Feature Interview with Adam Clayman is posted

[Ran Morrissett]

After each annual gathering, GolfClubAtlas.com intends to interview someone who can provide additional local color.

As a first in this endeavor, we present a Feature Interview with one Mr. Adam Clayman, loved by one and all. Though I had never meet this mad man prior to our New Mexico gathering, it became apparent after several days together that he has a story worth telling - and worth reading.

While he has seen a lot, his home course is now Pinon Hills, tucked in the northwest corner of New Mexico in Farmington. This fine Ken Dye course is the type course that we especially like featuring as it a) was relatively inexpensive to build b) is inexpensive to play c) is open to the public d) is a fine walk through nature with minimal outside intrusions and e) features some compelling holes/shots. This and that has been tinkered with from Dye's original design and Adam explains his view point as to the pros and cons of those changes.

Many, many posts on the site are about what the typical golfer likes/dislikes and while no one would use the word 'typical' to describe Adam, he is not an industry insider but rather approaches this Feature Interview from someone who just loves the game. Hopefully, others will agree this makes for a nice change of pace with the Feature Interviews as I would like to do another such one with a Canadian after our late July Banff/Jasper Park gathering next year (details will be posted this week on that gathering).

Adam is most happy to field any and all questions, be it on the Monterey courses, Blackwolf Run, golf in New Mexico or anywhere else for that matter. Just reading about how his tastes in golf architecture started/then evolved is something that many of us can relate to in our own way.

Cheers,

[THuckaby2]

Very cool interview.
And to think, we knew him when...  

TH

[Mike Nuzzo]

I don't know how his interview reads if you haven't met him, it is certainly more colorful after you have.

Cheers Adam.

And the Clayman cup will be coming to Banff!

[Matt_Ward]

Good stuff indeed!

Hats off to Adam for speaking plainly and simply about Pinon Hills. The golf course oooooooooooooozes with so much greatness if the people running the show would just listen to a fraction of what Adam said in the interview. The nines need to be reversed and the CM's input on ODing the H20 needs to be shelved.

I've played Pinon a few times and it's a marvelous example on affordable and quality golf. Ditto the rising quality of NM golf with Black Mesa leading the way.

Well said Mr. Clayman ...

P.S. I stil disagree with you on Paa-Ko though -- especially the 4th green!  

[Brad Swanson]

Although I've been to a couple of outings with Adam, I've never had the fortune of being paired with him for a round.  Hopefully this can be remedied next year in Canada or at KPIII.  As the soothsayer Johnny Miller would say, "Great stuff, Adam."

Cheers,
Brad Swanson

[A_Clay_Man]

Thanx to one and all for your nice comments. It really was an educational experience to sit down and finally try to write clear thoughts.
I must also add, that having Ran in ones group while golfing, is about as illuminating as ten feature interview's. I will confess that his reaction to the river valley's beauty reminded me of my virgin trek. It's so easy for all of us to take for granted all the beauty that surrounds us, everywhere. Seeing others appreciate the little things, is reflective of my own attitude of instantly appreciating something versus remembering it in appreciation. A great example occurred on the 7th and 16th greens at PH, the adjacent middle school was having recess when we reached both greens, of course our benafactor, Ran, instantly valued the sounds of children playing rather than as an intrusion on ones concentration.


Matt, I am glad to have such minor disagreements as long as we agree on the important issues.

Mike Nuzzo- Sheryl and I view the CC as yours. You earned it, deserve it and most importantly maybe this way, some local canadian artist can occupy the Nuzzo mantle as well.

Brad- I'll bet you and Doug had a good chuckle on your drive home about my comment about you and your game getting worse with practice. thanx, we'll tee it soon.

Huck- I knew you when you looked like a leprachaun in kindergarten. Now, a linebacker who hasn't eaten in minutes. Oh well, I guess thats better than offensive tackle. TY

[THuckaby2]

Huck- I knew you when you looked like a leprachaun in kindergarten. Now, a linebacker who hasn't eaten in minutes. Oh well, I guess thats better than offensive tackle. TY

You know how I often mention "growth" in here?  Well, it applies to the physical as well as the mental and spiritual....  

Also, I can concur with the joys of playing golf with Ran.  I learned more about trash-talking in that one round than in a life-time of Florida State-Miami games...  

Seriously though, it was very cool to get the full scoop on one hell of a great guy and one hell of a fantastic observer of golf and the human condition, Mr. Clayman.  Damn fun read.

TH

[Michael Whitaker]

Adam - Good job! But, there is so much more to tell. I'm hoping for an "Adam Clayman II" so you can add some of the  great stories you had for us in NM... the step-mom's mansion "takeover" in chicago, the sex-starved greyhound, the pet goat, the Cypress Point caddy tales, among others. Seriously, you and Sheryl were a lot of fun and gracious hosts. I can't wait for a return visit... and, make no mistake, there WILL be a return visit! Unless you guys beat me to it and come this way!!!

[George Pazin]

A thoroughly enjoyable read, one enhanced after spending three and a half days with Adam & being able to hear his voice as I read and visualiaze his mannerisms.

The clearest example of what an entertaining guy Adam is came during my trip out to the NM outing. I went out a couple days early so that I could accompany Adam & Dick Daley to Don's course in Amarillo and Texas Tech in Lubbock. We'd never met before, yet managed to talk and laugh for almost 9 hours straight before calling it a night on Tuesday. We had even been tipped off that Don was on the local news at 10 and, when we went to turn on the TV after remembering this, we found out it was after 1 a.m. and we hadn't even realized the time had zipped by so smoothly.

I'm greatly looking forward to my next trip to Lubbock, because I know one phone call will be all that's necessary to have a super playing partner.

I'm also looking for to the interview with one of our friends from up north. Great idea. I'd recommend a belated one with Tom Paul since we had an outing in Philly, but I have a feeling he & Wayne will be featured once their book is complete.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I feel fortunate to meet a man with a beautiful spirit like Adam. It is a spirit I appeciate and respect. He is a good friend who made one weekend on the Monterey Peninsula feel like a birthday party for me. I had been to the area many times but it was Adam who introduced me to Pacific Grove. I shall never forget the day. There are a lot of people who do not know what has been lost at Spyglasss and Pacific Grove without Adam walking along showing them the hole, the features and the little things which make golf there special.

[THuckaby2]

JB, I believe that's the first time I met Adam as well... and what a great time that was that day... It's funny, I had played Pacific Grove many times prior to that day, but I don't think I ever really SAW it until that round....

BTW, we have potential for a VERY interesting Sugar Bowl... just gotta get Oklahoma and maybe Ohio State out of the way....  

TH

[Mike Benham]

JB, I believe that's BTW, we have potential for a VERY interesting Sugar Bowl... just gotta get Oklahoma and maybe Ohio State out of the way....  

And past Tennessee, Florida or Georgia in conference title game  ...

[THuckaby2]

Sure, there are no guarantees...

But the potential is there for an epic battle between the school JB lives and dies for and the college football team I've followed since age 2.  If that occurs, I might have to find a way down to New Orleans.  I can't imagine a greater sporting event to experience in person than that... just for the parties alone!

And my apologies most definitely for the thread-jack.  Seeing JB's name, well... I've just been meaning to comment on this to him since LSU's rise after last weekend....

TH

[Lou_Duran]

An easier guy to get to know and like may be impossible to find.  Quick in his golf as in his wit,  with strange, out-of-the-box perceptions that seem to actually make sense.  Not bad architecturally either for a right-brainer.  If I needed help with a bar fight, changing a tire, or filling out a foursome, Adam would be at the top of my list.  He reminds me a lot of another famous gca.com contributor.  Anyone care to guess who?  

[THuckaby2]

An easier guy to get to know and like may be impossible to find.  Quick in his golf as in his wit,  with strange, out-of-the-box perceptions that seem to actually make sense.  Not bad architecturally either for a right-brainer.  If I needed help with a bar fight, changing a tire, or filling out a foursome, Adam would be at the top of my list.  He reminds me a lot of another famous gca.com contributor.  Anyone care to guess who?  

JakaB or Steve Lang?

[Robert Kimball]

What was not lost on me was the courage it took to leave what was probably a successful business venture in Chicago and just pick up and move.  
Oh, if I just had the "cajones" to do that one day.  I often say that I would be happy as I could be if I were just to caddy somewhere for  a living.  
Great interview -- and a great life you lead out there. . . .

[A_Clay_Man]

Boy oh boy, I don't know if I can handle all this NICE stuff.
Thanks everyone.

 Jb- I never thought about how the customer will miss my dissing of the new bunkers.

MW- The war and peace version was all too telling. But it could be summed up by saying how important individual people have been in my deeper understanding of whats really important in life and golf. Too bad many of them are dead but at least they live on in me and anyone I pass on what they shared.

Lou- All I can say is that your words make me feel like a success, since my only goal was to never fit into any box.

  Rob, It still is successful. Once I was comfortable trading off the floor, it didn't really matter from where. The truth was I had a real problem with my trading, I could stick the knife in ,but I couldn't twist. I was never greedy enough and that is key to being a succesful trader. I played a lot of poker in San Jose trying to learn to twist the knife, but it just is not in my make-up. But I can tell you that if we're all square going into 18, I don't care who you are, your gonna get all I got.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Tom, 4 games is a long rough road in the SEC, especially when 3 of them are on the road. One of the 4 is the Championship game against one of those east teams mentioned above. I hope that we have the character to play them one at a time. I can remember both games with USC like they were yesterday. The 1979 game in Baton Rouge was won by the Trojans 17 to 12 in a heavyweight fight for the ages. It was a pretty fair USC team that claimed all the marbles that year except Alabama actually got them. The USC players like Brad Bunde are still quoted on the game. The 1984 game was won by LSU 24 to 3 in LA. It was a very good rose bowl bound USC team that I believe ran the table except for us. I missed seeing Mr. Ed run around the track. But that is the price you pay when you keep them from scoring a TD.

[Steve Lang]

 

I had the pleasure to ride with A_C_M  at Paa Ko Ridge and amazingly we both fit in the cart, albeit with some stress on the suspension..  Didn't take long to connect ( i think about 240 yds) and it was a super adventure over hill and mountain trail.  Adam's passion and spirit for the game and living the adventure are always in high gear and generate considerable mental energy and just plain fun conversation.

I'll always remember bringing Adam into my confidence on one shot when our two other playing partners, Mike Nordstrom & Kevin "Freddie" Fredrickson, who were already up on the green, about 15 yards left of pin, were directly in front of the green's angled backstop hill.. needed to be hit for getting close to the back right pin  I confided, "watch me scatter em" and pulled off the shot against the backstop.. The smile said it all.  

Other than watching Adam's grip, happy feet stance, and swipe, I mean swing.. his ball striking was educational if not confident and usually left to right controlled, and I followed his lead with fairly good success,  until he reached the burnout point that day.. I do carry his one lesson back to me to this very day..  

Huckaby, you puttin me with the infamous JakaB.. i don't know exactly how to take that, but we'll work that out the details next time we cross paths... over drinks and laughs I suspect..

This is all witness to how great the gca.com based get togethers are, to be able to spend time with folks such as Adam make it all worth the effort.
 

[THuckaby2]

Huckaby, you puttin me with the infamous JakaB.. i don't know exactly how to take that, but we'll work that out the details next time we cross paths... over drinks and laughs I suspect..

Steve - I know it sounds strange given jakab's posts in here, but having played golf and spent some time with the man, I swear that is a compliment... and if you don't believe it, look who else I compared you to...  

I still don't know for sure what Lou was thinking, though!

TH

[jg7236]

Great interview!  I have a question for Mr. Adam Clayman.  I know that you used to be a stock trader in Chicago, but what did you do for an occupation out west?  Did you save a lot of golf cash and just play golf all the time or were you retired.  I just find it amazing that you could travel to all these places and just play golf, damn that sounds like a dream come true.

Cheers,

John

[A_Clay_Man]

John- In L.A., I had lots of family and my aunt Molly is a maven on value. It was not expensive, relative to downtown Chicago. When I moved to the kingdom it was right after the big shake-up of the downsizing of the military (thanx bubba) so rent was also relatively reasonable. By 2001 the cat was out of the bag and prop values were ridiculous.

Steve- Most happy to help. Look forward to future lessons.