The 2023 Annual GCA Festivus Airing of Grievances

[Cal Seifert]

I wish posts with photos resized on mobile so they could be easily viewable.

[John Mayhugh]

Lido and Sedge Valley were built in a place where they can only be played half the year.  (I understand why and am grateful that both were built, but just wish there were more days to play available).

[Andrew Carr]

Mr. Hendren,


This is not a personal attack of you and I apologize for citing you, but the rallying against "belt notching" is my grievance.


Like all art forms, to have a well formed opinion, isn't it important to study the greats?  The complaint appears to me like one studying classical music but being forbidden from listening to Bach or Mozart.


What is it about wanting to see some of the best GCA the world has to offer that is bad?


Am I being a knucklehead in misunderstanding this particular complaint?  I probably am, so if you could elaborate on what "belt notching" is to you and why you abhor it?

Belt notching on this site is an epidemic.  But then again it must be great to be great. I feel for the second hundred.


Also, maximalism masquerading as minimalism.

[Bruce Katona]

The LIV discussion.  We all have an opinion we believe is correct.

[Mike Hendren]

Andrew, please call me Mike and I doubt you are a knucklehead. I don’t abhor seeking out great golf courses but I’ve rarely played a course that was devoid of good or poor architecture where something couldn’t be learned.


Who among us though hasn’t counted the number of courses on any list that we‘ve played.  Me? It’s usually 30 or so.

I happen to learn more from the good than the great - Doak 6’s if you will.  Then again,  I’m a disciple of Sean Arble - not list makers[size=78%]. [/size]


I should fess up that I was a Golfweek panelist for 15 years until I was canned for losing my desire to seek out and review more courses. 
 
I’d welcome the opportunity to host you at Vanderbilt Legends Club if you’re in Nashville.

All the best.

[Andrew Carr]

Mike, I completely agree that most, if not all courses have something of interest.  Even if they are interesting for negative reasons, there is always something to observe and reflect on.
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[/size]That's exactly my point in that, to varying degrees, we are all aware of how many notches we have, not necessarily for the notches sake, but for the sake of seeing more great architecture.  I guess my grievance with the anti-belt notching sentiment is that it's often held by people that already have seen a substantial amount of the great stuff.
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[/size]That makes the world of sense and within the Doak 6, there is a substantial amount of variety.  A friend of mine said it really well and I believe this gets to your point: "there are 400 courses in the top 100."  I share your passion for getting to those second level courses.  Don't get me wrong, another go 'round Cypress isn't something I'd turn down, but if given the option to go back to Quaker Ridge or to see Round Hill Club for the first time, there is zero hesitation for me to choose Round Hill.
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[/size]I've never been to Nashville, but that would be wonderful.  I'm on Long Island and play out of Wheatley Hills Golf Club, which is a Devereux Emmet design that Ian Andrew has been patiently helping us with since 2014.  I'm biased, but to me the work he's done there is simply amazing and I extend the invite to you and anyone on here.

Andrew, please call me Mike and I doubt you are a knucklehead. I don’t abhor seeking out great golf courses but I’ve rarely played a course that was devoid of good or poor architecture where something couldn’t be learned.


Who among us though hasn’t counted the number of courses on any list that we‘ve played.  Me? It’s usually 30 or so.

I happen to learn more from the good than the great - Doak 6’s if you will.  Then again,  I’m a disciple of Sean Arble - not list makers[/size][size=78%]. [/size]


I should fess up that I was a Golfweek panelist for 15 years until I was canned for losing my desire to seek out and review more courses. 
 
I’d welcome the opportunity to host you at Vanderbilt Legends Club if you’re in Nashville.

All the best.

[Mark Pearce]

Why isn’t there a LIKE button for each post

If there was, I'd have used it for this.