New essay on Tom Doak

[BCrosby]

Mike Croley has written a terrific piece on Tom Doak. Highly recommended. I will post some comments later, but wanted to get the link out to the group.


http://www.vqronline.org/profiles-articles/2017/07/redefining-green


Bob

[Mike_Young]

I thought it was very good....

[Mike Schott]

Nice article. Good to learn more about our friend Mr. Doak.

[John Kavanaugh]

Doak knows his lack of self-awareness caused miunderstandings when he was a young man. “One or two writers went so far as to speculate that I was some sort of savant or Asperger’s case.” However, he says, “nearly all of my personality quirks are just classic traits of an adult child of alcoholics, which I understand myself to be now. Though my parents weren’t violent alcoholics, I guess my grandparents were, and the effects on one’s relationships tend to repeat across generations.”

The above has left me with many mixed emotions that I could have done without.

[David Wuthrich]

Great read!  Thanks for sharing.

[George Pazin]

Doak knows his lack of self-awareness caused miunderstandings when he was a young man. “One or two writers went so far as to speculate that I was some sort of savant or Asperger’s case.” However, he says, “nearly all of my personality quirks are just classic traits of an adult child of alcoholics, which I understand myself to be now. Though my parents weren’t violent alcoholics, I guess my grandparents were, and the effects on one’s relationships tend to repeat across generations.”

The above has left me with many mixed emotions that I could have done without.

I call people like this... people.

[Ulrich Mayring]

Although I've only met him twice, I will say that the episode with the superintendent is classic Tom Doak and seems to happen all the time. Can't say I fault him for not engaging in a discussion with someone, who isn't equipped to have that discussion. Of course, these days everyone wants to have Tom's opinion on this or that aspect of a golf course. But there is probably a fine line between those wanting his opinion in order to learn and change their own outlook and those, who just want a feather in their cap.

I've been in a similar position a couple of times, when I was being asked by a hosting club how I like their course. I've rarely said anything more substantial than "great, thank you". Many people just aren't all that interested in the actual topic; all they want is confirmation. Plus, an articulated opinion that weighs the issues fair and square is not all that easy to come by. It takes a couple of days deliberating, going through pictures, talking to people and writing everything up.

Ulrich

[Carl Nichols]

I thought it was very good....

Agree

[Mike Hendren]

I'm really not interested in any psycho-analysis of Tom Doak - primarily because from my experience he's a damned good guy - that's all I need to know.   I had the opportunity to play three rounds with Tom and enjoy a couple of meals with him in upstate New York a few years ago and while our personalities are quite different I enjoyed his company immensely.  Don't know and don't care if he'd say the same thing, but he tolerated my sophomoric comments and hapless golf game quite well.    I have a soft spot for anyone that's plain spoken.

Mike

[Tommy Naccarato]

Doak knows his lack of self-awareness caused miunderstandings when he was a young man. “One or two writers went so far as to speculate that I was some sort of savant or Asperger’s case.” However, he says, “nearly all of my personality quirks are just classic traits of an adult child of alcoholics, which I understand myself to be now. Though my parents weren’t violent alcoholics, I guess my grandparents were, and the effects on one’s relationships tend to repeat across generations.”

The above has left me with many mixed emotions that I could have done without.

Just the opposite for me.  It gave a quick, one paragraph glimpse that there is more to the man then his quirks, and that they can and do shape the character.  Tom has done a most admirable job of over-coming all of the negative while showing heart and a soul doing it.


A well-written piece.

[Carl Rogers]

In 2005, I won Golf Magazine's Armchair Architects contest judged by Tom and the prize being spending time with him and team on a course they were building .... which is how I found this web site.

My 3 days at the Bay of Dreams with Tom, Brian & Brian was without question the highlight of my otherwise very modest golfing life.  On site, once Tom realized that I had no intention of "consulting" (part of the official prize), he and team were very patient and informative with my questions about the project and their immediate work efforts.  I just tagged along and watched.

Too bad the course never really came to be.

[Rich Goodale]

The writing is good--particularly when talking about Tom, but less so when talking about his work and his chosen medium.  Thanks for posting, Bob.


Rich

[Tom_Doak]

I've already heard from 3-4 people who have seen the article; have not read it myself yet.  [Another personality trait:  being uncomfortable having others talk about you and/or receiving praise.]  I guess I'll have to go read it now.


I got to know Mike Croley pretty well in the course of his "research" and I expect the piece will be well written.  He told me he wanted to do something "real -- warts and all" and I told him I was okay with that, but, I also pointed out to him that it's not how the business usually works.  Nobody writes this kind of piece about Jack Nicklaus or Tom Fazio ... only about those of us who aren't so famous as to be able to deflect the parts of the story they prefer to avoid.


So, if we're going to have a level playing field, anyone who wants to psycho-analyze me should also prepare to open up themselves in return.    Thanks for your understanding!

[Kalen Braley]

Tom,


Don't even sweat it...I'm reminded of an applicable movie quote..


"Its not what you are underneath, its what you do that defines you."


And I would hope that most people understand this....

[George Pazin]

In 2005, I won Golf Magazine's Armchair Architects contest judged by Tom and the prize being spending time with him and team on a course they were building .... which is how I found this web site.

My 3 days at the Bay of Dreams with Tom, Brian & Brian was without question the highlight of my otherwise very modest golfing life.  On site, once Tom realized that I had no intention of "consulting" (part of the official prize), he and team were very patient and informative with my questions about the project and their immediate work efforts.  I just tagged along and watched.

Too bad the course never really came to be.

Damn, I've often said I'm not really envious of others. We all live our lives, have ups and downs, whatever, I wouldn't trade places with anyone. But this post has me thinking...


 


We need to meet, Carl.

[Tom_Doak]

I just read the piece, and thought it was very good. 


There are one or two places where I'd have minor quibbles, mostly that it is always dangerous to discuss someone else's motives or intent, unless it's something you can put in quotation marks.  [One is that it comes across more harshly toward Jack Nicklaus than it should; for the author, as for me, Jack gets mentioned instead of some other designer because he is the frame of reference for the most readers.]


But I'm used to people having minor quibbles about my own work [writing and design], so that is in no way meant to be a criticism, just a clarification.

[Bob Montle]

I thought the quote was
"It's not what you do that's important.
It's what you can make people think you did."

[Kalen Braley]

I thought the quote was
"It's not what you do that's important.
It's what you can make people think you did."

Pretty sure that's a different movie! 

[Joe Schackman]

Tom,


Don't even sweat it...I'm reminded of an applicable movie quote..


"Its not what you are underneath, its what you do that defines you."


And I would hope that most people understand this....

Can't say I expected a quote from Batman on this thread!

[Tom_Doak]

Can't say I expected a quote from Batman on this thread!

I hope it was the good Batman ... whichever that was 

[Michael Whitaker]

Tom - be proud that you and your work are interesting enough that someone wanted to write an article about it and that there is an audience interested enough to want to read about it. We all have quirks in our personalities... some more than others.    Most creative people don't fit into a "normal" box.


What you have done to improve the world of golf cannot be underestimated and I thank you for it. Your legacy will be far reaching. How many can ever say that?

[Eric Smith]

It was Rachel Dawes (in Batman Begins) who said it first. The Batman repeats it later in the movie.


On topic - great article. Thanks for posting the link, Bob. Thanks as always to you too, Tom. Keep up the good works.

[Ryan Coles]

I feel the fired super should have been given right of reply. My apologies if he was and did not take it up.

[George Pazin]

The superintendent story will be on an upcoming "The rest of the story" by Harvey...


The piece is interesting. I don't look for any psychoanalysis of anyone, ever, so that part was just an "I'll ignore this" blip, but I did enjoy the rest.

[thomaslaffont]

I thought the piece was terrific and appreciated the perspective of a writer who focused less on Tom's golf courses and more on the character and motivations of the man that created them. Well done.