Over the years on GCA we have discussed the Augusta Syndrome at length, it has progressed to the surreal. I have played several courses this year and at each I have heard first hand, members bitching about course condition.
One particularly annoying event occured at a highly regarded New England course that has made a concerted effort to maintain firm and fast conditions. I listened to 10 holes of diatribe by my host on how soft the G.D. place was, and how the Super would be in big trouble,ect. On the 11th hole I politely reminded my host that we had just received 3 inches of rain over 4 days.
His reply was stupifying, " Listen, we spent a bundle on drainage over the last 5 years and we have one of the highest maintainence budgets in the State, they ought to be able to do a better job of drying this place out, so the ball will run like it should!"
Short of hiring the entire 1st Air Cav and blow drying the place with Hueys and Cobras and Shinooks, the course had drained better than anyone could have been expected, they even had carts out, my home course didn't on this day, and here is this guy(who was on the greens committee) questioning the Super. UNBELIEVABLE!
Member(player) expectation has gotten so out of whack that I swear these guys all work for Arthur Andersen.
What can we reasonable students of architecture and appreciators of the game and its playing fields do to reverse this out of control trend?
If I was the golf czar I would make working on the grounds crew for two weeks a requisite part of the admissions process and if they didn't "get it" after that send them packing!!