The Caddy Shack - my Golf Architecture blog

[Ian Andrew]

I certainly don’t know how much this will interest people on this site, but I’ve decided to keep a journal using a blog.

My goal is to write daily about either what is going on currently in the golf industry or my design business.

It also provides me with an opportunity to reflect on what caught my attention in the world of golf architecture that day – and to say what I think about it.

Since I’m fairly opinionated, I expect there should be a funny rant from time to time too.

It's already up and running now, your welcome to see what you think.
 
http://thecaddyshack.blogspot.com/

I will still participate here like I always have for the last seven years.
 
Best regards,

Ian Andrew

[Kyle Harris]

Ian,

Your latest entry would make for a nice discussion on here.

[Cliff Hamm]

Ian...reading about you and your dad and how important golf has been in your relationship is heartwarming.  It gets to the heart of this wonderful game.  It really doesn't matter if the earth's been moved, if the bunkers are over the top, if the greens are too fast/too slow, if there is no locker room, if the locker room is too ostentatious, if you win or lose, etc, etc., etc.  Golf is a game where relationships are born and nurtured and the most special is father/son. A moving account of what the game is really about indeed.  Well done!

Cliff

[Ian Andrew]

Thanks Cliff,

I had posted that before on the site, there were a few gentlemen on here who helped me keep perspective when my father wasn't well and had clearly given up the game. I wrote it for my dad - but also for them too.

[Eric Franzen]

I really like the caddy logo!

[Ian Andrew]

I'll give you my dilema with writing a blog.

I'm fairly open with my thoughts, and I perfer an honest approach with everyone I deal with. Here's the problem: If I say what I think - it can potentially offend clients and clubs I work with. The blog will be a hell of a lot more fun to read (and do) if I'm up front - but it could potentially cost me a client

I have an obvious topic for today which involves a club I have worked with for the last 10 years. The blog offeres me an opportunity to talk about a really good golf course that has continuously made poor decisions and the situation they find themselves in where nobody is happy - least of which is me. It will get back to them.

What do you think? - part of running my own business was the ability to remove myself from these situations.

[Joe Hancock]

Ian,

Using good descretion is an honest response to your own sensibilities.

Joe

[Eric Franzen]

Music photographer Ross Halfins diary http://www.rosshalfin.co.uk/diary/february-2006/diary-february-2006.html is quite entertaining because he speaks his mind on what he really thinks about some of the clients that he works with.

Ross Halfin is one of the biggest name in the business and can afford to loose a client or two. However I couldn't see an aspiring music photgrapher who is trying to make a name for himself using the same approach.

All in all, it is a tricky situation. You might lose some clients by being outspoken about them in your blog. On the other hand it might also gain you some work, and valuable self-promotion, in the long run.

[Tim MacEachern]

Ian, sorry that I'll come across as a nag, but for your site to be more professional, run the posts through a spell-checker before posting.  It's as easy as composing them in a word processing program first, then cut & paste them to your blog.  Then you'll find that dilemma has two m's and compromise two o's.

That being said, I'm an avid reader of thoughtful prose, even with the typos, so thanks for the link.  It's just that it sometimes gets difficult to read the material while being sidetracked by typos.

[Jay Flemma]

Good luck Ian!  It's sure to be terrific.

[Paul Payne]

Ian,

Best of luck with your business and your blog. I have been an engineer in a sales role and a salesman who is an engineer for years.

My advise to you is let 'er rip. Yes you could lose a client along the way, but if you are good, and you are honest in your opinions, you may in the end gain more clients who appreciate your particular view.

[Don Dinkmeyer]

Ian
Well done - interesting. That piece about the trip to Ireland with your father really hit me. My dad did not golf, but we were close and did stuff together. That transition due to age and illness is so true, for some of us.

Second on the spellcheck, but i am a university prof!  

[Ian Andrew]

Thanks,

I appreciate the advice and I will compose all my blogs on Word. Writing does not come naturally to me, so I will continue to work on my grammar and spelling. My wife, who lobbies for education, likes to remind me that I’m proof the education system still fails to teach students basic writing skills.  

My commitment is to post each day unless I'm traveling, and once the weather changes I will post more of what I’m up to and less of my opinion. There will be lots of history along the way too, since that has always been a passion.

As for letting it rip, easy to say, hard to do. I have already toned down a post after a friend warned me about the reaction to it.

Glad a few of you are enjoying this. I guess when you don’t have any work   this is a way to fill the time.  

Regards,

Ian Andrew