Nicklaus vs Doak obits..

[John Kavanaugh]

I'm curious how you guys would write the obit of a golf course architect.    Pick one and have at it.

[Jeff_Mingay]

This might be the strangest (perhaps disturbing is a better word) thread at GolfClubAtlas.com yet, John.

Nice one  

[Tom_Doak]

John:

Could you maybe pick someone who's already dead?

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

                      THIS IS THE ALL-TIME GREATEST THREAD

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

Tom,

The New York Times interviews living people later in their lives or who are seriously ill so they can be quoted in their own obituaries.

John,

Why don't we just start writing obits for everyone involved with this site?


Anthony

[John Kavanaugh]

It is my understanding that it is common practice to write the obits of people in the public eye before they are dead.  I'm sure Palmer, Player and Nicklaus are all ready on file at many national publications.  I'm curious how one would differ from the other besides the listing of individual courses.

[John Kavanaugh]

John,

Why don't we just start writing obits for everyone involved with this site?


Anthony

Considering the role this site has played in so many of our lives it would be interesting to see how golf or golf course architecture might be mentioned in the obits of posters on this site.  Have at it.

[Dan Kelly]

As I understand it, Art Buchwald left a video obit for himself that began: "Hi! I just died!"

Maybe Tom and Jack will have their own last words. Maybe we all will.

[ForkaB]

JOHN KAVANUGH

John Kavanaugh, aka Barney Frank, aka DB Cooper, aka Jordan Wall died peacefully in his sleep 21 February 2078, after a tragic kiln accident at the Happy Camper Nursing Home in Gary, Indiana.

Kavanaugh was best known for designing the world's greatest golf course, Indiana Dunes, in cooperation with Tom Fazio and Ben Creshaw, at the site of the old Behthehem Steel Works in Gary, but he burst into public consciousness when he was exposed by the late Tom MacWood as the long-sought after plane hijacker DB Cooper, in 2007.  Shortly after that, Kavanaugh admitted to a grand jury that he had taken the money stolen from that United flight so many years ago to invest in the asphalt business, and had hit the jackpot shortly thereafter when asked by the infamous Tommy "Two Brains" Naccarato to bury Jimmy Hoffa under a comfort stop on State Highway 59 in Southern Illinois.

Sent to prison for 50 years, Kavanagh was paroled in 2047 after the warden realized that he was never going to die a natural death due to the succesful gene therapy administered to him by future Nobel Prize Winner Geoffrey Childs.  Even though Childs was subsequently arrested on attempted murder charges, as it was discovered that he had deliberately given Kavanaugh what he thought was a placebo, the two became great friends, and it was Dr. Childs who last saw Kavanaugh before the kiln exploded.

The family asks that no flowers or other eye candy be sent, but that contributions to the BBGE would be appreciated.

[Dan Kelly]

JOHN KAVANUGH

John Kavanaugh, aka Barney Frank, aka DB Cooper, aka Jordan Wall died peacefully in his sleep 21 February 2078, after a tragic kiln accident at the Happy Camper Nursing Home in Gary, Indiana.

Kavanaugh was best known for designing the world's greatest golf course, Indiana Dunes, in cooperation with Tom Fazio and Ben Creshaw, at the site of the old Behthehem Steel Works in Gary, but he burst into public consciousness when he was exposed by the late Tom MacWood as the long-sought after plane hijacker DB Cooper, in 2007.  Shortly after that, Kavanaugh admitted to a grand jury that he had taken the money stolen from that United flight so many years ago to invest in the asphalt business, and had hit the jackpot shortly thereafter when asked by the infamous Tommy "Two Brains" Naccarato to bury Jimmy Hoffa under a comfort stop on State Highway 59 in Southern Illinois.

Sent to prison for 50 years, Kavanagh was paroled in 2047 after the warden realized that he was never going to die a natural death due to the succesful gene therapy administered to him by future Nobel Prize Winner Geoffrey Childs.  Even though Childs was subsequently arrested on attempted murder charges, as it was discovered that he had deliberately given Kavanaugh what he thought was a placebo, the two became great friends, and it was Dr. Childs who last saw Kavanaugh before the kiln exploded.

The family asks that no flowers or other eye candy be sent, but that contributions to the BBGE would be appreciated.

Art Buchwald would have applauded. But, of course, he just died.

[John Kavanaugh]

I don't want golf mentioned in my obit, I don't want anything golf etched on my tombstone or casket.  I would take 2078 but really, does anyone die peacefully after a kiln accident.  I know the busy bodies in town would think I was cooking meth.

[Geoffrey Childs]

John

That syringe they gave you at Mayo actually was FedEx expressed out to MN from NY  

Can we get together for a round of golf in 2077 before you go?  Some of your brothers work in Arizona should be abutting the Pacific Ocean by then but I'm afraid the average temp will be 136*.  We can take carts.

[Kirk Gill]

Jack Nicklaus may end up having  his name on more golf courses than any other designer in history, and yet I'll wager that his career as a designer will merit only a small paragraph at the very end of his obit, just before the "survived by" section.

[John Kavanaugh]

Jack Nicklaus may end up having  his name on more golf courses than any other designer in history, and yet I'll wager that his career as a designer will merit only a small paragraph at the very end of his obit, just before the "survived by" section.

That might have as much to do with Tiger as Jack.  The second greatest golfer who ever lived won't sell many papers.

I have always been impressed that Doak went to MIT...I wonder if that little tidbit or the Confidential Guide will make it in.  I think it's a law that anyone who went to Harvard has to mention that in their obit...MIT and Cornel may not carry the weight.

[John Kavanaugh]

I wonder if Doak will ever be famous enough to be mentioned in another architects obit.  That would be huge.

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

Geoff,

If I'm still around in 2077, can I join you guys for 18? I'm thinking of purchasing some land in what will soon be a little seaside community just north of Phoenix.

Anthony

[Dan Kelly]

I wonder if Doak will ever be famous enough to be mentioned in another architects obit.  That would be huge.

 

I'm sure he'll be mentioned in Jordan Wall's.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Tom Doak, one of a handful of golf course designers who ushered in a “neoclassical” style, died Tuesday when an intern crushed him with a bulldozer.  He was 67.  No foul play is suspected.

Ironically, the project represented a dramatic departure for Mr. Doak.  Known most of his career for a “minimalist” design philosophy, he grew embittered with the lavish sums spent in its name and in recent years turned to the style he devoted much of his career fighting.

Hired by Donald Trump, and working on essentially flat ground in the Irkutsk region of Siberian Russia – an unintended beneficiary of global warming – Doak’s project had already garnered considerable attention and controversy for its over-the-top, spare-no-expense elements, including 15 waterfalls, 326 bunkers (many of which were to have distinctive “curlicues” that spelled out the initials “DT”), and a plethora of so-called “chocolate drop” mounds, so many in fact that fellow-minimalist Tom Fazio compared the course to Hershey, Pa….

More controversially, each green was to be placed on moveable “pallets” that would enable nightly transportation to a climate-controlled greenhouse.  It is believed the only comparable system in the world exists at the home stadium of 10-times Super Bowl champion Arizona Cardinals….

In a statement issued from the White House, President Trump said, “We are all deeply saddened by Mr. Doak’s untimely death….In no uncertain terms he would have wanted us to see through to completion his plans for Trump Transliteracija…”

[Frank Pont]

Believe it or not there is a precedent of a obit of a golf architect written during his life.

Donald Steel wrote the following in a piece about green committees in 1985:

"The outspokeness of Tom Simpson .... was legendary. Indeed, it set the tone of an orbituary which the Brittisch journalist Henry Longhurst wrote BEFORE Simpson's death, because Simpson complained once that he would never see what Longhurst said about him. Given guaranteed immunity from legal actions, Longhurst immediately stressed Simpson's love of the unconventional, which made him the bane of so many golf club committees".

[Jeff_Brauer]

Seriously,

For any gca who wasn't a professional golfer, I think the obit would be non-existant, or formulaic.

Mr. X died today of (insert cause)

He(she) gained (regional - national - international - intergalactic) fame for desiging over (XX) golf courses in (XX) (states/countries/galaxies) including his best known work (XX CC)

His (her) work was widely known for its (insert best description of style, like minimalist, waterfalls) and was loved by many golfers.  (insert best or most famous golfer you can find) once said that courses by Mr. (Ms) X "never failed to inspire" (or similar quote) and that it was always a pleasure to encounter a track designed by him (her)

Speaking of his (her) own work in 20XX) he (she) is reputed to have said: (Insert some misquote from any interview ever given, just to confuse future Tom MacWoods and send them the wrong direction) which sums up his career in tidy fashion.

When he (she) wasn't squealing with glee by torturing golfers, he (she) engaged in hobbies of (insert hunting, race car driving, etc.) when not attending to his family.

Then on to the personal stuff, if not before.

I could go on all day, but you get the idea.

[ForkaB]

I wonder.....

If Tom Paul was to write his own obit, how many trees would have to be killed to publish it......

[Tim Gavrich]

I don't know if it made the papers, but lest we forget...

----------------------------------------------------
"Michael J. Strantz, 50, passed away on Friday, June 10, 2005.  He was at home with his family.
Mike was born in Toledo, Ohio on May 27, 1955 and grew up in Walbridge, Ohio.  He was a star athlete at Lake High School (Millbury, OH), playing football and hockey, and he was captain of the baseball team and senior class president.

Mike Strantz was best known as a successful golf course designer, but close friends knew he was a devoted family man, gourmet cook, gifted artist, music collector, collegiate hockey player, and lover of cats, dogs, and horses.

While his passion for designing and building golf courses brought him acclaim, he was proudest of his beautiful daughters, Dana and Andrea.  He proudly attended their school events; and he taught them how to ride a horse, wash a dog, and be their own person.  He met his wife Heidi when they were college, and they were married 26 years, life-long devoted partners and friends.

Mike always loved golf.  His dad, Jack Strantz, taught him the sport when Mike was a youngster.  At age 14, he started working on the grounds crew at Chippewa Golf Club (Curtis, OH).  In the early hours of the morning, Mike rode his bike to work -- he was too young to have a driver’s license.

In college, Mike started as a studio art major at Miami University (OH), but after two years he transferred to Michigan State and received his degree in turf grass management.

While working on the grounds crew for the 1978 U.S. Open at Inverness Club (Toledo, OH), Mike was tapped by Tom Fazio to work on his golf course construction crew in Hilton Head, SC, operating heavy equipment as a “shaper” of tees, fairways, and greens.

Over time, Mike rose to project supervisor, but living on the road took its toll, and after eight years he tipped his hat good bye to golf course construction. For him, it had been a great experience working with Tom Fazio, but he was ready to take a break and return to his artist roots.

However, the golf industry did not forget his talent.  In 1993, Mike was asked to design a small golf course on Pawley’s Island, SC.  Caledonia Golf and Fish Club was a success, and Mike knew he had found the perfect job.

Nine golf courses show his talent for design and have his name: Caledonia Golf and Fish Club (SC), True Blue (SC), Bulls Bay (SC), Tobacco Road (NC), Tot Hill Farm (NC), Royal New Kent (VA), Stonehouse (VA), Silver Creek Valley (CA), and Monterey Peninsula Country Club - Shore Course (CA).

Forrest Fezler, a good friend and golf professional, was Mike’s project supervisor on more than half the courses.  With the help of Forrest and talented crewmembers, Jeff and Mike Jones, many courses have received awards and are known all over the world.

Little known, though, is that Mike could operate every piece of equipment on the construction site with expertise and experience.  He always knew the name of every person who worked on his golf courses and any family concerns.  In fact, Mike had a fondness for the “little guy,” whether it was a laborer or a grocery clerk.  He respected hard work and honesty above status or money.

Mike was a quiet man with strong spiritual beliefs.  He designed the stained glass cross in the new sanctuary of Sunrise Presbyterian Church, Sullivan’s Island (SC) after Hurricane Hugo destroyed the church in 1989.

He will be missed by his wife Heidi, daughters Dana and Andrea, parents Jack and Jan Strantz of Perrysburg, OH, and sister Kelly Baugh of Indianapolis.  Other family members are Barbara Walker of Sylvania, OH, Dave Walker (Karin) of Sylvania, OH, Greg Walker (Harriett) of Goose Creek, SC, Laura Bierer (Rob), Raleigh, NC, and David Baugh of Indianapolis.  He was fortunate to have loving nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and hundreds of friends during his lifetime.

A visitation will be held Monday, June 13th from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM at McAlister-Smith Funeral Home, 1520 Rifle Range Road, Mt. Pleasant, SC.  Services will be held Tuesday, June 14th at 2:00PM at Sunrise Presbyterian Church, 3222 Middle St., Sullivan’s Island, SC.

The family would like to send a special thank you to the devoted staff at the Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina, and the loving employees of Charleston Hospice.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent in memory of Michael Strantz, Head and Neck Cancer Research Fund, Dept. of Otolaryngology, P.O. Box 250550, Charleston, SC 29425 or Hospice of Charleston, 3870 Leeds Ave, Suite 101, N. Charleston, SC 29405."

[Scott Stearns]

in the words of that respected jurist, Judge Smails..

Don't you people have HOMES?

[paul cowley]

Thanks Tim.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Rich, I owe it all to my Cranium Screw Top...