e-mails you don't want to see from your golf club

[Mark Pearce]

I received an e-mail this morning from Crail GS entitled "Tree Planting".  I nearly spat my cup of tea out!  Actually the e-mail was telling members that the club is about to plant 70 trees.  None on the Balcomie, I'm pleased to say and the planting on Craighead will be to the West of the 5th and 6th holes (and small copses behind the 3rd green and by 4th tee) which may help deaden the noise from the go-kart track on the disused aerodrome next door.  When I saw the title I had images of planting on the Balcomie, perhaps between 11 and 12th fairways!

[Ally Mcintosh]

Your club pro there (I forget his name - Graham Lennie?) has an astute eye for GCA, does he not?

I've yet to play the Craighead links actually. You think these trees will work where they are suggested, Mark?

[Mark Pearce]

Ally,

Yes, Graham understands GCA, I think.  The copse behind the 3rd green/by the 4th tee shouldn't really come into play.  Similarly those to the west of the 5th/6th holes shouldn't make any difference to how the holes play, though the look of the 6th will be significantly changed, though the views to the right of that hole are only fields and aerodrome anyway.  However, if they do have any effect in reducing the noise from the go-karts they'll be a good thing.

Craighead isn't a bad course (it's not a links, though, no matter what they call it).  In fact I rather like it and would say it is certainly worth playing.

[Melvyn Morrow]

David, the Secretary of CGS is very sympathetic to GCA and all that by Old Tom, so I would be surprised if the club did go out of its way to affect or compromise the design of the course, either course. As for the actual intent of the trees it’s a reasonable step as long as the trees do not encroach into the line of play, then that would indeed be a same, but I have the utmost confidence in Crail to in the end get it right.

Melvyn 

[Mike Demetriou]

Another excellent email headline you never want to see: "Concerning your unaccompanied guests behavior yesterday . . ."

[Mark Johnson]

"Special Operational Assessment"

[Jim Hoak]

Maybe not totally on point--I have heard that Claude Harmon said that all courses should be 19 holes, and the Green Committee should do whatever it wanted in redoing the 19th hole every year, leaving the other 18 holes alone.  Probably true as a principle, but does anyone know if that is an accurate quote?

[Bill_McBride]

"Special Operational Assessment"

Or in our case, "Routine Recurring Operational Assessment."  

[Sam Morrow]

Knowing most GCA'ers I figure you'd be most scared that your club has hired Rees Jones or Tom Fazio to do a renovation.

[Steve Strasheim]

Really enjoyed meeting and talking with Graeme last summer when my son and I played there.

We spent much of the discussion talking about kids these days being too worried about their score and not having enough fun while playing. His suggestion was to remove the pencil and scorecard and let the kids discover the fun in the game. We also talked about Kingarock and various other "old school" subjects. He was aware of cga.com and said he had reviewed information here at times.

Was very impressed with the whole Crail Golf Society setup and imagine that any tree additions there will be well done. We really enjoyed our time staying in Crail, playing at Graeme's place.

Did they ask you for money so they can put your name on the trunk of one of the trees?

[Mark Chaplin]

"No kümmel"

The worst I ever received was around "relaxing dress code"!

[Marty Bonnar]

Mark,
70 trees wouldn't attenuate a gnat's fart, far less those infernal internal combustion engines.
Figures are something like 10dB for a 10m SOLID structure planted area of broadleaves.
Still wouldn't stop me playing Crail, mind you!!!
F.

[Mark Pearce]

Mark,
70 trees wouldn't attenuate a gnat's fart, far less those infernal internal combustion engines.
Figures are something like 10dB for a 10m SOLID structure planted area of broadleaves.
Still wouldn't stop me playing Crail, mind you!!!
F.

That's what I thought, rather less scientifically.  Can't imagine it will stop me playing there, either!

[Howard Riefs]

From 2011:

"Club Closed Due to 7-inch Rain Storm!!! Course is Under Water Three Feet"

[Bruce Katona]

"Your playing privilages Mr. X have been suspended until such time as you bring your balance due current."

[Ken Moum]

"Due to the ridiculous borrowing for clubhouse upgrades by our predecessors on the Board, we are not longer able to pay the mortgage and will be going into receivership."

Okay, that's not what happened, it got announce by word of mouth and a note in the local newspaper, and the (then) current board had too many hands that were involved in the debacle to dare blame someone else.

But that's how I ended up getting my dues reduced from $300/month, to $100/month, and now to $50/month....  The last one has attracted lots of new members, but it's not positive.

K

[Tim Martin]

"Your dues check has bounced for the 3rd consecutive month and your locker has been cleaned out.  You will be receiving the contents via FedEx".

[Keith OHalloran]

"Please help me in welcoming our new member, JC Jones"

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Yes the pro at Crail is a fine man, golf historian and has a solid base of knowledge in golf architecture. I would not have concerns at Crail. You may have the best set of par 3's in the world there.

Bad emails would include certain renovation by x architect, a know bad behavior type joining the club, yet another assessment, increase in dues or minimums that year.  

[Garland Bayley]

"Please help me in welcoming our new member, JC Jones"

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner