They don't build statues of critics...

[Charlie Goerges]

I saw a picture of a t-shirt with the slogan "they don't build statues of critics". I thought that couldn't be true and sure enough, the first critic I searched had a statue...Immanuel Kant.


Nevertheless, what critics should have a statue of them? Bernard Darwin? Grantland Rice? Far and Sure?

[Niall C]

Bernard Darwin was a great writer, perhaps the best in any sport, but I'm not sure he was entirely critical with his writing. He had a tendency to write flattering and uncritical comments when writing about friends and acquaintances. That said, still worthy of a statue and I suspect somewhere in the world there might be one.


Niall

[John Kavanaugh]

The statue of Oscar Wilde in Dublin is a doppelgänger of Ran.

[Charlie Goerges]

Bernard Darwin was a great writer, perhaps the best in any sport, but I'm not sure he was entirely critical with his writing. He had a tendency to write flattering and uncritical comments when writing about friends and acquaintances. That said, still worthy of a statue and I suspect somewhere in the world there might be one.


Niall

Good point, though I'm content to define the term pretty broadly if need be, something like "to offer commentary upon something".

[Charlie Goerges]

The statue of Oscar Wilde in Dublin is a doppelgänger of Ran.

That's a thumbs-up from me!

[Wayne_Kozun]

The statue of Oscar Wilde in Dublin is a doppelgänger of Ran.

That's a thumbs-up from me!

[Charlie Goerges]

Oh hell yes!

[Stewart Abramson]

The statue of Oscar Wilde in Dublin is a doppelgänger of Ran.

Oscar Wilde statute Merrion Square Dublin

[mike_beene]

Statues are often built for donors who are sometimes critics. Probably not the point.

[Will Spivey]

I don't know about critics, but I've searched far and wide and have yet to find a statue of a committee!

[Adam Lawrence]

Bernard Darwin was a great writer, perhaps the best in any sport, but I'm not sure he was entirely critical with his writing. He had a tendency to write flattering and uncritical comments when writing about friends and acquaintances. That said, still worthy of a statue and I suspect somewhere in the world there might be one.

Niall

I'm not sure how fair that is. In his journalism, there's no doubt that Darwin was mostly positive about the courses he wrote about, but my suspicion is that he largely only wrote about the courses he liked. The ones he didn't like were the ones he didn't cover.

If you read some of his more comprehensive stuff, notably 'The Golf Courses of the British Isles' he is much readier to critique what he thinks doesn't work.

[Charlie Goerges]

I'm not sure how fair that is. In his journalism, there's no doubt that Darwin was mostly positive about the courses he wrote about, but my suspicion is that he largely only wrote about the courses he liked. The ones he didn't like were the ones he didn't cover.

That's what I was thinking yesterday. I remember reading an interview or AMA with a woodworking magazine journalist and he was asked why all the tool reviews in the magazine were generally positive, and how we readers could trust someone who never said anything negative. His response was that they only publicize tools they have positive feelings about and don't want to give publicity to junk. He also said they would see everything new that came out, so if there wasn't a review in the magazine or online, they didn't like the tool.


I understand that it's a way of being honest without burning bridges with advertisers (or sources), but sometimes it would be helpful to know exactly why something is poorly thought-of. That said, I can see why things are the way they are, from the days of Darwin right down to Ran today.

[ward peyronnin]

Charles Blair MacDonald was certainly a critic.
He is memorialized at least at NGLA and Mid-Ocean Club

[Andrew Carr]

I'm pretty sure there is a statue of CB at St. Louis CC by the driving range as well.  Please correct me if I'm wrong as it's been more than a decade since I've been there.  I need to go back is what I'm saying 

[[size=78%]quote author=ward peyronnin link=topic=71740.msg1725131#msg1725131 date=1678236317][/size]
Charles Blair MacDonald was certainly a critic.
He is memorialized at least at NGLA and Mid-Ocean Club

[David Kelly]

I don't know about critics, but I've searched far and wide and have yet to find a statue of a committee!

The commies built one:
htt//tinyurl.com/c3yvp4apps:

[Peter Flory]

Statue dedicated to the original USGA committee tasked with studying the distance problem in golf.

[Charlie Goerges]

That's good!

[Niall C]

Bernard Darwin was a great writer, perhaps the best in any sport, but I'm not sure he was entirely critical with his writing. He had a tendency to write flattering and uncritical comments when writing about friends and acquaintances. That said, still worthy of a statue and I suspect somewhere in the world there might be one.

Niall

I'm not sure how fair that is. In his journalism, there's no doubt that Darwin was mostly positive about the courses he wrote about, but my suspicion is that he largely only wrote about the courses he liked. The ones he didn't like were the ones he didn't cover.

If you read some of his more comprehensive stuff, notably 'The Golf Courses of the British Isles' he is much readier to critique what he thinks doesn't work.

Adam,


"The Golf Courses of the British Isles" was published in 1910 before the great amateur architects, who by and large were friends and acquaintances, got into full swing so he was reviewing courses laid out by others. It would be interesting to compare what he said in "The Golf Courses of Great Britain" published in 1925 about some of the same courses that had since been worked on by Colt etc.


Certainly I agree that he tended to review courses he enjoyed.


Niall