[Bart Bradley]

Is GCA really a spy network?

Are you all CIA operatives?

On one thread, John Sabino might be using an alias, "Joe Rigo",  to infiltrate America's great golf courses.

On another thread, "Jon Spaulding" is first said to be non-existant and then several others confirm his personage.

Within minutes of posting that he had always walked Pradera, a video of Jay Flemma riding in a golf cart at Pradera (between holes mind you) is posted.

A week ago, David M. posted that he had "evidence" that Matt Ward was posting course reviews without divulging that he was being paid as a PR rep (firmly denied by Matt)

I'm just wondering:  Is big brother watching me?  Are we reallly discussing golf courses, or is this all code for some top-secret defense department initiative?

Am I the only guy here not disguising a hidden agenda or assuming an alternate personality?  GOOD GRAVY, what is wrong with you people.

Bart

[Sean Leary]

Jon Spaulding = Hamilton B. Hearst?? Hmmmmmmm......

[Scott Warren]

Nice try Bart, I have it on good authority you are Ellis Maples reincarnated. Let's call a spade a spade, shall we?

[Mike Sweeney]

Jon Spaulding = Hamilton B. Hearst?? Hmmmmmmm......

There is nooooo way Jon Spaulding is sharp enough to pull off East Coast WASP from his Ted Robinson headquarters in Orange County, California. 

I finally met Jon about a year ago. Could not play golf with him on Long Island last year, and just had to blow him off again for an upcoming trip. Jon has five kids so he understands. He came into Manhattan and we had dinner at the infamous Brother Jimmy's. I guess I set him up at Yale a few years back which I had completely forgotten, and let's tell it like it is, it is not like I set him up at Shinnecock. Well Jon brought me a Club History book from Maidstone which he had just played, and it was a complete and much appreciated surprise thank-you for Yale.

Yes we have some Whackos around GCA, but lets keep it in perspective and go read a BUDA thread where the true spirit of this site comes out.

PS. Note to self, have to get to a BUDA soon.

[Kyle Henderson]

Jon Spaulding = an all too sobering dose of reality. He hits it much too far and he's much too nice. Stay away from him or you'll need therapy.


I know this because I spy on him.

[Chip Gaskins]

Then there is Dr. Katz....

[Mark Pritchett]

This is the flip side of posting with real names. 

[Kalen Braley]

And don't forget Barney's past deeds/alternate personalities.

I too met Jon last year at KP, but I coulda swore he was just a holagram, because surely no human can consistently hit balls that far!!   

[Kyle Henderson]

Confession: My real name is Ginormous VanClevermuscle.

[Kalen Braley]

Confession: My real name is Ginormous VanClevermuscle.

Don't even get started on that stuff, the scene in Life of Brian takes the cake....

[Bill_McBride]

Jon Spaulding = Hamilton B. Hearst?? Hmmmmmmm......

There is nooooo way Jon Spaulding is sharp enough to pull off East Coast WASP from his Ted Robinson headquarters in Orange County, California. 

I finally met Jon about a year ago. Could not play golf with him on Long Island last year, and just had to blow him off again for an upcoming trip. Jon has five kids so he understands. He came into Manhattan and we had dinner at the infamous Brother Jimmy's. I guess I set him up at Yale a few years back which I had completely forgotten, and let's tell it like it is, it is not like I set him up at Shinnecock. Well Jon brought me a Club History book from Maidstone which he had just played, and it was a complete and much appreciated surprise thank-you for Yale.

Yes we have some Whackos around GCA, but lets keep it in perspective and go read a BUDA thread where the true spirit of this site comes out.

PS. Note to self, have to get to a BUDA soon.

I played the Valley Club with Jon last year.  He hit tee shots in places where tee shots had never been hit before.  To say the least, he was a tad wild that day off the tee.  Anyone who hits the ball close to 300 yards and 50 yards off line will do that.   

So yes there is a Jon Spaulding!

[cary lichtenstein]

I played with Jon Spaulding and he hit it closer to 400 yards

[Sean Leary]

I played with someone who SAID his name was John Spaulding. Twice actually. I was wondering why the other members at El Niguel were calling him Joe and the caddy at LACC called him John. Weird.....

[DMoriarty]

Bart,

What happens on the internet stays on the internet, and is readily available to anyone curious or interested.  I think what you are noticing is simply a manifestation of that fact.   If you are going to mislead people (inadvertently or otherwise) chances are someone is going to figure it out.  

As for your specific examples, it is not as if that was the first time Jay Flemma ever claimed he walked Pradera.   In fact he has bragging about walking various Engh courses for years and has used that as his proof that the courses were designed for walking.    He has also been pretty harsh toward anyone who would dare question the walkability of these courses.  Here he is about three weeks ago on the issue:

I had no problem whatsoever walking Pradera three different times, once in the cold.  I also walked Blackstone with three other walkers, all of whom were in their 50's.  The only two Engh courses that I think are unwalkable are Lakota and the back at redlands.  Everything else is perfectly reasonable.  (Except I have NOT played Black Rock, so that's the one I can;t comment on.)

Sheesh you guys are wusses...you'd think he was Tom Clark or Tom Jackson or something making you cross moats and traverse mountains every hole.  Just because is a little more rigorous to walk doesn't make it "cart golf" or unwalkable.  cart golf is Conlkin players Club...or Troon north or ventana canyon where tee boxes are a mile apart.  No one in reasonably good health should be complaining about Engh's recent designs and hey, you have trouble humpin' up the hill at 16 tee at Pradera?  Then switch in a powerbar for a burger.

Everyone, go play Fossil trace and red hawk ridge or Creek Club or any other post 2006 Engh for yourself and report back your findiings.  but don't believe the hype of the guys who can't stand a little hike now and then.

We are wusses . . . guys who cannot stand a little hike now and then . . . and we ought to switch in a powerbar for a burger?    That last one is particularly ironic given the video.

So someone who follows the website where Jay posted the video probably saw his posts here and thought it a bit hypocritical.  

As for Matt Ward, I don't think I accused him, but I did ask him a few times to clear the air, because information I had seen indicated that he was working for a PR firm who represented golf related entities.  I was trying to give him a chance to clarify and hoping he would because I did not want to address the issue.   But now it looks as if I made unsupported accusations and apparently Matt isn't interested in clearing the air.

According to the website of a P.R. firm called the Hamilton Group, in 2004 Matt and another guy were chosen to headed a division called GolfComm, which focused on golf specific enterprises as well as "related enterprises as travel and leisure, special events, tournaments, real estate developments, golf course developers and architects, equipment and technology.”

http://www.thehamiltongroup.net/golfcomm.html

Among the firm's sample clients is Black Mesa Golf Resort.

http://www.thehamiltongroup.net/clients.html

Those who have been around for a few years will remember how Matt went on and on about Black Mesa.  

Please don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that Black Mesa isn't excellent (I haven't played it but I've heard it is quite good)  but Matt shouldn't be pretending he is writing unbiased reviews if he is actually doing PR for the course he is reviewing.

_______________________________

Okay, I admit it.   My true identity is "Jon Spaulding," a nice guy and right handed golfer who murders the golf ball.    I just play poorly and lefty and constantly piss people off as a cover.

[Ben Sims]

Hey!!  I am only one around here with a real Top Secret clearance and I can't even confirm the existence of Jon Spaulding.  Then again, I can't find him in the database either.  So based on my conclusions, either he is a terrorist in hiding, or he doesn't exist. 

All hearsay from the internet is inadmissible anyway right?

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Do you mean Captain Spalding?

http://www.marx-brothers.org/whyaduck/info/movies/scenes/spalding.htm

[Matt_Ward]

David M:

As Reagan famously said to Carter in the '80 debates -- "there you go again."

Allow me to spell out the actual realities -- unfortunately, they get in the way of the stories being stirred up here which is meant to cast serious doubt upon my integrity on what I write.

My editorial reviews of Black Mesa started before my involvement with THG -- if you bother to check the chronology of my comments here on GCA on Black Mesa they have been consistent from the very beginning. Let me also point out Black Mesa garnered plenty of honors after it opened from a range of different sources -- Digest awarded the club it's "best affordable" designation and other pubs also provided their share of glowing comments. My love for Black Mesa comes from a purely editorial stance -- a wall I have not crossed from my initial comments on the facility all the way to the present time. I don't "pretend" to write unbiased reviews -- I actually do them. If you have taken the time to notice I have provided glowing accounts of courses when merited and been equally able to cite those courses that are woeful.

In regards to Black Mesa and its connection with THG -- I simply referred the facility to the company since both could gain from such a relationship and I do know the main players connected with both entities. Introducing people to one another -- last I checked -- is not a crime or breach of ethics of any type. As someone who has been active within the golf industry I know plenty of people -- both personally casually and professionally -- and it's not uncommon for me to introduce different people whether when playing golf or at being at special events (e.g. US Open, PGA Show, etc, etc).

In the time Black Mesa has been a client with THG -- I have not been a part of any planning, implementation or action -- direct or otherwise -- in which promotional situations tied to the faciility have been carried out by me. Those activities have been carried out by others within THG -- not me. David, you made a conscious desire to throw forward a shameless warning label on the Four Mile Ranch thread which clearly had only one intent -- to belittle me as being a shill for different facilities. Not only is a retraction in order but if you carry yourself as a gentleman and class act -- an apology is also warranted.

In regards to the GolfComm announcement -- there was a desire to put forward an outreach effort along the lines of what the release indicates but that development never got off the ground because of various internal company handicaps. As a result, grandiose plans were certainly announced, but were never actually implemented. In sum -- no conflict happened and with that no disclosure was necessary from me.

What is my role to THG now? I refer people to them if those who I speak to indicate what it is they are seeking. Once I introduce the players the actual outcome of what takes place is determined solely by the folks involved.

David, you are right about one thing though -- as you stated in your last post -- "But now it looks as if I made unsupported accusations ..."

On that point we can agree.

p.s. As to whether your secret identity is Jon Spaulding -- I plead complete ignorance on that front.

[David Stamm]

Spaulding!? Spaulding!? He's not a member, he's a caddy. Rat farts!!!

[JNC Lyon]

Spaulding!? Spaulding!? He's not a member, he's a caddy. Rat farts!!!

Haven't I warned you about your language?

You gonna eat your fat?

[Jon Spaulding]

Bart, I was wondering the same thing about an hour ago, while driving thru LA. First, I noticed a strange light in the sky. Then, a 3-series BLEW by me going about 130 MPH. Then, 10 police cars blew by me going about 120 MPH. I was not able to keep up and see the "happy ending" that probably ensued as they apparently headed out the 60 east. Weird.

The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated. I believe this is related to a serious disturbance in the farce which occured a few weeks ago.....when "no-name" Leary witnessed a round in which I actually hit fairways and made a few putts. This likely would have put McBride and Duran into a state of both shock and disbelief, causing rumors to surface about MY actual whereabouts.

That said, I really have no agenda. I simply come here to party, have a few laughs, and hopefully learn somethiing about interesting golf courses and their design in the process.

[DMoriarty]

Come off it Matt.  Give us all a break.

You have written about Black Mesa over 200 times on this website.  And you either worked for or were planning to work for the company that represents them.  And you were responsible for bringing Black Mesa to the PR company.   And you apparently are responsible for bringing others to the company as well.    You never stopped writing about Black Mesa, never told us that you were trying to launch division of a PR firm for Hamilton Group.  Never told us that part of what you do is find clients for The Hamilton Group.   You claimed you haven't been involved with the PR company for years, but you are still drumming up business for them?  What do you get when you hook up these parties?  And don't insult us by claiming you do it out of the kindness of your heart and have never received anything of value for the Hamilton Group.  Did you tell the newspapers and publications about which you published articles on Black Mesa about your relationship with the PR firm?  

And how about that calendar, Matt?    Who was the PR person behind the nude golf course calendar and how did your name get on the promotional material? I have a very good idea of how, but I'd like to hear it from you.   What is the difference between shilling for a calendar and shilling for a golf course?

The press release mentions that you had been a PR Professional before you went to work for the Hamilton Group.  For 15 years.  Surely some of your PR work involved the Golf industry.    

I have also not been working for any PR group for a number of years -- and when I did their client listing had no individuals, projects, groups tied to the developent of golf courses and the like. I've stated that a few times and your style of accuse and convict is getting old -- very old. I also have never posted comments about any course I hoped to represent -- and this includes the time I started on GCA to present. I understand fully the wall between editorial commentary and those associated with the PR side of things.

This just isnt true is it?   You either had a gig or were working on a gig to do PR for golf developments and golf designers at the same time you were hyping certain golf developments and golf designers.  Were you not planning on trying to get the business of these places?  If not then how did Black Mesa (and who knows where else) end up with Hamilton Group?

Trolling for clients is working for Hamilton Group, and that creates a conflict.   You can write all you want about "the wall" you have created but that means nothing if you haven't disclosed the conflict.    It isn't up to you to decide whether you have been biased it is up to your readers, and you have been anything but honest and forthcoming on here.

[Mike Sweeney]

haven't disclosed the conflict.    It isn't up to you to decide whether you have been biased it is up to your readers, and you have been anything but honest and forthcoming on here.

David,

Goodness knows I like to take a good poke at Matt, but I don't think many here are surprised that Matt works in the industry. Doak, Tom Dunne, Brad Klein ....... they don't post every time that they are on one side or another. We are all pretty sharp around here and can figure it out, so let's move on.

Matt has organized at least 2 events in the early days of GCA when he was Editor Of the Jersey Golfer, where I would be surprised if he covered his expenses on those events. If you want to continue to argue with Matt, I ask that you either call his pharmacy to get his ADD medication filled  ( - I am allowed to poke Matt) or take it to email. Thanks

[PThomas]

Bart, I was wondering the same thing about an hour ago, while driving thru LA. First, I noticed a strange light in the sky. Then, a 3-series BLEW by me going about 130 MPH. Then, 10 police cars blew by me going about 120 MPH. I was not able to keep up and see the "happy ending" that probably ensued as they apparently headed out the 60 east. Weird.

The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated. I believe this is related to a serious disturbance in the farce which occured a few weeks ago.....when "no-name" Leary witnessed a round in which I actually hit fairways and made a few putts. This likely would have put McBride and Duran into a state of both shock and disbelief, causing rumors to surface about MY actual whereabouts.

That said, I really have no agenda. I simply come here to party, have a few laughs, and hopefully learn somethiing about interesting golf courses and their design in the process.

Jon, you have good company:  remember the Paul McCartney is dead hoax from the 60s

[DMoriarty]

Mike
there is no comparison between those three and Matt.  Maybe I am niave but I didn't know he was benefitting from pumping up these coures.  In retrospect I probably should have known given that his reviews read like infomercials, but i didnt and I don't think others did either.

As for me continuing to argue with him, I've no interest.  I'd never bothered for all these years had I known he was just a shill.

In another thread I compared Matt to Earll Dittman.  Turns out I was being unfair to Dittman.

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