Jeff,
Hit a nerve I see.
First I am not blaming anyone for any troubles. I have none. I take responsibility for my own actions and life. So, Jeff, please cut the garbage and address the issue. This is, and let me make this very, very clear... A simple case of defending the most basic human right. The Right to Free Speech. Do not cloak this, you or anyone else in the ASGCA as anything other than that.
You know, I only do one-project-at-a-time, and I've done OK. Many will do more projects in 5 year to 10 years than I will do in a lifetime. I'm 100% OK with that. I sleep very well at night. Now, because I do one-at-a-time I could sit on the sidelines and not care a lick, keep my mouth shut, but now and again I choose not to. I see the ASGCA-EIGCA rules as an affront to all those up-and-comers, existing and future who may be eating it. I see it as an affront on a game of honor, just as I see the signature sell-out as incongruous with the spirit of the game.
Now, nobody from the ASGCA addressed me on anything (except for our discussion), and when we hashed this out many years ago you basically said, this ain't going anywhere chappy. Never heard peep, except someone advising me to tone it down to increase my chances at eligibility for future membership. My reply to that was, so it does matter what you say? And there we go. People telling others it matters what you say to gain membership. Not if you've done a good job, but what you say or write. That my friend is far from the ideal when it comes from the leading organization in golf architecture.
One rule in particular is open to all manner of abuse, and it has been abused.
I did apply to the ESGA, and had one of their members want to rewrite my advertising, and threatened me with the weight of their membership if I continued so. After that I figured I'd be better off solo than joining such a group. It was an education. Now, check out my (very dated) website if you think I say anything that requires the input from any Architects Department of Censorship? What's funny is the only negative feedback I've received is from architects. Others, those working in the industry have dropped a line saying they liked reading about my commitment. You've lifted some stuff from it if I recall? In it there is comparative advertising. Not allowed? How else do you explain the vast differences? Flowery words don't work. You've got a few milliseconds to hold someone's attention, and if you don't it's "see ya"!
On the point of The ASGCA Department of Censorship, who is going to tell the young bucks their advertising is or is not "self-laudatory"? And for those wanting to make a mark in the business, where is the line in the sand and how fast will the Department of Censorship get back to us? You know, with the attitudes you folks have shown here, many up-and-comers or wannabes must wonder what they have in store if they express opinions that might be controversial. That's not where this business should be, and like it or not, you folks have influence. In this case negative influence.
Let me ask you, would someone saying the following be condemned by the ASGCA membership? "...there are more great salesmen than great designers among our ranks. Modern golf architecture should be all the proof you need." Or would he be asked to join?