Get To Know Brian Colbert

[Scott Szabo]

What are your plans to do more for the world outside of golf?

I'm going to start work in September as an auditor with a public accounting firm. Someday I hope to be in venture capital or a similar field. I think it should be everyone's goal to impact the world in a positive way before they leave it. I have yet to figure out exactly how I'm going to, but I'm confident that I'll find a way.

Brian,

I'm a CPA with my own small public accounting practice (going on 20 years now) with a focus on auditing local governments and non-profit oganizations.  I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have about the profession.

I have been on record as saying I've enjoyed #2 at Ballyneal more than most.  I see that you've listed it as one of your favorites as well.  What are your thoughts on that particular hole?

[Tim Martin]

Jeff,

I'm 22. My first US Mid-Amateur will be 2015, same year they bring the US Amateur to my home town at Olympia Fields. Until then I'll probably try and play tournaments like the Western and the Sunnehanna to get my fix.

Brian-I have enjoyed this thread and your perspective. Is the focus shifting to your Mid-Am career three years out because of your new job? It can`t be that you are over the hill as far as the Am goes at 22.    

[Brian Colbert]

I enjoyed hole 2 at Ballyneal because the tee shot is to a wide fairway with awesome natural contours. The bunkers really make the player think when the tee shot is into the wind. From the tee it appears that they are perfectly in the landing area but really you should have no problem blowing over them.

The green is awesome too because of the kickboard on the left and the hump which divides the lower left and upper right parts of the green. I also think that Tom Doak did a great job with the bunkers in general on that course, because the ones that you should never hit into are the only ones which are absurdly difficult to get out of. The greenside bunkers on this hole appeared to be pretty reasonable.

[Brian Colbert]

Jeff,

I'm 22. My first US Mid-Amateur will be 2015, same year they bring the US Amateur to my home town at Olympia Fields. Until then I'll probably try and play tournaments like the Western and the Sunnehanna to get my fix.

Brian-I have enjoyed this thread and your perspective. Is the focus shifting to your Mid-Am career three years out because of your new job? It can`t be that you are over the hill as far as the Am goes at 22.    

I am an old guy by the standards of the US Amateur now! I can't hit it long like all these young kids. They leave me in the dust. I'm just a weekend hack like everyone else now, happy to get all the rounds in that I can. I still want to compete for the next few years before I'm 25, but I don't think I'll get much chance because of my new job.

[Mac Plumart]

Brian...

I very much respect your desire to stay an amateur and I wish you the best of luck.  If I had your game, I'd pursue that same goal.

Look me up if you get to the ATL.

[John Kavanaugh]

Brian,

Never use your love of architecture as a crutch for your decreasing skills. You can be smarter and better, don't fight it.

[Mark Chaplin]

Brian if you fancy a little trip in June 2013 the St Andrews Links Trophy is something like 7-9 June it's the lowest handicap event in the UK cutting around +2.7, this is followed by the British Amateur at Royal Cinque Ports & Princes, I believe starters in the US Amateur are exempt and the weekend of the Amateur final is the Berkshire Trophy (nice cover bet) a 72 hole event at a great heathland course.

[George Pazin]

How cool would it be to play in the British Am?

99/100 members will tell you that 13 is the worst hole on the course but I don't agree. I think it's obviously a very difficult hole, but the green is fantastic (even though it may not necessarily fit with the difficulty of the hole tee to green).

Could you expand on this a bit more? What is the hole like? What don't others like?

[Jason Mandel]

99/100 members will tell you that 13 is the worst hole on the course but I don't agree. I think it's obviously a very difficult hole, but the green is fantastic (even though it may not necessarily fit with the difficulty of the hole tee to green).

Could you expand on this a bit more? What is the hole like? What don't others like?
[/quote]

George,

I actually meant to ask Brian about this as well.

I would disagree with Brian's statement that 99/100 members think its the worst hole on the course.  99/100 may tell you its the toughest on the course but I really haven't heard many people call it the worst.

It's a 460 yard (from the tips) dog leg right par 4 that cuts across a pond. Your tee shot is through a "shoot" of trees (with OB way left and hazard way right) but once you get past the trees off the tee they really don't come into play on the second shot.

Because of the pond/creek almost every golfer will be left with a shot of close to 200 yards left to an uphill green which many say is the most difficult green on the course (because of a diagonal side tier).

The argument for those that don't like hole/green is that the green is too hard for the hole and that a green like that would be better on a short par 4 like the 15th or 7th.

Bobby Weed was asked about that recently and his response was that they try to build a lot of "half par" holes so while 7 and 15 may be a par 3.5 , 13 definitely is more of a 4.5.

[George Pazin]

Yea half par holes!

It's funny how some people love half par birdie holes, while others love half par bogey holes.

[Michael Blake]

I would disagree with Brian's statement that 99/100 members think its the worst hole on the course.  99/100 may tell you its the toughest on the course but I really haven't heard many people call it the worst.

It's a 460 yard (from the tips) dog leg right par 4 that cuts across a pond. Your tee shot is through a "shoot" of trees (with OB way left and hazard way right) but once you get past the trees off the tee they really don't come into play on the second shot.

Because of the pond/creek almost every golfer will be left with a shot of close to 200 yards left to an uphill green which many say is the most difficult green on the course (because of a diagonal side tier).

The argument for those that don't like hole/green is that the green is too hard for the hole and that a green like that would be better on a short par 4 like the 15th or 7th.

Difficult?  
Driver, 3-iron, 2-putt.  Easy.  

It's a long-ish second shot but there is plenty of room to run one up there if you choose to do so.  2-putting is a different story and depends on where the hole location is.  It's a good par 4.5 and per Weed's intentions (according to Jason,) it's a nice complement to the shorter 3.5's on the course.