If you could ask Mike Keiser one question...

[Scott_Burroughs]

Brian,

I indicated it a little while ago, but the C&C course in Pinehurst has nothing to do with Ran and the Carthage Club dream, and we'll likely have to "meet people" to play there.

Scott,

What does "meet people" mean....isn't that the case with all private clubs..

That's how I understand it.

[Gene Greco]

"Have you thanked the Good Lord for all your blessings in this life today?"

[Buck Wolter]

I've read that Mr. Keiser is 'obsessed' with Lido and recreating it at some point. How would he compare Lido to to what he's accomplished at Bandon and is he any closer to his dream of recreating Lido?

[A.G._Crockett]

What have been the greatest surprises, both positive and negative, during the process from day one until now?

[Dan King]

I did ask him this once:
Are you having as much fun as you thought you would?

I'd also ask him about his original plan to use 18 different designers at the original Bandon Dunes before settling on Kidd.

Also there are a number of modern, well-known designers who blame their finished outcome on giving the owner what they want. Have you considered giving one of them freedom to see what they can do with more it?

Dan King

Golf will grow so long as it's fun.
 --Tom Watson, 1978

[Robert Thompson]

How about: Mr. Keiser is obviously well financed, so how did he manage to avoid the trap of spending a great deal to develop the courses at Pacific Dunes? Was the relationship between development fees and course construction part of the initial business plan (i.e. -- did Pacific Dunes need to cost around $2-million to make the model work).
2) Is there a relationship between high finance and course design that leads to unnecessarily expensive golf?
3) How has the business plan for Bandon evolved as its popularity increased? Will it change further?
4) How does he view his place in the golf business? As an entrepreneur, a capitalist or a golf philanthropist? Does his position in relation to the game differ from the likes of Herb Kohler?

[Dan Herrmann]

Mr. K grew up in Buffalo, NY.  I'd like to ask him if he has any plans on bringing a high profile course to the shores of the Eastern Great Lakes (Lake Erie or Lake Ontario).

[JBergan]

Why do greeting cards cost so much..

I was thinking of a greeting card question, too:  Who was the evil, obviously female employee who thought up Valentines Day, and was wasn't she immediately silenced and terminated?

[tlavin]

Mike Keiser has gone from a golf nobody to being arguably one of the ten most important non-players in the game today.  I know Mike a little bit and I regard as a very quiet, self-effacing chap, but I would wonder if he had any kind of master plan that he worked from and when he formed that plan.  Did he recognize the need for a place like Bandon or did it just start as a bit of a lark?  Finally, I would ask him what he sees when he looks at the golf world ten and twenty years out.  More public courses?  Private courses shrinking in numbers?  Is there a danger that the golf dollar has been stretched to its maximum?

[Joel_Stewart]

At least 50% of these questions have been asked before and are on record with previous interviews.

I'm sure Ran will get more to the point Mike's love for classical golf and his strategy or vision moving forward.

I would like to know what his relationship is with Mark Parsinen and does he plan to develop a golf course with him?  Will Parsinen be involved with a 4th course at Bandon and if so, why?

[John Foley]

I like Dan's idea. Ask Mr. Keiser if he needs an on-site liason

[Michael Moore]

Dear Mr. Keiser -

Do you read golfclubatlas.com?

If so, can you point to any matter in which that habit had a material impact on the Bandon resort?

Regards,

Michael Moore

[ed_getka]

Dan,
  What was his answer to the fun question?

[Kevin_Reilly]

What opposition (if any) did he face with the idea of a walking-only resort course, and how would he "sell" the benefits of such a policy to  the developer of another public or private course.

[Steve_Roths]

What is your vision for 4th and 5th courses at Bandon?

[Brian_Gracely]

How much of a stretch did you consider Tom Doak?  

Would it have seems like more of a stretch if it was the first course instead of the second?  What about if Bandon Dunes had only been moderately successful, would you have chosen a more prominent architect for Pacific Dunes?

What really happened with that gorse fire on Pacific Dunes?

[Scratch_Nathan]

MK - Relative to each of the three Bandon Dunes courses... How close is your original vision for each course to the reality that was created?

[JakaB]

I would ask him...Why do you give up thousands of dollars in revenues comping raters when they make a mockery of the process as displayed on the Golfweek Lists thread currently on GolfClubAtlas.  Why don't the top twenty solid rock courses in the country put a stop to the nonsense...or do you really believe that comps help the numbers and in turn increase the revenues....

[THuckaby2]

JK:

1. I don't think they give comps at Bandon Dunes.  At least such were not offered to me.  Maybe it is just me.  

2. No mockery is being made of the rating process on that thread.  Some good humor is being shown, yes.  But a mockery of the process?  You're gonna have to explain that to me cowboy.

I have no good question to ask Mike Keiser - at least not one that hasn't already been asked.  I had a smart-ass one but I have deleted it and am typing this.  My apologies to Ran as it is cool Mike Keiser is taking the time to do this.


TH

[JakaB]

Huck,

The millions of dollars each year saved by raters on their comps could easily build and maintain an affordable golf course in several regions of the country.   That's fine and the way the owners and managers of what would be competing courses want it...so...after all this work and all this special treatment to people who are supposed to be special ambassadors of the game the rankings for Golfweek are published and what do we get.   Very little discussion and a strong finish of girlie pictures...I told you from the very start I would not comment on that thread and I have to say I am proud I did not.  Brad and Jonathan must be very proud of their years work reduced to this...is it a mockery, you tell me..

[THuckaby2]

JK:

Whatever, my friend.  Would you have preferred snotty comments about how the process works, or how the rankings came out?  Full on battles as have occurred in the past about which rankings are the best or worst?  Knock-down drag outs about how some course got screwed and why, as has also occurred in the past?

Jeez, I'd have to guess JC and Brad are happy they got off so criticism-free.  The only negative thought in there was me giving good-natured crap to my GW rater friends.   And god forbid we have a little fun in here, as that thread has turned to.

As for comps, that's your fight, my friend.  Go for it.  Sure, if it were all abolished and the money devoted to some better cause, the golf world would certainly be better for it.  But you know that has as much chance of happening as me breaking 60 at SFGC tomorrow (and btw, I will be comped, but I'm going as a guest of a vendor, not as a rater).  So continue to tilt at this windmill, Mr. Quixote.  Heck I'm rooting for you.

Oh well.  I continue to find no mockery of the rating process, nor of GW's ratings, not at all.  If anything there was a lot of praise in that thread... even by me...

TH

[ian]

1. Buffalo NY desperately needs a great public track (many people cross the border to Niagara Falls, Canada for a better place to play). With his roots to Buffalo, would he ever build a lesser profile project like this as a gift to Buffalo?

2. (or) Ask him about the ball and its effect on his projects

[Dan Herrmann]

Ian,
Thanks for echoing my question.  The Niagara Region of NY would eat up a Keiser-run course.  

Best of all, Mike would be a legitimate hero in Buffalo.  This is the city that gave Drew Bledsoe a parade with marching bands when he signed with the Bills and who gave the Sabres a 10 minute long, "Thank you Sabres" back in 1974 when they LOST a playoff series to Montreal.

[Steve Lang]

it would be:

Mike, Are you trying to create a legacy of development success or fostering modern golf course architectural excellence? Is there really any difference?

[Pete Lavallee]

Given Mike desire to get back to golf as it was meant to be, would he be interested in building a "hickory course", somewhat shorter though no less interesting than the other courses, with unirrigated fairways, slightly slower greens, and vintage equipement for rent, so Resort guests could really step back in time?