What's Your Agenda on GCA.com?

[Phil Benedict]

Talk to people who are passionate about golf; learn something about architecture; and have a few laughs.

[Jason Topp]

At the moment, my agenda seems to be habit, although originally it probably had a lot to do with a mixture of trip planning and a desire to learn to articulate what I like and do not like about golf courses.  

I do:

1.  Enjoy good writing
2.  Enjoy opinions without the constraints that exist on advertising supported media outlets
3.  Enjoy those opinions being held up to respectful but thorough scrutiny
4  Enjoy pictures
5  Enjoy hearing about and paying attention to people chasing dreams
-- to be a GCA
-- to create their dream golf course
-- to be a succesful competitive player
-- to be an author
-- to visit great places
-- to uncover the truth about the interesting characters who have been GCAs
-- to implrove the game
6.  Enjoy the goofy personalities and interactions that occur through a communications method different from any I have used in the past
7.  Enjoy the terrific humor that pops up regularly


I feel like I have learned GCA 101, but also have learned that I do not have the desire to learn about many aspects of the GCA world which I would need to learn about if I wanted to transform from talking about GCA to participating beyond a green committee.  I respect others who do learn this stuff much more than I did in the past.

- I do not want to learn how to create healthy turf conditions
-- I do not want to maintain bunkers
-- I do not want to run a bulldozer (ok maybe a little)
-- I do not want to learn about housing developments
-- I do not want to try and make the economics of golf work when my ideal is a fun, adequately maintained course that is fun to play, plays in 4 hours or less and costs as little as possible
-- I do not want to learn how to get environmental permits
-- I do not want to worry about safety
-- I do not want to understand what some turn of the century architect thought about the relationship between bow hunting, steeple chase riding or landscape architecture,  and a golf course
-- I do not care how much input Colt had into Pine Valley

[Rick Shefchik]

I came here for the waters.

I was misinformed.

[Sean_A]

Sean,

You better hurry, for I am gone the way of a Jim Thompson in less than a month. Both us......vooom, like rats out of an aquaduct.....
Joe

Joe

There goes another $40 down the drain - presumably with you two rats.  

Jim

You didn't think you were that special - didja?

Ciao

[Bruce Katona]

I like to see what everyone else has to say on a topic as this group certainly has defined opinions.....as we need to get permits, build courses and operate them at a profit, it takes some of the fun away from the whimsy.

[Jim Thompson]

Sean,

You better hurry, for I am gone the way of a Jim Thompson in less than a month. Both us......vooom, like rats out of an aquaduct.....
Joe

Joe

There goes another $40 down the drain - presumably with you two rats.  

Jim

You didn't think you were that special - didja?

Ciao

Well they always said I was when they put me on the little bus for school

[Dan Kelly]

I came here for the waters.

I was misinformed.

Only an American named Rick can get away with a line like that!

[Sean_A]

Ah man, I already thought of an item for Other Matters Arising.  

13. To auction a aging rock star's golf sticks stored in my garage.
     A.  The opening bid is likely to be around £25.

Ciao

[John_Conley]

- I do not want to learn how to create healthy turf conditions
-- I do not want to maintain bunkers
-- I do not want to run a bulldozer (ok maybe a little)
-- I do not want to learn about housing developments
-- I do not want to try and make the economics of golf work when my ideal is a fun, adequately maintained course that is fun to play, plays in 4 hours or less and costs as little as possible
-- I do not want to learn how to get environmental permits
-- I do not want to worry about safety
-- I do not want to understand what some turn of the century architect thought about the relationship between bow hunting, steeple chase riding or landscape architecture,  and a golf course
-- I do not care how much input Colt had into Pine Valley

Topper:

Unfortunately these are called 'constraints' and often determine the quality of the finished product.  Most often housing, economics, and permits.

[Lester George]

Jeff,

I don't think I have an agenda.  Sometimes I am amused and puzzled at where some of the people on here come up with ,their opinions, altough once a thread intrigues me, I try to understand as many views as posible.  I try to remain objective.

I will tell you one thing though, don't ever apologize for defending the ASGCA.  I know as well as you do that its not perfect, but it is what it is and remains this country's leading  Golf Course Architecture organization.  

BTW, I probably never told you this before, but you were one of the reasons I spent the last 19 years preparing to enter the ASGCA.  I heard you speak at one conference somewhere in the 80's and you clearly inspired me to think about joining one day.  That means alot to me and I'm sure you have had an affect on others.  

Bottom line, don't apologize for defending what you have tirelessly built, you have been a positive role model for many in this business.

Lester

[JC Jones]

To learn and to discuss gca because everyone i know thinks im a complete dork whenever i begin to talk about it.

[Mike_Cirba]

I'm here because the hot chicks simply dig guys who know GCA.  

The last 20 or so of them I started to discuss golf design with went right straight to bed....albeit by themselves, but hey...it's a start!

[Jason Topp]

Topper:

Unfortunately these are called 'constraints' and often determine the quality of the finished product.  Most often housing, economics, and permits.

True - but its the difference between observing and doing.  I'm happy to let others actually deal with these issues.

[Tony Petersen]

To laugh, be merry, meet a bunch of like-minded fellows, play some great golf with those that can appreciate, learn about the new and the old and find out what this gca is all about It's been close to 5 years, and all of you have been a great resource!!! Thanks!!!

[Dan Kelly]

I'm here because the hot chicks simply dig guys who know GCA.  

The last 20 or so of them I started to discuss golf design with went right straight to bed....albeit by themselves, but hey...it's a start!

Mike --

Well, there's your problem.

You're going after the wrong kind of "chick."

Forget the Hot ones.

The ones you want -- and may want you -- are Infrared.

Happy to help.
Dan

[Lloyd_Cole]

Ah man, I already thought of an item for Other Matters Arising.  

13. To auction a aging rock star's golf sticks stored in my garage.
     A.  The opening bid is likely to be around £25.

Ciao

I thought we were agreed that it's Folksinger.

[Matthew Hunt]

Ah man, I already thought of an item for Other Matters Arising.  

13. To auction a aging rock star's golf sticks stored in my garage.
     A.  The opening bid is likely to be around £25.

Ciao

I thought we were agreed that it's Folksinger.

This part of your wikipedia entry is rather humourous:

"An avid golfer, Cole is known for playing concerts in towns suspiciously close to famous golf courses. He shares a passion for this sport with Alice Cooper, who is said to introduce the song "Only Women Bleed" by claiming "not even Lloyd Cole has written a song about menstruation" when playing live. Cole has even starred in a commercial for a local golf supply store located near his home.

Cole is known to introduce his song "Impossible Girl" with this story, noting the song disproves Cooper's claim with its opening line: “Bloody Monday afternoon, you want to blame it on the moon.”

Cole's 5.3 hcp got him a respectable tied 11th place on Golf Digest's top 100 list of musicians (tied with the aforementioned Cooper and Dan Tyminski)."

You should get a concert in the Slieve Donard some time

[Doug Wright]

To meet Lloyd Cole and Dave Silk. You see, I'm really a groupie and I've already crashed several GCA.com parties to meet such celebrities as Tom Huckaby, Rick Shefchik, John Kavanaugh and his eminence The World's Most Beloved. So I'll stay on here at least till that happens...

...and to impress the ladies on here with my erudition. As you all know, chicks dig the long word.

[JMorgan]

World domination, pure and simple, Jeff.  Start small, think big....

[Mike_Young]

Sean,

You better hurry, for I am gone the way of a Jim Thompson in less than a month. Both us......vooom, like rats out of an aquaduct.....
Joe

Joe

There goes another $40 down the drain - presumably with you two rats.  

Jim

You didn't think you were that special - didja?

Ciao

Well they always said I was when they put me on the little bus for school

I have a t-shirts that says i am a short bus rider.  My favorite shirt

[Michael Dugger]

World domination, pure and simple, Jeff.  Start small, think big....

But do you have any sharks with laserbeams???

[Sean_A]

Ah man, I already thought of an item for Other Matters Arising.  

13. To auction a aging rock star's golf sticks stored in my garage.
     A.  The opening bid is likely to be around £25.

Ciao

I thought we were agreed that it's Folksinger.

Lloyd

I don't know about folksinger.  It sounds too serious.  Besides, how ya gonna get yer Lynrd Skynrd kicks out being a folk singer?  At least if you are an aging rock star you have a built in excuse to trash your hotel room.  It wouldn't stop you from singing folk songs - if thats really your gig.

Ciao

[Joe Hancock]

I'm here because the hot chicks simply dig guys who know GCA.  

The last 20 or so of them I started to discuss golf design with went right straight to bed....albeit by themselves, but hey...it's a start!

Mike --

Well, there's your problem.

You're going after the wrong kind of "chick."

Forget the Hot ones.

The ones you want -- and may want you -- are Infrared.

Happy to help.
Dan

Honestly, Dan, there is nothing that puts me off about a woman more than one that goes around the course constantly uttering things such as "the temperature of the turf canopy here on the bentgrass green is 8.73 degrees hotter than the turf canopy in the rough..."

Redheads, yes...infrared turfheads, no.....

Joe

[Patrick_Mucci]

Dan & Michael,

They stole this sketch from my book on arguing.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUt7ypEI5Uk

[Dan Kelly]

Dan & Michael,

They stole this sketch from my book on arguing.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUt7ypEI5Uk

No, they didn't.