Who Are You Guys(revisited)?

[Troy Alderson]

Hello golf wackos,

My name is Troy Alderson and I am the golf course superintendent (head greenkeeper) at Kah-Nee-Ta High Desert Resort and Casino in Central Oregon.  I am a golf fanatic.  I love the game, the classic golf courses, and how the classics were maintained in the old days.  I am 37 with an old golfing soul.  I am also rather overeducated too, Washington State U. (BS), Rutgers U. (Turf Mgt), and Marylhurst U. (MBA) in that order.  The future holds for me, my own golf course somewhere, I just need to find it.

I ran across this site while looking for golf course pictures and started reading the interviews and opinions.  Great stuff.  I am a 13 handicap and supervise a golf course designed by William P. Bell and Sons (front nine) and Gene "Bunny" Mason (back nine) in the early 1970s.  The golf course is the oldest Indian owned and operated golf course in the country, unless someone can prove otherwise.

I look forward to contributing to the group.

FOOUURR!

Troy Alderson

[RJ_Daley]

Troy, Good luck on finding your dream golf course to call your own operation.  You certainly seem to have prepared yourself well.

[Troy Alderson]

Thanks RJ,

Looking forward to getting to know the GCA group better.  I am a sponge ready to soak it all in.

Troy

[Garland Bayley]

It seems there have been a number of new members recently. I thought I would bump this and see if any would care to introduce themselves. I for one am curious about Mr. Buzminski and whether he is related to Angela. (I think that's her name, the only lefty LPGA player that I know of.)

[Ray Richard]

I would like to introduce myself as a new member of GCA, as a long time observer of this website it is indeed quite a forum for some serious golf discussion.

My name is Ray Richard of Sagamore Beach, Ma. Raised in  Easton, Ma on property adjoining two golf courses. Spent youth walking and talking golf courses as they were being constructed in my back yard, than became employed as grounds crew member at Pine Oaks GC, than moved to Easton Country Club. Off to UMass Boston for four years, had very minor exposure to corporate life, than back to golf business as grounds employee of Ross designed Cohasset Golf Club, Cohasset, Ma.

 Moved to Sunningdale GC  (NH) as golf course superintendent for five years than to White Cliffs of Plymouth as certified golf course superintendent. Formed design/build company in 1989, did numerous designs but got clobbered during the big bank failures of the early 1990’s in New England. A large 18 hole project got stopped after 80% completion,another 18 holer went to foreclosure,but still completed Village Links and Squirrel Run Golf Club in Plymouth, Ma,both are still in play today.

Than life got interesting, while inquiring about a rumor that a golf course was to be built on island in Boston Harbor, was offered position as night shift coordinator for construction of 105 acre island without a golf course-the grades were too steep. Spent a wild and wooly five years with Kiewit joint venture with  tug boats/barges and a collection of wonderful “salt of the earth” people. During the day I was consulting on golf courses and sleeping infrequently.

 I am currently working with a golf construction company on construction proposal generation and project management and doing private golf construction consulting.

I play golf infrequently-I got in the golf biz to play more golf and that didn’t happen. I still got some rounds in at Pebble Beach and Spyglass, and attended US Opens at Shinnecock, Winged Foot and Bethpage.

It’s a pleasure to meet you all!

[Garland Bayley]

Welcome to the fray Ray.  

[Mark Buzminski]

Mark Buzminski
36 yrs.
Cobourg, Ontario Canada

Home Club: Timber Ridge, Brighton, On.

[Garland Bayley]

Welcome Mark,

There seems to be a high percentage of lefties on this site. Hope you feel right at home.

I try to get to a day at the LPGA tourney every year here in Portland. One year while attending I ran into a friend that I play golf with from time to time. Knowing my "preference" for left handed golfers she told me she had read in the Oregonian that one of the players that year was left handed, but didn't remember the name. Although I try to see several groups play, I didn't run across Angie that day. Afterwards I looked up who it was and have been hoping to see her play ever since.

[Garland Bayley]

Thought I would bump this thread in case Charles Garland would like to introduce himself.

[Bill Brightly]

Are there two of these theads? Oh well, here goes:

Bill Brightly
Age: 50
Hometown: Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey
Insurance Broker
Married, 3 kids (one at Duke, one at Wake Forest, one at Elon!)
Member at Hackensack (former Grounds Chairman) and
Saucon Valley
Handicap 3

After 3 years of research and planning, Hackensack has just begun a restoration of our Banks course. The course has been dramatically altered over the years, but it still has the bones! This site has been incredibly helpful to my education, and I have, in turn, written a series of articles for our club newsletter about Macdonald-Raynor-Banks so the membership can understand why restorartion is important. Last month, the plan passed 191-9, and construction has started!

[SL_Solow]

Good luck Bill. I had the pleasure of playing Hackensack a few years ago and I commented that it had the bones of a very good course.  I look forward to progress reports.

[R_Paulis]

Rob Paulis

42
Ventura, CA
Market Research Firm Owner
Married no children
Home Course: Varies between Rustic, Soule and Olivas.
Handicap: 11

Got really hooked while attending Rutgers university and had to choose between a $4 round at the college course or sitting in a classroom all day.

Business travel got a born and bred NJ guy the opportunity to play throughout the US. But when a relocation to San Diego found me playing Christmas day at my new home course Torrey, I had to live where I could play year round.

A year long stint in London provided the opportunity to play a bunch in Europe and a three week "walkabout" in Scotland. Settled down in Santa Barbara with many visits to La Purisima and the occasional round at privates like The Valley Club. Played Rustic the week it first opened and followed its numerous discussion threads over the years and have logged in 100+ rounds at RC.

Like others here, I have viewed many a course from above seated in a plane. Recent business focus on GPS and geographic information system analysis have started me looking at and analyzing course layout and design from a new perspective.

[J_ Crisham]

Jack Crisham   Age 43 Married to a Saint/Golf widow (proposed at Pebble- honeymooned at St. Andrews). 2 daughters 7&3. Evans scholar from Beverly. Avid golf historian and golf design/architecture student. Practice of General Dentistry allows me to fuel my addiction for golf. Index of 10.9.Play at Prairieview G.C., Oregon C.C., and Beverly C.C.

[Garland Bayley]

Thought I would bump this in case Jim Engh wants to introduce himself.

[Jeff Goldman]

Looks like we have some new posters, so I thought I would bump.

[Art Roselle]

Art Roselle

37
Charlotte, NC
married, 3 kids under 10
Home Course: Charlotte Country Club
Handicap: supposedly 6

Had a user ID several years ago, but let it lapse.  Got re-interested/addicted when Charlotte CC started a major restoration this year (just reopened).  I have played a decent number of good courses, but many of them only once and I am slowly trying to catch up on the reading/history side.  I have enjoyed all the information that you guys offer up on a daily basis.

[Peter Nomm]

Hi there - my name is Peter Nomm and I am a PGA HP/GM at the Minocqua CC, a small club in the northwoods of WI with a 7-year old Ron Garl designed golf course.  Married with 3 sons (3,6,7) and believe myself to be as addicted to golf design and discussions as the rest of you guys.

My architecture interests started as a kid when I designed about a dozen chip & putt courses on our 1/2 acre property around the house growing up.  Since then I have been able to meet and at learn things unofficially from a handful of architects, and try to stick my nose into anything I can when it comes to golf design.  

I was fortunate to spend most of a year working closely with the design team building the Chiricahua Course when I was an assistant at Desert Mountain in the '90s (I know - Nicklaus and Desert Courses on this site won't get me far!).  But anytime one can watch raw land transform into a golf course is a great experience.

Forever my dream has been to buy an old farm and build my own course on it, and it still remains.  I am not sure when, where, or how, but I can think of no greater accomplishment in the golf business than turning a piece of land into a golf course.  I envy you guys who do that every day and am glad to be able to learn from this group!

[John Moore II]

John Moore
27
Suffolk, VA
Work-US Coast Guard
Course- Eaglewood Golf Club

I live in Southern Pines, on Mid South Club. I've played only one course in this area I do not like, but I won't tell since I do not want to offend any of my peers who may read this. If anyone wants to play anywhere within reason around Pinehurst, just let me know, I will see what I can do.


I'll leave that paragraph the same, just for memories. Now in the Coast Guard, living in Suffolk, Virginia. Still can play golf though. So, now, if you are around Suffolk/Norfolk, just get in touch.

[Ed Oden]

...

[CJ Carder]

I'll add to the thread even though I sort of already introduced myself in my own first post.

CJ Carder
27
Williamsburg, VA
Financial Advisor
Married with no kids (yet)
Home Course: Golden Horseshoe Golf Club
Handicap index is somewhere around 5 right now, but was as low as 2.6 at the beginning of last year (damn wrist injury).

I'm a diehard University of Virginia Cavalier fan, my wife loves the Tarheels, I love dogs (especially beagles), and we both love to travel.

Favorite courses played include Muirfield, Ailsa Course at Turnberry, my home course, The Old Course, Dornoch, Spyglass, Pinehurst #2, Bulle Rock, and a few others.

Courses I'd love to play someday... Bethpage Black, Oakmont, Merion, naturally Pine Valley and Augusta (I wonder if anyone has a list without those on there?), Kinloch (a local private near Richmond), and probably a laundry list of others.

I love course photography and I've only recently started to look for architectural traits when I play different courses, though I find it fascinating.  Thanks for having me!

[Brian Cenci]

Name: Brian Cenci
Age: 28
Location: East Lanisng, MI
Handicap: 5ish
Occupation: Civil Engineer
Member courses: Walnut Hills C.C. (East Lansing, MI) & Marquette C.C. (Marquette, MI)
Favorite courses: Whistling Straits, Crystal Downs, Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes, Bandon Trails, Kiawah-Ocean, Holston Hills, Prairie Dunes, Inverness, Wolf Run, Yeamans Hall, Greywalls, Arcadia Bluffs, Dunes Club, Lost Dunes, Forest Creek, Pine Needles, Pinehurst No. 2
Favorite local courses (15 mins.): Eagle Eye, Lansing C.C., Timber Ridge, Walnut Hills
Other: Worked at Crystal Downs for 6 years when I was younger....used to refer to Tom Doak and Mike Devries as Mr. Doak and Mr. Devries.  Recently engaged....live in downtown East Lansing.

[Carl Rogers]

Carl Rogers
Suffolk, Virginia
Profession: Architect (buildings)
Education: Master of Architecture, Tulane
Age: 54
Married for 27+ years, no children
2 home courses - Riverfront & Sleepy Hole (see golf magazine's affordable of 04)
Golf Profile: Handicap index is 4.2 ish, life long golfer in a non-golfing family, have not had the opportunity to travel much to play golf, have played at The Homestead, Golden Horseshoe, Pete Dye's remake in Radford VA.  did win Golf's Magazine last Armchair Architect contest in the fall of 05 and spent 3 days at the Bay of Dreams w/ Tom D and group

[Mark Bourgeois]

Carl,

Welcome and given your education at one of the nation's best schools of architecture, can you please provide:
1) A definition of "architecture;"
2) Whether landscape architecture in fact qualifies as "architecture;" and
3) An explanation of your answer to 2).

Many thanks -- consider this an entrance exam!
Mark

[Chip Gaskins]

Chip Gaskins
Age:  38
Married
Kids:  6 year old girl,  3 year old boy
Education: East Carolina University (BS), North Carolina State University (Masters of Engineering), University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (MBA)
Occupation:  Corporate Development (M&A) for Tech Company
Location:  Washington, DC (via NC, NYC, ATL, SFO)

Home Course:  None, I play most of my golf on vacations or short trips up and down the east coast trying to play great tracks
Handicap: Probably 5 or 6

Favorite Courses Played:
-  Shinnecock, Pine Valley & Royal County Down (league of their own)
-  The Old Course
-  Ballyneal
-  Augusta National
-  Tobacco Road
- Chicago Golf

Courses Most Wanted To Play:
-  Swinley Forest
-  Myopia
-  Seminole
-  Sleepy Hollow
-  Carmargo

Courses That I Don’t Like As Much As Other Folks Seem To:
-  Carnoustie
-  Merion
-  Maidstone


Been reading the site for years, but only recently after playing Merion did I join and post (and we know how that went).

Worked at a golf course during college on the maintenance staff…not many things more peaceful than mowing greens and setting pins at dawn.

I dream of building a course using Coore/Crenshaw or Doak on the sandy soil of the Outer Banks in North Carolina one day after I win the lottery and invite all you guys!

[Dave Givnish]

Dave Givnish
Scottsdale
Age: 49 (damn, it's going quickly)
Married, no kids, 2 dogs, 2 cats
Clubs: Desert Forest, Farmington (C-ville, VA)
Occupation: retirement plans and insurance
Index: 2.3
Committed walker
Email: dgivnish@gmail.com

I grew up in Philadelphia and played at Whitemarsh Valley.  Moved to AZ about 15 years ago.  I love both courses that we belong to, even if I could be accused of being a bit masochistic.