Starting Monday, 9/21 - Get to know Jim Franklin

[Jim Franklin]

Garland -

What are you trying to figure out here? Was I drinking? No. Was it an accident? Yes. Please enlighten me to the direction of your questions. Humor? So far no good.

Oh come on. We Montanans used to tell the drunk rock joke all the time. Are you saying Montanans are humorless?

Did you hear about when I invited North Dakotan Jim Engh to go hunting deer? We were walking along a railroad right of way when a naked woman ran out of the forest, across the right of way, and into the forest on the other side. I asked Jim if he had seen that, and from his drooling mouth came the answer, "most definitely." I said I hope we would see that dear again.

A bit later she ran out again to which I hollered "are you game?" When she answered yes, do you know what Jim did?

He shot her!

Those poor North Dakotans get their dears/deer mixed up.

Maybe humorless is par for your course. Next time stick a  afterwards like a laugh track on a sitcom so us easterners can understand your "humor".

[Garland Bayley]

How drunk were you when you crashed the golf cart at Rock Creek Cattle Company? Two or three times the legal limit?

Sorry to burst your bubble big fella, but I quit drinking 10 years ago. Stone cold sober my friend.

It really was a slippery slope for lack of a better phrase.  Andy almost lost it during our 1st 18 and he was crawling down it...

Yes, I knew that as you have related that before. I was just funnin' him since he wrote he would answer anything. You know, sorta like I fun you.

[Jim Franklin]

Jim, I'm curious as to why Oakmont rates in your top 10, but Winged Foot isn't in your top 20. I've heard similar things from others who've played both. Both are certainly among the hardest around, yet most seem to have Oakmont "better", though that's some rarefied air both are in.

Is it the land? The details of the holes?

Winged Foot is #21 on my list so its not that far away, but Oakmont was terrific. Oakmont was harder plus I have played there many more times than Winged Foot so I know that course fairly well. I did birdie #18 at Winged Foot which I am sure Phil Mickelson would loved to have. I don't think it is necessarily the land, but Oakmont had a fun factor to all of its pain. My first time there, I went right to the putting green awaiting my host. I knew they were supposed to be the "fastest greens" in the country so I decided to attempt a short 5 footer on the corner. I hit my putt gingerly and watched as it raced by the hole vering left and missed by 30 feet and almost went into another cup. I looked around to make sure no one so me and a member on the porch just smiled.

[Kalen Braley]

Garland -

What are you trying to figure out here? Was I drinking? No. Was it an accident? Yes. Please enlighten me to the direction of your questions. Humor? So far no good.

Oh come on. We Montanans used to tell the drunk rock joke all the time. Are you saying Montanans are humorless?

Did you hear about when I invited North Dakotan Jim Engh to go hunting deer? We were walking along a railroad right of way when a naked woman ran out of the forest, across the right of way, and into the forest on the other side. I asked Jim if he had seen that, and from his drooling mouth came the answer, "most definitely." I said I hope we would see that dear again.

A bit later she ran out again to which I hollered "are you game?" When she answered yes, do you know what Jim did?

He shot her!

Those poor North Dakotans get their dears/deer mixed up.

Maybe humorless is par for your course. Next time stick a  afterwards like a laugh track on a sitcom so us easterners can understand your "humor".

Jim,

Don't fret none, its computer nerd humour.  While I try to avoid it myself I do know when to spot it as I've worked with a few over the years!!

Having met Garland first hand, odd wouldn't be strong enough' a word to describe him!!   

[Garland Bayley]

What have you played in Oregon, Washington, and Utah?
Anything good?

Oregon - Pacific Dunes, Bandon Dunes, Bandon trails, Eugene CC, Pumpkin Ridge (both), The Reserve. That would be the order of prefence as well. Ghost Creek would be the favorite at Pumpkin Ridge.

Washington - Chambers Bay, The Club at Aldarra, Sahalee. Sahalee is a little overrated, but very challenging and can see why the tour played there. I can't wait to see Chambers Bay mature. I loved my round there.

Utah - Entrada at Snow Canyon - It has been awhile, but I recall I enjoyed my day there.

You probably know that Jones reversed Egan's routing at Eugene so that you carry the water on approaches rather than off the perfect lie on the tee. Do you think this is a relic from the heroic style of the Jones era, or does it still work today?

Entrada is at St. George isn't it? Any reason you didn't play more of the courses there once you made the trek? Has Kalen sold you on seeing any more Utah courses?

Has Kalen sold you on seeing Wine Valley?

[Jim Franklin]

What have you played in Oregon, Washington, and Utah?
Anything good?

Oregon - Pacific Dunes, Bandon Dunes, Bandon trails, Eugene CC, Pumpkin Ridge (both), The Reserve. That would be the order of prefence as well. Ghost Creek would be the favorite at Pumpkin Ridge.

Washington - Chambers Bay, The Club at Aldarra, Sahalee. Sahalee is a little overrated, but very challenging and can see why the tour played there. I can't wait to see Chambers Bay mature. I loved my round there.

Utah - Entrada at Snow Canyon - It has been awhile, but I recall I enjoyed my day there.

You probably know that Jones reversed Egan's routing at Eugene so that you carry the water on approaches rather than off the perfect lie on the tee. Do you think this is a relic from the heroic style of the Jones era, or does it still work today?

Entrada is at St. George isn't it? Any reason you didn't play more of the courses there once you made the trek? Has Kalen sold you on seeing any more Utah courses?

Has Kalen sold you on seeing Wine Valley?

Kalen has sold me on seeing Wine Valley. It looks terrific and is certainly on my radar. I did the St George thing on a day trip out of Vegas and went back that night. I do plan on getting to Utah though. Glen Wild is calling my name as well.

I am not a huge Jones fan, but I like what he did at Eugene. I thought it worked fine. There was some good movement in the fairways in the LZ and you had some interesting lies. I played there with an assistant and the club champ and really had a fun day as they showed my some of the nuiances of each hole. I liked the trees there much more than the claustophobic trees at Sahalee.

[Garland Bayley]

...
Having met Garland first hand, odd wouldn't be strong enough' a word to describe him!!   

Just don't call me an odd duck, because I'm an odd beaver!

[astavrides]

George, I have some stories that would make your head spin. It was a FUN four years.

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Let's hear one or two...

[Jim Franklin]

George, I have some stories that would make your head spin. It was a FUN four years.

Let's hear one or two...
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Maybe another time...

[Jerry Kluger]

Come on Jim - tell all of GCA how you've convinced your wife to let you play so much golf with 3 little kids - you are my idol!

[Jim Franklin]

Come on Jim - tell all of GCA how you've convinced your wife to let you play so much golf with 3 little kids - you are my idol!

I have a wonderful wife that I wouldn't trade for anything.