What is up with Books on the Opening of Courses

[Brad Klein]

Jeff,

I said there was a DVD with the Desert Forest book, I didn't say it was very good. It sets a tone, and the mood music and cross-cut images attempt to evoke a feel about the place. It turned out differently than I had hoped, and the gawky-looking guy who walks up, does the intro/outro, and plays on, is pretty amateurish.

[Tony Ristola]

I see nothing wrong with writing a book. In fact planned from the start to do so for every project.

Folks talk about the importance of "documentation" before the fact, but what is more valuable than documentation after the fact? Info about how the course was built and why it was built so? Decisions made, thoughts, photos and the like.

Many clubs today would give a small fortune to understand what the architect did, what he was thinking, what direction maintenance should go, what should be avoided, things that may not have been accomplished, how the course should mature, when that maturation process has gone too far etc. A users manual for the club's reference, superintendent's reference that would serve as a road map decades in the future, and through the revolving door of committees.

[John Foley]

From a historical standpoint how great would books like this from the great older courses be looking at them now.

Here are a few I'd love to see:

Flynn & Hood - How we built Kittansett.
Crump - What I intended Pine Valley to be.
Robertson - St Andrews.
Ross - Pinehurst and how it will evolve.
Raynor - The design & routing of the Cypress Point Club


Tom D - Instead of a Pac Dunes book why not write a Ballyneal book?

[Jeff Loh]

Brad
i think the book is great. Was wondering what you would have done differently with the DVD
thanks
jeff

[Brad Klein]

First of all, I didn't shoot or produce it. I wrote the rather minimal text and was in it, but it was produced, et al by an experienced videographer and writer/photographer, Grant McClintock.

In retrospect I would have personally preferred a more historically-oriented assemblage of images, one that would have started and ended where we did but gone through more of the club history and Maricopa County lore as a teaser to the book. But I had my hands full with the book and helping designer Carol Haralson on her layout, and the DVD was a separate undertaking.

Part of the motive behind including the DVD in slipcase inside the bookcover was a kind of symbol to prospective membership that the club was modern enough to expect its members to be conversant with DVD technology. Coming from the image that the club had just a few years ago, that was a fairly sophisticated message to be sending.

[Kalen Braley]

I think Eric has hit on the right concepts for this topic.

No doubt, most in here would love to see these books written and would probably/hopefully buy them at some point.  In addition, many of the clubs members might be interested in procurring a copy.

But outside of that, what other demographic would be interested in purchasing these books?  With the up front costs to make these books and the lack of volume, as Eric has stated, how would they make any money?

I think in most cases they are likely only going to be "labor of love" type projects at best.  And don't get me wrong, I love to see them written and Sebonack is high on my wish list for books at the moment.

[Tom_Doak]

Kalen:

You've just answered John Foley's question for me.  There are less than 100 members of Ballyneal right now ... and there are 40,000 rounds annually at Pacific Dunes.  That makes the latter a much more promising subject for a book.