What is High Golf IQ??

[Mike_Young]

I am a member of Secession golf Club in Beaufort SC.  While reading a brief history of the organization of the club last week I came across where the initial criteria contained several items with one being defined as " a national membership with a high golf IQ".  
Now as I see threads such as "Does NAGL members know what they have"?? I start to question the definition of "golf IQ"  Most of the regulars on here would probably consider themselves "high golf IQ' as it pertains to architecture(and I do not dispute most)...And the USGA board would probably consider itself " high golf IQ"....top ams and pros also...but what is it?...does the GCA have a higher golf IQ than the USGA...can we discern from architecture long enough to make a fair assessment of golf IQ.....and in the make up of a high golf IQ, what percentage would be fair to assess to golf architecture??
I think that many of these older clubs have a high golf IQ.  I just don't think that all place the architecture of the club at the same priority that many of us would.
Mike

[redanman]

Can one judge his own worthiness in any endeavour?  Can one objectively analyze and state the beauty of his children?Can one judge his own golf I.Q.?  Does the doyen know the quality of his posts?  Does an Augusta National Golf Club Member possess a high golf I.Q. because they host the Masters tone-a-mint?

I have to sit down.

Does membership in a club other than Pine Valley Golf Club convey a high golf I.Q. of a member?

What is "I.Q." anyway?

Possesion of factual and cognitive knowledge as related to a particular fund of information related on a centile-based score.

I remember in the 1960's when Diamonds are Forever (the movie) came out Life magazine said that Jill Saint John had a brainy I.Q. of 103!  (That is above "average")

Should one have to score a certain number on a Golf I.Q. test to be able to play at Crystal Springs Muni?

By simply reveling in the quality of bunker work of "fgjkshgkjs" or "sdgjslkj" does one automatically possess a high golf I.Q.?  Should this be part of the test?

Who is qualified to draw up this test and administer it?  Who will grade it? Should it be a requirement for posting? on www.golfclubatlas.com ?  Oh, the mysteries of life.

 

[BCrosby]

Call me cynical, but I think it is just a marketing euphemism for wanting people to join who are members at well-known, established private clubs who have the money to pay for more than a couple expensive "national" club memberships.

Ask yourself this question. Do you think having a good grasp of the history of gca matters in the least to the new members committee at, say, Winged Foot?

Do you think having a keen appreciation of the greatest courses in the world would matter in my pursuit of a membership at Cypress Point?

It's Secession's way of saying it wants members with real jack. Most private clubs want the same thing. It's a way of establishing an exclusivity premium on membership.

It is actually a quite imaginative turn of phrase. Kudos to their marketing guy.

Bob

[Tim Weiman]

Mike Young:

I have no idea what a "high golf IQ" is.

What I can say is that I've met members at prestiguous well, known clubs that don't know the first thing about golf architecture. Admission to the club was obviously based on social/business connections rather than knowledge of anything about golf.

[Dave_Miller]

Mike Young;

Any Club that would accept both Andy LaVallee and Tim Swift I would have to question if there is any IQ involved here

Cheers,
Dave

[Mike_Young]

I don't think business or social contacts have anything to do with Secession membership.  I think it is just the opposite.  My loose interpretation is that if you desire anything other than pure golf then don't join.  When people speak of a club with a high golf IQ I think they are trying to describe a membership where the importance of the golf environment and the course outweighs the other aspects such as tennis, pool etc.  And personally I think it is a good way to describe a club.  Bob Crosby...you and I both know the golf IQ of Athens CC.....I would think a Merion, Pine Valley to be high....and Gooberville golf and country club to be low....I think it may be a word for describing the importance of the game, competitive events and tradition more than an inherent knowledge.
Mike

[A_Clay_Man]

It sounds like a nice way of discriminating against the newer golfer or the less sophisticated like the guy who pressed to make his dbl bogie when his partner was in with birdie.

How about the golf EQ. I know I have enjoyed my rounds with fellow gca.com participants because they all seem to have a high EQ.

[Steve Sailer]

Up through 1987, you could become an Overseas Lifetime Member of Ballybunion (and play for free forever any time you visited Ireland) for 1,000 American dollars. Apparently, lots of Pine Valley members signed up. This would appear to be even more evidence that Pine Valley's membership tends to have a High Golf IQ.