An example or a role model...call it what you want, and perhaps it is just human nature to often look over your shoulder and see what the other guy is doing, well except if you are Merion, Pine Valley, Oakmont, or take Tiger Woods, Or Nicklaus, and begin to think, hummm, should I be doing that? is that better for me?
"A club looking for a role model is doomed to failure and trouble. I think it's an especially large indictment of the membership that they can't assess themselves and what they want and value and need to look outside of their membership to find it."
Kyle, I don't totally disagree/agree with your statement, but when a club doesn't have a good understanding of their status in the market, this happens a lot, and to assist them with gaging a direction to take, they look over their shoulder. It may be the wrong approach to take, sure, but nevertheless, Club A does have a significant influence, they set and example and maybe without intentionally doing so, they become a role model to many other clubs in their market. No, they were not trying to be a role model, but it happens and I think IMO, that Mark is simply acknowledging that this does happen and should the Big clubs be more aware of it?
"Maybe the fact that the clubs that are taking the lead and having others follow should tell you something. I don't see Oakmont or Augusta looking for role models. I see them assessing their needs and acting on it."
Here again, this is leadership, perhaps not by intention, since as you imply and I agree, ANGC, Oakmont and the others don't care what anyone else is doing, but that isn't the point. These clubs are leaders, just as Tiger and Jack Nicklaus are leaders and clearly role models, whether or not they want to be.
I don't have a position on it one way or another, but I believe it does exist, for good or bad and it is something that does come into play IMO on the attitude and approach regarding maintenence and the related costs.
"If any of us are speaking to clubs or their committees I think the best thing to do is to explain to them that they need to take responsibility for running and maintaining their own course the way they want with the available resources they have and not tell them that the problems they have or will have are because some other course that can spend more money than they can is irresponsibly setting a bad example for them."
Tom: I think most architects, supers and other influential individuals in the industry are doing just this, but even so, human nature is strong and how many of us have and will continue to do so, live beyond our means, just to keep up peers, with little care, denial if you want, that we really shouldn't be doing so.