I've kept my mouth shut, but I'm having trouble with this whole "Custodians of the Game" concept. I admire Ran and all he has done with this website and the game of golf in general. But I think that to label golf courses as "Custodians, " when he's really talking about golf clubs, not courses, confuses things.
And, more importantly, I have trouble with the criteria selected in selecting these "Custodians." It's unsaid, but maybe implied, that these are based purely on Ran's personal choices of what defines a "Custodian." I would have a very different list of criteria by which I'd pick these "protectors of the game," and my list would not closely resemble his.
By this statement, I don't mean to take away from Ran, nor his list, nor his right to define "Custodians" in any way he wants. Nor do I presume that I have the same reputation nor experience in golf as he. I just didn't want to leave it unsaid that at least one person would differ with him in his criteria and his results. But as the US founding fathers said, I'd defend to the death his right to say whatever he wants.