On the topic “Where are my guys “ reply#26 by Pat‘s main complaint is not Merion, Fish Bars or Yardage, it is the fact than only Tom (D) bothered to post any comment.
Many if not all on GCA.com. has at one time or another experience it more that once, in fact some have had their topic removed as apparently it has nothing to do with golf, its culture or golf course architecture.
Pat through his wisdom on site has taught me many things, but I am not certain if he has travelled to our shore to sample our golf culture. In fact, I’m not certain that many have travelled to Fife to experience golf at ground zero, which I believe is the latest terminology. Pat you will no doubt tell me if I am wrong.
Merion, the debate in long and we all have over the period made good and bad comments about it and the participants. However the debate has moved on, further information has come to light the actual architectural design is slowly coming about which will in the end produce a brilliant history for the club, which I expect, will probably outweigh all the other clubs worldwide. The result of meeting of minds of debate and arguments on this site. GCA.com has hosted the – lets call it - a serious debate. That is something constructive and certainly involves GCA.
As for Fish Bars, - that our culture, that how we celebrate our games. It at times is part and parcel of Fife’s Golfing Hospitality. Yes, it is easily misunderstood but it’s as important to many as the 19th hole and as part of our modern golfing traditions. It is as relevant as Trumps new course – in fact perhaps more so because it’s the locals who took our friend and overseas guests to the place as a celebration of the morning or days golf. Having it removed when other OT topics like 24th June topic called OT saying Spain 0, USA 2 – sorry Rich but just what has that to do with golf or this site.
The removal of the Fish Bar was unfair and I regret showed no consideration or understanding of our culture. It has a place in OT topics for the very fact that it was through the locals golfers that our overseas friends have got to know the place. Perhaps one day Ran & Ben will be our guests after a game and enjoy the delights of Anstruther Fish Bar or an Arbroath Smokies. Sorry Pat but Anstruther has an Old Tom Morris course which can be fun – that’s Old Tom Morris my great, great grandfather, you seem to have problems remembering his connection to me – ops there I go name dropping again, sorry.
Yardage Finders, well I think the current topic covers that rather well. Nevertheless, I will say it has everything to do with golf and GCA. I with others on this site feel it has a negative effect on understand of the architecture of a golf course when players are spending time looking searching and seeking distance markers or looking through a Rangefinder to a specific spot missing out perhaps the just as important contours and hazards over the course.
Therefore, I am sorry Pat I do not agree with you and I am disappointed that an OT topics like Fish Bars have been removed. I expect that had it been in the USA it may still be on line to read.
Our golf, culture and hospitality are important to us and perhaps should not have been dismissed so quickly. I suspect that the OT topic of the 24th June is full to bursting of American culture so has been allowed. Something does not seem to quite balance here, but like golf, life is not fair.
IMHO, all three topics were justified if one bothers to read the actual contents.
Melvyn