[Jeff Mingay]

I received a copy of the Society of Australian Golf Course Architect's annual journal, Golf Architecture, in the mail this morning!

Neil Crafter and Paul Mogford (editors) have done an outstanding job with this year's issue. The content and the layout are excellent.

This magazine was tailored for those of us who frequent this website. So, I highly recommend that if you haven't contacted Neil about ordering the new issue, and perhaps the four back issues as well, do so.

Write to:

Golf Architecture
PO Box 196
Brooklyn Park SA 5032
Australia

Or fax (08) 8354 2644

Or email Neil Crafter at golfstra@senet.com.au

Great stuff!

[Jeff Mingay]

Ha!

Hey Ran, I found a glitch in the system. You can't put 08 in brackets without getting the little guy in sunglasses!

That's 08 to start the fax number, friends!

[Scott_Burroughs]

Jeff,
    That's because an 8 next to a right paren is the "smiley" code for the "sunglasses smiley".  Look at all the lists others made with 1) 2) etc.  They all have "sunglasses smiley" where the 8 should be.

[Jason Henham]

When you reply to a post, there's an option at the bottom which says 'Disable Smilies'. Tick this box if you're including text that will turn into a smiley when posted.

Jason

[Paul Daley]

Neil:

Great job on the new look Golf Architecture. Contained within I found lots of stimulating articles, which translates to "good value" for $9.95. Anyone who takes the trouble to become a subscriber won't be dissapointed by the finished product.

Good luck with the next issue.

[Neil Crafter]

thanks Paul and Jeff for those positive comments - much appreciated. I thank those who have subscribed  to support our little endeavour and trust that you are enjoying your reading. We hope to be able to increase page numbers again with the next issue.
Cheers
Neil

[Geoff_Shackelford]

Not to jump on the bandwagon of contributors pushing the magazine, but the latest really is outstanding and I think a true collectors item, moreso than even the previous issues which featured great material. Actually, "magazine" is an unfair description, Neil has turned this into an international architecture journal. Many of us have hoped to see a yearly journal/collectable on architecture that analyzes some exciting new designs, discusses topics of interest, history, reviews books, etc... and it's finally here. GCA is wonderful, but to have something so attractive in print is quite refreshing. Considering that anytime there has been talk of such a journal in the past, the cost was always slated at something ridiculous like $100 (for a program basically!). So the SAGCA is offering a real bargain. Particularly considering the graphics, paper and photo reproduction are of such high quality. Neil, thanks for allowing me to contribute!
Geoff

[Greg Ramsay]

The Golf Architecture Magazine has provided me with many hours of enjoyable reading as well, the images and layout complement truly great content, from both local Australian and overseas contributors.  I suspect it may be the best publication of its type available worldwide.

Greatly enjoyed your article on temptation Geoff, as I did Jeff's story about Stanley Thompson- its a shame he didn't spread his golf design wings further afield.  But for me the highlight was the re-printing of Dr. Alistair Mackenzie's travel journal, that was very enlightening- from golf design to how to manage your country's economy!  Unearthing that article is an absolute gem.

The only major disappointment about the Journal is that it only comes out once a year!  What will we have to do to see it more often?  I had devoured this issue in a few days and can't wait for the next instalment.

Like many before, I strongly recommend others to get in touch with Neil at golfstra@senet.com.au to order your own copy, it greatly complements the regular banter of GCA.com

Congratulations SAGCA & Neil Crafter

Greg Ramsay
www.barnbougledunes.com

[Brian Phillips]

It seems that I am the first person here on this thread to post something about the magazine that has had nothing to do with it.

I received the magazine today and have started to read some of and at the moment I am quite positive.   For the price it is definately worth the money and I will be buying the older versions as well.

Let me just say a couple of things:

The book reviews are honest, i agree with you Neil about the book 'The life and Work of Dr. Alister MacKenzie in that it is not really as good as it could have been.  It is as you said an interesting and attractive book, which should be an essential part of any golf library but I feel that maybe it could have been done better.

I also agree with you about the book Discovering Donald Ross - I found this book to much much more detailed than the MacKenzie book and was more to my liking.

The only thing that I didn't like about the book reviews is that all the books were from the same publishing company.  Was that a bit of sponsorship?

The other thing is that I must point out that all of the above persons have had something to do with the magazine.

Geoff, Jeff and Neil have written things in the magazine.  Paul received a plug from the magazine for his new book and Greg also received a plug for his new project.

The only other negative thing that I could bring up is that some of the articles are there just so that a new course or design gets a bit of advertising which again is fair enough.

However it is DEFINATELY WORTH THE MONEY and I will be ordering the back issues as well.

Well done..Neil and thanks for the note..

[Neil_Crafter]

Brian
Thanks for those comments. Three of the four books we reviewed were from Sleeping Bear Press and the other from Paul Daley's company in Melbourne. This would seem about the ratio, with SBP publishing around 3/4 of the books on golf architecture anyway. There was no sponsorship deal in any way. the publishers kindly send me the books and I review them to the best of my ability. There are other books I could have reviewed had we more space from other publishers, but these were the ones I thought would likely be of most interest to our readers.

I thank Geoff, Paul, Jeff and Greg for their input and comments. I hope others who are independent that have seen the magazine will offer their opinions as you have.

The other thing I was curious about was when you said "The only other negative thing that I could bring up is that some of the articles are there just so that a new course or design gets a bit of advertising which again is fair enough." I'm not sure which article you are referring to, except perhaps the one on Moonah Links which is clearly marked as an advertorial, ie. a paid article/advertisement. I hope there aren't others that you would put into that category. Greg's project at Barnbougle was a piece of news that we thought would interest our readers - if it helps him then all well and good.

I appreciate your feedback and am glad that in general terms you enjoyed the magazine.
cheers
Neil

[Tim_Weiman]

Neil,

My copy of the magazine has not yet arrived, but I was wondering if you could summarize how you felt the Mackenzie book fell short.

The limited feedback I've heard is that people who weren't thrilled by the book were really looking for "The Golf Courses of Alister Mackenzie" rather than a book that was intended to be an autobiography.

Back in 1995 I talked with Brian Lewis and expressed that what fascinated me about Mackenzie more than just his work, was how he managed to work "globally" compared to architects like Ross or Tillinghast who just focused here in the States.  My interest was for someone to do a book that would get at that issue, not just his courses.

I'm inclined to think autobiographies on our favorite architects are inherently problematic because the market is small to begin with and the limited market really wants to focus on the architecture rather than the person.

Frankly, I'm guessing the Travis and Thompson books done recently by Bob Labbance and James Barclay proved disappointing to people for this reason.  Labbance and Barclay obivously cover Travis and Thompson views on architecture, but you don't come away from these books feeling you know their courses.  Perhaps the absence of color photographs also really hurts.

So, what do you think?  What words of advice would you give to George Bahto on his upcoming CB Mac book.  Already people's expectations are pretty high in terms of wanting documentation of places like NGLA, Yale, Chiciago, etc.

[George Bahto]

..... "So, what do you think?  What words of advice would you give to George Bahto on his upcoming CB Mac book.  Already people's expectations are pretty high in terms of wanting documentation of places like NGLA, Yale, Chiciago, etc.  "

you critics really have me worried now !!!! ...  by the way it is at the publisher now and SBP said it would be out July 2002
 
 

[Neil_Crafter]

Tim
Hope you receive your copy of the magazine soon
In the meantime I will post an unedited version of my review of the Mackenzie book so you can see for yourself. I had to edit it down slightly to get it to fit in the mag.

"Coming in the year of the 75th anniversary of Dr Mackenzie’s visit to Australia, this long overdue book is most welcome. Written by US architect Tom Doak, Dr James Scott from Mackenzie’s hometown of Leeds and Mackenzie’s stepgrandson Ray Haddock, the book examines Mackenzie’s life and works, although perhaps not with quite the same coherency as in Klein’s book on Ross. Whether this is due to having three authors or not is arguable. As an example, the book commences with a chapter on the Doctor’s early forays into golf design before it discusses his childhood and family history.
The significance of Mackenzie’s Australian tour is recognised by giving it a chapter of its own entitled “Two Months that Changed a Continent”. Doak fuels the controversy that Melbourne’s Yarra Yarra was designed by Mackenzie and perpetuates this theory in the book despite any supporting evidence. On the contrary, documentary evidence shows that the job was awarded to his partner Alex Russell one month after Mackenzie departed our shores. Perhaps the reason he describes Yarra’s undulating 11th green as being a “classic Mackenzie green” is that it was built so well by Russell to Mackenzie's own ideals.
The book is well illustrated by many original sketches and plans, as well as both period black and white and modern photographs of the Doctor’s work. Photographs of little known Mackenzie gems such as Claremont in California are of special interest. A frameable map of Mackenzie’s depiction of the Old Course is also appended at the back of the book.
Puzzlingly, the book lacks an index and a list of Mackenzie’s numerous published articles, while the omission of the Doctor’s famed love for dancing from the assessment of his personal life in a book of this magnitude is somewhat of an oversight.
These criticisms though, should not cloud what is an interesting and attractive book, which should be an essential part of any golf library."

As for advice for George Bahto - I wouldn't be so presumptuous as it is up to him and his publisher to include whatever they think tells the best story about Macdonald et al and their courses.
cheers
Neil

[Brian Phillips]

Neil,

It was the Moonah Links and the Greg Ramsey piece I was refering to.  I didn't see the marking on the side of the page explaining that it was an editorial......

My favourite were all of yours and the one from Shackleford.

I was wondering if I could scan your picture of the Redan as I would like to start a discussion about it on this site.  i am going to ask Bob Grant if I can use the same pictures you used as well.

Would it also not be possible to have a half yearly magazine instead of yearly.  I am sure that you could put the price up of the magazine to support it.

I thought the magazine as a whole is possibly one of the best for value for money and the pictures are outstanding.

Cheers Brian

[Greg Ramsay]

Brian, that photo of the Redan hole has generated a lot of thought on North Berwick, I think that bunker should be restored with the old railroad tie bunker face, to be really dramatic, it looks great.

How many other scottish courses would be more interesting/dramatic if they re-introduced the old bunkering?

I also advise anyone who like this edition to back order the other 4, they all have great articles and mostly good pics as well.

Greg Ramsay
www.barnbougledunes.com

[Tim_Weiman]

Neil:

My copy arrived and was appreciated evry bit as much as your preivous efforts.

Thanks for the great work.

You Aussies have got some things we don't have here in the States.

[Neil_Crafter]

Brian
The photo of the Redan that we reproduced was not actually the one in "Hazards" but after I got Bob Grant's approval to use it I realised the same photo was in Hunter's The Links, but much crisper, so I used that one. Fine by me if you use it on this site to start up a thread.
As far as doing the magazine half-yearly, that thought has crossed or minds. But as it is a totally voluntary (and very time consuming) process, things would need to be different for a more frequent publishing to occur. thanks for the suggestion though - it's not totally ruled out.
Greg
Wouldn't the Redan look great if restored to that look - most fearsome! Also some great pictures I've just come across of the Redan (too late for the magazine) were in Huthinson's Golf Greens and Grenkeeping I saw in our State Library- there are some great photos in there. I've now ordered the reprint from SBP.
Tim
thanks for the thoughts - glad you enjoyed it.
cheers
Neil

[Chris Kane]

Just picked up a copy of Golf Architecture at the newsagent, and I agree with the comments entirely.  A fantastic publication at a fantastic price.

I thought the last couple of issues were good, but this one makes the step up to great!  Excellent photography and well-written.

I particularly enjoyed the pieces on the Redan and Royal Melbourne's 5th West.  The McKenzie article on his world travels was enlightening and very informative.

I hope it sells well for you Neil, and good luck with the next issue.

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