Matt:
While I do appreciate once more your efforts to help me win money, you again miss the real point here, and you failed to answer my question as to what is "ratings essence." I would love to hear that definition.
Oh well. You have damn near worn me down. It's less than fun bulldogging you like this. But I'm not ready to give up just quite yet.
Because the real point is this: as much as you talk about credibility, as much as you say "this course is clearly better and GD blew it by getting it wrong", as much as you say how things would be done correctly in your view.... as much as you put forth your recommendations as to the right way to form a panel, and the right criteria to use....
None of that matters. You're a quixote and these windmills are going to be here no matter what you do.
Thus I am just trying to save you from yourself, my friend. There are bigger issues in life, and golf. And your very obvious axe to grind just makes every word you write taken with an ocean of salt... as does my loyalty to GD do the same thing.
So why not give it up? Who are you trying to convince, or what point are you really trying to make?
None of it matters, Matt. GD raters have their opinions, you have yours, others in here have theirs. None are right, none are wrong.
I fully expect you to accept none of this. Oh well... I am just trying to help.
Recognizing one's biases and limitations is a rather liberating experience. You ought to try it some day....
As for me, hey I fully believe GD's system is far from perfect... I just still do maintain it's the best of the current three. I'm not the blind loyalist you make me out to be. I also have no fear of posting here, because if they remove me from the panel it changes my life not one tiny iota. This whole rating thing is comically unimportant in the grand scheme of things.
BUT... it is important enough such that your word should not be the only one. Thus I continue to bulldog.
Of course we could give the whole thing up, which I'm sure would please the rest of the group here immensely....