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Kyle Harris

Re:WAS OT - Now, the nature of strategy in terms of golf architecture
« Reply #25 on: February 15, 2007, 05:04:38 AM »
Kyle,

While I am not a "grognard" your post prompted me to remember this article I saw in the past.



Jeff,

Jordan Wall and I had a nice chat offline regarding Mackenzie and his experiences in the Boer War and its influence on his architecture.

I am beginning to think the Boer War has a lot of influence on my life (Golf architecture and Boy Scouting - I'm an Eagle Scout).  ;D

Garland Bayley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:WAS OT - Now, the nature of strategy in terms of golf architecture
« Reply #26 on: February 15, 2007, 11:52:22 AM »

Actually Garland, scale is the foremost difference in tactics and strategy. You're not reading, just regurgitating a general and bad dictionary definition.
No, I am not regurgitating a dictionary definition. I am using the concepts as I have used them for many years. I only went to the dictionary to verify my usage.
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I would not agree that there is a continuum of scale on tactics and strategy because there simply isn't.
Perhaps that is because you are using a rigid (bad dictionary definition) definition laid out to apply to only a small segment of the whole of war.
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More from the article: "Strategy and tactics are closely related. Both deal with distance, time and force but strategy is large scale while tactics are small scale."
Yes the tactics applied to a strategy are of a smaller scale than the strategy. However, in a continuum of strategies, the tactics for a strategy at a higher level are of a larger scale than a strategy on a lower level.
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Yes, decision making applies to strategies, but the decisions are made BEFORE anything actually happens. I am arguing that the critical point of decision making between strategy and tactics in golf is when the golfer steps to the tee (or more specifically when they first stand on the hole to play it). PRIOR to that, determining how to play a hole or course is strategy. Once the golfer begins to take in all factors that apply AT THAT MOMENT, the decisions are tactical.

Remember, this abstraction is from the military sense to the golf sense and no other definitions are germaine.

Strategic considerations in golf:
Analyzing a hole for play by determining carries over hazards and optimum lines of play for consideration on the golf course.

Tactical considerstaions: Determining line of play while standing on the tee and executing on that plan.  


Remove the idea that the tactics start at the decision making on the tee and move them to start at the execution of the play, and this demonstrates my concept pretty well. Why you just got done associating decision making with strategy making in war to associating decision making with tactics implementation in golf is beyond me. To me your analysis is the same as defining strategies in golf, and your tactics is selecting a strategy in golf.  Earlier you said there was "grand strategy" and Normandy invasion "strategy". Now your example seems to imply that Normandy invastion was a tactic.

I have my way of thinking, you have yours. Let's let it go at that.

« Last Edit: February 15, 2007, 11:53:17 AM by Garland Bayley »
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne