Honoring Golf's Heritage: What Would You Love to See?

[JJShanley]

We've had the opportunity this week to celebrate the life and legacy of Arnold Palmer.  I've enjoyed the several pieces that I've had the opportunity to watch on Golf Channel this week, which have helped fill in gaps of my knowledge.


I've a particular fascination for history and heritage, especially in golf.  As we honor someone who transformed golf during his career, what aspect of golf's heritage would you enjoy seeing greater prominence?


I'd love to hear comments on golf from a local level, or more wide-ranging.  You can choose a single artifact, or a wider phenomena.  You may discuss something realistic to execute, or a process that would require you to first win the powerball.


Me?  I'd use the proceeds of a powerball win to improve the Braid Hills course, and perhaps add a small museum detailing golf in the Lothians somewhere near the first tee.  I'd do so because so many golfers in Edinburgh played their first rounds there.  (Those who know it might confirm whether it has the highest point in the golf in the Lothians.)

[Carl Johnson]

I'd set up a special fund, an endowment, at my home club to provide salaries for some extra hires who would "police" the course and grounds -- not to speed play, but to pick up trash, such as broken tees, cigarette and cigar butts, misc. paper, etc. left by careless members and their guests.  These special employees would also patrol the areas around outside the club house, such as the bag room area, cart barn, and practice areas to keep them clean and neat looking.  These workers would be paid decent salaries, full-time, not part-time, all year round, and would be furnished with decent clothing to wear while doing their jobs.  For me, that would be a good honor for and reminder of the gentlemanly nature of the game.

[Lynn_Shackelford]

Since Palmer has been mentioned, I would like to see what he thought Augusta National should do, go back to bermuda greens.  With today's advancements in types of bermuda, they could be firm and hard regardless of the weather that week, and thus the course would play closer to its design intentions.
I know a cold spring could make them less than bright green on TV, but so what.


I would like to see tournaments played where there are no wedges involved and only 9 clubs available.


I would like to see public courses eliminate rough everywhere.


I would like to see more golfers walk.

[Tom_Doak]

Since Palmer has been mentioned, I would like to see what he thought Augusta National should do, go back to bermuda greens.  With today's advancements in types of bermuda, they could be firm and hard regardless of the weather that week, and thus the course would play closer to its design intentions.
I know a cold spring could make them less than bright green on TV, but so what.

The problem wouldn't be the spring, but the winter.  Augusta's a winter club, and that's when the members go to play it.  I doubt they're going to want to spend half their season on dormant greens.

[Ira Fishman]

If I won Powerball, I would use it to expand the Evans Scholars program nationwide to as many clubs as possible.

[Mike Sweeney]

More Winter Park's:

[Sean_A]

Less energy and money into farflung courses nowhere near sustainable population centres and more energy into multiple use land courses near sustainable population centres.


Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

A couple from the UK perspective and a couple more global -


A) The return of putting greens and pitch-n-putt courses within municiple parks - a sad loss over many decades
B) More golf on 'common land' - not so much animal grazing and other uses these days and many commons are becoming overgrown with scrub as a result
C) Roll-back the ball, and roll it back a lot, and make it 'softer' (ie less/no damage in ball-hits-person/object situations)
D) A maximum of 7 clubs (and a maximum loft of 50 degrees)


That'll do for now.
Atb

[Ben Malach]

I am working on a project for school that I think fits the bill perfectly. Its a short course and putting course in a small town on a former rail yard. Its small scale and is incorporating planting that helps remediate the land through natural processes. This use of golf to create areas of gathering and community on former industrial sites. While remediating them back to a public use is how I see the game moving forward. As that is one of golf greatest strengths is the power to bring people of disparate backgrounds together on a communal ground to share a positive mutual experience.

[John Sabino]

I agree with Mike, more 9-hole courses. It would make the game quick, cheaper and more accessible to people. I would also like to see the return of the stymie in match play. Bobby Jones dedicated a chapter in his book Golf is my Game to the stymie, and titled it: Let's Have it Back!

[Tommy Williamsen]

I'd like to see every club, public and private host free junior clinics for neighborhood kids.

[John Kavanaugh]

Much fewer sharing of pictures on the internet. Bring back a sense of discovery while traveling.

[James Brown]

How much would it cost to eliminate golf carts from every American golf course?

[jeffwarne]

I'd set up a special fund, an endowment, at my home club to provide salaries for some extra hires who would "police" the course and grounds -- not to speed play, but to pick up trash, such as broken tees, cigarette and cigar butts, misc. paper, etc. left by careless members and their guests.  These special employees would also patrol the areas around outside the club house, such as the bag room area, cart barn, and practice areas to keep them clean and neat looking.  These workers would be paid decent salaries, full-time, not part-time, all year round, and would be furnished with decent clothing to wear while doing their jobs.  For me, that would be a good honor for and reminder of the gentlemanly nature of the game.

Sorry Carl,
I appreciate the sentiment but...
that sends exactly the wrong message to golfers-that someone is there to pick up their shite-and that they DON"T have act like gentlemen-because someone else will do the dirty work
Perhaps the same employee could spend his first few weeks/months politely educating members on proper ettiquette and care of the course and their surroundings, and spend his newfound later time (once the nongentlemen are trained or disciplined if need be) being an ambassador to guests, at junior clinics,on the range, and generally assist members on and around the course.
Good idea though-just added a tweak

[Peter Pallotta]

I am working on a project for school that I think fits the bill perfectly. Its a short course and putting course in a small town on a former rail yard. Its small scale and is incorporating planting that helps remediate the land through natural processes. This use of golf to create areas of gathering and community on former industrial sites. While remediating them back to a public use is how I see the game moving forward. As that is one of golf greatest strengths is the power to bring people of disparate backgrounds together on a communal ground to share a positive mutual experience.

Ben - I believe you are onto something very important, and I'm wishing you the best moving forward. Remediation is a process that all community members can get behind, including the sometimes determined non-golfers and anti-golf types that will always be a factor in those kinds of discussions. There may be many instances/communities where that remediation will simply not take place without some other component/funding source  -- and in those cases I think there's a wonderful opportunity to make a case to the community/civic leaders that a golfing component would be the most preferable option, especially if/when it can be intergrated seamlessly into the project as a whole, ie create more green space, not less, and feature more plant diversity than could be the case in any other dual purpose model.

[jeffwarne]

Since Palmer has been mentioned, I would like to see what he thought Augusta National should do, go back to bermuda greens.  With today's advancements in types of bermuda, they could be firm and hard regardless of the weather that week, and thus the course would play closer to its design intentions.
I know a cold spring could make them less than bright green on TV, but so what.

The problem wouldn't be the spring, but the winter.  Augusta's a winter club, and that's when the members go to play it.  I doubt they're going to want to spend half their season on dormant greens.

Palmetto's are at their fieriest in the winter
I'd say ANGC could put the firmness (if they desire) more often with the bermuda.
Augusta's bent greens aren't exactly bright green anyway
I know they have sub air but I still see massive pitch marks during The Masters I never see at Palmetto.
Now slow the greens down a bit coupled with more early week firmness, and bring back some of the tilt in certain areas...and we'd really see some fun

[Ben Malach]

Peter-
As my project gets out of the rough trace paper on top of base map phase I will be sharing more of it on here as I think that model that my team is working with could be the start of something really special. But there is still about a week of work ahead before we get to that point. I am excited to share with everyone what me and my talented team have devised. The biggest challenge that we faced was the perception of what Golf is to a majority of North Americans. An expensive sport played on fields that are high input and are hidden behind gates. This is antithesis of what I view the game of golf as and should be. If we are to make a real push to grow the game we need to pull the focus from the tour and the side of golf that does not want small scale developments to be successful. We need to be the leaders in social and environmentally responsible sport. I do not think that is as great of a challenge as it seems as unlike traditional sports like soccer, baseball or football. Our game is improved by creating environments that highlight native plants, animals and landforms. We also have the ability in the planning of our projects to protect local watersheds and drainage patterns. While also providing areas and opportunities for non-sport specific recreation. I can not tell you how many times my ex-girlfriend during my time in St. Andrews ran around the paths of the links without disturbing play or noticing the effects of the game on her recreation. We also as a low order land use have the opportunity to create spaces that do all of this on sites that need to be given back to nature to heal them from our rapacious nature. I look forward to sharing this project with you all. 

[Carl Rogers]

Everyone contribute to the Evans Scholarship.

Bring the stymie back to Match Play. Make marking your ball optional.

[Tim Martin]

Bring back the $14 Streamsong hot dog.

[BHoover]

Bring back the $14 Streamsong hot dog.

You don't know what you've got, until it's gone.

[Mike Schott]

I'd force the PGA and other tours to play their courses in the same condition as most daily fee and muni's. When I heard the NBC announcers say Bay Hill was in the best shape they had ever seen I cringed. The trickle down effect would be great for the game.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

I should like to see a reversion to match play as the norm - unlikely, unfortunately.

[Niall C]

Mark


I don't know. I suspect that an awful lot of bounce games in most clubs involve a match. It's even been known to go on in medals at clubs I've been a member of. Of course that was when you had a fourball and not going out in 3's.


Specifically what I'd like to see is more emphasis on etiquette. I say that not as someone who is a perfect example to others but I'd contend I'm a lot better than most, and that a lack of etiquette by the individual lessens the enjoyment of other golfers. The R&A/USGA should take the lead in this respect but I'm sorry to say their output on this is woeful.


Niall

[corey miller]

Quote from: Carl Johnson on March 18, 2017, 01:58:52 PM[size=0px]I'd set up a special fund, an endowment, at my home club to provide salaries for some extra hires who would "police" the course and grounds -- not to speed play, but to pick up trash, such as broken tees, cigarette and cigar butts, misc. paper, etc. left by careless members and their guests.  These special employees would also patrol the areas around outside the club house, such as the bag room area, cart barn, and practice areas to keep them clean and neat looking.  These workers would be paid decent salaries, full-time, not part-time, all year round, and would be furnished with decent clothing to wear while doing their jobs.  For me, that would be a good honor for and reminder of the gentlemanly nature of the game.[/size]

Sorry Carl,I appreciate the sentiment but...that sends exactly the wrong message to golfers-that someone is there to pick up their shite-and that they DON"T have act like gentlemen-because someone else will do the dirty work Perhaps the same employee could spend his first few weeks/months politely educating members on proper ettiquette and care of the course and their surroundings, and spend his newfound later time (once the nongentlemen are trained or disciplined if need be) being an ambassador to guests, at junior clinics,on the range, and generally assist members on and around the course.Good idea though-just added a tweak 


I actually thought Carl was being tongue and cheek.  If it is your home club isn't enforcing the rules a function of the Admissions Committee?