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Andrew Loverock

New Member Introduction
« on: October 13, 2014, 11:53:03 AM »
Hello everyone, I have been an avid reader of the site, but just recently became a member.

My name is Andrew Loverock, originally from a small town near Barrie, Ontario, Canada but currently taking a Master's in Landscape Architecture at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. I just graduated from the University of Guelph with a marketing degree. I am officially a retired hockey player and like most hockey players in Canada I spent my summers growing up golfing. I have always had a passion for golf course architecture, but it has been on the back burner until recently. Having friends in the BLA program at Guelph and operating a landscaping company for a few years made me aware of the opportunities and started to fuel my creativity.

I was a junior member at Midland Golf & CC and have since just travelled around playing various courses in Ontario, New York and Florida. I look forward to doing the same in the UK while I'm in school. I hope to learn a lot from this board and hopefully gain/share some local/insider knowledge on courses in Scotland. Thanks for having me!

JLahrman

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Re: New Member Introduction
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2014, 11:55:24 AM »
Welcome Andrew.

Sooooo...any decent courses around Edinburgh?

Paul Gray

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Re: New Member Introduction
« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2014, 12:02:46 PM »
Andrew,

Big welcome. Do hope you enjoy your time up in Scotland.
In the places where golf cuts through pretension and elitism, it thrives and will continue to thrive because the simple virtues of the game and its attendant culture are allowed to be most apparent. - Tim Gavrich

Andrew Loverock

Re: New Member Introduction
« Reply #3 on: October 13, 2014, 12:14:45 PM »
Welcome Andrew.

Sooooo...any decent courses around Edinburgh?

I haven't been able to golf yet because Air Canada "misplaced" my clubs, but there are a lot of James Braid courses within the City of Edinburgh. I really look forward to seeing Musselburgh and North Berwick soon, which are within 45 mins. I went to the Dunhill Links at St. Andrews last weekend and seeing the Old Course for the first time was an awesome experience.

Jason Thurman

  • Karma: +1/-0
Re: New Member Introduction
« Reply #4 on: October 13, 2014, 04:24:29 PM »
Welcome Andrew.

I went to the Dunhill Links at St. Andrews last weekend and seeing the Old Course for the first time was an awesome experience.

The Old Course has a reputation for being the least appealing Great Course in the world upon first sight. Everyone from Bobby Jones to Scott Hoch has hated it at first sight. What was it that made the experience of seeing it for the first time awesome for you?
"There will always be haters. That’s just the way it is. Hating dudes marry hating women and have hating ass kids." - Evan Turner

Some of y'all have never been called out in bold green font and it really shows.

Jim Nugent

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Re: New Member Introduction
« Reply #5 on: October 13, 2014, 05:47:21 PM »
Andrew, seems like lots of hockey players do quite well at golf.  True for you as well? 

Chris DeToro

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: New Member Introduction
« Reply #6 on: October 13, 2014, 06:46:36 PM »
I'm not Scott Hoch, but I loved St Andrews at first sight. 

Despite other top pros, Tiger had a pretty good first experience

Welcome to the board--I studied a semester at the University of St Andrews.  Definitely take advantage of your time there!  What are your favorite courses in Canada? 

Michael Graham

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Re: New Member Introduction
« Reply #7 on: October 14, 2014, 05:50:38 AM »
Welcome Andrew.

I hope you're enjoying your time in Edinburgh so far. I'm an Edinburgh boy born and bred. Send me a PM and we can get a game organised once your clubs arrive.

Michael

Andrew Loverock

Re: New Member Introduction
« Reply #8 on: October 14, 2014, 07:59:07 AM »
Welcome Andrew.

I went to the Dunhill Links at St. Andrews last weekend and seeing the Old Course for the first time was an awesome experience.

The Old Course has a reputation for being the least appealing Great Course in the world upon first sight. Everyone from Bobby Jones to Scott Hoch has hated it at first sight. What was it that made the experience of seeing it for the first time awesome for you?
It was more of the atmosphere and history of the course and town that impressed me about St. Andrews. They kept everyone to the outside during the tournament so it was difficult to see at times, but some holes were definitely the most unusual I have ever seen. I definitely plan on going back there soon to study the course.

Andrew, seems like lots of hockey players do quite well at golf.  True for you as well?  

At times haha. I think there a lot of skills you need to be successful at hockey (more on the mental side of the game) that transfer over well into golf. The golf season in Canada aligns perfectly with the off season for hockey, so when you have nothing else to do it is very easy to spend all day on the course.

What are your favorite courses in Canada?  

Of the ones I've played I'd have to say Hamilton G&CC, Cobble Beach and Muskoka Bay are my favourite. I saw a lot of courses in the Muskoka region of Ontario this past summer and I really liked Rocky Crest and North Granite Ridge. Both have a lot of exposed rock and outcroppings that you don't see on many courses. I also played Tarandowah (a Martin Hawtree design), which is one of the few links style courses in Ontario. I enjoyed it overall, but some of the holes don't really fit well in the setting.
« Last Edit: October 14, 2014, 08:01:25 AM by Andrew Loverock »

Emil Weber

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: New Member Introduction
« Reply #9 on: October 14, 2014, 08:14:18 AM »
Welcome to GCA, Andrew!

Landscape Architecture in Edinburgh seems like a really good deal. I was thinking about doing it some time back. They used to have a Master's degree in Golf Course Architecture aswell, that would have been interesting, too!

Cheers

PCCraig

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Re: New Member Introduction
« Reply #10 on: October 14, 2014, 09:56:53 AM »
Welcome, Andrew!
H.P.S.

Pete Blaisdell

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Re: New Member Introduction
« Reply #11 on: October 14, 2014, 10:15:28 AM »
Andrew

  Welcome to the nut house. Nah, not that bad. Lots of great people here who really love the game. Just watch out for Mucci and Kavenaugh. Ah, hell , they're both softies in drag but pretty sharp boys. Don't hesitate to make a point. You might get jumped on but it's all in good fun when the smoke clears.

  GCA is THE best site on the planet! Enjoy.
' Golf courses are like wives and the prom queen doesn't always make for the best wife "