Which golf architect do wish you knew better?

[peter_mcknight]

Past--Tillinghast and H Wilson.  Tillinghast built the best par 4s in the nation and Wilson because of his use of very limited land at Merion and that he finished Pine Valley very much in the spirit of Crump.

Present--I like Crenshaw and Coore, Hanse, Foster, but would like to know what makes Fazio, Jones and Nicklaus all tick.  Specifically, I would like to know what Jones was thinking when he redesigned no.18 at Bethpage, especially the green site.

[Slag_Bandoon]

 Perry Maxwell, as there is not much written by him or about him in books but what I have read about his mastery of greens intrigues me. (If anybody has any lead on definitive literature on him, please let me know.)
 Also, Eddie Hackett, to meet the man hisself and shake his hand and thank him for his magnanimous generosity.
  I'd like to meet Tony Ristola and play some of his courses.  Not sure when I'll get back to Austria though.
  Kyle Phillips and Todd Eckinrode and Hanse and Geez! Ron Whitten! (Yes! Ron Whitten) and George Bahto!    ...and Donald Steel.  And that Mad Russian designer!? I'd like to meet that guy. That dreamer/designer in Cleveland, he's on the list.  (I better submit this before I name everybody that's ever grabbed a shovel- including Xenophon Hassenplug. )

(note to self: Stay away from espresso before logging on to computer)

[Slag_Bandoon]

 Perry Maxwell, as there is not much written by him or about him in books but what I have read about his mastery of greens intrigues me. (If anybody has any lead on definitive literature on him, please let me know.)
 Also, Eddie Hackett, to meet the man hisself and shake his hand and thank him for his magnanimous generosity.
  I'd like to meet Tony Ristola and play some of his courses.  Not sure when I'll get back to Austria though.
  Kyle Phillips and Todd Eckinrode and Hanse and Geez! Ron Whitten! (Yes! Ron Whitten) and George Bahto!    ...and Donald Steel.  And that Mad Russian designer!? I'd like to meet that guy. That dreamer/designer in Cleveland, he's on the list.  (I better submit this before I name everybody that's ever grabbed a shovel- including Xenophon Hassenplug. )

(note to self: Stay away from espresso before logging on to computer)

[Mike_Cirba]

I have three rather embarassing admissions and splotchy blotches on my golf course resume, and hope to erase them all in the next year, although 2 of 3 would probably be more realistic.

I have never played a golf course designed by Mackenzie, Thomas, or Coore&Crenshaw.  There, I've said it!  

I not only wish I knew them better, but I wish I knew them at all!  

On the other hand, I've been lucky enough to play a good sampling of Ross, Tillie, and many other architects of the Golden Age including lesser knowns like Alex Findlay, Robert White, and Willie Dunn.  I'm also starting to think that I'd go about anywhere to play something by Willie Park Jr., who was a unmitigated genius.

I also know way more about Edmund Ault, Hal Purdy, RTJ Sr., and William & David Gordon (all of who designed TONS of courses in the mid-Atlantic) than most would ever care to, but it's all part of the vast panoply of courses and interesting to study nonetheless.

[c_pike]

Stanley Thompson-
Desmond Muirhead-

[Scott_Burroughs]

Mike,
    While you've played many more total courses than me, I've only played 1.5 courses amongst MacKenzie, Thomas, and C&C.  I've played Mac's Pasatiempo, and the front 9 twice at Thomas' Riviera (the back nine was closed for aeration).  I think I've only played two Tillinghasts, Bethpage (Black) and Elmira CC.

Amongst modern architects, Doak seems the most intriguing to me.  Someone with opinions who's not afraid to say it.

Past, not sure.  Too many to choose from.

[TEPaul]

I've just read through this thread again and I've decided the architect I wish I knew better was Max Behr without a doubt! Talk about a guy with a ton of interesting and odd thoughts! How can you not want to talk to an architect who developed his own religon based on numbers and simultaneously disavowed numerology? He even championed one of the great dud ideas of golf history--the floating golf ball! Watch a bunch of GCAers pick up on that and defend it!

Well, anyway he had passable company on that one with old C.B. But Behr's articles on golf architecture are the most amazing things I've ever read by far! His "line of charm" concept properly designed and applied could be the salvation for golf architectural strategy in the future.

[Matt_Ward]

Tom:

If you're interested in Banks I'd recommend the following:

Forsgate / Banks Course, Jamesburg, NJ
The Knoll, Boonton, NJ
Essex County (finished the design), West Orange, NJ
Hackensack, Oradell, NJ

Also had hand with Yale and Fox Chapel, if I'm accurate, among a few others. Sad to say, his time on earth was so short. On the past side I'd also like to know more about Bendelow -- really impresed with my first visit to Skokie this year.

Among the modern architects I'd like to know more about is Mike Strantz -- I've played Royal New Kent (really liked) and Stonehouse but would really like to see more of his work and understand his philosophy on design.

[Tom MacWood (Guest)]

Matt
The current incarnation of Skokie is the work of the great William Langford who reworked the previous Ross course.

[Matt_Ward]

Tom:

Thanks for the correction. I enjoyed Langford's effort and say hats off to Ron Pritchard for his excellent restoration.

Skokie is a course I truly enjoyed and I am thoroughly confused why it's not among Golf Digest's top 100 courses.

[Willie_Dow]

Can't imagine two guys who would be better matched than Willie Park, Jr. and Ron Garl.  What a great combination of minds for routing and thoughtful ways to manage ones game.