The evangelization of GCA

« **on:** August 25, 2009, 03:07:01 PM »

What have you done to evangelize study/knowledge of golf course architecture to your friends, your club, our your golfing community?

« **Reply #1 on:** August 25, 2009, 03:15:27 PM »

I have sent ~ 3000 e-mails with links to various discussions here.If they were copyrighted,I'd owe Ran millions.

« **Reply #2 on:** August 25, 2009, 03:17:26 PM »

For Everyone and anyone I play golf with I'll bring it up...however most are either blank stares or "huh"?

« **Reply #3 on:** August 25, 2009, 03:30:46 PM »

I tried to defend the 18th at Yale to my father and one of my college teammates, who would love to blow the hole up. Troglodytes!

« **Reply #4 on:** August 25, 2009, 03:45:03 PM »

Doing my best by taking two members of my weekend group to Black Mesa in a couple of weeks.

I've been sending them links to some of the debates in the archives of this board and I'm a little concerned it's doing more harm than good.

However, they're going to the course with eyes wide open and I can only hope that they will be able to enjoy it for what it is because they tend to be members of the pencil and scorecard crowd. They prefer courses where they score the best and pay the least (within reason). They almost never comment about the architectural features or merits of a given course.

We shall see how they react to a course that approaches "The Precipice" as Tom Doak discussed a couple weeks ago.

« **Reply #5 on:** August 25, 2009, 03:50:40 PM »

Dan,

I stopped with the evangelizing and proseltyzing. My golf friends who don't care about GCA were tired of me trying to preach to them.

I believe what I want re: GCA and they simply choose not to. IMO nobody likes or wants to be preached to and 'converted' unless maybe they showed some interest, which they don't. Regardless, we have a great time playing golf together.

The GCA nerd crew makes up a miniscule percentage of golfers. I accept that and am happy to 'let it be.'

« **Reply #6 on:** August 25, 2009, 04:12:36 PM »

Just took one of my buddies to a GCA-type course (with two GCA guys!) -- he got it. Called the course "sensual," which is the first time I'd ever heard that term connected to golf architecture, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.

There is hope...

« **Reply #7 on:** August 25, 2009, 04:16:01 PM »

When I play with the group of guys I play with, I always make sure to mention 1 thing that is just silly.

Normally this is limited to super wet soggy green courses, but I have finally convinced all of them to go somewhere where F&F is expected and show how much more that can add to the game.

« **Reply #8 on:** August 25, 2009, 04:27:55 PM »

- Participate on the Green Committee at my club

-- When someone says a hole is a good hole, I ask why. Usually the answer is that it is tough.

-- When someone says a hole is a fun hole - I ask why. Usually the answer boils down to the hole being a good hole.

« **Reply #9 on:** August 25, 2009, 05:24:20 PM »

I wrote a series of 3 articles in our monthly newsletter about Macdonald-Raynor-Banks to explain the historical significance of our course.

I test the waters when I play with a guy I don't know, talk a little CGA, and wait for the Blank Stare...

I played National this year with a guy who then asked me for my (signed) copy of the Evangilist so he could learn more! That was cool.

Oh yeah, I explain why I have Golf Club Atlas on my bag...(which all the caddies LOVE !)

« **Reply #10 on:** August 25, 2009, 05:52:23 PM »

There is a golf discussion alias where the most of the times people are just trading practice tips and notifying others of big sales. But every now and then there are some discussions about golf courses.

After a couple of disparing remarks about Chambers Bay being "over-rated", I made my passionate treaties on ecstasy of true links style and the beauty of variety of approach angles. But I think most of the people were firmly in the camp of "that course would be better if it had tree-lined fairways and faster smooth greens."

Sometimes, you just can't fight the good fight...

« **Reply #11 on:** August 25, 2009, 05:55:39 PM »

The year I organized our annual golf trip (20 high school buddies for a long weekend in March or April), we played Cuscowilla twice, and I printed Ran's review of Cuscowilla in color for all 20 guys. I think 2 read it.

« **Reply #12 on:** August 25, 2009, 06:01:15 PM »

Every now and then, while being forced to wait on a teebox at Pumpkin Ridge, I will launch into a diatribe about that golf hole, explaining why it is either a good or poor golf hole.

« **Reply #13 on:** August 25, 2009, 06:54:06 PM »

I preach wide fairways to all I discuss golf with.

I educate them in the perversion of "fairway bunkers." I.e., bunkers have been moved from the fairway, where they belong including in the center, to the rough. I tell then they mostly experience "rough bunkers", not "fairway bunkers."

I preach against the perversion of ponds as hazards on golf holes, especially in arid lands where they do not occur naturally.

I preach the evils of the high lofted wedges for high handicap golfers who cannot hit them anywhere near where they need them to be, and the charms of a well struck running 7 iron from under 50 yards.

« **Reply #14 on:** August 25, 2009, 07:03:05 PM »

Dan,
this seems noble....but most golfers don't want to hear it and when they do they discard most of it in favor of their likes and dislikes.....our entire club is full of such.....we have to be realistic and realize that most people just don't think about the game as much as we do....and when changes to a course or club are made they usually don't realize the magnitude of what they do and therefore go about such in a nonchalant manner in most cases....
Keep plugging....
Mike

« **Reply #15 on:** August 25, 2009, 07:27:58 PM »

Dan:

My latest act of evangelization was about two weeks ago at GMGC. I overheard four little old grandmotherly ladies who were about to tee off talking about flower beds and I marched up to them and told them if, in the future, I heard them talking about flower beds while on club property I would promptly assasinate all four of them on the spot and ask questions of them later. They all looked at me wide-eyed for about five seconds, offered a simultaneous collective "WELL!!" and marched off to the first tee!

« **Reply #16 on:** August 25, 2009, 09:16:43 PM »

Tom,
Be careful - they probably thought you were being fresh

« **Reply #17 on:** August 26, 2009, 01:38:00 AM »

I preach the evils of the high lofted wedges for high handicap golfers who cannot hit them anywhere near where they need them to be, and the charms of a well struck running 7 iron from under 50 yards.

This is exactly why I keep my interests in GCA and wine to myself...

« **Reply #18 on:** August 26, 2009, 03:22:55 AM »

I just saw this on Golf Magazine site and I thought it was very relevant to this thread. Can you point out all the errors in this mail?

W.T. Schmitt writes:
I noted your article of Sand Hills. There are still some of us golfers who want a golf course to look like a golf course, not a cow pasture. I understand that English style courses and English type TV commentators are all the rage right now, but these "links style" courses are about as attractive as a mud puddle. Part of the enjoyment of the game is lush green fairways, tree lined greens, and the posh atmosphere of a country club, not a barn yard.

"English Style"

The sad thing is, this guy probably represents 90% of the golfers out there.

« **Reply #19 on:** August 26, 2009, 06:29:38 AM »

Richard - try 97%

« **Reply #20 on:** August 26, 2009, 07:24:56 AM »

Wow, someone must really be trying to make my head explode.

Put me with Michael Blake and Jason Walker...I am on no "mission"

Put me with Jason Topp too...I'll discuss the subjects, but ONLY if the partners bring it up first. And I do believe the Greens Committee is where someone with GCA-type awareness is of tremendous value for a club.

I will point people in directions when it comes to courses of note. Some buddies at my home course who don't give a rat's ass about architecture were going to Bandon. I politely suggested the Sheep Ranch (...if you're in to that sort of thing) and said I could give them the contact number if they felt like that might be fun. They did, and I did...they went and had so much fun they went back a second time.

No discussion of the concept of "pasture golf", no mention of the words "Tom" and "Doak", no discussion of the architecture of that or any of the courses at Bandon. Just a "You guys will have fun...let me know what you think!"

« **Reply #21 on:** August 26, 2009, 10:56:38 AM »

Ryan,
Aye - but you did get them to a place where GCA reigns supreme, and they had fun.

I'm not suggesting that anybody would want to be preachy, but I do love telling folks about things like speed slots. A lot of folks don't know what a speed slot is, and once they know, many want to know more.

I'm far from an expert, and continue to learn every day. But I do have a passon for GCA, and I like to share the joy. Maybe folks are being polite, but I've fortunately only had a couple "blank stares" or the dreaded "leave me alone" look.

« **Reply #22 on:** August 26, 2009, 11:03:29 AM »

I think its natural for anyone to want to discuss/share with others the things they are passionate about....and golf architecture is one of those things for me. The key is being able to pick-up the subtle non-verbal clues if they don't like the discussion before the verbal ones come out like "Shut the f$%^-up and just hit the damn ball!!"

So I will always continue to try to start discussion with anyone and everyone as stated earlier!!

News:

Dan Herrmann

JMEvensky

Kalen Braley

Tim Gavrich

Sean Eidson

Michael Blake

Phil McDade

Chris Flamion

Jason Topp

Bill Brightly

Richard Choi

Carl Nichols

John Kirk

Garland Bayley

Mike_Young

TEPaul

Dan Herrmann

Jason Walker

Richard Choi

Dan Herrmann

rjsimper

Dan Herrmann

Kalen Braley

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