Who Are You Guys(revisited)?

[Adam Uttley]

Name: Adam Uttley
Age: 38
Married with two girls (6 & 4)
Live: Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK
Profession: CFO of a cancer charity
Hdcp: 5
Home Courses: Centurion Club and Woodhall Spa
Favourite courses: Prestwick, New Zealand, Kingston Heath, Cape Wickham, Pasatiempo, Swinley


As with others, I have been lurking for quite a few years with very occasional posts. I found GCA as a resource to planning trips and it has opened my eyes to different types of courses and the thinking behind them. Sean’s Course tours are a marvel.


It is also now a good antidote from the conversations with my normal golfing buddies where I often feel I’m banging my head against a brick wall. I wish I had a pound for every time I had tried, but failed, to explain that ‘good’ does not just equate to ‘well conditioned’ or that playing the back tees of a great course you aren’t seeing the course as it was intended.


Finally, thanks to the wonderful piece by Guy Bennett and John Churchill on Sunningdale, I have begun to be really interested in the history of courses and often spend my time on google maps trying to see what remains of old routings or courses (eg Addington New).


At the moment I don’t tend to get involved in the discussions much, but hopefully I will have something to add in the future. I feel like the GCA equivalent of that 28 handicapper playing with a group scratch players and ignorantly shouting ‘great shot’, only to see the ball sail out of bounds!

[Adam Uttley]

Hello all.  I’ve been a keen reader of this site for some time and am very grateful to Ran for his kind invitation to join the group.  I’m sure I’ll continue to do a lot more reading than posting, but here’s a brief introduction:


Name: James Reader
Age: 47
Hometown: Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, England
Member of Huddersfield and Sherwood Forest Golf Clubs
Current handicap: 7
Occupation: Insurance company CEO
Favourite courses played (in no particular order): North Berwick, Kingsbarns, Silloth, Royal St George’s, Deal, Swinley Forest, Hollinwell, Woodhall Spa, Alwoodley.... and Sherwood Forest (OK, I know Tom Doak wasn’t keen, but I’ve been a member for over 35 years and love the place)

I didn't expect to find anyone else from the Calder Valley on here.  I was born and bred in Mytholmroyd and learned the game at Ryburn Golf Club where you need one leg longer than the other.  I'm now down south but generally up every month or so.  I agree with you on Sherwood, I absolutely loved the course.

[Matt DeVito]

Name: Matthew DeVito
Age: 24
Hometown: Hoboken, NJ
Occupation: Financial Analyst (Morgan Stanley)
Member of Montclair Golf Club
Handicap: +1


I am an avid player who was introduced to the game at a very young age by my dad. I have been fortunate to play some of the great clubs in the US and Scotland. My favorites are PV, Merion, Seminole, TOC, Dornoch and Lahinch. Having the opportunity to play some of the golden age courses like PV and Merion has really opened my eyes to the intricacies of golf design. As an above average player I enjoy playing courses that find ways to challenge players beyond some of the typical defenses such as length

[Tim Martin]

Name: Matthew DeVito
Age: 24
Hometown: Hoboken, NJ
Occupation: Financial Analyst (Morgan Stanley)
Member of Montclair Golf Club
Handicap: +1


I am an avid player who was introduced to the game at a very young age by my dad. I have been fortunate to play some of the great clubs in the US and Scotland. My favorites are PV, Merion, Seminole, TOC, Dornoch and Lahinch. Having the opportunity to play some of the golden age courses like PV and Merion has really opened my eyes to the intricacies of golf design. As an above average player I enjoy playing courses that find ways to challenge players beyond some of the typical defenses such as length

Matt-Montclair’s par 5 10th hole on the 3,4 nines is one of my favorites anywhere. The way Banks sited the green is fantastic.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

My original was in 2004:

Steve Shaffer aka/formerly known as acer2xAmbler, PA(suburban Philadelphia)Age:59Occupation: Attorney("tassel shoed trial attorney")Handicap Index:13.4Club: Social member at Talamore at Oak Terrace, formerly member at Commonwealth National where I served on Greens Committee and Board of Governors,currently contemplating a new club affiliation. I returned to golf after a long hiatus in 1988. I grew up in Philadelphia playing the munis-Cobbs Creek, Juniata and Walnut Lane- and banging balls over the fence at Burholme Park driving range.Shell's WWG was an eye opener for me. I watched it religiously.I used to sketch golf holes in some of the more interesting high school classes. I learned how to play better golf from my room mate at Penn State. He was a scratch golfer from Bethpage, NY. In law school, I played mostly at Walnut Lane. An injury caused my long hiatus. Since I returned to golf, I have immersed myself into the game and courses. I try to visit AZ and FL every winter and try out the new courses there. I thought I knew a fair amount until I came here. This site has been and continues to be a great learning experience for me. I now have read Tom Doak's Confidential Guide and will soon read Discovering Donald Ross, The Life and Work of Dr. Alister MacKenzie, The Evangelist of Golf and The Golden Age of Golf Design. I am a charter member of The Shivas Irons Society.
Now, I've retired and relocated to the Arizona Desert in The Valley of the Sun, full time beginning in 2012 and as a snow bird before then from 2010. No longer a member of a private club but am a resident golf member in an "active adult" residential golf community with 45 holes of " senior friendly" golf and 9 more to open by the end of 2018. I'm Vice- Chair of our Golf Committee where we oversee course conditions. We currently register 110,000+ rounds and are very busy from November to May.
Some thoughts on golf architecture:
I miss the classic courses of the East Coast. The closest I've come here is Red Lawrence's Desert Forest- before and after- and Harry Collis' Phoenix CC. Maybe Papago too.
I'd rather play Hidden Creek than Galloway.
I really enjoyed Goat Hill Park.
I'd like to build a MacRaynorBanks course in the desert.
Some fun courses I've played:
Merion West
LuLu
Lakota Canyon
Forsgate
Elephant Rocks
Lederach
North Shore(Long Island)
I won't name drop the more famous courses I've played over the years.
2016 was my favorite year in golf- 3 holes in one and 2 eagles on par4s! Since then, due to injuries and illness, my game has been sporadic but still exhibits flashes of brilliance, on occasion. The older I get, the better I used to be.
My international golf experiences have been limited to Mexico and Bermuda. I intend to remedy that very soon.
I continue to read about golf and the business of golf. I own the Life magazine issue featuring Ben Hogan's Secret. I'm still searching for it but I believe " it's in the dirt."
I've met many GCA members over the years and look forward to meeting many more.
In case anyone is interested, the avatar is of William Flynn.

[RJ_Daley]

Steve, we ain't getting any younger.  I hope you begin to fill out that international  dance card this year.  Ireland and Scotland are the logical choices to start, but OZ is obviously incredible as well.  Mr. Warne would certainly be the best consult for Ireland, IMHO.   

[Erik J. Barzeski]

Age: 39 (until March)
Currently Reside: Erie, PA
Hometown: North East, PA (in Erie county)
Occupation: Golf - Instructor, trainer/teacher of other instructors, writer, software developer, website owner, college coach… etc.
Handicap: +1
Family: Wife (13 years), daughter (step-daughter technically) of 15 years.

Background: I was late to the game, compared to many here. I played a lot of soccer and became quite good at it from age 3 onward. When I was 13, I attended a two-hour golf camp with my cousin. We hit drivers or 5W or whatever for an hour, and then chipped and putted for an hour. I played a little baseball too, and the sight of seeing the ball go so far (even if it was only 140 yards or whatever) hooked me right away. I bought a 7-iron from the local course and practiced all winter, reading everything I could during the snowy months and walking a quarter mile to the soccer fields to hit balls whenever I could. I used my Christmas AND birthday money that winter to buy a set of Jack Nicklaus MacGregor VIP Tourney muscle back irons and persimmon woods from my great uncle (his grandson had already lost the 6-iron, somehow) and joined the local course for $150 that summer. I think my average round cost worked out to about $0.34, even if I had to bike the three miles to the course when I couldn't catch a ride.  I think, ultimately, I simply liked the individual nature of the game - nobody on your team could screw things up for you, and when you did screw up, you had only yourself to blame. If you worked hard, you could get better, and reap the rewards. I liked that.

I, like many here, would sketch golf holes on my notebooks. I've always appreciated the way a golf course is built - the way it makes you feel, the challenges it asks of you, or the questions… the way your play can change and shift over time or because of different conditions, etc. One of my fondest memories is as a 17-year-old trying to get a quick 18 in before sunset… I'd finished the front nine in about 1:15, and was on track to finish in the twilight, until I got to #11 and saw about 10-15 deer - not anything special; I'd see them all the time as a kid - in the 11th fairway just grazing and walking about. I stopped and sat on a bench and watched them until it would have been too dark to return had I not known every inch of the way back to the clubhouse.

I'm fairly well accomplished as an instructor, but as well as I've done there I've not had the opportunity until now to really go beyond the sketches on my notebooks re: design. I will likely not speak much about design, as I know next to nothing, but look forward to reading a lot, and poking my head in only on the topics where I have an opinion worth (I hope so, anyway!) sharing. I often come off differently than how I am in real life, because I assure you that even though I may disagree with anyone from time to time, we all have the wonderful, wonderful game of golf in common, and through that, are all brothers (and sisters), and I'd happily share a round with anyone here.

[Scott Senior]

Name: Scott Senior
Age: 49
Hometown: Saddle River, New Jersey
Occupation: Volkswagen Dealer
Member of The Ridgewood Country Club, Paramus, NJ
Handicap: 10


Officially new to the site (although I have followed the discussion group for several years).
I will certainly lurk more then I'll ever post...and learn here more then I would ever be able to teach.

[Tim Martin]

Name: Scott Senior
Age: 49
Hometown: Saddle River, New Jersey
Occupation: Volkswagen Dealer
Member of The Ridgewood Country Club, Paramus, NJ
Handicap: 10


Officially new to the site (although I have followed the discussion group for several years).
I will certainly lurk more then I'll ever post...and learn here more then I would ever be able to teach.

Scott-Welcome to GCA. You are a lucky guy to be a member at Ridgewood!

[Nick Prafke]

Hello All,


I just joined a few days ago and stumbled across this thread.


Name: Nick Prafke
Age: 33
Occupation: Engineer/Project Manager
Home Course: Butte Des Morts CC - Appleton, WI
Index: 1
Originally from Ludington, MI attended Michigan State and just moved to Wisconsin last year.

[Jeff Schley]

Not sure if anyone cares, but I posted a bit about myself below. I enjoyed reading this thread the last couple days.  Impressive group!

Name: Jeff Schley
Age: 44
Marital Status: Never married, no kids (haven't been blessed)
Live: Saudi Arabia
Profession: Run University Relations for Saudi Aramco
Hdcp: 12
Home Courses: Rolling Hills GC, Dhahran - Saudi Arabia
Favourite courses: Chicago GC, Baltursol, Pacific Dunes, Winged Foot, Innwood in Joliet, Ill. only course I ever played growing up as my dad worked there part time..

From Chicago area and go back to see my family there a couple times a year. Love being Uncle Jeff and I'm the Godfather to 4 of my 6 nieces/nephews . Big Chicago Bears / Cubs fan. 

I played football and baseball in college graduating from the University of Iowa.  My dad was a coach so I always wanted to follow him so I coached college football for 4 years, one at Midwestern State Univ. in Texas, then 3 at UCLA.  Got my masters from UCLA as well and that was a great school. Thought coaching was what I wanted to do until I realized I didn't want a profession where you get fired through no fault of your own. )

Left to become a teacher and coach in So Cal teaching special education for 7 years then took a mission trip with my church and decided I wanted to teach overseas.  Almost went to the Philippines, but stumbled onto this oil company in the middle east and I ended up here in 2008.  After 2 years teaching, been running their University Collaboration Office ever since. Got an MBA a couple years ago from the Hong Kong University of S&T and almost made another career change, but here for now.

Love to travel, gamble-poker & blackjack, euchre, scuba dive, snow ski, strat-o-matic NFL football (ANYONE PLAY? We play here in KSA), active in Catholic Church and charities when I am able over here, NFL, MLB, college football, classical music, and of course golf. I really love to travel and play golf and being here in the middle east makes it so close to places so far from the states. My lowest handicap I have ever been was an 8 and that was like 25 lbs. ago. 

I have always observed golf course topography and architecture while playing and as we all do, critique the course as I go.  Often making excuses for my poor shots.  I found this website numerous times over the years in my google searches and glad to finally join and learn from the various threads. Looking forward to being part of the social get together s when able and even perhaps put a few on myself if I can figure it out here in the Middle East.

[Jason Thompson]

     Name: Jason Thompson
 Age: 46
 Married
 Live: East Liverpool, Ohio (between Pittsburgh and Youngstown)
 Profession: Former bond trader turned photographer and real estate investor.
 Hdcp: 9
 Home Courses: Mill Creek (Ross)
 Favorite courses: Muirfield, Oakmont, Pacific Dunes, Sand Hollow, Greywalls.

I've met several in the group already via Summer Ball last year and at prior Walking Golfer Society events. I think the first person I met from GCA was Mike Cirba, when over lunch he casually mentioned his 1000th course played was Muirfield. This told me a couple things: 1. I have found a great group of people to learn from and hopefully play more golf with. 2. Any fears that I had I was spending too much time thinking about or playing the game are entirely unfounded. 


I've lived most of my life in Ohio, most of which until recently was in Columbus, where I still spend a fair amount of time via work.

I have played golf since I was 15 when my grandfather took me out on an April afternoon to play 9 holes when he knew the course would be mostly empty. The bad news for him was that he missed watching a 46 year old from Columbus winning his final green jacket. The good news was that I've loved the game ever since.

My interest in golf courses and architecture started in earnest only about six years ago. Up until that point I had always enjoyed travel and seeing different courses but I never really gave much thought to what made a hole or course great. For my 40th birthday we took a trip to Bandon Dunes and experiencing the four courses, playing those kind of firm and fast conditions for the first time, all while discussing the nuances of each course with my caddy, left me wanting to learn more about how courses are designed. A trip a couple years back to Scotland and Northern Ireland only heightened my interest further about architecture.

Those of you who I've met know that I'm always up for a game. It doesn't much matter to me if the course is public, private or whatever; if either the company or the course is fun, I'm there! On the same token, if any of you find yourself in eastern Ohio and want to play just let me know. My backyard is a slightly rough-around-the-edges 9-hole layout by Willie Park Jr., East Liverpool CC. I'm best reached at (614)330-0226



 

[Tim Martin]

     Name: Jason Thompson
 Age: 46
 Married
 Live: East Liverpool, Ohio (between Pittsburgh and Youngstown)
 Profession: Former bond trader turned photographer and real estate investor.
 Hdcp: 9
 Home Courses: Mill Creek (Ross)
 Favorite courses: Muirfield, Oakmont, Pacific Dunes, Sand Hollow, Greywalls.

I've met several in the group already via Summer Ball last year and at prior Walking Golfer Society events. I think the first person I met from GCA was Mike Cirba, when over lunch he casually mentioned his 1000th course played was Muirfield. This told me a couple things: 1. I have found a great group of people to learn from and hopefully play more golf with. 2. Any fears that I had I was spending too much time thinking about or playing the game are entirely unfounded. 


I've lived most of my life in Ohio, most of which until recently was in Columbus, where I still spend a fair amount of time via work.

I have played golf since I was 15 when my grandfather took me out on an April afternoon to play 9 holes when he knew the course would be mostly empty. The bad news for him was that he missed watching a 46 year old from Columbus winning his final green jacket. The good news was that I've loved the game ever since.

My interest in golf courses and architecture started in earnest only about six years ago. Up until that point I had always enjoyed travel and seeing different courses but I never really gave much thought to what made a hole or course great. For my 40th birthday we took a trip to Bandon Dunes and experiencing the four courses, playing those kind of firm and fast conditions for the first time, all while discussing the nuances of each course with my caddy, left me wanting to learn more about how courses are designed. A trip a couple years back to Scotland and Northern Ireland only heightened my interest further about architecture.

Those of you who I've met know that I'm always up for a game. It doesn't much matter to me if the course is public, private or whatever; if either the company or the course is fun, I'm there! On the same token, if any of you find yourself in eastern Ohio and want to play just let me know. My backyard is a slightly rough-around-the-edges 9-hole layout by Willie Park Jr., East Liverpool CC. I'm best reached at (614)330-0226

Jason-That is a great first post. Welcome to the Discussion group. For your grandfather to have brought you out on Masters Sunday with Ohio’s favorite son in the mix says all we need to know about him. Sounds like an amazing guy. Enjoy and post often!!!!

[Doug Lionberger]

Name: Doug Lionberger
Age: 33
Married with three kids (6, 4 and 1)
Live: Houston, Texas
Profession: Capital Markets/M&A Attorney
Handicap: 12
Home Course: Champions Golf Club
Favorite Courses: Oakmont, Bethpage Black, California Golf Club of San Francisco, Champions – Cypress Creek, Bandon Trails, Pacific Dunes

I grew up in the suburbs of Houston and really started golfing when I was 16 and worked as a cart boy at a country club (Weston Lakes in Fulshear, Tx).  The course allowed us to play as much golf for free as we wanted.  I played high school golf my junior and seniors year but frankly was never very good (mainly played to hang out with my friends who all played golf).  I then went to college at Texas A&M and law school at the University of California – Berkeley where I did not play much golf for whatever reason.  We move to New York City when I started practicing law and I began golfing at Bethpage on the weekends as a way to relax and do something I loved again.  We moved back to Houston, Tx in 2012 when our first son was born and I began working on my game again to get my handicap below a 14 so I could join Champions which I finally did in 2013.  In 2014 we had our second child and my time to golf became severely limited.  To help satisfy my golf fix I became very interested in golf history and golf course architecture which is how I found this site.  I’ve begun golfing regularly again this year and hope to get my handicap back into the single digits and be able to get out and travel more to play some of America’s great courses.

[Edward Glidewell]

Name: Edward Glidewell
Age: 34
Live: Atlanta, GA
Profession: Attorney
Handicap: 15
Home course: Don't have one at the moment
Favorite courses I've played: Sedgefield CC Ross, Dormie Club, Bull's Bay, Caledonia, Old Tabby Links, Augusta CC


I'm originally from Greensboro, NC and went to undergrad at the University of North Carolina. Attended law school at Mercer University in Macon, GA and then moved to Atlanta. I didn't really play golf as a kid (unfortunately, since I could have played Sedgefield as much as I wanted and would probably be a much better golfer now); basketball was my main sport. I started playing regularly in law school and although I'd love to play several times a month now, my friends that do play rarely have any time available on weekends. Most of my yearly golf is clustered around trips to the beach where I play daily.

[Jeff Schley]

Welcome Doug and Edward!

[John Kavanaugh]

Who are Bill Charles and Nick Ribeiro? Are they plants from the Refuge here to destroy this site? Enough is enough. When Tom Doak starts a heart felt thread about his visit to Crooked Stick for the Alice Dye memorial and even it becomes unreadable you have to question what is going on. Or maybe I am wrong.


So Bill and Nick...How about a little history on who you are?

[Bill Charles]

My name is William Charles. I’ve played many different golf courses but my favorite is National Golf Links. It is the best course on the planet along side the old course. I’ve played golf my entire life and I have been watching from a distance here for a while. I decided to join when I saw Nick was spreading lies about courses being good that terrible and not friendly to all skill level golfers. I am sick of being bullied by the USGA and TV ratings. We must stand up against championship style golf courses before our gems are taken over. This war must be fought across all platforms so I decided to join the battle. I will stand up to Nick and anyone else who tries to convince this great community courses such as Bethpage Black, Torrey Pines, crooked stick, and any other courses just built for the pros are good courses.

[BHoover]

Where do you play now, Bill?

[Tom_Doak]

My name is William Charles. I’ve played many different golf courses but my favorite is National Golf Links. It is the best course on the planet along side the old course. I’ve played golf my entire life and I have been watching from a distance here for a while. I decided to join when I saw Nick was spreading lies about courses being good that terrible and not friendly to all skill level golfers. I am sick of being bullied by the USGA and TV ratings. We must stand up against championship style golf courses before our gems are taken over. This war must be fought across all platforms so I decided to join the battle. I will stand up to Nick and anyone else who tries to convince this great community courses such as Bethpage Black, Torrey Pines, crooked stick, and any other courses just built for the pros are good courses.

I'm not sure what a "plant from the Refuge" is, but this post was so impersonal that you might be one!

[Cal Seifert]

My name is William Charles. I’ve played many different golf courses but my favorite is National Golf Links. It is the best course on the planet along side the old course. I’ve played golf my entire life and I have been watching from a distance here for a while. I decided to join when I saw Nick was spreading lies about courses being good that terrible and not friendly to all skill level golfers. I am sick of being bullied by the USGA and TV ratings. We must stand up against championship style golf courses before our gems are taken over. This war must be fought across all platforms so I decided to join the battle. I will stand up to Nick and anyone else who tries to convince this great community courses such as Bethpage Black, Torrey Pines, crooked stick, and any other courses just built for the pros are good courses.

I'm not sure what a "plant from the Refuge" is, but this post was so impersonal that you might be one!

The refuge is a golf forum on nolayingup.com. Its mostly not about GCA and trends more towards golf in general with less seriousness to it. 

[Jeff Schley]

My name is William Charles. I’ve played many different golf courses but my favorite is National Golf Links. It is the best course on the planet along side the old course. I’ve played golf my entire life and I have been watching from a distance here for a while. I decided to join when I saw Nick was spreading lies about courses being good that terrible and not friendly to all skill level golfers. I am sick of being bullied by the USGA and TV ratings. We must stand up against championship style golf courses before our gems are taken over. This war must be fought across all platforms so I decided to join the battle. I will stand up to Nick and anyone else who tries to convince this great community courses such as Bethpage Black, Torrey Pines, crooked stick, and any other courses just built for the pros are good courses.

Bill for me the cat is out of the bag now in that you are obviously someone's alter online personality designed to troll this site unfortunately. You can't exist without "Nick" and apparently you don't know him or never met him, but yet every damn post is about him, so either Nick is bi polar or both are a trolls for this last couple weeks have been far from why I and others visit this site.

[John Kavanaugh]

Nick's profile and all his posts were scrubbed from the Refuge about the same time this all started. Odd because they could have just given him a 1000 year suspension. As they did me, well deserved I might add.

[Eric Smith]

1000 year suspension? You can’t do that to the Oracle of MySpace!

[Bill Charles]

Nick's profile and all his posts were scrubbed from the Refuge about the same time this all started. Odd because they could have just given him a 1000 year suspension. As they did me, well deserved I might add.

When will this site observe the same standards and boot him from here?