Jerry:
You obviously see the spirit of GCA in the same light that I do. Thoughtful discussion on architectural matters by people who fancy themselves as aficionados. I was in no way making a personal attack, and am glad it wasn't taken that way.
GUEST:
Yes, I do think it is comical that you cannot identify yourself in the same fashion as the rest of us. The GCA site is several cuts above other internet discussion groups and offers a wonderful community for many of its participants. Any close friend of mine knows they could make the same comment you did TO MY FACE and I wouldn't take umbrage. In this instance, I don't feel out of line at all. Here's why:
The PGA Tour correctly noted that its members were earning far less than other professional athletes were paid in guaranteed contracts and made intensive efforts to increase purses. Someone had the brainstorm to act in the best interest of the PGA Tour's members and make them more money. The players did not complain.
Several initiatives were undertaken. A big one is to maximize on-site revenue through gate receipts and almost exclusive use of volunteers. It is very inexpensive to put on a PGA Tour event, and some courses actually PAY a site fee. (The upcoming Ryder Cup in Wales was reported to be something like $10,000,000 or something.)
Another pursuit was to adopt the proposed World Tour initially mentioned by Greg Norman. Funny thing how they shot him down and did EXACTLY what he suggested. This event is one of the WGC events this year. Smaller field, top players, big big purse.
Fast forward to today. They are playing Mt. Juliet. Next week they will play the potato field at Sutton Coldfield now called the Belfry Brabazon Course. A few weeks ago it was Sahalee and before that it was Hazeltine. EVERY TIME this happens the same GCA discussion is bantered about......Sand Hills/Pacific Dunes/the National Golf Links/Cruden Bay/Capilano is so much better than fill in the blank.....and every time it seems to reach the same conclusion.
I don't care that Nairn successfully hosted a Walker Cup or that Prairie Dunes was the site for the U.S. Women's Open. Those events do not draw the same crowd. The Golf Channel interviewed the golf writer for a paper in Dublin and he estimated that every Dubliner would drive down on Sunday to watch if Paddy Harrington is in contention. Gee, that'd be great to handle them at Portrush or some similarly inadequate facility - at least inadequate when it comes to accomodating 50,000 spectators.
The TPC courses are all known to golfers, solely because they host many Tour events. They were built to provide an adequate challenge to great players and a spacious grounds for 50,000 patrons. I think they sold 4,000 tickets when the Walker Cup was at Interlachen in 1993. Apples and oranges.
Follow the PGA Tour and most weeks there is a "better" designed golf course within 10 miles of the tournament site. Is Bay Hill the best course in Orlando? Is Disney's Magnolia? :-/ Does the DC area have anything better to offer than Avenel? What about Dade County and Doral? It is rare that the Tour plays outstanding courses, and I've often said the plight of the Hogan/Nike/Buy.com is even worse. (Sorry Jeff! I'm not talking about Omaha!!)Brainstorm[/b] connotes something new that hasn't been tried. The selection of Mount Juliet is old news, as many venues for professional events aren't notable. Do you really want to see this thread recycled in four years when the Ryder Cup is played at the K Club? I don't think much will have changed by then.
I don't mean anything toward Jerry. As some have noted, his thoughts may have been crystal clear and his time to post very brief. (He was probably busy sending boys younger than you to the gas chamber. That one's for you, Shiv.
) But there is so much more he could have done without changing his thesis. How about a 7-point action plan to have the next WGC event in Ireland held at Ballybunion or Royal County Down? Show us how they could still drive as much revenue through the event with a site like that. Increase ticket prices? Combine a ticket to the event with a chance to play the course afterward? (This was done for the Shell's match at Pine Barrens this summer.) Conduct a pro-am to make up for some lost gate? I read the posts on GCA to hear other opinions and learn interesting ways to look at the golf world. I apologize to anyone bothered by my belief that "piling on" an oft-repeated refrain about how tournament venues aren't the best courses is a futile discussion.
The writer for our local paper will soon run a story that attempts to shoot down the notion that another Major championship could not be held in Florida. He studies every supposed variable and contacts experts on grass, venue, etc... Makes a long argument for why one COULD be here and then finally hits the last straw... rainfall. According to his weather tables the U.S. Open should be held in San Diego every June and could hit many other areas of the country, but never Florida. A well thought out argument. Jerry's an attorney. Put his mind to it and he could construct a good argument against using Mt. Juliet. Do you think he did so far? "Scores are low and it isn't a course I've heard of on the water." There, I'm convinced.
Jerry: I do take posts made by you and anyone else on this site seriously, and I'm not a very serious person. I think of discussions here as pretty serious business!
Guest: I hope your pencil has an eraser. Get out your scorecard and review the tally. You could construe my first comments as "ripping into (Jerry)". I don't have a clue how you could say that about the other two replies. You agree with him about something and you disagree with me - I suspect mainly about the tone and not the content - and score the "match" accordingly. (And I never try to get into arguments here. I simply asked twice for clarification and state a difference of opinion.)
The scores shot on a golf course, to me, do not correlate to its worthiness. Several terrific golf courses yield very low scores under benign conditions when the world's best are playing them.