Starting Mon, 2/8 - Get to know JC Jones

[JC Jones]

Well good golly......

So....what makes golf fun for you?

Joe

Playing the game with people I like and occasionally hitting a good shot.  Trying to figure out the puzzle that is the course.  Figuring out all the possible shots to hit, choosing the best one and sometimes executing it.  Oh, and did I say playing the game with people I like.

[JC Jones]

Jason-

What is your favorite piece of golf memorabilia?

I don't really have any golf memorabilia other than scorecards, yardage books, etc. from the various courses I've played. 

Did you enjoy your time in the golf retail business? What was your favorite part of the biz?

I did.  I love the golf business, every part of it.  My favorite part was every job I had in the biz.  I look upon all of them fondly.  The best times were working with customers to find the best set of clubs for them and having them come back and talk about how their game had improved.  Hokey but I never got tired of it.

Does your wife enjoy GCA like mine does?

Says we're all dorks and has no interest in the site.

Without talking about the weather what's your favorite part of living in Naples?

Proximity to Seminole

[Eric Smith]

JC -

In your opinion, were the greens too fast at Palmetto?  

Did you enjoy practicing at the dome while at MSU?  Did you ever consider being a teaching pro there?  Anywhere?

Been to Forest Dunes in Roscommon?

Have you taken the family swimming with the manatees while living in Naples?  If so, ever touched them? ...they're really awesome creatures.  My kids would flip to be able to do that.

Thunder Thornton will be riding shotgun when you pick us up in Chicago this summer...he's like 6'12" or something.  Does your car have sufficient leg room to accommodate this great man?

You ham it up with Joe Hancock & Mike DeVries.  You've got a standing bet with Tom Doak.  You are regular pals with Tom Paul and Pat Mucci.  And you play a lot of your golf with America's Guest..."When boy, when....are you gonna get your act together?!" (can you name the movie?)

[JC Jones]

JC -

In your opinion, were the greens too fast at Palmetto? 

No. 

Did you enjoy practicing at the dome while at MSU?  Did you ever consider being a teaching pro there?  Anywhere?

The dome is horrendous.  I'd rather hit balls in the net at Pro Golf in Okemos.  I never considered being a teaching pro at the dome, however I do have a good buddy who runs the Hawk Hollow golf academy in the summer and teaches in the dome during the winter.  He and I worked at Forest Akers together when I was playing at about a 2.  We both talked about becoming teaching pros as we both wanted to work in the biz and loved teaching.  I tried to convince my mom to let me transfer to a PGM program, she said no and I gave up on it.  He went through the apprentice program and got his certification. 

Been to Forest Dunes in Roscommon?

Not yet, maybe this summer.

Have you taken the family swimming with the manatees while living in Naples?  If so, ever touched them? ...they're really awesome creatures.  My kids would flip to be able to do that.

We haven't been swimming with the manatees, I didn't know you could do that.  We did go, last weekend, to see them at a park.  The girls got a big kick out of it though my 2 year old kept saying "oooohhhh, big fishy."  Cracks me up.

Thunder Thornton will be riding shotgun when you pick us up in Chicago this summer...he's like 6'12" or something.  Does your car have sufficient leg room to accommodate this great man?

It has a sunroof

You ham it up with Joe Hancock & Mike DeVries.  You've got a standing bet with Tom Doak.  You are regular pals with Tom Paul and Pat Mucci.  And you play a lot of your golf with America's Guest..."When boy, when....are you gonna get your act together?!" (can you name the movie?)

I'll tell you what, I could get you a job with United Fruit.

[Kevin Pallier]

JC

Any plans to come "down under" at some stage ?

[Steve Lang]

  DBS, where's the love for Belvedere?  has anyone ever told you its a bit like Sheridan Park in Tonawanda?

[JC Jones]

JC

Any plans to come "down under" at some stage ?

I hope so.  So much golf to play, so little time. 

[JC Jones]

DBS, where's the love for Belvedere?  has anyone ever told you its a bit like Sheridan Park in Tonawanda?

The love is always there.  Nobody has ever told me that, I think they want to avoid having me talk about Belvedere as much as possible.

[Patrick Hodgdon]

JC-

Were you more excited to be picked for the GCA GTK thread or having your e-mail posted on Bill Simmons' Super Bowl column?

[Steve Lang]

  JC... Well, there's about a half dozen or so... down hill and uphill ones..

You like the opening and closing holes on the front at the Bel, all the par 3's.., the back nine in general sets up to your power game (when under control or showing off) , there are serveral 4's that are repetitive, but they give some pressure relief,.. there's a lot of shots that one has to learn there.. or be challenged by..  name your top 10 shots there   

[JC Jones]

JC... Well, there's about a half dozen or so... down hill and uphill ones..

You like the opening and closing holes on the front at the Bel, all the par 3's.., the back nine in general sets up to your power game (when under control or showing off) , there are serveral 4's that are repetitive, but they give some pressure relief,.. there's a lot of shots that one has to learn there.. or be challenged by..  name your top 10 shots there   

If you mean the top 10 shots I've hit there, I'm not sure I could name them.  Generally, I'd say these are the most important shots on the course:

1.  Driving your ball on to the first fairway
2.  Hitting your tee shot on to the 4th green
3.  Getting your first putt on the 4th green into gimme range
4.  Hitting the 6th green in 2 and being below the hole
5.  Hitting the fairway on 7.
6.  Hitting the 11th green and being below the hole
7.  Getting your ball as far right on the 15th fairway while still being on the fairway, otherwise this short par 5 becomes a 3 shot hole.
8.  Being in the fairway on 16, you cannot hit the green and keep in there from the rough.
9.  Being anywhere on the 16th green in 2. 
10.  Hitting the fairway on 18, a long par 4 that is unreachable from the left and hard to reach from the right.

[George Freeman]

As a first hand witness of the Double Barky Sparky incident, I can attest that it was one of the most remarkable pars I have EVER seen.  Even worse I was playing against the s.o.b. and his net three beat our net four...

Couple questions for the man of the hour:

What are your favorite holes at the Kingsley Club and why?

What are your favorite holes at Greywalls and why?

Have you ever been in a situation where you're on the 18th green with a 15 foot slippery downhill birdie putt and your partner is pleading with you to lag it down, get your par and halve the match (you had a few three putts up to that point) however you slam it into the back of the cup for a birdie and the win??  What an ass that partner must have been...

[Anthony Gray]

  JC,

  How do you plan introducing your kids to golf?

  Plusses and minusses to teaching over private practice?

 Have you played Sawgrass?

  Favorite place at Disney?

  Anthony

 

[JC Jones]

As a first hand witness of the Double Barky Sparky incident, I can attest that it was one of the most remarkable pars I have EVER seen.  Even worse I was playing against the s.o.b. and his net three beat our net four...

Couple questions for the man of the hour:

What are your favorite holes at the Kingsley Club and why?

All of them?  I like #2 (even though Tom Doak hates it) because I love short, diabolical par 3's.  Nothing like feeling nervous with a wedge in your hand when you should be feeling confident.  #3 is awesome because it plays so many different ways depending on where the pin is.  Also, if you try to bomb it out there and get off line left, you are often times X.  #4 for obvious reasons.  I'd like to putt on that green all day.  #6 because it is sneaky hard.  Looks like a relatively benign tee shot unless you go right and have a blind approach to the green.  Then, if you miss the green left you are in for a heck of an up and down.  #8 because it is a really short par 4 where there is no possible way for a human to drive that green.  And that bunker right in the landing area is as good of a placed bunker as I've seen.  I like #9 as well.  A fun green.

Moving to the back, I really like #11.  Again a short par 3 where you must stay left.  #12 has a great approach to, what seems like a tiny green.  #13 for obvious reasons.  #16 because I love how you can play it way right and watch it roll down to the green.  #18 because I love the approach and the green.  You have an option to stay high right for an easier approach distance wise or go down to the left for an uphill approach with a better angle at the green.  

All in all, Kingsley has so many holes that make you think I love playing the course.

What are your favorite holes at Greywalls and why?

I don't remember much of Greywalls because I was just in awe of Mike D the entire time  #2 has one of the coolest greens and approaches I've seen.  I loved #4, again because of the option to go left or right off the tee and get an entirely different hole either way.  #5 is nice but it's a really easy hole  Actually, I love #5 because you can challenge the green and end up left and dead or play out right but then have an intimidating approach with the rock wall looming on the right.  #6 is a great par 3 and is the perfect par 3 for that piece of property.  #9, with the skyline green is phenomenal.  Then when you get to the green it is diabolical.  #10 might be my favorite hole out there.  You have to challenge the bunker and the left side of the fairway otherwise you have a blind approach over the rocks.  I like #'s 13 and 14 out in the flat area.  Particularly #14 which messes with your mind on the approach because of the angle of the green.  #17, again, a short and diabolical par 3.  Mayhugh got a hole in 1 in the AM, we played together in the afternoon and I hit the EXACT same shot he did but came up 18inches short.  Fun hole.

I hope to get back up there this summer, an awesome track.

Have you ever been in a situation where you're on the 18th green with a 15 foot slippery downhill birdie putt and your partner is pleading with you to lag it down, get your par and halve the match (you had a few three putts up to that point) however you slam it into the back of the cup for a birdie and the win??  What an ass that partner must have been...

Why lag when you have a chance for the win?  I'm definitely not as good as I once was, but I'm certainly as good once, as I ever was.

[JC Jones]

  JC,

  How do you plan introducing your kids to golf?

I plan on introducing them at their own pace.  I don't want to force the game on them but I certainly want them to recognize how important I think the game is.  We had some plastic clubs and would hit the ball around the yard up in Michigan and we play a lot of putt-putt as a family.  I think those soft introductions are the way to go and hopefully one or all of them will grab on to the game.

  Plusses and minusses to teaching over private practice?

The plusses are the amount of time I can spend with my family, the great fun I have working with students and the freedom to engage in intellectual pursuit.  The minusses are the money and not doing deals.  I've always been entrepreneurial and I miss the working with clients who are building, creating and growing cool businesses.

Have you played Sawgrass?

No, I have not.  Nor do I intend to unless it is free or reasonably priced. 

  Favorite place at Disney?

  Anthony

 

Magic Kingdom.  Old school and original.  I love seeing my kids' faces when they meet the characters or go on the rides.  You can't beat the romantacism of the Magic Kingdom.  It brings out the kid in me and my kids absolutely love it.

[George Pazin]

JC, there is a book called Driving the Green by John Strawn (if memory serves) you may find entertaining. It is about the designing and building of a golf course down in south Florida called Iron Horse (don't know if it still exists).

Have you made it to World Woods? I was blown away at the time - had only been playing about a year, had never seen anything beyond my home muni and a couple mom and pop'ers in my area - but in retrospect, I am less so.

What area of the law do you teach?

[JC Jones]

JC, there is a book called Driving the Green by John Strawn (if memory serves) you may find entertaining. It is about the designing and building of a golf course down in south Florida called Iron Horse (don't know if it still exists).

Sounds interesting, I'll check it out.  I wonder if they encountered any wetlands

Have you made it to World Woods? I was blown away at the time - had only been playing about a year, had never seen anything beyond my home muni and a couple mom and pop'ers in my area - but in retrospect, I am less so.

I have not, although many sing the resort's praises.  Hopefully I'll get a chance at some point.  I guess if there is a decent Fazio out there, WW is it because he spent so much time there. 

What area of the law do you teach?

I teach Contracts, Corporations and Commerical law.  None of the stuff that most people want to teach but I think it is the most important for the every day world.  Plus, it is stuff that is on the bar exam and that is job #1 for a law student.

[Anthony Gray]

  JC,

  What would you call your autobiography?

  Had a hole-in- one?

  Ever been a divorce attorney?

  Define slander.

  Not licking your chops for 17 at Sawgrass?

  Your personal Doak Scale would include what?

  Thanks for playing...Anthony

[JC Jones]

  JC,

  What would you call your autobiography?

The sexiest man alive.

  Had a hole-in- one?

Not yet.  I will tell you that it is my goal every time I step on the tee of a par 3.

  Ever been a divorce attorney?

Thankfully, no.

  Define slander.

A defamatory assertion expressed in a transitory form.

  Not licking your chops for 17 at Sawgrass?

Nope

 

Your personal Doak Scale would include what?

  Thanks for playing...Anthony

A scoring range of 1-10.

[Eric Smith]

  Not licking your chops for 17 at Sawgrass?

JC, you can get damn close to the real thing back in your hometown at Eagle Eye.  Though it'll take you 5 1/2 hours to get to that hole... 

[JC Jones]

  Not licking your chops for 17 at Sawgrass?

JC, you can get damn close to the real thing back in your hometown at Eagle Eye.  Though it'll take you 5 1/2 hours to get to that hole... 

I've never played Eagle Eye, thankfully.

[Wade Whitehead]

JC:

Thanks for taking a turn.

Did Scott McCarron slander Phil Mickelson?

With what equipment do you play?

Who would you rather play a round with and why: Tiger Woods or Steve Stricker?

WW

[JC Jones]

JC:

Thanks for taking a turn.

Did Scott McCarron slander Phil Mickelson?

It depends.  There are a lot of variables in slander.  The latter part is met because what he said was spoken.  The question becomes, whether saying he was cheating is defamatory.  Which means, was it an untrue statement that damaged Phil Mickelson's reputation?  As you can see, there are two questions that stem from that question, both whether it was untrue and whether Phil Mickelson can prove damages.  Unfortunately I don't know enough about slander, nor the facts to be able to answer any of those questions.

With what equipment do you play?

TM Superquad Driver
TM Midsize Raylor 3 metal
Nickent Hybrid
4-PW Mizuno MP-30
52 Vokey
56 +60 Mizuno MP T wedges
I changed putters all the time, I'm a disaster on the greens

Who would you rather play a round with and why: Tiger Woods or Steve Stricker?

WW

I don't know.  The older I get and the more "famous" people I meet the less I think about these types of things.  Right now, a round with someone like Pat Mucci, Tom Paul or Ran appeals to me as much as a round with TW or SS.  I think those guys are filled with great stories equally as intriguing as what Tiger or SS could say.

That being said, probably Stricker.  Seems like a good midwestern guy with solid values; that is something I strive to be.

[Ed Oden]

Jason, let me get this straight.  You just got through playing Seminole and have upcoming trips to Harbour Town, Kingsley and...Carolina?  All I can think of is... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZIvgQ9ik48&feature=fvw  I just hope we can keep up with the Jones!

Tell me some architectural features or concepts that you like and/or don't like.  I am interested in your personal thoughts and not the conventional wisdom of the treehouse unless, of course, they match.

Pray for good weather!

Ed

[JC Jones]

Jason, let me get this straight.  You just got through playing Seminole and have upcoming trips to Harbour Town, Kingsley and...Carolina?  All I can think of is... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZIvgQ9ik48&feature=fvw  I just hope we can keep up with the Jones!

As the father of three kids under 6, the last thing I need is MORE Sesame Street in my life

Tell me some architectural features or concepts that you like and/or don't like.  I am interested in your personal thoughts and not the conventional wisdom of the treehouse unless, of course, they match.

Pray for good weather!

Ed

I think a golf course should reflect and not alter the natural topography to the fullest extent possible.  For example, a great course down here, The Hideout, is completely flat.  But all of the land down here is completely flat as it is drained swamp.  Kelly Moran did a great job using angles and bunkers to make you think your way around the course.  A completely opposite course would be one like Kingsley with many natural undulations throughout the property.  In either case, very little earth was moved and the earth that was moved was done in such a manner that the final product looks as natural as what was there before it.  I've not played many Donald Ross courses, but, from what I understand, he did a great job maximizing the routing of the course based upon the topography of the land.  I don't believe that just because you can do something, you should.

I'm not sure if this is conventional tree house wisdom or not.  Other things I get down with, crazy greens and wide fairways.

Right now the forecast is for sunshine