Ian MacCallister

[Forrest Richardson]

When entertainment crosses lines with advertising — to me this is the best combination if one has to endure advertising. Because the GCA site is centered "above" golf architecture, I cannot resist suggesting that you do as I do and every once and a while check in on Ian MacCallister — fellow architect and critic of the longer ball.

http://www.titleist.com/balls/details.asp?id=4

Ian is the brainchild of Titelist's NxT advertising team. I've loved the commercials featuring the plaid jacket-ed Ian (John Cleese). The recent TV spots are at the above site (click on the "MICROSITE"). You'll also be able to participate in the "Course Builder", a neat program that involves a contest to design holes "that meet Ian's criteria..."

(But, please...don't buy the NxT whatever you do!)

[Carlyle Rood]

Did anyone else see the recent Nick Faldo commercial?  I can't recall what he was advertising.  I just remember that he was convincing the others in the commercial that "golfers make the best architects."  He then goes on to lecture on the merits of adding a windmill to a hole!    I wish I could recall what he was advertising so perhaps I could find the commercial online.

[wsmorrison]

Carlyle,

I guess the Faldo commercial failed in the sense that it didn't get the viewer to remember what the product is.  

The Titleist NXT commercials make fun of the negative impact that technological advances (in this case the golf ball) have on golf course architecture.  But the commercials and the "contest" they have to design a course that can stand up to the NXT may have the reverse effect.  The underpinning is that the technology is ruining the design integrity of golf courses.  Do people get this?  Or is the average person so consumed with added distance and being force fed opinions that they are incapable of other considerations?

[Marty Bonnar]

As a Scot, it hacks me off that the advertising gurus at Titleist thought it would be a wizard wheeze to pay an Upper Class, English, ex-Public Schoolboy and Oxbridge graduate, affecting the worst authentic 'Brigadoon' accent I've ever heard, to play a curmudgeonly old Scot.

Ochayethenoo!!!

Martin.

[TEPaul]

It's just too damn bad that the USGA or R&A doesn't have a fat advertizing budget so they could find interesting and humorous ways to make Titlesist and WallyU look like the greedy unfuturistic myopics they really are!

[A_Clay_Man]

Honestly, when i first saw one of these commercials I couldn't help but think they were making fun of US.

Where else, who else has taken on the banner of the cause?

I felt their thinking was "a best defense was a good offense".

[Dan Kelly]

As a Scot, it hacks me off that the advertising gurus at Titleist thought it would be a wizard wheeze to pay an Upper Class, English, ex-Public Schoolboy and Oxbridge graduate, affecting the worst authentic 'Brigadoon' accent I've ever heard, to play a curmudgeonly old Scot.

Ochayethenoo!!!

Post of the year (to date)! Thanks, FBD.

P.S. No offense intended to any others in the running for post of the year.

See how silly all of this ranking stuff is?

[Forrest Richardson]

Have any of you played one of Ian's courses?

[Bill_McBride]

I think I heard somewhere that Painswick is an Ian MacAllister hidden gem.

yes I play the NXT, it's hard to find balacha balls anymore and I don't want to spring for Pro V1*s.

[RJ_Daley]

I love the commercials and suggest that they send Cleese to one of the next GCA gatherings, along with a film crew, and we could really ham it up.  Forrest, do you think you are parodied in any of the previous commercials.  I am sure that the latest rock concert one has actors spoofing Pazcuzzo and Cornish as the guys dancing in their skivvies.  I also think I have seen parody actors portraying Lohmann and Weed.  I'm not sure if Brauer is in their actors stable.  I take Martin's word for it that the accent is off, but for us Yanks, it is still a hoot.  

I'm not sure that the commercials are meant to be mean spirited towards critics of our ilk.  The same with the Faldo mini putt-putt clowns mouth script.  It is almost like the writers are keenly aware of our little treehouse of opinionated traditionalists, and the great articles archies like Weed had written about length.  I take it as a high compliment and they make me laugh to think we are pretty much in on a very inside joke.

[Forrest Richardson]

I am the guy in the background throwing NxT's into the bonfire. Inside joke? Yes. But the whole campaing is a good angle for the ball makers — right or wrong.

[paul cowley]

....FBD...good post and good to hear from the eastern aquatic fringe....just came up to my room at the pine crest inn from the pub[highly recommended]but,as is thier wont,your post spurred me down for another......cheers !

[JohnV]

Forrest, didn't Ian recently restore Foulpointe?

[Marty Bonnar]

....FBD...good post and good to hear from the eastern aquatic fringe....just came up to my room at the pine crest inn from the pub[highly recommended]but,as is thier wont,your post spurred me down for another......cheers !

Cheers, (Now Cleese was actually rather good in that!!!),  Paul and have a wee dram on me!!

I forgot to add in my post that, as I am currently 'between jobs', I would be delighted to bring my previous Marketing experience (together with my Golf Course Architecture ability) to bear on any upcoming campaigns that the said 'advertising gurus' at Titleist may have in the pipeline. For example, I would be delighted to discuss how their market penetration could be improved simply by ...oops, nearly gave away that particular secret!
Call me, guys....

Martin.

[Forrest Richardson]

There is rumor that MacCallister re-did Foulpointe in 1994.But from what I can tell, this is just bunk.