News:

Welcome to the Golf Club Atlas Discussion Group!

Each user is approved by the Golf Club Atlas editorial staff. For any new inquiries, please contact us.


Kevin_D

  • Karma: +0/-0
Introduction
« on: December 06, 2012, 09:53:36 AM »
Hello,

As a new member here, I wanted to introduce myself.  I grew up outside Philly and caddied for 10 years at St David's, a Donald Ross course.  I was away from the game for ~10 years (coinciding with moving to NYC), but started getting back into the game a couple years ago.  Last year I joined Wykagyl in New Rochelle, a nice little course that has had work done over the years by Tillinghast, Ross, and most recently, C&C.  Playing and getting to know the course has made me really appreciate how great golf can be with interesting holes, contoured fairways, a natural look, and of course a design and philosophy that promotes walking (the caddie in me considers riding a cart heresy!).  I started reading more about golf course architecture, including C&C, Doak and the old masters, and have now recently joined Stonewall in PA as a place to play when visiting my family there.  I feel unbelievably lucky to be able to play these two fantastic (if somewhat under-the-radar) courses.

I discovered GCA maybe a month ago, and have been pretty much obsessed by it.  It's so amazing to read the first-hand thoughts and opinions of all of you here on all these fine courses around the world, especially right from the mouth of architects and developers like Tom Doak and Ken Bakst.  And the course profiles and pictures are absolutely amazing!

I am light years behind most of you in exploring all these great courses - but plan on doing my best to see many more!  Also, as a high handicapper (for now - I am working hard at it!) I greatly appreciate how important it seems to be for many of you to think about how it would be for not only good/great players to experience a course, but also those like me that can be, ahem, a bit "challenged" at times  ;).

I am looking forward to continuing to follow (and participate in) future discussions.

I might close with a question: how the hell do people here have the time/money to play all these courses???  It strikes me that the more you have of one, the less of the other!

Ian Andrew

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Introduction
« Reply #1 on: December 06, 2012, 10:01:24 AM »
KV,

First up, welcome to the madhouse...

I commit to something every year in advance and after 25 years that adds up to lots of courses.
Being an architect, its also important to expanding my knowledge of the art - so I make the effort regularly.

Since I have no other bad habit, debt or desire for the latest thing - this is where my disposable income goes.
I don't keep a membership because I would never use it - perhaps that's my trade off - I play almost no golf in the summer...
With every golf development bubble, the end was unexpected and brutal....

Dónal Ó Ceallaigh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Introduction
« Reply #2 on: December 06, 2012, 10:02:59 AM »
Hello,

I discovered GCA maybe a month ago, and have been pretty much obsessed by it. 


KV,

A month ago!!  :o  :o

Didn't you know that you must lurk for at least three years before joining?  ;) Ran must have fast tracked your application.

As somebody else will probably write; welcome to the nut house.

BTW, how do you pronounce Wykagyl?

Kevin_D

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Introduction
« Reply #3 on: December 06, 2012, 10:20:55 AM »
Dónal: Ran just couldn't resist my charms  ;)

Wykagyl is (roughly) pronounced "wi-ka-gil".  It is unclear whether it refers to an Indian tribe, or if a member made it up when the club moved from Pelham to New Rochelle nearly 100 years ago...

For reference, I am attaching a pic of the green on our par-3 7th (hardest green on the course) leading into the tee box/fairway of the par 4 8th, where the siren song of the dogleg left frequently temps me to cut it far too close...

Regards,
Kevin



Bill Brightly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Introduction
« Reply #4 on: December 06, 2012, 10:29:13 AM »
Welcome! I am sure that Ran let you in because you stressed that you now live in the New York area and promised to dutifully play and study all the great MacRaynor courses in this area.  You were smart to downplay your upbringing, because the last thing this site needs is another Philly guy! :)

In honor of your new membership at Stonewall:


Kevin_D

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Introduction
« Reply #5 on: December 06, 2012, 10:38:44 AM »
Thanks Bill - love it!  And I sure hope to!

Tim Martin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Introduction
« Reply #6 on: December 06, 2012, 12:06:30 PM »
KV- Did you ever draw the short straw in the caddie yard and have to carry for Mike Trenham? Ouch! ;)

Kevin_D

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Introduction
« Reply #7 on: December 06, 2012, 01:01:06 PM »
Tim - hilarious! Yes, I carried for Mike a few times. Nice guy, would pal around with the caddies a bit.  This was right around when his dad stepped down as head pro.  Are you friends with Mike? If so tell him Kevin Dreyer (aka "Dry Eyes") says hello.

I used to caddie a lot for Jay Howson, who under my expert guidance won his first club championship... ;)

Tim Martin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Introduction
« Reply #8 on: December 06, 2012, 01:59:24 PM »
Tim - hilarious! Yes, I carried for Mike a few times. Nice guy, would pal around with the caddies a bit.  This was right around when his dad stepped down as head pro.  Are you friends with Mike? If so tell him Kevin Dreyer (aka "Dry Eyes") says hello.

I used to caddie a lot for Jay Howson, who under my expert guidance won his first club championship... ;)

Kevin- Mike is a friend and also a member of GCA. Send him a private message as I am sure he would love to hear from you. Welcome aboard! :)

Terry Lavin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Introduction
« Reply #9 on: December 06, 2012, 02:42:31 PM »
Welcome.  Wykagyl has always intrigued me based on my television viewing.  It looked like a great piece of land with some interesting holes that had been overwhelmed by trees.  Good to hear that C&C have been out there.  And good to welcome you aboard!
Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people.  H.L. Mencken

Garland Bayley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Introduction
« Reply #10 on: December 06, 2012, 03:28:29 PM »
Don't know why a high handicapper would want to join this tree house. Clearly you can't put what you learn here to use on a golf course.  :P

19.5
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Kevin_D

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Introduction
« Reply #11 on: December 06, 2012, 04:35:15 PM »
Terry: Thank you!  Wykagyl is a wonderful place - I love it more every time I play it.  I can't speak to what it was like "before" since C&C's work preceded my joining, but the trees don't get in the way of play too much, and from what I hear it was opened up quite a bit.  I think it would be much more well known if not for its famous neighbors, Winged Foot and Quaker Ridge (not to mention Westchester).

GJ: glad to know I have company!  I definitely suffer from handicap inferiority complex.  :P

David Harshbarger

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Introduction
« Reply #12 on: December 06, 2012, 08:54:54 PM »
Kevin,

From one high handicapper to another, Welcome!

I had the opportunity to play Wykagyl this year.  What a great course.  The 3rd green was my favorite of the par 3's.  7 was diabolical!  And just yesterday another GCAer was saying how much he loved the course after caddying there 30 years ago.  Glad you get to keep enjoying it!

Welcome aboard, Dave
The trouble with modern equipment and distance—and I don't see anyone pointing this out—is that it robs from the player's experience. - Mickey Wright

Tags:
Tags:

An Error Has Occurred!

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()
Back