2011---The Best Year of My Life

[Mike_Young]

Brian,
I don't think Tom said anything terse or equivocal in his response to #19 post.  I think it is great that Mac has gained so much from this site and there are a lot of really good guys on this site that allow such.  

But this is not a golf industry site.  The part of this site that really keeps it interesting for me is when some of these post do think they are so close to the "heartbeat" of the industry.  That's when true Golf Dorkism really comes out..

I think it is critical for guys to remember this site is mainly entertainment.  And it takes people with a common interest gives them a place to vent or write.  That's good and it's interesting.  It's like being in a Justin Beiber Fan club or a New York Yankees Fan Club or Ga Bulldogs barking club
Reading these post made me ask myself a question which I would like to ask others here.  How many people on this site play most of their golf with others on this site?  I rarely do but wonder if it is common with some on here.

[Terry Lavin]

Justin Bieber fan club?  Thy words sting this here golf dork!

[Bill_McBride]

Tom. Yes but you are / were always destined to be in the golf industry - the golf community to which you refer is not accessible to everyone  - only if you achieve what you have in the golfing sphere or if you join GCA because you are crazy about golf architecture and hold the traditions of the game dear. This community is not to be found at your average golf club anywhere...but having said that, for folk like Mac and the rest of us who are not high profile figures in the golf world, you will not get the full benefits of GCA without truly engaging with your fellow participants - I can't think of any other forum that would enable an individual to get this close to the heartbeat of the golf industry without formally having a stake in it - I think this is what Mac is celebrating

You are not as close to the heartbeat of the golf industry as you think you are!

 If you were, you probably wouldn't use a term that connotes it having a heartbeat.

Did you mean having a heart?   

[Michael George]

Tom:

I know you to be correct about the wonderful community of golf.  While nowhere close to your involvement, I have made many friends through my participation in the game of golf.  As Harvey Penick said, "if you play golf, you're my friend" - which I have not found to be uniformly true, but there certainly is something special about the golfing community.

However, I do think this site has helped to create special friendships that are valued by many of us.  I think in general most golfers don't care about or appreciate golf course architecture.  For instance, I ran a trip out to Bandon Dunes in September for 28 guys from northeast Ohio, all of which are avid golfers and members of private clubs.  If you asked them, they would tell you that they are serious golfers that know a lot about the game (I am sure that they could spout off most PGA Tour players, events and courses).  However, I was the only person in the group that has taken a "hobbyist's" interest in golf course architecture.   When I did surveys of everyone's favorite holes, the results were heavily slanted toward the oceanfront holes of PD 4 and 13 - which I am sure would not surprise you, Mike Keiser (based on his understanding of the retail golfer) or Alister MacKenzie (who said "a beautiful hole appeals not only to the short but also the long handicap player).  Likewise, when I asked about the least favorite holes, the results were again slanted toward those holes that the average guy would call "unfair" - like #6 and #16 at Pacific Dunes (both of which I really enjoyed - in fact, I think #6 may be one of my favorites on the course).     

While I cherish my many friendships with these guys,  I have also appreciated the few friendships that I have made on this site and hope to make more as time goes by.  This site gives many of us a vehicle to talk about a topic that we love with people that often know more about it than we do.  While your minimalism of the friendships made on the site may be appropriate in your circumstance (with a job that many of us could only dream about), I don't think it is for many of us.   

On a side note, I also agree with you that I am nowhere close to the golf industry.  I just enjoy talking about and playing great golf courses.

[Michael George]

Mike Young:

I agree with your post.  Even enjoyed your Justin Beiber analogy.  In answer to your question, I have only played with people on this site at the wonderful outing that Terry Lavin hosted at Dunes.  I enjoyed playing with Terry and Jim Franklin thoroughly - again, I am sorry to the both of you that you got stuck with me --- at least my caddie was good looking.  However, I look forward to playing more golf with gca'ers in the future.

Mac:

In recanting your year and the amount of money that you must have spent on golf in 2011 and considering the health problems that you referenced, I would suggest that you buy a snowblower (that picture is painful) or hire a snow plow in the future.  Me, as well as others up north, can help you if you need it.

[Terry Lavin]

That might make me the only guy in the world to have played with Young AND George in the same summer no less

[Tom_Doak]

Did you mean having a heart?   

No, the golf business has a heart.  It's the heartbeat I'm concerned about.  I've got about a dozen talented interns and no place for them to go and thrive on their own.


Michael:

I didn't mean to minimize the friendships made on this site; only to say that the world of golf is full of them.  

The first time I went to Australia, a friend gave me an introduction to a fellow named Richie Benaud -- I had no idea who he was at the time, as Google didn't exist in 1988.  He and his wife invited me for dinner at his apartment in Coogee, to see if I was for real, and after dinner he made a couple of phone calls to friends, and I was plenty well looked after in Adelaide and Melbourne!  [And I should point out that, at the time, I was a part-time writer for GOLF Magazine and the architect of 1/2 of my first golf course.]

Likewise, I will not soon forget the name of Larry Zullinger, the green chairman at Merion in 1980, who called my mom one evening that summer to make sure I was going to get there okay after visiting Pine Valley the day before.  That was the day my mom understood I was on the right career track.

The internet makes it all much easier, but the people have always been the same.  If you love golf, you have friends.

P.S.  I was lucky to meet Harvey Penick one day as well.  He was a great man, although having him watch me hit balls on the range at Austin C.C. was a little bit unnerving.

[Michael George]

Tom:

I did not really think that you were minimizing them.  I just liked the pun.  It is Saturday night and I am at home with all 5 kids (they are watching the Harry Potter marathon on ABC Family).  Sorry for the poor choice of words.  

That book by Mr. Penick is one of my favorites - other than all of your books, of course.

Thanks again for your input.  

[Ben Sims]

A anecdote.

I arrived at Dismal River around dusk/dark when I went up to help Don and the Renaissance guys.  Before I could even introduce myself and talk about the golf hole we were on (I was in board shorts and flip flops naturally), Don tossed me a rake and yelled over the hydroseed pump motor that, "THIS IS BRIAN SLAWNIK.  HE WANTS YOU TO HELP FINISH #13 TOMORROW"

No pointing and talking, no introductions, no waving hands around wistfully and talking about shot values or ground movement.  Just a rake and a tire track to finish out. 

That illustrated to me all I needed to know about how far GCA.com is away from the golf business.  

[Keith OHalloran]

I was lucky enough to be part of 5 of Mac's rounds in 2011. I would agree with the others that say that this site is great for meeting really good people. The one exception, as I am sure most will agree, is that I met JC Jones on 2011! So you see, the site isn't perfect! 

[Tim Bert]

Reading these post made me ask myself a question which I would like to ask others here.  How many people on this site play most of their golf with others on this site?  I rarely do but wonder if it is common with some on here.

Mike - I am pretty sure that 2011 will go down in history as the first year where I played the majority of my rounds with people from GCA.  It is mostly attributable to the fact that all of my golf came in short bursts that involved many rounds of golf and all of those short bursts had at least one other person from GCA as part of them.  Of course at least two of the people involved were very good friends before any of us were on GCA so I am probably cheating a bit in my count!

Mac - Wonderful to hear you had such a special year. Your enthusiasm comes through in every post.

[Michael George]

That might make me the only guy in the world to have played with Young AND George in the same summer no less

Terry - somehow I don't think that is as good as Whittaker, Saltzman and Mac's years???  Hopefully we get a chance to play again where I can have a "bev" or two with you and play better than I did that day (which should not be hard).  I plan on having an Ohio outing this summer.  Hopefully, you can make it.

[JC Jones]

I was lucky enough to be part of 5 of Mac's rounds in 2011. I would agree with the others that say that this site is great for meeting really good people. The one exception, as I am sure most will agree, is that I met JC Jones on 2011! So you see, the site isn't perfect! 

Youuuuuuu........you're no gentleman.

[Eric Smith]

I was lucky enough to be part of 5 of Mac's rounds in 2011. I would agree with the others that say that this site is great for meeting really good people. The one exception, as I am sure most will agree, is that I met JC Jones on 2011! So you see, the site isn't perfect!  

Youuuuuuu........you're no gentleman.

BY THE WAY...congrats on being named a finalist for the 2011 EZ-GO/Textron Riding Golfer of the Year Award! We're all pulling for you!

[Peter Pallotta]

So, it looks like Jud and I are the only two people Mac HASN'T played with. Alright, fine. I've been keeping my membership in Pine Valley a secret for long enough ....

Peter

[Keith OHalloran]

Thanks Eric, rumor is that the prize is a rangefinder! I am keeping my fingers crossed.

[Mac Plumart]

I just got back from a great day of hanging out with my son while my daughter was at a friends and my wife was shopping...what a great day.  And I am laughing at the posts on this thread.  Funny stuff!!

On the comments about friendships through golf and GCA...of course this kind of stuff isn't limited to GCA.  It is the magic of the game of golf.  And I think I just might love golf so much, because I am not "in" the industry.  It is pure recreation for me.

Now conerning the GCA'ers I haven't played with...now is that my fault or yours?!?!?  Peter...gentlemen, sir.  I seem to recall you posting about your ideal round of golf being at some course in England...maybe Walton Heath...and I PM'd you and said, "Hey, do you want to set up a round over there together?"  Which you turned down.  So, don't say I didn't try.  

Also, the 5th Major...Dismal...East Lake...Rivermont invites...Hmmm, hmmmm....what say you all?

You know I'm just goofin'.  But I do have a strong desire to meet many of you...not all of you  ...but most of you.

On Bart's comment about Kiawah...Let me just say he is RUDE as heck on the golf course.  He's playing in the group behind me on the 16th hole (I think it was) on The Ocean Course.  My group has hit our drives and we are somewhere between our 2nd and 3rd shots...well over 350 yards off the tee...and inconsiderate Bart rifles a drive that rolls right by our group.  Over 350 yards long and right by us...not missing us by more than 5 yards to the right.  What a jerk!!!  Avoid playing with him at all costs...or at least playing in the group in front of him!!  

And Colin...you were not a "wee" part of my golf in Kingdom experience.  That was the highlight...St. Andrews Old Course included.  And that is the epitome of what I'm talking about.  You meet me and my wife in St. Andrews.  We share a conversation and coffee...then you and I hightail it to Crail.  We enjoy more conversation and lunch.  Then play one heck of an epic round of golf...sideways stinging rain...wind like I've never seen...then the rain subsides, the sun shines through in glorious fashion...but the wonderful wind keeps blowing...and we enjoy something Old Tom gave us.  WOW!!!  What a day!!

What a life.  What a journey!!

EDIT...Ben Sims...of course I'll take that the right way.  I really can't wait for that round of golf with you at your club after I win the Aggregate Course Competition.  Rumor has it, if you ain't finishing with Inverness...you are wrong!!

EDIT II...Sorry for the double edit...better than a triple post, right?  But I keep finding things I need to respond to.  Michael on that snow shoveling picture.  Note the spade I am using.  Check this out...I go to the Home Depot here in Atlanta and ask for a snow shovel to prepare for the coming storm.  And the person I ask this of looks at me with the weirdest look.  "Snow shovel?  We have shovels.  But nothing called a "snow shovel."  Evidently, buying (or the selling of) snow shovels down South isn't a common practice.  So, I say, "Okay.  Where are your shovels.  I need to get one."  Surreal for an Ohio boy. 

[Michael Goldstein]

Mac, love the post and I can somewhat relate. 

I'm really looking forward to meeting you next year

[Kevin Pallier]

Mac

There's still enough time to finish it off at the Presidents Cup next week "down under" ?

[Evan Fleisher]

Mac,

An incredible year, we are all envious but also living vicariously through your exploits.  I hope that 2012 proves to raise the bar even higher!

...and I hope we get the chance to tee it up someplace, whether it be here in NEO, down in ATL (I'm coming there more often as I'm doing work with The Home Depot now), on a GW rating trip, or any other pace for that matter. 

[Mac Plumart]

Mac

There's still enough time to finish it off at the Presidents Cup next week "down under" ?

Kevin...you have no idea how much I'd love that.  Royal Melbourne is an absolute must play/must see for me.  Not to mention all the Australian GCA'ers.  But it ain't gonna happen for at least 18 months.

[Kalen Braley]

Mac,

Thanks for posting this up.  I think you've done a great job of eloquantly tapping into the essence of the commrodarie we all feel on this site when playing with others.  I absolutely enjoy every GCA.com event, whether they be large or small, and very much look forward to meeting you and others this upcoming year as I'll have a little more flexibility in my travel schedule.

[JC Jones]

Thanks Eric, rumor is that the prize is a rangefinder! I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Clearly having middle-school level reading comprehension isn't a requirement to pass the NY bar.  He was talking about me! 

Eric,

I would be honored to be the first recipient of the "Riding Golfer of the Year" award.  I think that there are fewer awards in the golfing community that truly reflect my passion and values more than the RGoY.

[JC Jones]

Don't worry, Mac, I invited Peter to play Kingsley with me this summer and he turned that down too.

[Michael George]

JC:

I have 2 rules re: invitations:

1.  A rejected invitation is one irrevocably lost - Henry Fownes, Jr.
2.  If possible, I welcome my invitees to bring guests.  However, if you bring an idiot, you become the idiot.

Also, I think you need to play with a buddy of mine that went to Bandon with me.  I asked him about the trip and he said "Best golf resort in the world, I just don't understand why they won't let me take a cart - it would have made it so much easier to carry the beer"