What should/could Augusta do to reverse their "negative" influence on the game?

[Bruce Bearer]

"But they talk as if we are out to rape the land and make every course into the image of Augusta.  Which, by the way, has been Augusta's worst influence on the game."
As Tom Doak stated above in a previous post - Augusta National and it's "pristine" images, although very impressive and beautiful, have perhaps not been very helpful to the game and development/construction/maintenance of golf courses around the world. 
Will it ever change?  What should/could Augusta do to reverse their influence on the game - both in architecture and maintenance?

[Emile Bonfiglio]

this.....


http://www.friedegg.co/golf-courses/augusta-national-changes

[Tom_Doak]

Pretty much every negative influence that arises from Augusta is the result of having so much money from running The Masters themselves.  Why NOT put the course in perfect condition?  Why NOT rebuild some holes every year?  They have the $.


The obvious solution is for them to take a vow of poverty.  In the spirit of Mr Jones, just donate 100% of the revenues from the tournament to charity, whether it's amateur golf, or Mother Teresa.  It's not like their members couldn't afford to maintain the course nicely without the proceeds from the event, and many of them profess to be big believers in "living within your means".

[Craig Sweet]

Have a Master's ball and equipment....When they explain why, they will do more to promote better golf course design than continually lengthening holes.


Who cares how it is maintained...the beauty of Augusta is little more than a golfers wet dream....and 99% of golfers know it is not obtainable at their course.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Well, they opened it up for women's amateur play next year, that helps.

[Dave McCollum]

In the name of diversity, golf can have one Sistine Chapel.  It's just not a concept we need to franchise.

[Cal Seifert]

I love the 10 club idea.  Even less likely to happen than a ball rollback though.  Its a fun dream to have while watching driver wedge at a boring PGA Tour stop.

[John Kavanaugh]

Sure seems like a high percentage of ANGC members volunteer to work their tournaments. Even that silly kid thing.  I just can't find fault with those people.

[jeffwarne]

I love the 10 club idea.  Even less likely to happen than a ball rollback though.  Its a fun dream to have while watching driver wedge at a boring PGA Tour stop.

How exactly will a 10 club rule help at a "driver wedge
PGA Tour course"?

[Cal Seifert]

I love the 10 club idea.  Even less likely to happen than a ball rollback though.  Its a fun dream to have while watching driver wedge at a boring PGA Tour stop.

How exactly will a 10 club rule help at a "driver wedge
PGA Tour course"?

True, it may not help as much as a roll back in terms of changing how the course plays, but if we are forced to watch tour stops at many of these mundane venues it would at least be more interesting watching the players creating shots

[Jeff Schley]

The revenues taken  from the masters tournament are no doubt the highest of any tournament, and perhaps by multiples.  They are a non profit and the membership doesn't take distributions from any profits, those get utilized to further the course and the worldwide efforts to promote amateur golf.  I'm sure they have a large amount of revenue that they keep back for purchasing half of the city of Augusta and paying off Augusta CC for land, which until utilized is invested and they have retained earnings year over year.

I think they do more than any other club around.  The USGA and PGA do a wonderful job, but ANGC is right behind them and some would say ahead of them for they get so much notoriety for any initiative they do.

I don't think they give themselves pats on the back, they earn them.

[Sean_A]

Do absolutely nothing.  The issue is with others willing to be influenced...that ain't the problem of AGNC.  They have enough money to do what they do so their approach is sustainable.

Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

Hold their tournament at another time of year.
atb

[Adrian_Stiff]

Do absolutely nothing.  The issue is with others willing to be influenced...that ain't the problem of AGNC.  They have enough money to do what they do so their approach is sustainable.

Ciao

+1

[Mike_Trenham]

The revenues taken  from the masters tournament are no doubt the highest of any tournament, and perhaps by multiples.  They are a non profit and the membership doesn't take distributions from any profits, those get utilized to further the course and the worldwide efforts to promote amateur golf.  I'm sure they have a large amount of revenue that they keep back for purchasing half of the city of Augusta and paying off Augusta CC for land, which until utilized is invested and they have retained earnings year over year.

I think they do more than any other club around.  The USGA and PGA do a wonderful job, but ANGC is right behind them and some would say ahead of them for they get so much notoriety for any initiative they do.

I don't think they give themselves pats on the back, they earn them.

They are not a non-profit, to keep everything secret.

[JMEvensky]

Do absolutely nothing.  The issue is with others willing to be influenced...that ain't the problem of AGNC.  They have enough money to do what they do so their approach is sustainable.

Ciao

+1

+2--Just because members of most other clubs aren't able to understand why/how ANGC can do what they do is no reason to castigate ANGC.

[Jeff Schley]

The revenues taken  from the masters tournament are no doubt the highest of any tournament, and perhaps by multiples.  They are a non profit and the membership doesn't take distributions from any profits, those get utilized to further the course and the worldwide efforts to promote amateur golf.  I'm sure they have a large amount of revenue that they keep back for purchasing half of the city of Augusta and paying off Augusta CC for land, which until utilized is invested and they have retained earnings year over year.

I think they do more than any other club around.  The USGA and PGA do a wonderful job, but ANGC is right behind them and some would say ahead of them for they get so much notoriety for any initiative they do.

I don't think they give themselves pats on the back, they earn them.

They are not a non-profit, to keep everything secret.

The Masters Golf Tournament is a non-profit.....[size=78%]https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/274452110[/size]


The mystery is where does the ANGC end and the Masters Golf Tournament begin?  They have argued they are two separate entities, however the Masters tourney generates all the revenue. I’d be curious how they handle the property taxes which could substantial if not a non-profit status (aka. LA CC would be).


So ANGC is not a non-profit 501 c 3 designated private club that I could find, although most are to enjoy the exemption from civil rights laws and tax exempt status from federal (and usually state) taxes.  However the Masters Golf Tournament is and I’m sure they have done this to provide privacy to their members, which can be required to provide a membership list if claiming non-profit status and is being audited to prove discrimination practices.  Without claiming non-profit status the club alleviates itself from this potential burden.

[Ed Brzezowski]

Good Lord, would you draw a giant pimple on the Mona Lisa or Nicole Kidman??

Why can't it be accepted for what it is, a one off that while attempts to copy are done they are never better than the original.

It preserves a point in time and architecture.

[Derek_Duncan]

Do absolutely nothing.  The issue is with others willing to be influenced...that ain't the problem of AGNC.  They have enough money to do what they do so their approach is sustainable.

Ciao

Thank you Sean. This question has been analyzed to death.

[Kalen Braley]

Good Lord, would you draw a giant pimple on the Mona Lisa or Nicole Kidman??

Why can't it be accepted for what it is, a one off that while attempts to copy are done they are never better than the original.

It preserves a point in time and architecture.

Ed,


I'm not sure if you're referring directly to the course here or not, but ANGC as "Mona Lisa" is long gone.


Whats there now has been sliced and diced more than Joan Rivers....


Go look at Svens thread...

[Ed Brzezowski]

I get it but I have never been there, so I have this vision in my rather small brain of what it is like. I get the reality of the changes over the years and agree with your point , however give an old guy his dream.

 It's like when my wife finally saw Robert Redford in person standing on a milk crate in front of the Library of Congress. She had no idea he was so short. Perception v reality.

[Kalen Braley]

I get it but I have never been there, so I have this vision in my rather small brain of what it is like. I get the reality of the changes over the years and agree with your point , however give an old guy his dream.

 It's like when my wife finally saw Robert Redford in person standing on a milk crate in front of the Library of Congress. She had no idea he was so short. Perception v reality.

Ed,


Sorry my bad, didn't mean to kill the dream. 


But I really have zero issue with changes at Augusta, because given their track record, the green jackets clearly have no issues with it either...

[Tim_Cronin]

Jeff, thanks for the link to the Masters Tournament Foundation 990s. As I read them, the MTF gets cash grants from Augusta National Inc. (the for-profit company which owns the club and runs the Masters Tournament) and uses them to finance, at least in part, the operation of Drive, Chip & Putt, the Asia-Paficic and Latin American amateurs, and donations to other non-profits. But ANI clearly owns and runs the Masters itself.


As to the broader question, harried course superintendents around the world aside, since the move to open membership to women, I think they're running their operation quite well. Augusta National enhances golf rather than detracts from it. Though I do wonder about the lack of birds in the air and squirrels on the ground.

[Dave McCollum]

Though I do wonder about the lack of birds in the air and squirrels on the ground.

Don't forget the snakes in Rae's Creek.

[Peter Pallotta]

Reading through this, it made me wonder what Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Brad Pitt and George Clooney should have done differently because of their negative impact on all the rest of us!
And how about Tom D -- he should stop all the negativity he's causing through his building of so many highly praised and award winning courses!
Bill Gates too: his enormous wealth & success makes every other would-be tech billionaire feel bad about themselves
And that damn Shakespeare -- I thought I could've been a pretty good playwright...until I read him!
Goodman killed me as a potential clarinettist
Jesus and Buddha? How the hell am I supposed to live up to that?
Tiger and Jack and Ben -- well now I know I suck at golf!
The list goes on and on
Augusta is child's play compared to the damage others have caused....