[Mac Plumart]

First off, let me say “Hello.”  My name is Mac and although I am fairly new to the game, but I am “off my rocker” concerning almost every aspect of golf…the game, its history, architecture, etc.

I have a “just for fun” website that I goof around with and I have places where I break down who I am and how I found the game…so I won’t bore you with all of those details, as you can simply visit the site and read what I’ve written…nevertheless, a few quick details are probably appropriate.

I am 36 years old male originally from the mid-west, married with two children (a 5 year old boy and a 7 year old girl).  I used to be a fairly accomplished athlete, all-league/state champion/multiple letters in high school…the sports I played were baseball, football, and basketball.  After 4 years in the Corps, I went to BGSU in Ohio and competed on a national level in kickboxing/martial arts…once again state championships and a national ranking.  Moved to Atlanta in 1998 and began my career in the financial industry and worked insane hours for years and then co-founded a firm in 2005.  I got sick in 2006, had some major issues with my legs, femurs died and crumbled, and over the last 8 months I have had both of my hips completely replaced.

Due to these health issues, I lost the ability to do/compete in the sports I’d loved my whole life and was really, really lost and depressed for more than a year.  However, in 2007 I was called by a friend to go golfing with him.  This seemingly mundane event changed my life for the better.  Not that it matters, but I hit 121 that day and struggled to hit the ball straight and get the ball in that darned hole.  Nevertheless, I was HOOKED!!! To date, the best score I’ve posted on my GHIN card is 81…and with only two years worth of playing on terribly painful and questionable legs, I am proud of that.  But no, I don’t walk courses as it is still to painful for me…but maybe one day…as I think the exercise would be a good thing for me.

My purpose for wanting to join this site and do more than just read your posts, is to learn.  I have an insatiable appetite for knowledge concerning all aspects of the game and by being a member I hope to have a quick and easy venue to ask questions and facilitate my learning process and move up the learning curve.  Of course, I will offer my opinion and/or thoughts wherever it is warranted…but I understand my place in the hierarchy of golf course architecture expertise.

I could go on and on…but I will end it with these two tid-bits.

Thus far, I have read the following golf related books.  What others are “must reads” considering my desire to educate myself regarding the game, its history, and architecture.

The Anatomy of a Golf Course                                                by Tom Doak
Rough Mediations                                                                   by Bradley Klein
The Future of Golf                                                                   by Geoff Shackelford
Five Lessons:  The Modern Fundamentals of Golf                    by Ben Hogan           
Golf is my Game                                                                       by Bobby Jones                   Golf in the Kingdom                                                                  by Michael Murphy  Discovering Donald Ross                                                         by Brad Klein
Bury me in a Pot Bunker                                                           by Pete Dye and Mark Shaw
A Walk in the Park                                                                    by Brad Klein               
Confidential Guide to Golf Courses                                          by Tom Doak 
The Golf Course                                                                      by Cornish and Whitten        Golf Architecture                                                                      by Alister Mackenzie   
The Inner Game of Golf                                                           by W. Timothy Gallwey
A Golfer's Dream                                                                     by Larry Berle


Also, I live in Atlanta and I love to golf and I am looking to build a network of fellow golf lovers.  If anyone lives in or nearby Atlanta, or happens to be passing through, feel free to give me a shout as I would love to entertain fellow members of this site on the course.  I belong to St. Ives in Duluth.  Some of the public courses I like to play in the area are Longshadow, Cuscowilla, and Achasta.  I also have some pretty good connections with some of the premier private clubs in the area and am able to get people on to those courses once we have established a relationship.  Remember, I can’t walk courses…so I have to ride…even at walking only courses like East Lake.  However, my playing partners walk there…which is always weird…but oh well…what can you do.

Finally, to date my favorite course is Kiawah Ocean.  The biggest hidden gem I’ve played is the Country Club of Columbus in Columbus, GA.  And my next big golf trip will be in November…World Woods (Pine Barrens), Black Diamond Ranch (Quarry), and TPC Sawgrass (Stadium).

My apologies for the length of this email…I look forward to getting to know you all!

Mac

[Anthony Gray]

  Thanks for the story. Golf is too great of a game to limit it to just walkers.

  Welcome Mac.

  Anthony

[Rory Connaughton]

Mac

Thanks for your service and welcome.

[Kalen Braley]

Mac,

A hearty welcome to you and glad to have you aboard.  I look forward to your comments and thoughts about the future of the game especially as it relates to carts on the course.

Kalen

[Phil_the_Author]

Mac,

Welcome aboard! There are a number of GCA members in the area. Don't be surprised by how many will say hi! They're all great guys. I'm in Alpharetta.

We'll have to say hello sometime...

Phil

[Mac Plumart]

First off…to all of you thanks for the welcome.  I am truly excited to a member of the site.

Secondly…Kalen, concerning the walking vs. riding issue that you alluded to in your welcome, I guess I don’t truly understand where all the vitriol comes from concerning the topic.  But as I mentioned in my intro, I am brand new to the game.  In fact, even before I played my first round in 2007 it seemed to be assumed that when you play golf you ride in a cart…kind of like wearing high-tops when you play basketball or wearing batting gloves when you play baseball.  However I have learned from reading some of the posts on this site, that I didn’t fully understand the depth of the issue or people’s passion regarding the issue.

Actually playing the game with all the physical issues I was dealing with, I felt like a true die-hard golfer.  But reading the thoughts and opinions concerning “cart ballers” really shocked me and really hurt me and my feelings.  At that time, I felt like I was giving everything I had to the game, given my physical limitations…but people were looking down and me and judging me because I was a “cart golfer” and, therefore, not a real golfer.
 
In fact, I reached out to Rob Rigg on his website and had very constructive and educational email conversations with him.  I thought the nuggets of knowledge that I learned from him were great and I hope I gave him at least one solid takeaway.  He made a comment that he didn’t understand why people took such offense when they were called “cart golfers”.  My response was, “I think people take offense to being called "cart golfers" as they take it to mean they are not real golfers due to the fact you have a descriptive word in front of the term golfer.  Remember Annika's induction to the Hall of Fame?  She quoted Ron Sirak's' article that simply called her a golfer, not a female golfer, and she went on to say that is all she ever aspired to be...a golfer.”  Anyway, I think he saw my side of it and I certainly saw his.

I respect Mr. Rigg and learned a lot from our conversations.  I no longer feel bad about being a “cart-baller” and have since learned that no one can make me feel bad about how I play golf, if I don’t let them.  It is a simple mind over matter issue.  If I don’t mind, others comments and opinions don’t matter.

Concerning how carts and cart paths affect architecture?  I am no expert, however many of the guys on this site are.  I am a business man and I can say that if the owner/club hires an architect to build a “cart ball” course, he should do it…if he wants to feed his and his employees families.  Also, I can say that I really liked the non-paved sandy cart paths at Kiawah Ocean.  Non-obtrusive, natural looking…nice! 

Lastly, I absolutely do not want to start a fight about his on my first post.  I respect walking golfers greatly.  I have no issues with golfers who like to ride, even if they don’t have to.  I only take issue with people who don’t respect the game, the course, or their fellow competitors.  I think golf is a gentlemen’s game and people should behave that way on and off the course.  But maybe that’s another post.

Later…and thanks again for the warm welcome!  Phillip, I will get in touch with you soon.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Mac

Welcome and get stuck in.

No one is looking down on you. To play, you use a cart to get you around, there is no problem in that whatsoever. 

I and others have never complained when a cart is require for medical reasons. You should take pride is actually taking up golf with the problems you have, that in my book shows courage.

Whatever else is said we can't get away from the fact that Golf is a walking game but some need assistance in getting around the course.

Enjoy posting and your game

Melvyn

[Kalen Braley]

Mac,

Very well said...glad to have you aboard and don't feel shy about jumping in....the water is warm... well at least most of the time!! 

[Anthony Gray]

Mac

Welcome and get stuck in.

No one is looking down on you. To play, you use a cart to get you around, there is no problem in that whatsoever. 

I and others have never complained when a cart is require for medical reasons. You should take pride is actually taking up golf with the problems you have, that in my book shows courage.

Whatever else is said we can't get away from the fact that Golf is a walking game but some need assistance in getting around the course.

Enjoy posting and your game

Melvyn

 Melvyn,

  Well said my friend.

  Anthony

[Jim Colton]

Mac,

Glad to see a familiar name on GCA. Welcome aboard.

Jim

[Mark Pritchett]

Welcome Mac!

I played St. Ives two weeks and had a great time.  Looking forward to your posts.

Mark

[Joel Zuckerman]

Mac,

I've never before said "hello" to a newcomer, as is often the custom on this site, but your story struck a chord with me.  Please let me know if your travels ever bring you to Savannah or Hilton Head, and we can perhaps tee it up somewhere.

You are off to a good start with your golf library, but in many ways it is woefully lacking.

Let me suggest a quintet of indispensable, entertaining, award-winning books:

Golf in the Lowcountry--An Extraordinary Journey through Hilton Head Island & Savannah-----Joel Zuckerman

Golf Charms of Charleston---Joel Zuckerman

Misfits on the Links--A Golfer's Guide to Freaks Along the Fairway---Joel Zuckerman

A Hacker's Humiliations---A Glossary of Golf Grotesqueries---Joel Zuckerman

Pete Dye--Golf Courses--Fifty Years of Visionary Design---Joel Zuckerman

[Mac Plumart]

Let me say, "WOW!!!"

I am overwhelmed by this reception both on the site and the "inbox" and email.  I was nervous about joining and still am a little...but this has been great...beyond my expectations.  Thanks!!!

Joel...I must admit, I haven't heard of all of those books...but I will get on Amazon right now and order as many of them as I can!!!

[Bob_Huntley]

Mac,

Like you, at one time I was a bit of a jock but an accumulation of sports injuries took its toll. Mostly I walk and use a Kangaroo Cart sort of device to carry my clubs but now and again I ride. I have a rich history of orthopaedic traumas and if some jerk remarked that I was a cartball golfer I might well fell him with a sand wedge across the skull.

Keep playing and just enjoy the ride.

Best wishes.

Bob

[Mike_Young]

Mac,
Have fun on this site....
I play St Ives a few times a year for different outings etc....let me know if can ever help around Atlanta.....
Mike

[Matt Bosela]

Mac,

Great to see you on GCA - I've enjoyed our emails and look forward to reading your posts on this site, which is already much better now that you're a part of it!

I also look forward to meeting and teeing it up with you some day, hopefully not in the distant future.

[RJ_Daley]

Mac, it is interesting how so many people who are good to great athletes, and didn't have time for golf in their athletic hayday, find golf and become passionate about it after their previous sport competitive years are waning.  I'm sorry that you have those leg maladies that took you away from certain sports you loved.  But, also I'm glad you can enjoy golf from the cart and keep your competitive and sporting life going.  Good luck and I hope I'll meet you sometime. 

Since you have a certain perspective of being forced to use a cart, I would think you might look at some courses differently due to the cart perspective.  So, while you told us of your liking of Kiawah Ocean for its natural sandy cart paths that blend it, are there other courses where you think the cart path scheme is superior and well thought out?  I'd recommend Sand Hills... 

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

Hi Mac,

Welcome to GCA. I thought your intro was remarkable. I don't usually reply to new member intros as I usually have nothing much to say, except "Welcome". I thought your point about being regarded as just a "golfer" was very thought provoking. Well done for taking up the game inspite of your medical difficulties. Luckily for you, you chose the right sport. Golf is without doubt the most wonderful sport there is.

Regarding books, well you could have a look at Paul Daley's "Golf Architecture" series (Volume 1-5). Another one to look out for is "The Spirit of St Andrews" by Alistair MacKenzie. I'm just building up my library of golf books, so I'm not the best one to give advice.

Dónal.

[Mac Plumart]

Matt and Donal…thanks!  Much appreciated.

RJ…Before I start to respond to your question, let me re-iterate that I am not an expert in golf course architecture.  I am here to learn, but will give my opinion where appropriate.  With that in mind…

Concerning cart paths, I think it is inarguable that they detract from the natural beauty of the course.  From my perspective seeing a cart path cut across the fairway is not appealing for two reasons…#1 it detracts from the “walk in the park” feeling the a well designed golf course can induce, #2 it can have an effect on play if your ball hits it and shoots sky high; which is an event that would not happen if a completely natural course were laid out.

With point #2 in mind, I prefer a course where the cart path doesn’t come into play unless a really, really bad shot is hit.  For instance, I played Sunday and hit a 7 iron 155 yards from a side hill lie that was pin high but missed the green to the right by about 10 yards.  Certainly not a great shot, but not awful.  It hit the cart path, bounded sky high, went another 20 yards, and OB.  That type of stuff is frustrating.  With this in mind, cart paths that closely wind around a green can be in-play and therefore I don’t like it.

Clubs that I think have a good design for cart paths…

Kiawah Ocean (you’ve already mentioned my thoughts on it),
East Lake (they don’t have any!),
Inverness (they only use them infrequently)
Cuscowilla (they are usually way out of play and well hidden)
Piedmont Driving Club (similar to Cuscowilla)

[Evan Fleisher]

Welcome Mac!

Thanks for yuor comments and thoughts thus far...always great to have new opinions and ideas around here to help understand different perspectives.

I'm currently an Ohio-guy...but I have a warehouse I travel to down in Oakwood from time-to-time, and I'm also a Georgia Tech grad so love getting back to ATL.  Maybe we'll get the chance to play during one of those trips!

Regards.

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

Mac:

Regarding golf book, you should take a look at the Internet Archive at,

http://www.archive.org/index.php

If you cannot buy new editions of these, the following books are there in pdf format;

"The World of Golf" (1898) by Garden Smith
"The Books of the Links - A Symposium on Golf" (1912) by George Riddell, Bernard Darwin, H.S. Colt et al.
"The Golf Courses of the British Isles" (1910) by Bernard Darwin
"Modern Golf" (1913) by Harold H Hilton
"Bristish Golf Links" (1897) by Horace Hutchinson
"Twelve of the Best on the LMS" by Dell Leigh
"Taylor on Golf" (1905) by J.H. Taylor
"The New Book on Golf" (1912) Edited by Horace G. Hutchinson
"The Life of Tom Morris" by W.W. Tulloch
"How to Play Golf" (1912) by James Braid & Harry Vardon
"Some essays on golf-course architecture" (1920) by H.S. Colt

Just do a search on the authors.

You will find more if you search on "golf", but some are not available as pdf to download:

"Economy in Course Construction and Green-keeping" (1920) by A. Mackenzie, H.S. Colt

Dónal.

[Mac Plumart]

Awesome...I'll check out that link and those books!

[George Pazin]

Welcome to the site - check out your messages in the upper right corner!

I think there are a couple pieces in the In My Opinion section of this site on what books you might enjoy.

[Germain Pepin]

Welcome to the site Mac.

Like you, i have a lot of books concerning the golf course architecture to read in a near future.

Germain

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