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Anthony Gray

How do you go about naming a course?
« on: May 21, 2009, 11:23:28 PM »


  The current thread about the Old Mac logo got me thinking :o.

  How do you name a course?

  My home course is The Champions Club..............Which one you ask.....The one in Tennesse. It used to be Hampton Creek which was fine with me.

  How many states have a "NATIONAL GOLF CLUB" ? Since Augusta NATIONAL it seems every state has come up with their own state "national" course.

  There is a Wolfe "everything" course. What is it with all the Wolves? I can't keep up. Which WOLF course are you talking about?

  What's up with the Royal thing? Why are some coursers "royal" and others not?

  Why Old Macdonald? What would you have named it?

  Let us hear your opinions.

  Anthony

 
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Phil_the_Author

Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2009, 11:39:28 PM »
I prefer that some study be given to the area where a course is built and important or noteworthy events that took plave or people who've lived there and the name be created around that.

Baltus Rol... he died an undeserved and ingominious death and yet now his name lives on beyond anything hecould have ever foreseen. That is why i also wish that Alpine would go back to Aldecress and Fenway to Fenimore...
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Ben Sims

  • Karma: +1/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2009, 11:46:18 PM »
I think it should've been named Pacific Links.  Two courses named Dunes, two courses named Bandon, now two courses named Pacific.
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Pete_Pittock

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2009, 11:57:50 PM »
On a geographical note, the new Bandon course could have been called Whiskey Run, which is nearby.
That also could be homage to the old dead guys.
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Jim_Kennedy

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2009, 12:28:33 AM »
Anthony,
From their website:
The Perth Golfing Society was formed by a small number of Perth gentlemen at a meeting on 5th April 1824 in the Salutation Inn, Scotland’s oldest hotel. Scarlet golfing jackets were worn for matches played on the South Inch and North Inch links and Sir David Moncreiffe became the first ever Club Captain. The sixth captain of the Club was Lord Kinnaird, and it was his access to royal circles that was instrumental in gaining royal patronage for the Club from King William IV in 1833. Royal Perth was the first golf club in the world to receive this honour and pre-dates The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews by a year. It was at this point that the name was changed to the Royal Perth Golfing Society and the present day patron is HRH the Duke of York
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Jeff_Brauer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2009, 12:33:42 AM »
With so many "nationals" and "internationals" I always recommend "intergalactic" be added to the name.

If a course is in a subdivision, there is a marketing advantage to having the same name. For stand alone courses, there are either historic or geographical features which usually give the course the name.
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Jeff Brauer, ASGCA Director of Outreach

Rob Rigg

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2009, 01:33:10 AM »
I think "Meriwether National" outside of Portland is the worst use of National ever. Meriwether Fields, Meriwether Plains, or Meriwether Goat Track would probably have been more appropriate.

However, I am sure local course guru Pete Pittock knows the reason why it is the "National" of the area.
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PCCraig

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #7 on: May 22, 2009, 09:28:48 AM »
I always said if I opened a golf course I would call it Mourning Wood Golf Club
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H.P.S.

John_Cullum

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #8 on: May 22, 2009, 10:41:56 AM »
You should use a process that comes up with something other than Old McDonald
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Dan Herrmann

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #9 on: May 22, 2009, 10:50:20 AM »
I'd be sure to leave out the word "The".
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Lester George

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #10 on: May 22, 2009, 10:55:05 AM »
Sometimes it is a random event.  You all know my history with Whiskey Creek in Maryland.

It was actually my wife who gave that golf course its name.  Random comment on a field visit.  Name stuck.

Ballyhack had a couple of other names before we discovered that Ballyhack was actually a real place.

Kinloch had a "short list" of about 10 names before the committee of six chose to use Kinloch.

Lester
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Garland Bayley

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Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #11 on: May 22, 2009, 12:50:18 PM »
Quote from: Ben Sims on May 21, 2009, 11:46:18 PM
I think it should've been named Pacific Links.  Two courses named Dunes, two courses named Bandon, now two courses named Pacific.

My suggestion was Pacific Golf Links of America. Gets Pacific in the name, and pays homage to CBM.
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"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Jed Peters

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #12 on: May 22, 2009, 12:59:49 PM »
Ours is Morgan Creek Golf Club, due to the fact that there were Morgan horses being raised on-property and there was a Creek splitting the property as well.
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Pete_Pittock

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Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #13 on: May 22, 2009, 02:09:46 PM »
Re: Meriwether National
When it opened, or shortly therafter, it was owned/operated as part of a national chain. That also explains Colwood National.
Bob Rosburg was Meriwether's touring pro. Watched him play an exhibition there, with his low bullet riser tee shots. 
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Rick Sides

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #14 on: May 22, 2009, 02:17:36 PM »
I like when a club incorporates the history in the name.  Like True Blue is a cool name because it use to be an indigo plantation.  It's also good to name the club after groups of people that once settled or lived there.  We have a golf club nearby named Rancocas Country Club because an indian tribe called the Rancocas Indians once settled there.
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Tim Pitner

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #15 on: May 22, 2009, 02:21:58 PM »
I prefer Old MacDonald to CommonGround (sorry to those associated with CG). 
« Last Edit: May 22, 2009, 05:00:46 PM by Tim Pitner »
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Jaeger Kovich

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #16 on: May 22, 2009, 02:29:23 PM »
My favorite golf course naming story is Winged Foot Golf Club... A long, long time ago, a few members of the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) were looking to add a golf course to their club facilities. As the course was underway, the NYAC decided that golf was not a sport and not something that wanted to be associated with. So, they were told if they continued with their plans to build the course(s) that they would be kicked out of the club. Out they went, but not without stealing the NYAC logo... the winged foot... they added a golf club to the logo and really rubbed it in with the name!

Personally... I like the name Old McDonald... While out in Bandon I overheard one of the guys on the construction crew burst into a rendition of "Old McDonald had a Farm", I couldn't help myself but crack up laughing, and I've loved it ever since (not that I had a problem with it before).
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Eric Smith

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #17 on: May 22, 2009, 03:03:24 PM »
Anthony,

Though I like the names you’ve suggested for me, Royal Smith and I-Patch National, I’ll go with a more meaningful one to me.  I’ve known for a few years now what I would call my ideal golf club, whenever it gets built – St. Alberts.  Charles Albert George is my soon to be 90 yr old grandpa living in Alameda, California.  He taught me to play at an early age and he instilled in me the spirit of the game.  We last shared a game a little over a year ago down in your favorite home away from home (the DR).  Hopefully we’ll play together this summer when he visits us here in Tennessee.  Is MOM single?

There are plenty of St. Charles golf courses, plenty of St. Georges golf courses, but I haven’t heard of a St. Alberts golf course. 

Also count me as a fan of the name Old Macdonald.  I think it's perfect.
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archie_struthers

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #18 on: May 22, 2009, 03:24:04 PM »
 :D ;) :)

I always had a name for a bar on the water.  This name was Twisted Sail.   We even used it on a little restaurnat company my wife and I once owned.   

When we built the golf course , and an Irish links motif was selected , Twisted Dune seemed appropriate.  Simple as that for me.
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Tom Yost

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #19 on: May 22, 2009, 04:30:06 PM »
Interesting trend of switching around the words in a name to make it sound fancy.

"The Golf Club Scottsdale"

I wonder what is the most often repeated golf course name?  Perhaps something with Pine or Oak ?  Riverview?


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Michael Dugger

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #20 on: May 22, 2009, 04:47:42 PM »
Wildhorse must be one of the most overused names in history....I can't even keep track of them all....
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What does it matter if the poor player can putt all the way from tee to green, provided that he has to zigzag so frequently that he takes six or seven putts to reach it?     --Alistair Mackenzie--

Steve_ Shaffer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #21 on: May 22, 2009, 05:33:49 PM »
TOM MACKIN

OPENING SOON: RHINOCEROS PINES! How Courses Get Named


www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/sports/playmagazine/02play-atplay.html?_r=2&pagewanted=4&sq
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George Pazin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #22 on: May 22, 2009, 05:42:50 PM »
I have the best name for a course, but I have only shared it with 2 posters. Hopefully they have forgotten it, as it would be a shame to have to silence them...they would surely be missed on here.
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Big drivers and hot balls are the product of golf course design that rewards the hit one far then hit one high strategy.  Shinny showed everyone how to take care of this whole technology dilemma. - Pat Brockwell, 6/24/04

Anthony Gray

Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #23 on: May 22, 2009, 08:00:11 PM »
Quote from: George Pazin on May 22, 2009, 05:42:50 PM
I have the best name for a course, but I have only shared it with 2 posters. Hopefully they have forgotten it, as it would be a shame to have to silence them...they would surely be missed on here.


  George,

  Rothlesberger Links just doesn't roll off your tongue.

  Anthony

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David Sneddon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How do you go about naming a course?
« Reply #24 on: May 22, 2009, 08:50:22 PM »
My old "home" course, in Dunfermline, Scotland, was Canmore GC.

Canmore is taken from King Malcolm lll, King of Scotland, who reigned from 1058-1093, from his palace and Abbey in Dunfermline. Canmore is the family name, from the Gaelic Calum Ceann Mor (Calum = Malcolm, Ceann=Chief or Head, Mor=Great)

Quite appropriate, with a nice historical touch, IMO.

Were I to ever own/build a course, it would be simply called, "Ceann Mor ".
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Give my love to Mary and bury me in Dornoch
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