Who Are You Guys(revisited)?

[Bruce Hospes]

Bill,

Thanks for the welcome.  I've been a huge fan of not overseeding bermuda greens for years so I'm glad that it's finally taking hold.  The staff at MSU has changed a lot over the years since I graduated so I'm not sure who helped you out. 

I need to get down there sometime  to see PCC after Jerry's re-design.

Bruce

[Peter Ferlicca]

To be honest I have been on this board for about 2 years now and have never click on this thread.  I just did for the first time today, and thought I should post a little about myself.

Name:  Peter Ferlicca
Age:  23
Hometown (where I grew up):  Carmel, IN
College: SDGA, San Diego
Where I have lived lately:  San Diego-2 years/Palm Desert- 3 years/Vail Valley, CO-1 summer/Roslyn, WA-currently
Profession- Assistant Golf Professional (Stone Eagle Golf Club-Wintertime/ Tumble Creek Golf Club-Summertime)
Courses I have worked at:  Brookshire Golf Club, Plum Creek GC, Vista Valley CC, The Farms GC, Adams Mountain CC,  Stone Eagle, Tumble Creek

A little about me:  Growing up in Carmel, IN I didn't pick up golf till I was 14.  I then began working as a cart boy when I was 16 at Brookshire Golf Club where my uncle was the Superintendent.  Brookshire is a William Diddle design that meanders around a creek, a good course that would improve vastly with a restoration.  Once I got into golf I tried to play all the good golf courses in Indiana, and there a quite a few good ones around Carmel.  I then became very interested in Pete Dye courses, and how they visually intimidate a golfer.  After high school I went to SDGA in San Diego.  After receiving my degree, I was very fortunate to get a job at Stone Eagle Golf Club.  Ever since working at Stone Eagle I have become obsessed with golf course architecture.  My older sister went to St. Andrews University, I visited her there and played the Old Course, now she lives in Aberdeen, I have yet to visit her there.

Favorite Golf Moment:  Being privileged enough to go to Bandon Dunes Resort and play the Old Mac last spring with Tom Doak, and then enjoying an amazing dinner sitting next to Doak, Bill Coore, Urbina, Bahto, Eric Iverson, and the whole crew.  A day I will never forget.

Favorite Golf Courses:  Pacific Dunes, Ballyneal, Rock Creek Cattle Company, The Old Course, Bandon Trails, Old Mac, Riviera, Stone Eagle, Tumble Creek, Aldarra, Bandon Dunes, Olympic Lake, Pasatiempo, Rancho Santa Fe,  Wolf Run, Crooked Stick, Essex County Country Club, The Idaho Club.

My Goal:  To work at a private club in the Met or Long Island area.  When I visited my friend who was the assistant at Essex County Country Club, I fell in love with the kind of golf over there.

[JNC Lyon]

I have not done one of these profiles, and I feel like I should.

Name: John Lyon
Age: 20
Hometown: Rochester, NY
College: Colgate University.  I am going into my senior year, History Major/Econ Minor.  It seems I am the 3rd Colgater that has posted on this thread recently, which is very exciting to see.  I love the place, and I am pumped to see alums posting out here.
Home Clubs: Oak Hill Country Club, Royal Cinque Ports, Seven Oaks
Handicap: 5.  I'm not quite good enough to be a competitor, but I still show flashes of brilliance every now and then.

About Me: I grew up in Rochester, New York, where I still live and work during the summers. I am currently attending Colgate, which keeps me thinking and working hard. I am balancing studying, work, music, and an obsession with golf course architecture right now.  I spent the spring semester in London, where I played some of the world's great golf courses and met some great GCAers.  For those of you who have not yet attended a GCA outing, these people are some of the best you will ever meet.  I have yet to ever personally meet a bad GCAer.

A few of my favorite courses: North Berwick, Prestwick, and Royal Dornoch were all in a class of their own for me.  Merion was a blast during the Walker Cup, and it is my favorite American course that I have seen, to date.  I also love Deal, Woking, Huntercombe, Garden City, Swinley Forest, and Yeamans Hall.  Finally, I love Ross courses, with my absolute favorite being the West Course at Oak Hill.

[JNC Lyon]

Name: Andrew Calcutt
Age: 29
Current Home: Chicago, IL
HomeHome: Traverse City, MI
Email: acalcutt@gmail.com
Occupation: Attorney

I am a life long player and always trying to learn more about the game.  I hope
to improve my ability to appropriately criticize golf course architecture and management,
without sounding like an arrogant memeber of the peanut gallery.

I would love to see municipal courses like Palmer Park and Chandler Park in Detroit, and
Jackson Park in Chicago, (which live in some of the toughest neighborhoods in America), improved. 
The game should be for all walks of life. 

I also think there are currently too many golf courses in America and think the country's 'munis' need a
renaissance before we construct more. Until the game of golf becomes more available to everyone,
(price, proximity, lessons, improved muni-course maintenance, shorter pace of play, etc.),  there is no
room for more courses, or overall growth in the game.

I graduated from Colgate University in 2003.  One of my favorite courses is Colgate's Seven
Oaks in Hamilton, NY.  I'm sure this R.T. Jones Sr. masterpiece is sure to stir up the critics.
I find it underrated (bias noted).  I look forward to reading and participating,

- Andrew

One post on GCA, and you already have some great analysis of Seven Oaks!  I am a fan of the course too.  It shows that RTJ had some flair (try the par threes at 2 and 14) and was master at building greens.  I look forward to seeing your future posts.

[Andy Troeger]

If we're going to use this thread as a resource then those of us listed would be well advised to go revise our entries. Mine was added five years ago and I've moved across the country and my age and handicap have gone up by about the same amount!    I hope that is not a permanent trend!

Oops--meant to post this on George's new thread! Will update my original entry anyway!

[David Sneddon]

David Sneddon
Age: 60
Born: Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland
Live in a marvelous little village in SW Ontario, Pointe-aux-Roches

I've played the game since I was 8yrs old,  and still trying to improve.
Not affiliated with any club, member of the Golf Assoc of Ontario Public Player program, current RCGA handicap is 3 something.
Played most of the Open courses in Scotland way back then when the green fees were much more reasonable and there was no wait for a tee time on the Old Course.  IIRC, I paid something like 10shillings, about $1.75 in today's money, for the Old, Troon etc .

My "home" course is a daily fee, Ambassador GC, in Windsor, ON.  It's a Thomas McBroom design on an old gravel pit site and  he has done a pretty decent job of the 18 holes.  Couple of really strong par 4's, but his two par 3's on the back nine are a bit overcooked, IMHO.

I own my own trucking business, running primarily into the South and Southwest US, Florida to Arizona, so try and play any courses that are near the truckstops.  Who knows - might be coming to a truckstop near you 

[Thomas Patterson]

TJ Patterson
Age:  29
Hometown:  Rogers, AR
Current Location:  Charleston, SC
Married and have 2 pets; 5 year old black lab/Shepard mix and an 8 year old Norwegian Forest Cat

A little about me:  I grew up in Rogers, Arkansas and spent all of my life there up until age 22.  I met my future wife and moved to Denver, CO where I spent 7 years.  We moved to Charleston last November and are finally getting settled and starting to enjoy it! 

I started playing golf back in High School, but on a very casual basis.  I never really practiced and just went out and hit it around with my buddies.  In September of 2007, my Dad re-introduced me to the game and I've been hooked ever since.  I went from a 30 handicap down to a 7 in about 2 years, and am still trying to go lower.  I enjoy playing all types of courses, but really enjoy nice conditions (firm and fast) and holes that make you think on every shot.  My home course is now the Charleston Municipal Golf Course, which is a great little track, although it can be crowded. 

I've been interested in architecture since about December of 2007...I played a very links styled course south of Denver and that peaked my interest to learn more.  I found this site while searching for golf course reviews and lurked for a couple of years before emailing Ran for a username.  Best decision ever!  I've learned so much from the people and posts here.  I have had the great fortune of playing a couple of amazing golf courses that really have showed me some incredible architecture.  I have not yet to play in any GCA events, but I hope to change that either later this year, or in 2011. 

My Favorite Courses:  Ballyneal, Commonground, Deer Creek Golf Club (southwest Denver), Yeamans Hall Club, Big Sugar Golf Club (Arkansas), Bear Dance, Four Mile Ranch

If anyone comes down this way, let me know...always looking for a friend to play a round with! 

[Bruce Wellmon]

Bruce Wellmon
Gaffney, SC
Age 52
Occupation: Podiatrist
Married, 2 girls, age 10 and 15.
Home Club: Country Club of Spartanburg (SC), founded 1908. It is "Donald Ross inspired," recent revision by Kris Spence.

I grew up playing as a child at Cowan's Ford at Lake Norman near Charlotte, NC. My dad loved golf. Made all-conference in high school, but soon realized, when I went to college at Wake Forest, that a 4 handicap really wasn't that good. Play to a 7 or so now.

My interest in golf architecture started with playing The Olympic Club and Pebble on consecutive days in '93. 
2005 trip to Bandon (Trails had just opened).
2005 trip to Ireland (Ballybunion, Tralee, Waterville, Dook's, Killarney, Castlegregory, Doonbeg, Lahinch).
2009 trip to Scotland with my daughter(Castle Stuart, Nairn, Dornoch, Gleneagle's/King's and Queen's, Kingsbarns, and TOC).

Other favorites: Old Town Club, Palmetto, Carolina Golf Club, the front 9 at CC Salisbury (NC), Biltmore Forest, Secession. 

[Criss Titschinger]

Updated 02 March 2016

Name: Criss Titschinger
Age: 36
Home: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Email: c.titschinger@gmail.com
Occupation: IT Web Development
Family: Married, 2 girls (born the same date 2 years apart)

Grew up on a par 3 (Delhi Hills Par 3) course, but didn't take up the game seriously until a (non-golf) trip to Kiawah Island sparked my interest in the game in 2002. I've been hooked ever since. GCA was THE golf site where I started to learn about the great courses both here in the United States, and across the world.

For a few years, I worked with the OVGA Tour out of Cincinnati, which is an amateur golf tour for players of all skills that raises money for various charities. I worked on their web site and have been a member of their Board of Directors.

I currently play out of Miami View Golf Club. I keep a very simple blog OINK Golf (http://oinkgolf.wordpress.com) that profiles the courses I've played around the Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky areas. I've done a terrible job of keeping it active and up-to-date.


If anyone's in the Cincinnati area and wants to play let me know.

[Eric Smith]

*

[Chris Flamion]

Chris Flamion
Glen Ellyn, IL
Age : 27
Family: Married, 2 Kids, 10 & 8
Home Course: Village Links,  Solid public course that is 5 minutes away and a good price.
Occupation: Small Business Owner with wife, and Head Age Group Swim Coach at local YMCA

Got into golf about 3 years ago and was basically self taught by watching golf on TV and the internet.  Recently started to make swing changes that can lead to a really good golf game at times.  I also grew up around golf as my father was on the precursor to the now Nationwide tour, unfortunately due to my other athletic interest I played less than 5 rounds a year until recently.

Favorite Classic Course:
Ravisloe or Country Club of Indianapolis.  The bunkering at Ravisloe is fantastic, especially around the greens.  CCI could be better than I remember but tons of ground movement I just remember tons and tons of trees on the property.

Favorite Modern: 
Lost Dunes.  Hands down the most fun set of greens I have ever played. Only other course close was the Warren GC at Notre Dame, but it didn't have enough good land to be as good.

I have been fortunate to play with a good number of the Chicago GCA set, but am always looking forward to meeting more. 

[Roland Waguespack]

Roland Waguespack, III
Metairie, LA
age: 35
Handicap: 15 (and dropping), broke 80 finally in the last week!!
email: doctorwag@gmail.com
occupation: Emergentologist (fancy name for ER doctor)

I started playing golf while in college (Vanderbilt) and played more in medical school because I wanted to fit the golf-playing doctor stereotype.  I have become more and more intrigued with golf course architecture over the last 3-4 years.  As I found golf reading more and more monotonous (and avoiding instruction titles like the plague),  I found books regarding history and architecture fascinating.  After initially reading Tom Doak's book on the subject (Anatomy of a Golf Course), I have found myself reading anything I can find on the subject.  From Geoff Shackelford to Steve Wynn (his book on Shadow Creek) to Colt's essays, I find the material stimulating.

I have grown to love and embrace tradition in both new designs as well as the renovation of the older courses.

I used belong to a great Seth Raynor course, Metairie Country Club.  In 2004, the course underwent a major renovation stressing the original design of Mr. Raynor.  Reading about C.B. MacDonald and Raynor in the "Evangelist of Golf" and "Scotland's Gift" enabled me to play the course while appreciating their original work and their respect for the fine architecture of the courses in the United Kingdom.

I especially enjoy when contemporary designers have embraced the work of their predecesors.  I played Pensacola Country Club only after reading the thoughts about the course on GCA by Bill McBride.  I greatly enjoyed the course and having his description and pictures really enhanced my experience.  Seeing how Jerry Pate used classic architecture in a course that was just completely redone was impressive.

My dislikes are limited but seem to focus around when a designer imitates another hole design without understanding the original's appeal and history.  An island green is not a good design just because it is surrounded by water for example.  Just because a design feature has been successful, doesn't mean that a designer can sleep through the design of the hole.

I have enjoyed visiting the site when work and family allow.  I have found the experience of golf much more rewarding now that I seek to gain an appreciation for all architecture.

I know I may not be a frequent poster to the discussion group, but I can promise that I will read/listen intently.  I hope that my understanding and appreciation of golf architecture will continue to grow.

[Nick Campanelli]

Nick Campanelli
Location: Boston, MA
Age: 26
Handicap: 8 (Inconsistency is the best way to describe my game this year)
Status:  Single for four more weeks.  The wedding is Aug 21, 2010.  Does life end or begin then?
Education: Penn State University '07
Email: PSUGolfNut@gmail.com
Occupation: Landscape Architect

I started playing golf by accident in Jamaica on a family vacation when I was seven years old in 1991 (Runaway Bay Golf & Country Club).  My father met a man at a bar in the resort where we were staying.  He invited my dad and I to play with him and his son, also my age.  While most people feel lost their first time on a course, I remember being blown away by the scale and complexity of the game.  I have been hooked on everything golf since that trip.  

I have always had a thing for design, but like all on this discussion board, my passion for GCA tops the list.  I grew up in Enfield, CT playing many of Geoffrey Cornish’s public tracts in Southern New England (Cedar Knob GC, Franconia GC, and The Tradition at Windsor GC most frequently).  I didn’t have the access to many of the great clubs in the area growing up (Longmeadow CC, The Orchards, etc), but I knew solid, and more importantly fun design when I saw it.      

I’ve been a part of this discussion board since mid March, and have enjoyed and learned from the discussions and course reviews immensely.  My participation at the moment is limited due to planning for my upcoming wedding.  There will be more time to discuss GCA and meet many of you after things calm down following the big day in August!  

All the best,

Nick Campanelli

[George Pazin]

Single for four more weeks.  The wedding is Aug 21, 2010.  Does life end or begin then?

If you've seen The Usual Suspects, picture Gabriel Byrne saying:

"Bit of both..."

Congrats and have fun on your big day, and make sure your bride has fun, too.

[Joel Zuckerman]

Joel Zuckerman
Age: 49
Location:  Savannah GA
Handicap:  8
Club Afiliations:  The Landings Club and Secession
Family:  2 daughters--21 and 18
Occupation:  Freelance writer/author

Have enjoyed dabbling in this discussion group off/on for the last year or two.  Only discovered it years after my first interview with Ran in 2003, and shortly after my 2nd interview with him in autumn 2008.

Closing in on 700 GC's played lifetime--hopefully will turn the odometer late next month in SF when I visit SF GC, Olympic, Monterey Peninsula and a few others.

Have met a smattering of quality folks on this board, but will increase that number exponentially by participating in the Dixie Cup 2010 and KP 2011.  Happy to host anyone who comes through the Lowcountry, or possibly join them if they need a 4th---just shoot me an IM or email me at info@vagabondgolfer.com

[Rob_Waldron]

George

I am sure I responded to this email many years ago so I figured I would supply an update.

Rob Waldron
Age: 53
Reside: Silver Spring, MD
Hometown: City of Brotherly Love
Profession: Business Development for Billy Casper Golf (Acquisitions, 3rd Party Mgmt. & Leases)
Education: Penn State (Undergrad) Temple (Business School)
Home Course: Argyle CC, Silver Spring, MD & Old York Road CC, Spring House, PA
Handicap: 5 and going up

I have been posting to GCA for several year and have attended a few "Get Togethers" providing the good fortune to meet numerous new "Golfing Buddies". I try to travel to play as much as possible and always have my clubs with me during business trips. You never know when a sweet invite may arise!

[Evan Fleisher]

Apparently I never responded to this older thread, so here goes!

My info:

Evan Fleisher
Age: 41
Born: Rochester, MN
Grew Up: Miami Lakes, FL
Current Home: Strongsville, OH
Email: evanfleisher@roadrunner.com
Occupation: Continuous Process Improvement Manager, Logistics (Akzo Nobel Paints, i.e. - Glidden Paints)

I've been playing golf since age 10 and have always had a passion for the game (unfortunately never the skills to match!).  I've been part of the Grillroom, Bravenet, TraditionalGolf.Com, and GolfClubAtlas.Com since the very beginning. My "real" introduction to the group came in 1998 while I was researching information on golf trips to Scotland.  I met Tom Huckaby (who had just returned from his own trip), he introduced me to Bob Huntley...and the rest as they say is history. I have always loved the design and strategic aspects of the courses which is how I got "hooked" on architecture.

My only golf collection is course logo balls, and I'm proud (my wife would probably actually say ashamed) to have a logl ball from every course I've ever played (333 in total) minus a few stragglers since i began playing the game 31 years ago.

My involvement in the game (beyond playing) has grown in the last decade or so.  I was formerly a course rating developer for the Iowa section of the USGA. I have had an article written about me (and my best friend Greg Flesher) in the April, 2004 edition of Golf Digest...it was about using frequent flyer miles and points to take a golf trip, which we did (to Scotland). I have written a course review article (and been published/paid for it!) for T&L Golf magazine back in June, 2004...the course was the Tournament Club of Iowa. I have also worked as a standard bearer at the John Deere Classic for four years (loved walking "inside the ropes" with the players).

This group has been so good to me over the years, and I've made some great friendships along the way.  Can't wait until the next time we all tee it up!

[Phil McDade]

Following Evan, perhaps appropriate, as we've actually played golf together at a GCA outing.

Phil McDade
Age: 49
Born: Hinsdale, IL, just outside Chicago
Grew up: All over, for a while in Orange County, CA (where I attended Walt Disney Elementary School), but mainly suburban Cleveland, Ohio (Chagrin Falls, Medina)
College: Macalester College, St. Paul, MN; spent three years in State College, PA (where we lived two blocks from JoePa) while my wife obtained her master's degree.
Now reside: Monona WI (a bedroom community of Madison)
Occupation: Former newspaper reporter; currently a free-lance writer, editor and blogger
Family: Wife, three sons (17, 14, 10)
Email: wimcdade@tds.net

I never swung a golf club until I was in my early 20s; to this day, I've never had a lesson (which explains the pathetic state of my game, I suppose...) I ran cross country and track in high school, but was an all-around sports nut, and fondly recall my Dad and I venturing to the old Cleveland Open golf tournament (where I once got Lee Trevino's autograph, instantly making him my favorite golfer of all time), and even to the 1973 PGA at Canterbury, where I nearly bumped into the winner, a guy named Jack Nicklaus, when he was walking off a green.

Took up the game at the urging of a good friend in my 20s, and learned it at a small 9-hole course near Fairmont, MN, where I was living at the time. Developed a keen interest in golf architecture leading up to, and following, my lone trip to Scotland in 1999. Emailed Ran to ask if I could join the discussion board several years ago with the argument that I thought the 1st hole at Machrihanish was the 6th best par 4 on the front nine there; for some reason, he let me in. Spend most of my time these days at swimming pools, not golf courses, as we have two (maybe a third) competitive swimmers in the household.

Favorite course: Lawsonia (Langford/Moreau)
Next favorite (American): Spring Valley (Langford/Moreau)
Next favorite (overseas): Machrihanish; Fraserburgh
Favorite nine holes of golf: The front nine of West Bend CC (Langford/Moreau -- I've only played it once; it made quite the impression)
Favorite 12 holes of golf: Shiskine at Blackwaterfoot, on the Isle of Arran, Scotland
Most impressive course I've walked but not played: Milwaukee CC (Alison)
Favorite moment on a golf course: Playing Machrihanish in a haar so thick I couldn't see 200 yards down the fairway
Second favorite moment on a golf course: Playing the Reverse Jans
Favorite moment after a round of golf: Eating Cullen skink (and drinking lots of beer) in the clubhouse of the wonderfully quirky Cullen Golf Course in Scotland with the marvelously gregarious club secretary, Ian Findlay
Semi-famous moment on a golf course (besides nearly running into Jack): Saw in person Tiger Woods hit his first professional golf shot; stood next to his mom for about 10 minutes as he putted out at the old Milwaukee GMO (she didn't say much)
Course I most want to play next: Plum Lake GC in Sayner, WI
Goal in life in golf: Shooting a photo thread of every semi-interesting (or moreso) golf course in Wisconsin.
Second goal in life in golf: Finish up a small historical Langford/Moreau project of interest to about 10 people.

[John Moore II]

Evan Fleisher-I too have a collection of logo balls, currently at about 92 golf balls, with a few missing. My display cases are currently full, so I'm going to have to build a new one. Sweet.

[Evan Fleisher]

Evan Fleisher-I too have a collection of logo balls, currently at about 92 golf balls, with a few missing. My display cases are currently full, so I'm going to have to build a new one. Sweet.

John,

I think you win...I bought my logo balls racks...you are MAKING yours!  That's love/dedication. 

[John Moore II]

Evan Fleisher-I too have a collection of logo balls, currently at about 92 golf balls, with a few missing. My display cases are currently full, so I'm going to have to build a new one. Sweet.

John,

I think you win...I bought my logo balls racks...you are MAKING yours!  That's love/dedication. 

OK, actually, the five that are up there now were bought. However, I am cheap. The ones I have not I got at Wal-Mart for like $10 each, they hold 20 balls. If I could still find those, I'd buy them again. I can build one that holds about 100 balls for less than $50, to buy one that large from Watts or Golfsmith would be around $100; thats why I'll build it. I'll build you one too.

[jim_lewis]

I found my original entry which was about 11 years old. Most of the info was out of date, so I will now offer a current and shorter version:

Jim Lewis
Age 68
Retired
Been playing 54 years
Proud and longterm GOLFWEEK rater
Played a lotta golf on a lotta courses, many you have probably heard of
Pinehurst, NC

[Scott Szabo]

Been on here a few years and don't think I've ever put my information in:

Scott Szabo
Age 41
Owner of a small CPA firm in Sterling, Colorado.
Married with two kids - 12 year old daughter and 7 year old son.
Started playing golf when I was 15 thanks to my grandfather who was patient enough to take me out one day.  Hard to think what I would have missed out on all these years if he hadn't let me tag along one summer day.
Handicap: finally going back down - currently 1.6.
Member of the Sterling Country Club for 15 years before it went public a year ago due to declining membership and changing demographics.  Nothing to note of much architecturally but it was home for a number of us.  Sad to see it end like it did.
I have enjoyed my few years here on GCA and am fortunate to have met a few of you.

[Duncan Cheslett]

I'm pretty new here so here's my stuff;

Duncan Cheslett - age 50

I'm a self-employed cabinetmaker specialising in custom furniture. www.thecabinetmakers.com

I started playing golf at around ten - both grandfathers were keen players and used to take me out with them. I played with school-friends who were junior members of local clubs but after the age of around 18 golf became one of those things that 'I used to do' and that 'I'll take up properly again one day'.

'One day' came last year when I hit 50 and decided that after 30 years of hard work, mortgage paying, and child-raising I was due a little 'Me-time'! I joined Reddish Vale, and its MacKenzie heritage sparked an interest in golf architecture and history.

I found this place through Mark Rowlinson, who lives nearby.

[Kirk Gill]

Kirk Gill
49
Parker, Colorado
Sadly, no handicap
Married, 4 children
Systems Administrator

I first became interested in golf, golf course design, and golf course design history while reading a thread about the creation of Merion Golf Club.

I very much appreciate Ran letting me participate here.