GCA Pay it Forward: The Ballyneal Experiment

[Jim Colton]

First of all, Merry Christmas to all!

Second of all, I want to say that I've enjoyed the Pay it Forward experiment that Wade introduced in the following thread: http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,42519.0/

I wanted to take the concept a little further and see if we can use this thread to help our GCA brethren.  I'm talking about sending somebody on GCA to a course that they haven't seen and otherwise might not be able to see.  Right now, I'm talking about a weekend in Ballyneal. And if this concept catches on, hopefully it will mean other guys on potentially other courses.

The method is simple...recently I set-up a Amazon associate link on my blogs and it generates revenue every time somebody clicks through and ends up buying anything.  It adds up in a hurry...right now I get 6.5% on whatever is purchased and it can go up to 8.5%.

So I set up a GCA-specific tracking id and have the link below (if you want to support the movement, add the link to your signature as I have).  I'm not asking you to buy anything you wouldn't already buy, but if you're planning on making a purchase on amazon, go through the link first.  Essentially, amazon will be paying to send somebody on GCA to see and study a great golf course.  How cool is that?

http://bit.ly/gcapif2

To get this party jump started, I will donate the ~$100 I've already accumulated in associate links and will also throw in a $100 e-certificate for United to help get the guy out to Colorado (needs to be used before August though).  If others have ideas and/or donations, please send me a PM.

If you're looking for specific golf books, I will add direct links to this thread.  Feel free to suggest books and I will add them as we go along (we can also make this a place to list books by GCA guys or friends of GCA as well).  Here are a few to start:

The Anatomy of a Golf Course: The Art of Golf Architecture by Tom Doak

Evangelist of Golf: The Story of Charles Blair MacDonald by George Bahto

Golf Architecture: A Worldwide Perspective Volume 5 by Paul Daley

Planet Golf USA: The Definitive Reference to Great Golf Courses in America by Darius Oliver

Grounds for Golf: The History and Fundamentals of Golf Course Design by Geoff Shackelford
031227808X

Discovering Donald Ross: The Architect and his Golf Courses by Brad Klein

The Spirit of St. Andrews by Alister Mackenzie

Dream Golf: The Making of Bandon Dunes by Stephen Goodwin

Lost Links: Forgotten Treasures of Golf's Golden Age by Daniel Wexler

Pete Dye Golf Courses: Fifty Years of Visionary Design by Joel Zuckerman

The Midwest Associate: The Life and Work of Perry Duke Maxwell by Chris Clouser

[Jud_T]

Jim,

good call. i've spent a small fortune on amazon over the years 

[Stewart Abramson]

That's a nice idea. I wish it had been available a few weeks ago as I made a lot of Amazon purchases for holiday gifts.

[Ron Csigo]

Merry Christmas Jim and to everyone on GCA.  This is a wonderful concept.

[Brad Fleischer]

If this doesn't qualify as having the christmas spirit call me scrooge. This guy Jim is so nice is makes me sick ;p

Ballyneal is def a place that should be experienced at least once and I will use the link on my next purchase.

Brad

PS

The author of this thread also has a book out that just made the ny times bestseller list check it out !!

[Matt MacIver]

Excellent idea, I usually get one golf book gifted from my amazon wish-list, and then I go in and buy another one myself so I'll click on in the next few weeks. 

[Tony Weiler]

Great idea, I just tried it and bought a certain GCA members book!!

[Jud_T]

likewise   

[Richard Choi]

Awesome idea, Jim! Wish it was available when I got the book.

There is no better way to experience everything that GCA is about than to go on a trip to Ballyneal with fellow GCA'ers. I am looking forward to this year's trip.

[Kyle Henderson]

Colton,

You continue to be one of my personal and professional heroes, despite your miserable authorship.

[Jim Colton]

Well, I was intentionally trying to keep my book out of the discussion, but since it's now part of the thread, I'll now throw any royalties from my book that come from that tracking-id into the pot as well.

[CJ Carder]

Awesome idea - I'm getting gift cards and money for Christmas so I'll definitely use this for my amazon purchases. 

Now, how do we decide who to send on these trips?

[Tim Bert]

Awesome idea - I'm getting gift cards and money for Christmas so I'll definitely use this for my amazon purchases. 

Now, how do we decide who to send on these trips?

My guess is that T-Pain gets the trip. He Always gets picked for stuff like this and he is tight with Jim.

Jim - wonderful idea!  Imagine if you could manage to drive all Amazon traffic through your site. Oh, the revenue you'd create. Oh, the places you'd be sending people.  I hope to be watching Season 3, Ep 1 tomoorow night.

Merry Christmas everyone!

[Jim Colton]

CJ,

I have a specific person in mind for the first trip. No, it's not one of the Tang brothers. I never met the guy before. 

After that, I guess we can have some sort of nomination process.

Note I changed the link to http://bit.ly/gcapif2

Jim

[Jim Tang]

NOT one of the Tang brothers?!  Outrageous!

[Brad Swanson]

Bummer, I ordered a TV from Amazon the night before you posted your referral link. 

Brad

[Jud_T]

I love the nomination process idea. Our own mini-Evans scholarship!

[Jim Colton]

So, who got golf books from Santa this year?  Any recommendations for the master list above?

I received Planet Golf USA and World Atlas of Golf. Not from Santa but from my boss (via B&N gift card). I guess that makes all those 80-hour work weeks worth it!

[Tim Bert]

I got a book called "101 Golf Courses" which I had never heard of but it is interesting so far. Sort of like a poor man's World Atlas (I have a couple of these) it has courses around the world (guess how many.) there are only 16 from the states, so it is focused on courses around the world. It shows the layout for every course featured, plenty of nice inclusions like names and a little background on 30 of The Old Course bunkers, and some courses I haven't necessarily seen featured in other books (every course appears to have at least two full pages.)

Some the course selection seems a bit off (perhaps focused on tournament golf for instance Valhalla and Torrey Pines are two of the limited US selections) but there are also some international ones I was glad to see (such as Barnbougle Dunes.)

I can provide a better review after I actually dig in.   

[Buck Wolter]

So, who got golf books from Santa this year?  Any recommendations for the master list above?

I received Planet Golf USA and World Atlas of Golf. Not from Santa but from my boss (via B&N gift card). I guess that makes all those 80-hour work weeks worth it!

I received Volumes 4 & 5 of Golf Architecture (I gave a big hint, including a link) and got surprised with a signed out of print favorite as well.  


As a note I tried to send the World Atlas of Golf but Amazon was out of stock -- hopefully good news for Mark and gang.

[Tony Weiler]

Santa brought me the Confidential Guide, and she also got me 50 Places to Play Before you Die. 

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Interesting and very good idea

[Jim Colton]

Santa brought me the Confidential Guide, and she also got me 50 Places to Play Before you Die. 

Tony,

You must've been very good this year.

[J_ Crisham]

CJ,

I have a specific person in mind for the first trip. No, it's not one of the Tang brothers. I never met the guy before. 

After that, I guess we can have some sort of nomination process.

Note I changed the link to http://bit.ly/gcapif2

Jim

I love the nomination process idea. Our own mini-Evans scholarship!

Sounds like a trip for our own Jordan Wall . He plays the greatest courses of any Evans Scholars I know-and I know about 1000 of them. Great idea ,Jim.   Wish you good luck,  Jack

[Steve Strasheim]

Very cool thing you are doing with the amazon link.

Just used it for an order.