[Mike_Trenham]

Let the Architects, Superintendants and Club-Pros post under Pseudonyms (if they want)
===============================================
For the most part, these are the guys that bring the most interesting aspects to the Discussion Group.  And alot of them lurk and read the board, but they are hesitant to post an opinion or comment out of concern for their jobs.  So I say we institute the GCA Witness Protection Program for these guys.  

I second this point.  Ran or a person selected by him could set up these people.

[Mike_Trenham]

How about some more traffic on here in the evenings.


I sometimes check in during the day and it amazes me how fast this board is moving.  Unfortunately I am too busy during the day to read or post which relegates me to a lurker role more often.  Maybe someone could start an OT tread on how to delegate so that you can post during the day.

I may be a full member but I am a lurker god

[Paul Richards]

> So I say we institute the GCA Witness Protection Program for these guys.


That's a bunch of cr#$!!!


When guys like Tom Doak and Brad Klein and all the others, yours truly included, can be man enough to stand up and say what's on their minds, it makes for a better site.

When people hide behind psuedonyms and never show their real names, how are you supposed to believe them?

This site is best when people say their name and then stand up to say what they want to say.  

No more hiding.

 

[Joe Hancock]

Paul Richards,

I'm with you. I have to admit that I hold personal responsibilty pretty high up on my list of desired virtues when I taught my kids what I think is important.

I can understand the fact that there may be some out there that would contribute if they could do so anonymously. I think the temptation and opportunity to use anonymity improperly (personal attacks, Fazio bashing, etc.) isn't worth the trade-off.

If someone wants to participate, sign up under your own name and then proceed with the same care and respect that you do when speaking to your own mother. If you get taken to task on an issue, be an upstanding individual by being indentifiable, responsible and willing to rectify any negative situation that you may be part of.

I like the website the way it is. It has evolved as natuarraly as a website can. The participants, the times of day, the subjects all give it its' unique characteristics that shouldn't be forced in any other direction, IMO.

Joe

[Willie_Dow]

I'm with you on the identity issue, Joe.  I has been discussed at great length in the past.

I'm trying to build up a subject file from the "threadid=" numbers, so that I can bring back some of the thinking I read through on past threads.

I'll let you know what comes out of it all !

[Willie_Dow]

I meant to say It has not "I has", but that might be a Freudian slip !!

[Paul Richards]

Joe

Thank you for your support.

Willie

And thank you for your support of Joe.

 

[George Pazin]

c) Discussion about "I'm on a business trip, which course should I play?".  Unless you're going to offer a hidden gem, smart people should realize this is a request for access and not people that just couldn't read the Top XX list from some magazine.

I'll leave the other points alone, but this one kind of bothers me. Why must everyone assume the worst from posters? There are many times when people want to know about an area outside of the mainstream top XX courses. I am more than happy to give people my opinion of Pittsburgh courses (the limited number that I've played).

I'd turn this point around and say instead, "Next time someone asks where to play in an area, assume that they are genuine in their interest and accord them the respect due each of us. Answer the question, or ignore it if for some reason you must assume that they are seeking access."

[Mike_Cirba]

George,

I completely agree with you.

On some level, we're friends here, or at least many of us are.  If I'm travelling to St. Louis, for instance, an area I know little about, I'd feel that I'm just asking for information.  

I think there's a way to do it where nobody feels obliged to provide anything but information.  If a respondent wants to offer something in the way of a get-together, then they have that option, as well.

[cary lichtenstein]

I have to agree completely with George and Mike.

I travel extensively, and after I check out the lists, I usually ask what the best courses are in the area. Sometimes I'm steered away from something that is overrated, wometimes there is a brand new course that only the locals know about.

I've received a lot of help and want to thank all you have responded to my inquireis. You have made my travel better.

In addition, I've recieved instant messages helping me with restaurants, sight seeing, special points of interest.

[George Pazin]

Further to my point - and Mike's, I think - even if one assumes that the poster is seeking access, isn't this a far more polite form than approaching someone the poster has never met.

I have been on this site for close to 6 years now; I was lucky enough to stumble across it early in its conception. But there are still many posters I do not have any sort of relationship with, other than as a name on a computer screen. If I were in fact travelling to an area and hoping to play a special course, doesn't using this approach give someone the option to respond with an invitation, rather than putting them on the spot by actually contacting them directly?

Let's decide once and for all that the word "access" does not warrant the scarlet "A".

[George Pazin]

As to my own thoughts on how to make things better, I have a bunch of silly little ideas, but really they can all be summed up by this statement of Bill Vostinak, the esteemed redanman (small "r", I'd add the R circle if I knew how ):

I never met a stiff who was into architecture.

Think about this statement the next time you feel compelled to tear into another poster for his views on golf, Fazio, Rees, the USGA, politics and economics, global warming, whatever.

Let's give everyone the benefit of the doubt that each is a thoughtful poster concerned with what he feels is important and address each other's posts with class and civility.

[JakaB]

I always tell my real world friends that GolfClubAtlas is the greatest access tool in the history of golf....I think we need to embrace this fact and have a seperate section where people who don't have the time or imagination to post very often can see the great courses of our country just like us.....They are even willing to pay and keep their mouth shut when they go home.

The unfair thing about the site as it currently exists is it seems to take almost a full year to really earn your card....I suppose new posters would best be served by writing an extensive who are you guy post..

[Doug Wright]

Let's give everyone the benefit of the doubt that each is a thoughtful poster concerned with what he feels is important and address each other's posts with class and civility.

George,

Well said, and I agree. The good news is that the vast majority of the posts hereon are handled this way; it's the small minority that rankle you and me.

[Philip Gawith]

Amen to George and Mike and Cary!

I recognise that some GCA members have felt that their hospitality is being abused and that this has contributed to sensitivity about the whole access issue. But I think there is a risk that this discussion gets slewed too far the other way - because we don't all start from the same place.

So yes, some people in the US living near prestige courses where they are members or have connections may have had their patronage abused. But you can bet that many GCA folk lurking in other geographies would be only too delighted to have fellow GCA-ers calling them up for a game.

Happy will be the day when the GCA access traffic becomes a chore. It seems a long way off.

[Jack_Marr]

How can we make CGA an ever better website?

No dogs, no Irish.

[Jeff Fortson]

How can we make CGA an ever better website?

No dogs, no Irish.

If there's no Irish, then there sure as hell better be no Italians.


Jeff F.

[Scott_Burroughs]

This is reminding me of a memorable-but-quite-racist line from Blazing Saddles, that ends with "...but we don't want the Irish!"

 

[Mike_Cirba]

One other note on invites.

If someone is coming into the Philly area where I live, I WANT to know.  I WANT to meet and play golf (and arrange it if I can) with people who share a common interest.

redanman's right...I've yet to meet a stiff who's into architecture.  A couple of annoying pricks perhaps, but those guys are interesting in their own right!  

[Dan Kelly]

How can we make CGA an ever better website?

No dogs, no Irish.

If there's no Irish, then there sure as hell better be no Italians.


Jeff F.

Well, there goes Dick Daley. Dick, we hardly knew ya/ye!

And I'm with Mr. Cirba -- If you're in the Twin Cities, call. I can't get you access to ANYTHING, except perhaps to my perhaps fine company.  

[John Foley]

More thought provoking posts from Gib, Tommy &  John Kavanaugh.

Getting Ran to post more.

More pics from the get togethers. (some in South Dakota this week better have a camera)

More thoughts & notes from the guys who do the work like KBM, Nuzzo & Ian.

More AOTD's (come on Scott we all know you got it in you!)

How about better global satelite coverage also
 
Less bashing other opinions.

An up to date Who Are these Guys w/ just your facts.

I'm w/ Dan & Mike. Anyone coming through my neck of the woods (Western NY - Rochester or Buffalo) give me an IM. We're blessed w/ some fantastic, reasonable priced courses.

[Sébastien Dhaussy]

Maybe beginning of 2007 is the good time to re-read this old thread.

Threads I'm waiting for this year : the Oakmont 18 weeks - 18 holes series from George Pazin. Great learning. And I hope we can continue to learn on great courses through these series. Next course : Merion  

Threads I'm wanting to publish for GCA in 2007 : to continue the serie of French courses aerials.

Have all, GCA'ers, a very good year  

PS : I'm feeling my english is very, very bad this day ... surely the effect of champagne  

 

[paul cowley]

Sebastien....no worries about the English, its tre bon.

My champagne induced French speaking is often mistaken for Kazakhstani....and my writing is undeciferable.

Hey, how do you produce the little accent mark [tilda?] over the 'e' in your name? Is it a special function of the keyboard, or is it something that Anglo boards don't possess?

Have a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

[Dan Boerger]

First off, I think this is a terrific site. It has excellent geographic diversity, passionate participants, ITB input, and a tremendous knowledge and experience base when taken as a whole.

I'll have to make it a point to take and post some pictures myself. That's what I would like to see more of.

[Paul Carey]

More "My Home Course" pieces.  The course profiles by Ran are terrific reads but I also enjoy the user submitted articles.  

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