Hear Hear !! Ian Andrew and Mike Weir

[Greg McMullin]

Some news about one of this sites long time members. Taken from todays Globe and Mail -- Canada's National Newspaper

GOLF
Weir drafts vision for design business
LORNE RUBENSTEIN

January 21, 2009
JUPITER, FLA. -- Mike Weir was delivering what one could loosely call an inaugural address. This was during a phone interview a few days ago, while he was watching his daughter, Lily, figure skating. He starts a new season today at the Bob Hope Classic in La Quinta, Calif., which he won six years ago. He is also embarking on a course-design business, with his new architectural associate Ian Andrew.

"Ian and I share a similar vision," said Weir, 38. "I don't want to do a course where every hole is just long. Our courses will be about strategy."

Andrew, based in Brantford, Ont., had spoken earlier that day of his partnership with Weir. Weir, in consultation with his brother, Jim, International Management Group's managing director Brad Pelletier, architect and course builder Dick Kirkpatrick, and golf writer Robert Thompson, elected Andrew before the new year.

link to article - http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090121.RUBE21/TPStory/Sports/columnists

[RJ_Daley]

Good luck to our esteemed Canadien GCA.com contibutors, eh. 

[Tom Dunne]

This has been churning in the rumor mill for a while and I am really thrilled to see that it's finally official. Congratulations to Ian and Mike. I'll be very interested to see their work.

[Garland Bayley]

A&W! What a team!

[Matt Bosela]

The cat is out of the bag early, I see!  Here I was thinking we'd have to wait until early February to hear the great news.

Congratulations to Ian and also to Mike Weir.  It should be a wonderful partnership.

Now, hopefully Ian, this will enable you to get the money and investors needed to develop that piece of land in Queenston!  Big missed opportunity for us in St. Catharines a couple years back.

Exciting times are ahead - best of luck to you!

[John Kirk]

Congratulations, Ian.  A thrilling development, assuming Mr. Weir likes what we like.

(Emoticon of your choice goes here)

[Bob Jenkins]

Interesting and good news for Ian!

I understand that last summer, Mike Weir was looking at a possible course to the east of Predator Ridge. Is there any news in that regard? With Predator going to 36 holes, the new Crystal Spa and Hotel nearby and other development in the Okanagan, another course near Predator would seem to have a better chance than most of succeeding.

Also I see that Lorne Rubenstein referred to the Greg Norman course on Vancouver Island, "The Cliffs at Maple Bay", but that project is another victim of the poor real estate market.

Bob J

[Will MacEwen]

Interesting and good news for Ian!

I understand that last summer, Mike Weir was looking at a possible course to the east of Predator Ridge. Is there any news in that regard? With Predator going to 36 holes, the new Crystal Spa and Hotel nearby and other development in the Okanagan, another course near Predator would seem to have a better chance than most of succeeding.

Also I see that Lorne Rubenstein referred to the Greg Norman course on Vancouver Island, "The Cliffs at Maple Bay", but that project is another victim of the poor real estate market.

Bob J

I think the real issue with Maple Bay was poor planning on getting water up to the cliffs, which slowed up or killed the golf course, which led to minimal sales. 

I think Wyndansea in Ucluelet is pretty much dead (water and real estate), and Wildstone may be as well.

Wyndandsea could be discussed in the thread on remote courses - very remote, very expensive, very poor climate.  Stunning locale, but a pretty ambitious concept.

Congratulations to Ian.  He should probably spend the week of the Masters with Weir for some valuable networking opportunities.

The Predator site would be a great first effort - I think the land there is pretty spectacular and would allow for a very interesting layout.

[henrye]

Congratulations on this Ian.  Quite the honour to be picked from a large and distinguished group.  Good luck.

[Philippe Binette]

congrats Ian

I hope you just add a similar drawing of Mike for the logo

[Mark Bourgeois]

Congrats, Ian!  Weir ventured over to Rye when the Open was held at Sandwich, hinting at both curiosity and good taste.

Is Weir on the record as to his favorite courses (besides presumably Augusta National)?

Mark

[Will E]

Congrats to Mike Weir for having the smarts to partner up with Ian.

[Robert Thompson]

Having read the reference to me in Lorne's article, I'd like to note that I didn't "elect" anyone, be it Barack Obama or Ian Andrew. Truth be told, after our interview process, led rightly by Mike, he had two architects he was interested in speaking further with. In the end, it was Mike -- with help from IMG managing director Brad Pelletier -- who decided Ian would be a great fit for Mike. Their vision for design is quite similar -- Mike is a strategic player, after all, and not one of the long bombers on tour. I'm hopeful the pair will have the chance to do something interesting.

Re: the Predator Ridge site. That is still in the cards. The site is quite something, and Ian's routing takes full advantage of it. Best case scenario -- a classic course with great views and better than anything in the interior of BC if they get it right.

Congrats, Ian!  Weir ventured over to Rye when the Open was held at Sandwich, hinting at both curiosity and good taste.

Is Weir on the record as to his favorite courses (besides presumably Augusta National)?

Mark

I think he's very fond of Riviera, for obvious reasons, though he told me it took a while for him to figure out the course.

[Neil_Crafter]

Well done Ian. Hope it proves to be a fruitful collaboration for you and Mike.
And A&W has a nice ring to it. They make a nice sarsaparilla (root beer) as I recall.
cheers Neil

[ed_getka]

Congratulations Ian!!! That is good news to begin the year with.

[paul cowley]

Congrats my friend....it wasn't all that long since our first beer together in San Diego...I love how things in life evolve.

[Dan Herrmann]

Congratulations to Mike Weir!  You get to work with a super guy that really gets GCA and works to improve the game we love.

[Ronald Montesano]

Wait till you come back north, Dan, and see his work at Cherry Hill across the strait.

[Dan Herrmann]

Ronald, definitely a great idea.  I never got onto Ft. Erie's Cherry Hill when I lived in Buffalo.  Of course, I was only a kid and college student - no reason they'd let me on back then (and rightfully so)!

[Peter Pallotta]

My congratulations too, Ian. It's good and inspiring to see that a professional who's in it for all the right reasons gets a much deserved opportunity to show his stuff.

All the best
Peter

[Joe Hancock]

Reminds me of the Genie released from Aladdin's Lamp, Bugs Bunny style:

(delivered in deadpan monotone): "I'm here, I'm here...let the bells ring out and the banners fly, I'm here..."

Congrats, Ian. You'll do well and have fun, I'm sure!

Joe

[Gene Greco]

           
Ian:


     BIG news. Congratultions!


      Gene

[Ian Andrew]

Well first up – thank you everyone.

Congratulations, Ian.  A thrilling development, assuming Mr. Weir likes what we like.

 

Since you’re all probably a bit curious – I’ll answer John’s question.

He’s talked a lot about getting away from long golf courses. He’s a big fan of width, optional play, and the ground game. He prefers course where you must work the ball to gain an advantage - particularly from the tee - and references Riviera and Colonial as the best examples.

He loves the Australian Sandbelt courses and talks about the opportunities presented by the short grass around the greens. The one course that keeps coming up is Shinnecock Hills – the last time was a long conversation about the green complexes and the way some of the greens fall off at the edges.

 

[Big Pete]

Ian
Sounds to me like you need to fast track that trip to Aus...

[Garland Bayley]

So Ian, when are you and your new buddy going attend to KP, Dixie Cup, or Buda Cup?