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Patrick_Mucci

Are you really
« on: March 13, 2007, 07:18:35 AM »
dedicated, passionate fans of Golf course architecture ?

How many of you subscribe to golf publications that feature articles on Golf course architecture ?

What are they.

How many subscribe to GolfWeek ?

The 03-10-07 edition of Golfweek was a great issue for GCA fans.

How many of you wrote a letter/email to the editor informing them that the 03-10-07 edition was terrific and that more space should be devoted to GCA ?

And, that you've recommened to friends and acquaintances that they subscribe to Golfweek because of its focus on GCA.

Brad Klein is a valueable contributor to this site.
He contributes on a regular basis.  
The least you can do is support his efforts to expand awareness and coverage for Golf Course architecture through Golfweek.

Don't just sit there, become pro-active.

The 03-10-07 Edition is terrific, if you haven't obtained a copy, you should.

Mark Pearce

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Are you really
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2007, 07:39:27 AM »
What a good idea, I thought, so I visited the website.  Oh good, I thought, when I saw the drop down next to "Country" in the address details on the subscription form.  Oh bugger, I thought, when I saw that the only country available in the drop down menu was the USA.  I subscribed to the Australian Golf Course Architecture magazine (albeit only annual) online and the 2006 edition was much enjoyed, I'm looking forward to this year's.  I'd love to subscribe to Golf Week, coming,as it does, with such a strong endorsement as yours for its GCA credentials.  How sad that they can't make subscribing easy for me.
In June I will be riding the first three stages of this year's Tour de France route for charity.  630km (394 miles) in three days, with 7800m (25,600 feet) of climbing for the William Wates Memorial Trust (https://rideleloop.org/the-charity/) which supports underprivileged young people.

A.G._Crockett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Are you really
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2007, 07:55:39 AM »
It is a great issue; I normally get through Golfweek pretty quickly, but I'm still working on that issue.  The John Fought article/material is especially fascinating, and should be required reading for all here.

I was a little disappointed that the picture of Fought and Dr. Klein playing featured Fought's swing rather than Klein's, though...
« Last Edit: March 13, 2007, 07:56:05 AM by A.G._Crockett »
"Golf...is usually played with the outward appearance of great dignity.  It is, nevertheless, a game of considerable passion, either of the explosive type, or that which burns inwardly and sears the soul."      Bobby Jones

Matt_Sullivan

Re:Are you really
« Reply #3 on: March 13, 2007, 07:57:52 AM »
I agree Mark. I would love to subscribe to Golf Week -- always buy it when I am in the States.

It seems that a foreign sub is available for about US$90 for forty odd issues, delivered via surface mail (check under the subscriptions tab on the website). This often tempts me, but it is not always easy to get things (particularly printed material, which can attract customs or censors) into China so I always wimp out short of entering the credit card details.

Like you, I am a proud subscriber to Neil Crafter's Golf Architecture

Mark Pearce

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Are you really
« Reply #4 on: March 13, 2007, 08:12:16 AM »
What a good idea, I thought, so I visited the website.  Oh good, I thought, when I saw the drop down next to "Country" in the address details on the subscription form.  Oh bugger, I thought, when I saw that the only country available in the drop down menu was the USA.  I subscribed to the Australian Golf Course Architecture magazine (albeit only annual) online and the 2006 edition was much enjoyed, I'm looking forward to this year's.  I'd love to subscribe to Golf Week, coming,as it does, with such a strong endorsement as yours for its GCA credentials.  How sad that they can't make subscribing easy for me.

Mark

Been there done that!  I do subscribe to Neil's magazine and continue to be very impressed.  It is easily the best golf mag I have seen and the only one I recieve on a regular basis.  Even so, I don't consider myself a dedicated fan of gca.  I try to play interesting courses when I have a chance and the price isn't prohibitive.  BUT, I am not terribly interested in investing time and money into walking courses for the pleasure of gca discovery unless it is very convenient to do so.  I am still more interested in playing the game for recreation than I am in studying architecture.  

Ciao

Sean,

I'm disappointed.  I had you down as someone who, when younger, had posters of Alistair Mackenzie and Donald Ross on his bedroom walls. ;D

That's certainly the vision I have of Pat Mucci. ???

Seriously, I guess my attitude is much like yours. I play the game because Ilove to play and would rather play than talk or read about the game anytime.  I do, however, read about the game and inevitably buy golf magazines from time to time.  I'd rather read about GCA than tips on curing my slice or interviews with identikit non-entity touring pros.  

The standard of most coverage of golf course design in the British golf magazines is, mostly, woeful.  Reviews of courses bear no relation to the views that most of us here would share.  One recent review described Bruntsfield Links in Edinburgh as a links in character.  I've played there many, many times.  It almost defines British parkland golf and yet a golf magazine can describe it as having a links character?  I despair.

There have been some improvements recently, one magazine (is it Golf World) has a regular column by the head greenkeeper at the Berkshire and the Golf World article on the changes at ANGC featuring Ran which Tony posted about, though poorly executed was at least well intentioned.

Regards,

Mark
« Last Edit: March 13, 2007, 08:24:05 AM by Mark Pearce »
In June I will be riding the first three stages of this year's Tour de France route for charity.  630km (394 miles) in three days, with 7800m (25,600 feet) of climbing for the William Wates Memorial Trust (https://rideleloop.org/the-charity/) which supports underprivileged young people.

John Mayhugh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Are you really
« Reply #5 on: March 13, 2007, 08:24:50 AM »
I've been getting Golfweek for about a year now.  One of the strongest points of this publication is the articles devoted to gca.  Mr. Mucci brings up a good point about letting the editors know these types of articles are appreciated.  I'll make sure to do that.

John Foley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Are you really
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2007, 11:11:06 AM »
Pat,

I have the recent Golfweek issue, but have not read it, and just got done w/ the recent Golf Week Architecture issue.

My only comment is why did we see Bill Coore in both? I love the C&C work, but someone why can't step up and write about a Mike Devries or a Todd Eckenroad or a Scott Witter, Mike Young etc...

Need some more variety in what we read.
Integrity in the moment of choice

Jeff_Brauer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Are you really
« Reply #7 on: March 13, 2007, 11:14:00 AM »
Pat,

Explain "Get Proactive" please.

Do you mean to say that this group should go out and try to influence owners on which architects to hire, a la the Ross Society?
Jeff Brauer, ASGCA Director of Outreach

A.G._Crockett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Are you really
« Reply #8 on: March 13, 2007, 12:03:28 PM »
Pat,

Explain "Get Proactive" please.

Do you mean to say that this group should go out and try to influence owners on which architects to hire, a la the Ross Society?

Jeff,
I took "proactive" to mean that GCA members should:
     a. subscribe to Golfweek and like publications that feature an architecture component
     b. contact the editors of said publications to commend them when they do so
"Golf...is usually played with the outward appearance of great dignity.  It is, nevertheless, a game of considerable passion, either of the explosive type, or that which burns inwardly and sears the soul."      Bobby Jones

Dan Kelly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Are you really
« Reply #9 on: March 13, 2007, 04:31:02 PM »
In re Golfweek (etc):

What I can find at www.golfweek.com is enough for me, at this point. I have enough underread publications (golf and non-golf) in my house already.

I let my Golf Digest subscription lapse when it last come up for renewal. When Golf Magazine comes up for renewal, I expect to let it lapse. I still read Golf World intermittently, but will likely let it lapse, too. Perhaps, at that point, I'll replace it with Golfweek -- or with that fine-looking architecture magazine from Australia.

I'm sure that the publishers and editors of Golfweek, like every other publication, will rely on their researchers' statistical findings about reader interests, in preference to any anecdotal evidence (letters to the editor, etc.) of those interests.

One advantage of the online world is that publishers can immediately and perfectly gauge readers' interests -- or, at least, their preferences among the various stuff they're offering.
So if people show an interest in architecture by clicking on the architecture features at www.golfweek.com, that might be the most effective way of saying: More, please.

I wrote one letter to a senior editor of Golf Digest (a guy I know), about 10 years ago, proposing to write some architecture features. He wrote back to say (paraphrasing):

Readers don't much care about architecture. Ron Whitten is always begging for more space, because he has so many ideas of how to use it. But the readers want instruction, instruction, and more instruction.

Has anything changed there? I doubt it.
"There's no money in doing less." -- Joe Hancock, 11/25/2010
"Rankings are silly and subjective..." -- Tom Doak, 3/12/2016

Patrick_Mucci

Re:Are you really
« Reply #10 on: March 13, 2007, 07:14:42 PM »
Pat,

Explain "Get Proactive" please.

Do you mean to say that this group should go out and try to influence owners on which architects to hire, a la the Ross Society?

Jeff,

I mean that those who subscribe to publications that devote ink to architecture should write to the editor, thanking them for writing about GCA and encouraging them to write more about GCA.

And, that those who don't subscribe to publications that devote ink to architecture should consider subscribing, and if they do, they should write to tell the editor that they're subscribing for the architectural content.

Dan Kelly,

We're different.

You're content to sit back and accept the status quo.
I"m interested in trying to get more ink devoted to GCA.

More people seem to be interested in architecture, why not encourage that ?   What have you got to lose ?
« Last Edit: March 13, 2007, 07:18:59 PM by Patrick_Mucci »

Dan Kelly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Are you really
« Reply #11 on: March 13, 2007, 10:41:37 PM »
You're content to sit back and accept the status quo.
I"m interested in trying to get more ink devoted to GCA.

More people seem to be interested in architecture, why not encourage that ?   What have you got to lose ?

Patrick --

I've got nothing to lose, except the thing of which I'm chronically short: time -- too much of which, I'll grant you, I fritter away here.

If I thought letters to editors of other publications would persuade them to increase their coverage of architecture, I might take the time to write them. (That's an honest statement. I might. Then again, I might not -- because you're right: We're different. I really don't much care if more ink is devoted to GCA. I'm not so dedicated and passionate about it as you are.)

I don't think that a few letters from the likes of us will change their view of their readership studies.

But I encourage you to write your letters and prove me wrong!

In the meantime, as I tried to explain above, I'm going to let my mouse do my talking. And I will continue to drop in here from time to time -- because I can expect to learn more here than from any mainline golf magazine.

Dan
"There's no money in doing less." -- Joe Hancock, 11/25/2010
"Rankings are silly and subjective..." -- Tom Doak, 3/12/2016

Patrick_Mucci

Re:Are you really
« Reply #12 on: March 13, 2007, 10:49:04 PM »
Dan,

My letters are in the form of EMAILS.

But, let me ask you this.

What do we have to lose by praising an issue or an article devoted to GCA ?

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Dan Kelly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Are you really
« Reply #13 on: March 14, 2007, 07:25:15 AM »

What do we have to lose by praising an issue or an article devoted to GCA ?

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Patrick --

Nothing.

And: Absolutely.

Dan
"There's no money in doing less." -- Joe Hancock, 11/25/2010
"Rankings are silly and subjective..." -- Tom Doak, 3/12/2016