Do architects read reviews of their courses?

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Jeff Brauer answers a question from a Ron W of Topeka, KS

www.cybergolf.com/index.asp?id=1716

[Dan Kelly]

Jeff Brauer (a/k/a Keffrey Bauer) ends his answer with: "Who would name their kid 'Keffrey'?"

I imagine that was a rhetorical question, but ... I googled "Keffrey" and got 369 hits -- many (possibly most) of them being references to men (I presume) named Keffrey.

Cf. http://www.kabalarians.com/male/keffrey.htm .

More seriously: I'd love to hear other architects here answer the same question -- or this one: What, if anything, have you learned from critics?

[Jeremy_Glenn.]

Most (if not all) reviews read like an advertisement for the golf course.  What can we learn from them?

As odd as it may sound, I would love to see a bad review of one of our course.

[Jeff_Mingay]

As a writer, I've taken some major flak for writing critical reviews. Major flak directly from golf architects.

I've been critical [in writing] of the cart paths your firm installed at Highlands Links, Jeremy. There's one for you  

[ian]

Yes, they look for them, and the often take them very personally. Praise is nice, but anything critical really hurts.

Ian

[Jeff_Brauer]

Acer2X,

Thanks for reading the series!  Cybergolf says they get a lot of positive feedback on it, but I've seen little evidence of anyone here reading it, and lets face it, this would be the target audience.......

Dan,

Hey, now you can review me as a writer and golf course architect.....Keeping those pieces at 500 words and saying something gives me a lot of respect for those of you who write for a living.....everyday!  I have trouble getting two of those a month out, although I have the luxury of working in batches, which I should be doing now, not posting here.....

[Tom_Doak]

Do I read reviews?  Certainly, although I'm sure there are many I've missed, too.

Have I learned much from those reviews?  Not really.  In truth, the medium is not well suited to learning -- most reviews are mostly filled with positive comments, and when I do see something negative it's generally quite predictable [i.e., the fourth green at Lost Dunes was too severe!].

I generally learn more from talking to golfers who have played the course, especially if they've played it a lot.  There's a chance then for back-and-forth interplay that can get to a larger point.  That's one of the nicest aspects of building private clubs ... while you don't get as much press because the magazines don't like to focus on places the reader can't play, you tend to get much better feedback on a course from members than from casual players.

[Matthew Delahunty]

Tom,

To take it one step further, do you conduct your own review? How many times would you play a course after you've designed it and do you take a critical standpoint or just try to enjoy it? If you see things which you can improve upon are you keen to change them or let them remain (and take that lesson learned on to the next project)?

[Tom_Doak]

Dela -  A really good question.  I think a lot of what's wrong with the design business is that architects don't spend enough time going back to see how their ideas worked in the field; they just go on making the same mistakes again elsewhere.

Having said that, now that I'm busier, it's harder to get back to see my old courses.  One of the main reasons for our annual Renaissance Cup event is to see the courses ourselves for a couple of days ... and to get feedback from golfers we respect, over a wide range of abilities.

I've played High Pointe more than 100 times, Pacific Dunes maybe 25-30, same for The Legends and Stonewall, Lost Dunes a bit less; but I've only played about ten rounds at Apache Stronghold, and even less at Riverfront and Quail Crossing.  And sadly, I doubt I'll get back to Cape Kidnappers or Barnbougle too often once they're done.

I try just to enjoy the golf, but it's hard to miss where things aren't working well.  As for "fixing" them, it depends a lot on the client.  We've done very little post-opening work to any of the fifteen courses we've opened to date [a few days' worth of work at Stonewall, a bit at Beechtree, a bit of clearing and new tees at High Pointe].  There are a couple of things I'd like to fix (or restore!) on a couple of courses, if I ever had the time; but if the clients aren't keen to undertake that sort of work, I won't push them to spend the money.

[Jeff_Brauer]

That review I cited in the Cybergolf peice about Tangleridge is one of few that really spurred me - it was a simple direct comment about similar par 3 lengths that got me thinking.

I review all my courses, with the ones here in Dallas getting the most thourough reviews through constant play.  The starter at Cowboys this morning asked what I thought of the course desing I did - I told him after playing it, I could have stood a few design "mulligans".

I agree with Tom, though.  As a player, my opinon is one.  If the general populace - at least the ones the design aims at- agree on one hole, good or bad, its proabaly the right opinions

[Norbert P]

  Nobody's ever reviewed my courses.    Boo hoo.  

But I'll show 'em.  I'll show the world! Ahhh haa haa ha !(maniacal laughter reminiscent of Phantom of the Opera or Dr. Phibes).  Then they'll know my genius!  

 Happy Halloween!  
 http://www.x-entertainment.com/messages/670a.html

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