[RJ_Daley]

Welcome Nick to another public employee.  I hope you can fulfill some of your wish list.  But don't forget there are many courses within a days drive of you that have lots of interesting architecture and won't cost you a paycheck to play.  And, if you get back to the Sand Hills, don't overlook Wild Horse and Bayside for plenty of sand hill flavor and fun.

[Dave McCollum]

Since I don’t post much and mostly read as a winter activity, I thought George’s alphabetical index of this thread to be incredibly helpful to remind us geezers about the personalities of the posters.  With so many new folks, I wish that index would be updated.  It seemed to me a herculean task when he did so, so I’m grateful for his effort and think he has done enough.  However, I ask if there is a way that an alphabetical index could be created that we could update ourselves as we post, update, or edit our own information?  I know I should go back and edit my own so I don’t sound like such a moron.  But that moron wrote it, probably after his third scotch, so I let it stand as fair warning to pay no attention to what I say.

I don't get out much.  I attended just one cga.com outing.  I encourage all the new guys and gals to do that.  Despite the fact that a few of our discussions sometimes get out of hand and get into shouting matches, I've never met a better random collection of golfers.  We may be nutcases, but at least we are interesting.  And there are many here who really know what they are talking about.  I've really learned a lot from many here.

And, BTW, I learned long ago to shut up after my third scotch.  Hell, I'm asleep after one nowdays.   
 

[Pete_Pittock]

The alphabetical list is on this thread

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,45175.0.html

[Dave McCollum]

Thanks Pete.  Stupid me.  When it comes up, I only go back so far as last read.  I bookmark it in my favorites.  That one is only three pages long when I open it or about as long as my attention span.  I once read all of the "who are you guys" threads in one all night session and came to begging for whisky.  My kids asked me to quit drinking.  I did for awhile and am now a moderate.     

[Dave McCollum]

Sorry, I didn't click on the link.  Yeah, that's the one that I bookmarked.  Very useful.  I guess that means nobody believes my previous attempts at humor.  About being a moderate.  OK, here's the truth:  I'm institutionalized in a secret government facility for criminally insane alcoholics and fed a steady diet of 151 proof grain alcohol to research how much cognitive damage can occur before death.  I play all my golf on video games.   

[Charlie Ray]

Since I never introduced myself to this board I thought the reappearance of this thread would serve to suffice.

Name: Charlie Ray
Age: 34
Location: Central Louisiana
Occupation: Roman Catholic Priest

I became interested in Golf Course Architecture from the moment I played my first round at 15.  The course I played looked nothing like Augusta National and I wondered why.  I did not start playing in earnest till I got to LSU in Baton Rouge as a naïve freshman.  The campus course had recently been renovated.  It had 9 original holes from the 30’s and 9 brand new holes.  I thoroughly enjoyed the older ones, but when I expressed my favoritism to others I was looked at as odd.  Why like the old more than the new.  Over the next few years I gravitated to the older courses in and around Baton Rouge.  

One particular Saturday morning I was playing with my girlfriend’s dad at the Bluff’s Country Club.  An Palmer design.  It was at the time rated as the #1 course in the state.  On the 14th green I said something to the effect of, “Doc, (Gf’s dad) I would rather play Webb Memorial Park (1924 Baxter Spann design;  municipal course)”   He looked at me like I was crazy,  “why would you rather play that municipal course than the finest course in Louisiana,”  he asked.
 
“Because it’s more fun”

We never played again, although I continued to date his daughter for a couple of years.  
I eventually found this website in 2003.  And have been stalking the board ever since.
I studied six years in Columbus, OH at the Pontifical College Josephinum.  I was fortunate to play 3 of the ‘big 4’ in town and found myself disliking Murfield Village.  I played the majority of my rounds at Champions Golf Course (the old Jewish club turned municipal)
I am now on permanent assignment in Central Louisiana.  There are 4 courses within an hour’s drive (this area, and Louisiana itself has very little quality and quantity of courses), but I play the majority of my rounds at Alexandria Golf and Country Club (1945 rumored, but not true to be a Press Maxwell routing).  Nearby is  Links on the Bayou; a course built in the early 2000’s that I walked on numerous occasions while it was being shaped ( it is a Mike Young design;  although I have wanted to ask for years why he doesn’t list it on his website)  and found it the idea of playing in the dirt fascinating.  Glad to be on board.

[Pete_Pittock]

Sorry, I didn't click on the link.  Yeah, that's the one that I bookmarked.  Very useful.  I guess that means nobody believes my previous attempts at humor.  About being a moderate.  OK, here's the truth:  I'm institutionalized in a secret government facility for criminally insane alcoholics and fed a steady diet of 151 proof grain alcohol to research how much cognitive damage can occur before death.  I play all my golf on video games.   

I hope they don't serve tilapia with every meal

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

Welcome Fr. Ray !!!

I suspect you may be the first Catholic priest on the discussion board, but I could be wrong.

I'm sure you already know that there are many locations around the world that are in need of young priests; many of them just happen to have great great golf courses too. 

[Colin Macqueen]

Father Ray,
Welcome to this temple!
There can be fewer better places for contemplation than the golf course!

Cheers Colin

[RJ_Daley]

Fr. Ray, it is a pity we lost John "Tiger" Bernhardt from Baton Rouge.  A golf play date with you two might have led to some great stories.  Or, perhaps you knew him?

I have to ask, LSU or Notre Dame?  Or, is it possible to balance both?

[Charlie Ray]

Thanks for the kind welcome.  I have searched 'Tiger's'  past post and follow his leads when discerning amongst our mediocre courses in Louisiana.   How could I cheer for Notre Dame.  There isn't much that is truly Catholic about the school besides superficial things.  And yes I have sat in on some Philosophy and Theology courses there.  When teens come to me and say they desire to attend a Catholic University; Notre Dame is way down the list.  Thus go Tigers!   (maybe Michigan will take Miles off our hands;  it does cross my mind to pray for this often) 

[JReese]

Welcome Father from another newbie.  I do not feel sorry for you in the least having Miles as your coach......could be like my alma mater and have Tim Beckman at the helm.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Welcome Ray.  It will be nice not to be the only clergy person on the site.  I am a retired Lutheran pastor.

[John McCarthy]

Now you guys had to go and ruin a perfectly nice thread by mentioning Tim Beckman. 

I am going to sit down and be grumpy now. 

[Bill_McBride]

Thanks for the kind welcome.  I have searched 'Tiger's'  past post and follow his leads when discerning amongst our mediocre courses in Louisiana.   How could I cheer for Notre Dame.  There isn't much that is truly Catholic about the school besides superficial things.  And yes I have sat in on some Philosophy and Theology courses there.  When teens come to me and say they desire to attend a Catholic University; Notre Dame is way down the list.  Thus go Tigers!   (maybe Michigan will take Miles off our hands;  it does cross my mind to pray for this often) 

Tiger was my best golf buddy ever, was fortunate to play with him a lot here and in the UK.  He is really missed.   One thing he did to balance his twin addictions to golf and LSU football was to play the best course in a host city before going to the game.   I remember him playing Sahalee before a Washington Husky game, and Peachtree before a UGA game, etc.  One of my regrets is never playing his Dick Wilson home course, Oakbourne, with him. 

[Chris Pearson]

• Name: Chris Pearson
• Residence: Austin, TX
• Hometown: Louisville, KY
• Age: 33
• Family: Engaged with a baby girl due in February 2015
• Occupation: Software architect (with a focus on website development and design)

I started playing the game in the early 90s after my stepdad, a fairly avid golfer himself, bought me a set of junior sticks (Bullet—remember those?). From 1997 to 1999, I spent my summers in the caddy program at Valhalla, and that's really where I discovered the social component of golf that so many of us here find so enjoyable.

Off to college (Georgia Tech) in the fall of 1999, I took up the game a bit more seriously and even made a couple of trips over to Augusta to see the Masters. Despite playing club golf for school and going out 2–3 times per week, I was still mostly focused on maximum distance and low scores. Architecture was not on my radar, and I viewed courses through the very narrow lenses of conditioning, prestige, and exclusivity.

Upon graduation in 2003, I quit playing golf entirely in order to "be a responsible adult" and get my start in business. After 11 years away, I returned to the game in May of 2014 and went on what I consider to be a fairly epic golf binge for a non-retired person.

Since May 28, I've played roughly 95 times, and I hit balls and/or putted on most of the days I didn't play. I literally didn't work a minute for 6 months. (Despite this manic obsession, I've only managed to get my handicap down to around 6, which is pretty much where I was when I stopped playing in 2003.)

Regardless, I've had the architecture bug since August, and at this point, I'm all-in on playing every noteworthy course I can. Thanks to a couple of early connections on here, I've already gained a few notches in the belt, and I love the fact that this forum is more or less the key to a ton of courses that would've only been pipe dreams before.

In the future, I hope to catch a game with as many of you as possible, and if you're ever in the central Texas area, don't hesitate to shoot me a PM!

[Bill_McBride]

Chris, where are you playing in Austin?

[Chris Pearson]

Bill, I typically play Mo Willy and Roy Kizer, but I try to work in as many other local courses as possible via GolfNow or connections. Even including the private courses (which are mostly just Nicklaus and Fazio anyway, and not their best work, IMO), Austin has a bit of a paucity of solid architecture. Sure, Crenshaw is a local, but he's only worked on a few tracks, and one Austin Golf Club doesn't make up for dozens of highly penal, canyons/mesquite/cedar/rocky routings.

Most of the "good" courses around here look very much the same and also play similarly (straight or else). I'll take Mo Willy and Kizer just about every time, though I wish I could make about half the patrons disappear. All in all, golf in Austin mostly lacks that "wow" factor. San Antonio has a few courses that crush anything we have here, but it stinks to drive an hour and a half just to get my architectural thrill on.

[Bill_McBride]

Bill, I typically play Mo Willy and Roy Kizer, but I try to work in as many other local courses as possible via GolfNow or connections. Even including the private courses (which are mostly just Nicklaus and Fazio anyway, and not their best work, IMO), Austin has a bit of a paucity of solid architecture. Sure, Crenshaw is a local, but he's only worked on a few tracks, and one Austin Golf Club doesn't make up for dozens of highly penal, canyons/mesquite/cedar/rocky routings.

Most of the "good" courses around here look very much the same and also play similarly (straight or else). I'll take Mo Willy and Kizer just about every time, though I wish I could make about half the patrons disappear. All in all, golf in Austin mostly lacks that "wow" factor. San Antonio has a few courses that crush anything we have here, but it stinks to drive an hour and a half just to get my architectural thrill on.

What's going on at Lyons?   I really liked that course but I hear it's going under the knife for Longhorn U.   

Austin Golf Club is interesting, very low key, no stand out holes but really good when you finish. 

[Chris Pearson]

Bill, Lions is still one of the most popular courses in Texas, but it'll be NLE in 2019. UT can generate a lot more revenue (and supposedly-needed housing) from that acreage, so the course is doomed.

In 2008, Coore & Crenshaw and at least one other design firm submitted proposals to turn Lions into a premier daily-fee course. The plans I saw included a massively-reworked, 7,100-yd routing with holes spread across Lake Austin Blvd. all the way to Town Lake. These plans were ultimately rejected by UT because the economics of a golf course simply don't make sense in such a coveted area.

I find this to be a damn shame, too, because the gently rolling terrain on that course coupled with the awesome views of Westlake hills makes for an exciting golf experience.

As it stands now, though, I absolutely hate the Lions layout and never play it, despite the fact that I live less than a minute away. Conditioning is usually poor, too, due to the 85k+ annual rounds the course receives.

[JReese]

Also created a new member thread a few weeks ago…..

Age:  32
Hometown:  Taylorville, IL
Currently Reside:  Crown Point, IN
Occupation:  Pharmacist
Family: Wife, 2 kids (2yo, 6mo), and a golden retriever who also thinks he’s a kid
Home Club:  None at the moment
Background: Grew up in Taylorville (as a previous poster wrote – if you know where that is without looking at a map I’ll buy you a beer) working at the local golf course as soon as I was of age.  Played high school golf but was in no way good enough to continue to play competitively.  Went to undergrad at U of I in Champaign – thank God basketball season is upon us - and pharmacy school at Midwestern U in Downers Grove. 
Hdcp: ~ 9
Favorite Courses Played:  Kapalua Plantation, OFCC North, Evanston Golf Club, Cog Hill, Weaver Ridge
Wish List:  To play more!

[Pete_Pittock]

bumping for new board members to introduce themselves

[Mark Greer]

Name:  Mark Greer
From:  Oak Ridge, TN
Email:  greerod@comcast.net
Age:  53
Occupation:  Optometrist
Club:  Oak Ridge CC
Index:  2.4
Married for 25 years with a 22 year old son (who won our club championship as an 18 year old) and a 17 year old daughter

I grew up in Richwood, WV and played golf at WVU back in the day.  Made all conference my last year.  And I've won 5 club championships at 3 different clubs.  But I suck these days.  Can't hit it out of my shadow.  I'm most proud that my son and I are the only father and son to have won a club championship over the 78 year history of ORCC.  I love to play golf.  My favorite course is Pikewood National. But  I love old courses and classic architecture. The Old White in WV is also one of my favorites.   I became interested in golf course architecture at about 16 years old when I drew up plans to add 9 holes on to the 9 holer I grew up playing on.  It's still a 9 holer.  I love to read about golf courses and architecture.  I'm always looking at The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses and just read Anatomy of a Golf Course.  I've developed a man-crush on Tom Doak.    I've played a lot of the great courses in the US and Canada.  Never played in Scotland and Ireland but certainly plan to one day.  Some of the best times in my life have been traveling and playing with my son.  We've played some great ones together...Pebble, Olympic, Pasatiempo, Congressional, Honors, Kinloch, Cascades....nothing I'd rather do than play golf with my son.  Anyway, I appreciate being here.

[Ryan Hillenbrand]

2.4 Index? Wish I could suck that bad Mark!

[Garland Bayley]

Mark,

I believe you have violated the logo guidelines of the web site. Please search for the latest statement on logos, and make a move towards the GolfClubAtlas logo.

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