Golf Club Atlas is a cool place to hang out and share thoughts with like minded souls. I just feel that a lot of posters need to perhaps take a step back and view it as the niche it really is..... Lets not completely dismiss the views of the rest of the golfing population but rather respect the right for them to look at things differently because at the end of the day, most of the things talked about on here are simply opinion and not fact.
I understand this line of thinking, and I'm not meaning to be critical of Grant for the point he makes here, but sometimes I'm not sure which way to turn - hard-nosed, apathetic or somewhere in between? For example, the other day I sat in on a conversation at my club where several older high handicap members were debating at length how "what we need on our course is more watering". This is a course with a clay layer under each green and very considerable thatch problems. Water is already used liberally on the greens. Now generally speaking and climate etc dependent, I will admit to not being a great fan of watering golf courses, certainly not in temperate climates such as the UK. I like courses firm and fast and bouncy and beige/brown in colour with greens where a high flying shot makes barely any indentation upon landing. The discussion these gentlemen were having was not of the "green looks so nice" variety but followed the "we can't get our shots to stop on the greens unless they're soft" line. I wanted to say something but I didn't. I guess I was taking a step back from my 'niche'. Made me feel sad though. It may be their club too, but.......
All the best
Thomas,
As someone that all too frequently finds himself in this situation I felt I had to comment.
I urge you, and obviously it's entirely up to you, to at least attempt to nudge them in the 'niche' direction. If I'm honest, all too often I find myself over egging it, largely due to the frustration I feel when their eyes suggest their brainwashed minds simply don't register what's being said. However, as often as possible I do try to subtly move them to a position where they can at least consider the merits of f&f with an open mind. As G Bailey has rightly been saying, their minds are already very much trained in a direction most of us around here would reject, and God only knows the marginal input from one GCAer isn't exactly going to tilt the scales unfairly, so go ahead and make your case.
I personally try little questions such as "do you prefer the course in the winter or the summer?" or "you realise don't you that we'd now be under water if we'd been watering all summer?" or even "do you not think that for most of us it's better if we can get the ball running a bit?" I've not yet come even close to converting anyone over night but I have seen a few light at least begin to flicker. Finally, if I hear someone ranting about the perceived wonders of this or that course with zero appeal to me but a big name player attached to it I make some comment about great footballers not always making great managers and great golfers not always making great architects. I'm a joy to be around.
