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paul cowley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Golf as a form of hunting and gathering...
« on: December 26, 2007, 08:28:16 AM »
I know its not, but it really would be great if this was a field where the designers were rich enough to indulge themselves in this 'game' as a hobby....tinker and flit around, write an article or book, but not have to design for their bread and butter.

But the reality is something altogether different for most that are involved in this business....not just for the lucky few who are the front names of a design contract, but all the talented shapers, operators, specialists and field crews that labor to create the product that is played upon.

last year was slimmer than the one previous, and the  coming year might not be any better....maybe worse.

During times like these this business becomes a "real" reality show of survival and slow attrition of the ranks.

Sometimes I have an image of those that are involved in this business as modern day tribes that pull up stakes and families and move from hunting ground to hunting ground ...knowing that a new place will likely never become old...because after a season or so it will be time to move on again....unless one tires and decides to put down roots or go back to the place from which he came.

But enough of that stuff....the real purpose of this post is to wish all those who are involved with me, and all others involved in this interesting business, a Happy and Healthy New Year........and good hunting. :)
« Last Edit: December 26, 2007, 11:32:41 AM by paul cowley »
paul cowley...golf course architect/asgca

Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Golf as a form of hunting and gathering...
« Reply #1 on: December 26, 2007, 09:51:25 AM »
I wish I could say that the economy in general looks encouraging to the continued growth of the golf business.  Unfortunately it doesn't.  Not only do the credit markets appear to be in a crunch, making new financing more difficult to obtain, but the housing market is in the tank.  It seems that more and more golf development is in the corridors of subdivisions.

Jerry Pate is just about finished with a golf course for a large new development here called Jubilee (just outside Pensacola, FL) that hasn't had a single new home built or permitted yet.  The course is shaped and a lot of it grassed and there it sits while the developer regroups.

The hopeful news is that everything goes in cycles and we've never had a down cycle that didn't develop into an opportunity for those with the courage and resources to press ahead.  

So all you golf course architects, keep the faith and things will improve!       Best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year.

Ken Moum

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Golf as a form of hunting and gathering...
« Reply #2 on: December 26, 2007, 09:58:11 AM »
Paul,

As a 60-year-old who grew hunting, fishing and golfing with my father, I think the game itself does have a lot in common with hunting.

And as a one-time sporting clays shooter, I think "golf with shotguns" is a nice halfway house between the two.

Unfortunately, I have found myself playing with the golf equivalent of a 22 rimfire while half the people I play with seem to be using 7mm magnums, and the pros have somehow managed to obtain 378 Weatherbys and the 600 Nitro Express.

Oh well, I'll just hunt for my rabbits from the white tees, while they head back, back, back to the tees where rhinos and cape buffalo reside.

Ken
Over time, the guy in the ideal position derives an advantage, and delivering him further  advantage is not worth making the rest of the players suffer at the expense of fun, variety, and ultimately cost -- Jeff Warne, 12-08-2010

JESII

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Golf as a form of hunting and gathering...
« Reply #3 on: December 26, 2007, 11:23:30 AM »
KMoum,

Have you seen, or read, the quote by Max Behr about the very subject you describe there? It would make you feel good about your golf. TEPaul posts it every once in a while when he is feeling philosophical...

David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Golf as a form of hunting and gathering...
« Reply #4 on: December 26, 2007, 11:33:03 AM »
There was an article in the weekend edition of the Financial Times this summer about golf as a form of hunting & gathering. I have no idea if it can be accessed on the paper's website, but I will give it a look.  

TEPaul

Re:Golf as a form of hunting and gathering...
« Reply #5 on: December 26, 2007, 04:23:11 PM »
PaulC:

I sure do know what you mean and what you're getting at here. All the guys I see on and around these projects sure are a "travelin' band".

I could absolutely never do that the way you and your buddies and crews do. It would really get to me.

I just love HOME----always have!

I also don't like shooting things or even growing things in the garden. The latter I just leave to my sister who loves that kind of thing.

If I want to hunt something or gather something the most I do is go to some restaurant to eat it or drink it or the grocery store and take it home and cook it.

Well, forget about the cooking part. I can cook some really good spagehetti but for the rest like the sauce I depend on others.
« Last Edit: December 26, 2007, 04:27:19 PM by TEPaul »

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