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Patrick_Mucci

Re: Designing for professionals vs. amateurs.
« Reply #25 on: November 27, 2011, 12:46:29 PM »
Jeff,

Everyone is affected by the recession.

Scott,

Given the choice would you prefer to be a member of Scarsdale or Winged Foot ?

Colonia or Baltusrol ?

Are you aware of the reductions in cost associated with joining these "icon" clubs.

The clubs in your area that are faring well are the clubs that offer a high quality product.

The cost to join those "classic" clubs is well below the cost to join "modern" day clubs like Sebonack, Friars Head, Atlantic and others.

But, getting back to the topic of this thread, believe that the architects task has become more difficult as the gap in the play of the PGA TourPro and the "amateurs" widens.


Jeff_Brauer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Designing for professionals vs. amateurs.
« Reply #26 on: November 27, 2011, 05:56:46 PM »
Patrick,

Hmm, if the newer high end clubs are doing better than the iconic ones, that might say something else entirely!  As in, doom the restoration market.  May as well blow up those old things and try to match the new fangled designs if they sell more memberships!

I do agree that high quality is the key in high end, and may even be true to lesser degrees all across the spectrum.

Still, not every course can be either top 100, nationally recognized, or iconic with a tournament history in deciding what it needs to do in its coruse design.

But, as you say, and to address the original question, anything you do to make it hard for the pro makes it about 4X harder for the average Joe.  No doubt that gap has widened.  Just based on what is even harder for the average player, I would say favoring accuacy over length, and favoring finess (chipping areas) over power (rough and sand bunkers) probably does the best job of equalizing the field in terms of allowing most to play.

Those are still challenging for the pros, and of course, you can always grow rough for tournaments. But even light rough affects spin, reducing control, while allowing average players a chance to reasonably escape without just hacking it out.

Just some initial thoughts.
Jeff Brauer, ASGCA Director of Outreach