How do gca's benefit from participation here?

[Jeff_Brauer]

I stated that I didn't, and Adam asked if that was true on the Lemmings thread.  I will throw out the random question, mostly to the gca's who participate here, but others are welcome to chip in -

How do you benefit from participation here?

When I get back, I will give you my random thoughts on the matter, but I am off to have some fun.  

[Tom_Doak]

Jeff:

I'd say three ways:

1.  It's a bit of market research on what people who are interested in golf architecture would like to see.  But, it's not really a great source of feedback ... with certain exceptions, we'd get a lot more feedback about our own courses by actually going there for a day and asking the customers.

2.  It's a sounding board for new ideas.

3.  It's an ego boost.  Every architect who participates here has a higher profile on GCA than they do in real life, whether they are a busy architect who's not a household name, a starting architect who's trying to find a voice, or even (as Mike Y. points out) a quasi-architect who's pretending to be a real one.  I suspect this would be true even if every architect in the world participated, because there are more fans of golf architecture here than anywhere else I can think of.

[Eric Smith]

The title of this thread made me wonder, has any gca ever landed a client through this website, either directly or indirectly?  

Would (or should) a developer consider this board a good source in their due diligence in choosing the right architect for their potential golf course?

I have to believe that apart from face to face meetings or direct conversations with the gca, this site provides plenty of excellent insight.

Eric

[Don_Mahaffey]

Eric,
While this website may very well help start the process, a person's body of work is what should close the deal.

[Tom_Doak]

Eric:

I've had a couple of calls about consulting work which (I think) came directly from someone who had been reading Golf Club Atlas.  However, I don't think I've had a client for a new course who spent any time here in the decision-making process.

I did recently mention the site to a potential client and he knew the site -- but he referred to it as "that crazy web site" so I don't think it was a big factor in his choosing to talk to me.

[PThomas]

"that crazy web site"

I'm so proud ....

[grandwazo]

I found Kelly Blake Moran through GCA for our renovation project at the Muttontown Club in East Norwich, NY.  The other architects we interviewed, all extremely capable, were also found through GCA.  

That being said, I think Kelly probably wishes I had never found the GCA site to begin with......

[Mike Nuzzo]

Learn of new courses, or courses new to me.
Seeing lots of pictures of golf courses, old and new - very, very helpful.  For education and sharing ideas.
Expand my library of golf literature - including communicating authors here.
Get many different perspectives.
Learn from other architects.
Practice communicating my thoughts and ideas, the amount of time I've spent with clients and prospective clients is small.
Make friends with common interests, lots of friends.  There aren't many places in the world that I wouldn't look someone up when traveling - that is very cool IMO.
As for the site being used to generate work:  I've learned of a few renovation projects to pitch here, but no work or interviews yet.  
An audience to share my work will be nice.

Don Mahaffey and I found each other through this site - both at KP1 and intermittent communications.  Which has worked out exceedingly well.

[Forrest Richardson]

If you were a surgeon specializing in some rare disease, and that disease had a web site specifically to discuss the disease and its possible cures and treatment, you would participate — in my opinion.

[Jordan Wall]

Hmmm.

- Get to play Chambers Bay
- Get to talk about GCA - and endlessly fun topic always worthy of discussion, somehow
- Get to flaunt my pink shirt
- Get to be Sean Leary's favorite caddy ever

[Adrian_Stiff]

You can always learn and there are certainly some well informed posts here. I also like the pictures posted of golf courses, while I buy most of the golf magazines I am not intrested in the teaching sections, adverts, just the features on golf courses. I try and make a daily visit to GCA.