[G Jones]

In a foresome it is impossible to take a picture without distracting play.  It is no different than walking along listening to voicemails except worse in that you can't walk and take pics...note: Do not bring a rangefinder and if you have to ask permission to do something, just don't do it.

I would disagree with that if the photographer has a good sense of golf.  One of my playing partners during my round at Cypress Point must have taken 100 photos, never held up play and was never in the way.  We all played really good golf that day and I got a full roll of lifetime memorabilia to boot.

Basically, if you're going to take photos of you playing a course, you need someone else in your group to want to as well, and then take photos of each other. General rule is that you do it only when the opportunity arises and it can be done subtlely... ie. you're already on the green and you're walking up to the guy's drive ahead of you.
Other rule is, no matter how famous the hole, you can't just go pose a photo and hold people up. If you slice your drive into the bushes then tough... no nicely posed fairway shot.
At the end of the round you've probably got two or three nice photos to remember your round, and you didn't spoil it by constantly being a tourist.

Also, there is nothing wrong with asking your hosts if they'd like to pose for a group photo on a famous tee (and ask caddy to take photo). Sure they probably get asked it a lot, but one shot is generally ok to ask for if they're happy to, and should serve as a decent memory of the round.

[Richard Boult]

Before taking up golf 2 years ago, I spent most of my vacations hiking the backcountry in the Western US mountains w/ my wife and kids. The more spontaneous the trip and the less I knew about the area visited beforehand, the greater the experience and the more I found and reveled in the unexpected.

I also made a point to leave the camera behind so I could take it all in and not be distracted by thoughts of framing, lighting, f-stops, and shutter speeds. I just experienced it in the present. The scenes and sounds are still deeply imprinted in my mind.  My wife on the other hand likes her photos and scrapbooks. I'd rather make new experiences than look back at old ones.

That said, I think I've only heightened my sense of anticipation by finding words and photos that describe Bandon so beautifully prior to my trip. Although I now know to aim at and carry the shoe bunker at the 2nd at PD, I'm confident that the setting and golf courses will still surprise me and exceed my expectations.

[John Kavanaugh]

In a foresome it is impossible to take a picture without distracting play.  It is no different than walking along listening to voicemails except worse in that you can't walk and take pics...note: Do not bring a rangefinder and if you have to ask permission to do something, just don't do it.

I would disagree with that if the photographer has a good sense of golf.  One of my playing partners during my round at Cypress Point must have taken 100 photos, never held up play and was never in the way.  We all played really good golf that day and I got a full roll of lifetime memorabilia to boot.

I am guessing you were not playing with a member.  Doesn't Cypress have the good sense to block off tee times for the tourists who the members choose to host without having to tolerate.

[Mark Pearce]

Don't drink too much the night before, you don't want to blunder through the first half dozen holes with a sore head.

Get there early (at least 90 minutes before teeing off).

Have a drink (coffee if you're playing in the morning, something stronger if the afternoon) and something to eat.  Take at least half an hour enjoying the ambience of the clubhouse.

Enjoy the round.  Play heroic shots. Note how you play but care more about the course than your score.  

Stay for a drink or several afterwards.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Re photos, I'm surprised no one has pointed out the following.

For those of us not blessed with photographic memory photo's help you relieve that great day last summer.  Perhaps I should offer a disclaimer when I post my courses.

"This is what the 18 handicap golfer saw".

There was a thread recently where you were asked to post your best photo.  Despite having the luxury of living in GB and having played a few I was disappointed when I reviewed what I had taken.  It's not really that surprising.  When playing a new course I try and take one picture by extending my hand above my head as I walk forward from the tee.  I will briefly check this image and if it's not 70/30 fairway/sky I will retake.  All this is done without breaking stride and often whilst engaged in other conversation.  No account is taken of the time of day or position of the sun.  Another picture is taken just before or after I've hit my second and sometime if I remember one as I approach the green.  Just occasionally I spot something cool and whip the camera out.

Are cameras really verboten or is it the act of inconveniencing others which should be unacceptable?

The reason why I then spend upwards of an hour posting pictures of a course is because it helps me relive the experience and fix that course in my mind. I usually have several shots that are rejected out of hand for quality and I tend to only bother to do this for the less familiar courses.  I apologise if I sacrifice quality in an attempt to not add a single second to the time it takes to play the course but at least  doing it my way recalls my impression of the course.


Click away but be quick about it.

[Tom Yost]

How do you prepare to play that "dream come true" or "once in a life time" course?

I would definitely abstain from sex the night before.  


Tom

[G Jones]

How do you prepare to play that "dream come true" or "once in a life time" course?

I would definitely abstain from sex the night before.  


Tom

I read an interesting article once from the 1950s or earlier, discussing professionals and whether having sex before a major championship would negatively affect them. I think the conclusion was that it was good for your game to "enjoy the company of lady friends", as they put it  
If it's good enough for the pros...

[John_Cullum]

Keep it simple. Just ask yourself one question:

What would Hamilton B Hearst do?

Be governed accordingly

[Mike Golden]

In a foresome it is impossible to take a picture without distracting play.  It is no different than walking along listening to voicemails except worse in that you can't walk and take pics...note: Do not bring a rangefinder and if you have to ask permission to do something, just don't do it.

I would disagree with that if the photographer has a good sense of golf.  One of my playing partners during my round at Cypress Point must have taken 100 photos, never held up play and was never in the way.  We all played really good golf that day and I got a full roll of lifetime memorabilia to boot.

I am guessing you were not playing with a member.  Doesn't Cypress have the good sense to block off tee times for the tourists who the members choose to host without having to tolerate.

John,

I was playing on a Monday so there were no members on the property so you don't have to worry that us interlopers were bothering anyone important.  

I wasn't the photographer and have never brought a camera with me at a private facility.  All I was saying was that one of my playing partners, who is also an occasional participant on GCA, had the camera and it did not bother me at all.

[ed_getka]

Well sure Ed, it's this way for you because you play nothing BUT Doak 9s and above.  

I guess how one approaches this depends on how into the study of architecture he is.  If that is one's bag, then yes, I supposed one really ought to study up and then see what MORE he can see besides what he already knows - one surely won't miss anything that way.



But if one is more into the fun and adventure of playing the game, I've come to believe that Rich's take is right on - it's way more fun to discover things as you see them for the first time.

Most here likely fall in the first camp.  It's scary to me I'm over in the dark side with Goodale.

 

Tom,
   It doesn't matter how much you know going in, and how much more you see while there, you will NOT notice everything in one play at courses on this level.
   Don't worry about agreeing with Rich, even geniuses are right some of the time.

[JMorgan]

loading dose of lomotil, bolus of diazepam

I missed this, Mark.  Is this in the new edition?  (For those of you out of the loop, it's Golf Psychopharmacology. M. Bourgeois (Ed.) Duffer Press: Washington, DC., 1999)  

[John Kavanaugh]

Whoever just plays a great course once anyways?  I can not recall once in my life when I played an interesting course and did not get an invite to return at my leisure.  This would lend itself to the Rich theory that you want to leave some discovery for the second visit much like you did for the first.  Cameras need to be regulated like guns...they are killing our privacy and imagination.

[Peter Galea]

First, I go buy 4 rolls of Kodak Gold....

[Mike Sweeney]

Camera's need to be regulated like guns...they are killing our privacy and imagination.

While I am sure that you are trying to provoke, it is an interesting thought. When you see Rees at Golf Club of Cape Cod and Fazio at Pronghorn, create the GCA standard hairy bunker, you have to wonder if anyone will ever step out on a limb like old Desmond and create a Stone Harbor. You probably need to create a few Doak 0's to find a Doak 9-10. There are many Doak 5-7's being created these days, but other that the remote golf courses how many are Doak 8 and above? The only bad courses Doak 0-4 seem to be on really bad land where the course never had a chance.

[Doug Sobieski]

I'm glad the Morrissetts take cameras with them to the great courses they play.

[Joe Hancock]

I'm glad the Morrissetts take cameras with them to the great courses they play.

Doug,

That's the definitive word on on-course photography: It's OK to take pictures while golfing ONLY if your last name is Morrissett.

 

[John Kavanaugh]

There are times and places for cameras when on the course.  I took the context of this thread to be when you are invited to play a truly great course.  If you are part of a review, encroachment or extortion scheme the rules change.  Ran did not flick a click when we played Tobacco Road.  

[Dan Herrmann]

One of my fonest golf memories was playing Pacific Dunes with two gentlemen from Monterey, CA.  A father and son that had ridden up from home on motorcycles.

The father (mid-60's?) didn't play, but he walked all 18 with us and took a lot of pictures.

You could really see their love for each other and they captured much of the day on film.

Laura and I were honored to be a part of it.  It was a very special afternoon in a very special place.

[John Kavanaugh]

That sounds great...I remember Pete Galea not playing and taking pictures.  I wish he would post a few of that day on this thread.

[Rich Goodale]

I would highly recommend Mark Bourgeois' post #40, for a very thoughtful and well written piece on this general issue by Walter Percy.

[Peter Galea]

That sounds great...I remember Pete Galea not playing and taking pictures.  I wish he would post a few of that day on this thread.

Only one I could find on short notice.
Passy #11 (old)

[Mike Benham]

Let's have this topic degrade into a JakaB photo essay ...

Bonus points to anyone who can guess the year of each photo:

[John Kirk]

Surely the same golfer can't modify his finish position THAT much in a few short years.

The last guy must be Stuart Appleby.

[Jeff Doerr]

Thanks to all for a tremendous read (as usual) and some sage advice. I'm hopeful that Crystal Downs is in my future - maybe summer of 2009.

[Mark Chaplin]

For my first experience of TOC we flew from London early in the morning arriving in St Andrews around 1100hrs, I think the driver passed the practise centre but we didn't pay it too much attention! Dropping our gear at the hotel we headed straight to the clubhouse, to drop our clubs in the locker room, inspect the trophies and have a quick tour of the building before lunch overlooking the 18th green. After doing the extensive R&A wine list justice and knocking back coffee and port we adjourned to the main lounge for kummel (Gordon Jones please note). Arriving on the first tee with time to spare I nailed my opening tee shot and struck the pin with my second shot.

I swear had it dropped I'd have turned on my toes, returned to the clubhouse and tucked into the Warres '77!

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