The Worst Feature Interview ever...

[Tim Bert]

I just went to read the Dye interview based on the comments here.  Those responses are classic.  Everyone should take the time to read it if they haven't already.  It only takes about a total of 30 seconds to read all of his answers.

"Never thought about it."  Do those of you that know Mr. Dye believe that?  Is that really how he operates?

[Tyler Kearns]

Anybody else having a hard time accessing the Feature Interview section.

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

I just went to read the Dye interview based on the comments here.  Those responses are classic.  Everyone should take the time to read it if they haven't already.  It only takes about a total of 30 seconds to read all of his answers.

"Never thought about it."  Do those of you that know Mr. Dye believe that?  Is that really how he operates?

Ya gotta know Mr. Dye.  If you got a tape recorder, sat down and had an interview with the same questions, you'd have quite a different interview (after spending hours transcribing him) then you gave him a written set of questions which he needed to write out answers, which the interview on GCA is the result of.

[Alfie]

Ran,

Great to see you putting yourself on the spot and giving us all an insight to The Man (& men) behind this glorious technological distraction called gca.com. Great interview, but more importantly, thanks for the "bigger picture" that is - gca.com !

Happy Xmas to you and yours, and to all the posters and visitors to this site. But remember - "you take the booze - you lose, punk"

Alfie.

[Yancey_Beamer]

The World Atlas of Golf
I believe that is the book we all started with.It was the only reidily available book.

[Jeff Goldman]

Lastly, all the great matches have a special place – shaking a stunned Pat Mucci’s hand on the 14th green (I repeat – the 14th green) at Inniscrone after CRUSHING him, shaking Ted Sturges’s hand at any Raynor course because he always folds like a cheap suit, CRUSHING Jim Urbina at PacDunes, CRUSHING Jeff Mingay at Cape Breton Highlands, CRUSHING Mark Studer at Oakmont, CRUSHING Rich Mandell at Southern Pines, CRUSHING George Blunt at Royal Sydney, CRUSHING Geoff Childs at Beechtree, CRUSHING Chip Oat on the West Course at Merion, CRUSHING Brian Silva at Black Creek, CRUSHING Adam Clayman at Pinion Hills, CRUSHING Rick Holland at Silloth on Solway (though technically the match wasn’t over until he missed a putt for a halve on the 18th green) , CRUSHING Tom Huckaby at Sand Hills, CRUSHING Bob Harrison at the Moonah Course at National, CRUSHING Jeff Goldman at Tobacco Road, CRUSHING Brad Miller at Prairie Dunes, CRUSHING Jeff Silverman at Riviera, CRUSHING Noel Freeman at Cuscowilla, CRUSHING Ben ‘Cowering’ Dewar at Casa de Campo, CRUSHING Pat Mucci twice (I repeat twice as in a DOUBLE CRUSHING) at Sand Hills in a prime example of a great course producing a great champion. The list goes on and on.

Ran did not mention the best CRUSHING he ever did, which occurred when he CRUSHED a drive at Casa de Campo, which CRUSHED an unseen maintenance guy, after which you could have CRUSHED his walled, which he emptied to mollify said CRUSHED worker.  Not with a hickory either.  

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Ran was, of course, too modest to mention this, but his reputation as a CRUSHER preceeded him to Alwoodley where we met.  I left my clubs at home, quite deliberately, and therefore came out totally unscathed.  However, the occasion proved an object lesson in observation.  He made no notes as we went round, took a few photographs and then proceeded to write a most perceptive description of the course on this site.  He also asked the Chaiman of the Green, with whom he was playing, many a question about the architecture that only someone with an intellect equalling that of Inspector Poireau could envisage.  Formidable, ees leetle grey cells....

[brad_miller]

Ran, time to come clean about the latest CRUSHING, although I will not mention who the CRUSHIE/CRUSHER was at the fine classic southern golf course with one of the finest set of greens in golf today. I will say that was one fine shot you hit to two feet to the back right pin on number 3 "Short".  I suspect their is a good chance after your round yesterday that your brother Bill is no longer speaking to you!  

[Andy Troeger]

I have to admit I never thought I would see a reference to Hercule Poirot on this website  

[Ed Morrissett]

Betty (Mom) and I (Dad) have read with real interest, pride and enjoyment Ran's Interview.  Golf has truly been the way the Morrissett Family has grown up together.  What other sport can anyone name that has so many reasons to play it?  From the game itself, the rules, the competition (betting and otherwise), being outside and enjoying nature in all kinds of weather, the vastly different courses and settings all over the world, the ability to play enjoyably with people of both sexes with a wide range of age and ability, and meeting all sorts of people from everywhere and the resulting friendships -- what can match it?

Thanks in large part to my friend Harry Easterly of Richmond (former President of the USGA), we were able at an early stage to play some of the great courses in the U.S. and the British Isles.  That got the ball rolling.  Between Ran's working for the USGA then living in Hong Kong and Australia for a few years, Bill's going to school in London for a year and then graduate school in California and John's starting to work for the USGA, it then evolved into Ran's and John's starting GCA, Bill's membership at that marvelous Seth Raynor Course in South Carolina -- Yeamans Hall -- and John's career with the USGA.

From the outset, I looked upon golf as an avocation, not a vocation.  We never bet on the course, which is not to say we weren't competitive.  To this day our only competition is our annual Christmas Cup, a foursome match each year.

When Ran was in Australia, he became a panelist for Golf Magazine.  Later Golfweek asked him to join its panel but said he would have to get off Golf's panel which he didn't want to do.  I was retiring about that time and he recommended me as a substitute.  Brad Klein told Ran to get me to write him a letter.  I did and started off "It's nice to have your son recommend you for anything."  Brad accepted me as a rater and attending the rater gatherings has been a lot of fun for Betty and me.  We have met so many nice people and played so many fine courses.  

Equally enjoyable has been getting to know people here at the Governors Club (a Nicklaus Course) in Chapel Hill many of whom have lived all over the world and playing on Mondays with the Eno (River) Seniors, a group of over 100 seniors a lot of whom are North Carolina natives (as I am) and who play thirty or so times a year for $20 a round all over north central North Carolina.

With family being number one, it is truly hard to say which is more enjoyable -- Golfweek, Governors Club friends or the Eno Seniors.  But where else could one find so much fun and breadth of experience?

What a trip!  Thanks to you all!

I am truly blessed and would trade places with no one.

[RJ_Daley]

Mr. Morrissett, I don't believe we saw anything posted on the annual Christmas Cup this year.  Was it contested?  If so, where? Was there any crushing going on?

[Tom Huckaby]

Mr. Morrisset - in reply to your last sentence, it seems to me that you are indeed, nor should you.

 

Of course I'll never admit this around Ran and I'm going to deny ever typing this, but he is a VERY good egg.  That might not sound like much - and you may not even understand my weird term - but it's about as high a compliment as I can give.

And of course the apple cannot fall far from the tree.

Thanks for the post here - and don't be a stranger.

Tom Huckaby (one of the crushed)

[Joel_Stewart]

I just went to read the Dye interview based on the comments here.  Those responses are classic.  Everyone should take the time to read it if they haven't already.  It only takes about a total of 30 seconds to read all of his answers.

"Never thought about it."  Do those of you that know Mr. Dye believe that?  Is that really how he operates?

Pete Dye spoke at the Golf Digest summit in November and he was at times brilliant but most of the time boarding on rude.  He comes off as cynical often talking down at the audience.  He showed up 5 minutes before he spoke and basically ran out the door when he was finished.

[Ed Morrissett]

The Christmas Cup was contested at Yeamans Hall on Dec. 30.  John and I won a closely contested match.  There was no crushing.

[George Blunt]

Ran,

The only thing you ever "crushed" down under was yet another VB can after yet another loss - typically on the 18th green at Newcastle - your home club.

Your ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory is my abiding memory, along with your grace in defeat. (A quote from Hemingway springs to mind)

Most of all, lots of fun times playing and drinking in some of the finest holes Australia has to offer, and enjoyment of your hospitality when travelling in good ol' USA.

You are due for a trip down here soon my friend - Barnbougle to explore and RMGC W Vs KH to be re-ignited.

Take care and many thanks,
George

[Patrick_Mucci]

Ed Morrissett,

You sound like a man who is at peace with himself, content with life and enjoying his family.

You're truely fortunate.

Do you mind if I ask you a few questions about Ran ?

At what age did Ran's obsessive fascination with Pinocchio begin ?

Why has he named every pet he's ever had, "Gepetto" ?

Why was his motto, as listed in his high school year book,
"Let your Jiminy Cricket be your guide ?

At what ages did he develop and then refine his selective memory ?

The statute of limitations on the revelation of these events has expired, so feel free to answer the above questions without fear of litigation.

Thanks

Tom Huckaby,

Anyone who quickly agrees to give Ran 12 shots after only 15 minutes of his whining on the first tee, bears a good deal of the responsibility for his loss.
Your match was over before it began.

The guy spent the entire year traipsing around the country, honing his game on hickories, but playing with the modern ball.

Those unfamiliar with the performance of hickories were misled by his statements that it's hard to break 100 with those relics.

Had you loooked more carefully, you would have seen that they were really steel shafts painted to look like wood.

Did you notice that he never let anyone else use them ?

Did you notice that he took them back to his room each night, claiming that he needed them to fend off the bugs that invaded his room when TEPaul left ALL of the lights on and ALL of the windows and doors open ?

Did you notice, when the lightening storm came through that Ran abandoned them, placing them in TEPaul's golf cart, later claiming that he misplaced them in the wrong golf cart, a golf cart that looked like a commercial for the Marlboro Man after he'd smoked 400 cartons of cigarettes and left the butts littering the golf cart ?

I think you must have been suffering from altitude sickness.

[Ed Morrissett]

Patrick Mucci

As I am sure you do, I plead the Fifth Amendment on all statements, allegations, etc. about any of our boys.  

The main point of my original post was to attempt to describe what a great positive influence golf has had on our family without any initial foundation and without obsessive competitiveness.  I am sure many of you have had similiar experiences.

[George Pazin]

The main point of my original post was to attempt to describe what a great positive influence golf has had on our family without any initial foundation and without obsessive competitiveness.  I am sure many of you have had similiar experiences.

We sure have - and we've had many more thanks to the efforts of your sons.

I hope to meet you someday to thank you personally!

[Tom Huckaby]

Patrick:

Aw heck, I can live with losing a match like that, so obviously won on the first tee.  That's a good win for sure - but doesn't compare to one actually won on the course.  Though Ran scored a first round knockout of me in negotiation, hell I yelled "no mas" before the first bell.  He's yet to defeat me in golf, that's for sure.