News:

Welcome to the Golf Club Atlas Discussion Group!

Each user is approved by the Golf Club Atlas editorial staff. For any new inquiries, please contact us.


Patrick Kiser

  • Karma: +0/-0
Dear Santa...
« on: December 07, 2008, 01:53:13 PM »
Dear Santa,

I like to think I’ve been a pretty good boy this year  ::)

That said, I’m going to get right down to business because I know you’re a very busy guy about this time of year.

As you well know, the GCA site is pretty cool.  However, I wish we could do a few things to make the site even more fun to use  ;)

First on the list, can we get a better search engine?  It’s difficult to make effective searches when you type in something like Sharp Park and every subject thread or posting comes back with parts of the two words being highlighted a la Google style.  Even when trying to use Google’s advanced search feature, it can be somewhat limiting in what comes back from the search.

Second, can we get a books section with all the GCA books having been recommended over the years?  Plus just add new books as we go?  I think most of us would really like a list like this as an appended section to the already existing sections such as In My Opinion, The Next Fifty, etc.  While you're at it, can you place some magic spell on WM so he finishes his book on Flynn?

Third, when a new Interview gets posted or when a new My Home Course gets added, can we receive an email notice?  That way Ran doesn’t have to alert folks.

Fourth, can we get a little more organized on the Discussion section?  By that I mean if the topic is about turf grasses then there’s a subsection for that.  If there’s an OT thread then there’s a subsection for that.  If it’s talking about GCA then there’s a subsection for that.  You get the idea.  I just think the Discussion section is getting rather cluttered these days.  Also, can we please add a link somewhere to Art Fuller’s growing photo section with course threads?

Fifth, I’m not sure what happened but we used to have a feature where we could take a look at a poster’s profile and then review the poster’s last posts.  I thought that was a pretty cool feature.  I can still do it for my profile, but not for others.  Can we have that feature back?

Sixth, can we please develop a section for hole by hole commentary discussions with each and every hole to a course having been discussed (like Tim Bert’s series A Fan’s Photo Tribute to XYZ – Nth Hole Commentary Now In Progress)?  When the thread is complete and there aren’t any additional posts after a certain amount of time then just make the thread available in it’s own section so it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.  I’d hate to have to try and find those threads down the line with our current search capabilities.  Tim's hole by hole threads on Kingsley and Pacific Dunes have been some of the best this year in my opinion with great feedback and I'd like to fall back on them when I get ready to play some of those courses.

Seventh, can we have an area listing out all the forum members?  That way if we have a question we'd like to ask any one of them we don't have to go searching through a bunch of threads to finally find them.

Well … I’m sure I could go on, but I know this is already a lot.  So I’ll turn it over to the rest of the GCA crew and let them give you their wish lists.  I can assure you as well they’ve all been pretty good this year … I think  ;D

Say hi to Mrs. Claus and the hard working elves.

Best,

Patrick
« Last Edit: December 07, 2008, 03:02:37 PM by Patrick Kiser »
“One natural hazard, however, which is more
or less of a nuisance, is water. Water hazards
absolutely prohibit the recovery shot, perhaps
the best shot in the game.” —William Flynn, golf
course architect

Joe Hancock

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dear Santa...
« Reply #1 on: December 07, 2008, 02:03:13 PM »
Dear Santa,

I wish GCA.com wouldn't change so much. The offensive eccentric poster:important golf writer ratio is out of whack again.

Now, now......all in good fun!

 :P
" What the hell is the point of architecture and excellence in design if a "clever" set up trumps it all?" Peter Pallotta, June 21, 2016

"People aren't picking a side of the fairway off a tee because of a randomly internally contoured green ."  jeffwarne, February 24, 2017

Tim Bert

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dear Santa...
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2008, 02:09:35 PM »
Patrick

I really appreciate your kind words but I think it would be a stretch to have a section based on 3 threads. Not to mention Ran has a nice section of the web site devoted to his course reviews - the section of this web site that first attracted me.

A couple tips - even with the questionable search engine I think searching "fan's photo tribute" along with course name  will yield the threads. That's why I tried to give them a unique but consistent title.

If all else fails, the PD thread had lots of views and respones (Kingsley probably will too when all is said and done) so you can simply sort the threads by views or responses as opposed to recent response date.

Patrick Kiser

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dear Santa...
« Reply #3 on: December 07, 2008, 02:59:56 PM »
Tim,

I think you're right in that I shouldn't single out Tim Bert only hole by hole commentary threads.  Rather any hole by hole commentary that carries through from hole 1 to 18 with each hole at a time reviewed.  I'll modify the post and hope Santa doesn't get poed for the scope creep  ;D.  Then Ran can make a judgment call on when a thread qualifies for the section and the rule is all 18 holes and one at a time get covered like in your threads.

I also like the course reviews, but there's just no commentary outside of the poster's input.  So we're totally missing out on the back and forth like on the current Kingsley thread.

Well, I took your suggestion and tried the keyword search you mentioned ... and nothing for subject threads with any or all words matching for fan's photo tribute.  I shouldn't have to input the course name actually, because that becomes a big assumption for end user's to include that part.  Then trying for messages instead of subjects and ... you get the kitchen sink thrown at you because the search is doing sub-word searching within words (e.g. photo in any word or part of a word like photography is returned).  So nice try but ... no dice I think  :-\.  I just think there's a lot room for improvement on  the searching.

Patrick

I really appreciate your kind words but I think it would be a stretch to have a section based on 3 threads. Not to mention Ran has a nice section of the web site devoted to his course reviews - the section of this web site that first attracted me.

A couple tips - even with the questionable search engine I think searching "fan's photo tribute" along with course name  will yield the threads. That's why I tried to give them a unique but consistent title.

If all else fails, the PD thread had lots of views and respones (Kingsley probably will too when all is said and done) so you can simply sort the threads by views or responses as opposed to recent response date.
« Last Edit: December 07, 2008, 03:04:02 PM by Patrick Kiser »
“One natural hazard, however, which is more
or less of a nuisance, is water. Water hazards
absolutely prohibit the recovery shot, perhaps
the best shot in the game.” —William Flynn, golf
course architect

Tim Bert

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dear Santa...
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2008, 03:27:37 PM »
I don't think the search engine likes the apostrophe.  Fan photo tribute works nicely.

As another fallback (in addition to sorting based on views or replies), Art Fuller's link does a nice job capturing a pretty comprehensive list.  Bookmarking it might get you through the winter if Santa focuses his attention on the children.

www.delicious.com/golfclubatlas

Norbert P

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dear Santa... New
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2008, 03:34:22 PM »
 I agree with many points.  I'd like the forum to be more data-retrievable for specific searches.
 
  Take a quick peek at  www.sciforums.com    .

 Though perhaps too many sub topics - it is not as chrono-sensitive and one can navigate to fields of interest. 
Turf, New Courses, Classic Courses, Architects, News Articles, etc.

Off Topic but goes with Santa wishes.  Check out http://www.geekologie.com/2007/11/     

  The alarm clock sounds interesting.  It may induce some crazy lucid dreaming images.   Also, the portable phone booth for you cell phone addicted golfers.   And don't forget the underwear deodorizers.

This is what I need for Christmas . . .

  http://www.geekologie.com/2008/08/sure_why_not_the_how_to_tie_a.php



« Last Edit: December 07, 2008, 05:16:17 PM by Slag Bandoon »
"Golf is only meant to be a small part of one’s life, centering around health, relaxation and having fun with friends/family." R"C"M

Tags:
Tags:

An Error Has Occurred!

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()
Back