good fight on the 1st tee.

courteous, thoughtful, attentive staff that acts like they're doing stuff because that's the way they are, not because they want a tip,
But acne ridden dorks are so cheep to employ? Oh……. and we don’t tip over here.
 
a good 19th.
Now that we can do.


Much appreciated Guy’s. Can we think in terms of what has made a golfing experience a positive one and stay off the ‘biodegradability of shit’ theme.


 

[Philip Gawith]

Dave Schmidt's post neatly sums up some of the differences between golf in the US and UK. Most courses over here do not have a bag drop, a locker room attendant, a shoe-shine facility, perfect manicured grass, cart-paths, burgers and hot-dogs at half-way! So where does that leave Marc?!

One thing that adds to the golfing experience is the ability to turn up at the club and get a game without needing to fix a game beforehand. Maybe this is a "pre-experience" point, but  I am sure a lot of members who, for whatever reason, fail to organise a game, then fail to turn up at the course at all, because they are not sure they will get a game. Or feel that when they walk into the clubhouse they will meet a lot of blank stares. Any club that can minimise that sort of experience is off to a good start in winning the affections of its members. So i suppose my contribution to the "golfing experience is "Make sure you get the broadest spread of members to the club in the first place, and not just the usual suspects".
 

[Forrest Richardson]

I'd read some of Haultain — The Mystery of Golf. Sounds like you need to get them looking at golf as a state of mind as much as the physical side. There are many more dimensions to golf than the three which make up the soil, plants and furnishings. For instance: Ambiance, competitive drive, thrill, passion, anger, weather, beauty, memories, chance, luck, the gamble, anticipation, regret, etc.

[Marc Haring]

Thanks Forrest.

I've got a whole bunch of stuff to present to them there.

Could anger, chance or luck ever contribute to a game of golf in a positive way?

[TEPaul]

Marc:

Very interesting assignment given to you and an interesting question. I wish I could think of something meaningful but can't at the moment.

This is just an off the wall suggestion until I do think of something meaningful but how about if you recommend that all members get there five minutes early and before teeing off all be required to sit on the first tee with their legs crossed and chant Oooommm, oooomm, oooommm, at least 25 times?

If that doesn't enhance their golfing experience, then just tell them you give up!  

How many board members do you have? Alternatively, you might suggest my "flask golf" idea. "Flask architecture" is a well known enhancement for great and imaginative architecture, without question. Unfortunately it seems to have gone out of style since the likes of some of the old greats passed away like Tillinghast, MacKenzie, Flynn and Dick Wilson but if you're willing to suggest it to your board to enhance the golfing experience I'd be glad to contribute at least enough flasks to cover half your board. I think an experiment in "flask golf" should be tried at your course!

Just tell them you suggest they fill those flasks up with something really strong and that the key is the flask has to be empty when they walk off the 18th green. If that doesn't enhance their golfing experience, once again, I think the both of us sould sort of give up!

[Marc Haring]

Tom Paul.

Thank you so much for your input.

Your pre golf meditation hypothesis is very interesting but I can foresee a couple of problems. Firstly if our members sat down in the cross legged position half of them would never get up again, secondly, given that they will have to chant Ooooooooom 25 times, the other half would wet themselves, especially if they are embracing your brilliant ‘flask golf’ stratagem. Actually I personally believe that flask golf can be critical if one is to fully appreciate the artistic merits of many golf courses and indeed works of art in general. In fact after a couple of flasks of single malt I can start to get passionate about some of the stuff I see on the Florida leg of the PGA tour.


The ‘Board’ is made up of the Golf Director, the house director, the accounts director, the chairmen and the two owners. Of these, one is a golfer, two are not and three pretend they are.    

Here’s a pic of our 15th hole for you to gain inspiration from.

[paul cowley]

Marc.....I think i would much prefer to play the course you describe than Daves .....trying to make one feel like Lord so and so surrounded by his attendants for the day is a personal turnoff .....good golf is about the game and comeraderie in the least fussy way fashionable IMO.

....although you might want to upgrade the astroturf for the newer sand filled variety.

and don't discount TPs power of the flask  ......

[TEPaul]

"Your pre golf meditation hypothesis is very interesting but I can foresee a couple of problems. Firstly if our members sat down in the cross legged position half of them would never get up again,"

Marc:

Pull that suggestion immediately then! I get ahead of myself sometimes. That suggestion to your board needs to be held in reserve anyway to solve the course over-crowding problem if the rounds per year ever get too high. And don't you dare suggest that cross-legged ooooommm thing until you and me work out a few kick-back deals with some of the orthopedic surgeons in your area!

[TEPaul]

Marc:

You know something---that photo from the 15th tee is really interesting to me. Last night I was reading some of Olmstead's principles in his landscape architecture. In a sense Olmstead was into the "whole scene" priniciple of the "picturesque" whereby the parts never competed with or detracted from the "whole" (the whole scene in other words). Although I can only see that hole in a photo it looks to me like a very soothing "whole scene" example in the Olmstead sense where no architectural feature or any other feature competes with the effect of the entire visual scene as far as the eye can see. Olmstead felt that was very contemplative and even 'sanitive' in even a subliminal sense. In other words it calmed the spirit!

[Mike_Cirba]

Marc.....I think i would much prefer to play the course you describe than Daves .....trying to make one feel like Lord so and so surrounded by his attendants for the day is a personal turnoff .....good golf is about the game and comeraderie in the least fussy way fashionable IMO.

....although you might want to upgrade the astroturf for the newer sand filled variety.

and don't discount TPs power of the flask  ......

Paul;

I agree.  When I see the attendants come for my clubs before I've even parked the car I want to run.  

Let me sling my bag over my shoulder, change my dirty shoes in the parking lot, and go play golf.  The only time that would change is if I could help support a caddy program.

[TEPaul]

Not just that but those two trees on either side sort of "frame" the wide scene, for whatever that's worth. You might tell them that's even a little of the influence of that world-class architect, Tom Fazio, certainly a "golf experience" enhancer par-excellence, if ever there was one.

But if you show the board that photo do you self a favor and send the photo off to TommyN in LA first so he can put it into his photo shop computer application and take out those tire tracks you made right across the tee!  

[paul cowley]

Marc ....nothing wrong with that photo...would you care to post some of the weaker ones that might might need some improvement?

Mike ...right on bro  

[Forrest Richardson]

Could anger, chance or luck ever contribute to a game of golf in a positive way?

Gee. This past Sunday I was disgusted with my 17th hole, so got "angry" at the 18th tee. I crushed a drive and, by "chance", got a great deal of "luck". The ball stayed in bounds!

[Marc Haring]

Forrest thanks.

The 18th is the only hole with me where luck adds to the game. If I get lucky any earlier in the round I feel an overwhelming sense of guilt that builds and builds till I shank one into the nearest lake.


Paul

OK. #18, straight up the hill, 350yards, bunkers right OB left over a hedge. Bad finisher, what can we do for less than 10 grand.

[Craig Sweet]

Hmmm...the golf experience??

For me it MUST involve all my senses.

The contrasting colors, the smells, the way the grass and sand feels, the sounds...the cold beer at the turn.

My best times on the course are usually in the early morning when the sun is coming up. The birds are chirping away, the first rays of light are hitting the tops of the distant mountains, the light working its way down from the tree tops to the fairway....

You can have your shoe shines, divot free driving range, and over attentive wait staff....I want an experience that kicks my senses to a higher level.

[Jim Johnson]

Marc,
Michael Hurdzan's book "Golf Course Architecture" includes a section entitled "The Recreational Process of Golf". Interesting reading.
He divides the recreation process into five steps...
Part 1-Anticipation
Part 2-Travel to the experience
Part 3-The experience
a. Arrival impression
b. Preparation
c. Participation
d. Cooldown
Part 4-Travel back home
Part 5-Remembrance of the total experience
Hurdzan then goes on to devote a page (or four!) to each of these headings.
In your case, we could talk about the "The experience". This begins with "Arrival impression", the instant the golf course comes into view; at this point control of the experience shifts from uncontrollable others to the golf course team. As Hurdzan says, that first impression will immediately disappoint, fulfill, or exceed very intense levels of expectations within each observer.  He talks about an "understated" entry impression, such as crossing railroad tracks, driving through a chain-link fence gate, past a maintenance compound, and into an undersized parking lot at Pine Valley. He goes on to talk about all sorts of things in the arrival at the golf course. The example used in his book is based on the experience at "Devil's Pulpit" in Ontario, Canada, one of his designs.    
In "preparation", he seems to talk about the fact that the simple things should be taken care of...broken down ball washers, broken benches, dirty towels, dirty restrooms, etc.
"Participation" discusses certain items such as a survey conducted years ago asking golfers how they felt about the course they were about to play and how they felt after playing the course; he said the results were surprising. What was most important to golfers about the course were, in order:
1. condition of greens
2. condition of tees
3. condition of bunkers
4. condition of fairways
5. condition of roughs
6. condition of practice facilities
7. design of the course
Departing golfers placed even more emphasis on the maintenance of the course. The conclusion of the survey was that maintenance is more important than design.
Hurdzan also describes how other design considerations can influence whether the expectation levels of the golfer are exceeded. Things like...no golfer likes to lose golf balls, so the fewer he loses the more he enjoys the round. Golfers like to play from nicely situated or raised tees. Golfers like playing downhill. Blind hazards are abhorred, and greens should not be too confounding. As he puts it, golfers like golf courses that look hard and play easy.
Hope this helps.
Merry Christmas to everyone.
JJ

[Mark Brown]

Marc,

Having done a lot of golf development consulting and marketing in the Hilton Head, SC area and the Southeast, I have an in-depth outline of what the total golf experience involves -- over and above condidtioning of the course. I also started Links Magazine and have alot of golf course photos that could be e-mailed to you, in addition to 35mm slides. If you want me to send, fax or e-mail any of this to you let me know.

e-mail: markbrown@markbrownand associates.com
843-815-9366   fax: 843-815-9344

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