My New Favorite Golf Course Advertising Claim

[Tom_Doak]

"Imagine a place where Pebble Beach might be the second best course in the neighborhood."

The funny part is that it's an ad for The Preserve at Santa Lucia.  Some believe it IS a place where Pebble Beach is the second best course in the neighborhood.  Of course, nobody believes that The Preserve is the first best course ... but they didn't actually claim that.

Incidentally ... Santa Lucia Preserve is advertising?  Trouble in paradise?

[Bart Bradley]

Wow!...

I might be the second best architect to have posted on this subject.

Excellent.

Bart

[Jim Nugent]

Tom, while I don't think Keiser would ever advertise this way, even if true, I wonder if in 2010 we will be able to say, "Imagine a place where Pacific Dunes might be the 2nd best course in the neighborhood." 

[Karl Bernetich]

A new "exclusive private" course opened up in SE Penna.
Very high slope on the score card.
In their advertising claims, compared it self to ...
     Merion
     PV
     Aronimink
     Wilmington South

Heady company for ANY course to be compairing itself against.
(alright maybe not Wilmington South)  Anybody guess what course
I think they are on their 4th ownership (maybe 5th) and now they're public.

Guess you can claim ANYTHING you want on a brochure.
caveat emptor ...

[JESII]

Bellewood?

I liked it!

[Karl Bernetich]

Don't know if Bellewood did or not ...
Not the course I had in mind.
Initiation fee originally was $35K and every 10 members it went up $5K.
Opened the same time as Fieldstone -- Fieldstone made it as a private, this course didn't.

Come to think of it, there isn't any mention of Fieldstone on this site.
Is it worthy of discussion ?  I've never played.  Always heard good things about it but nothing great ...

[Karl Bernetich]

Sorry ... this forum shouldn't be a guessing game.
Inniscrone.
Well covered here as far back as 2000

But it ain't no Merion, PV OR Aronimink !

[Michael Robin]

Tom, where did you see this ad?

[John Moore II]

I must say that this ad is stupid. Its been said before that Pebble Beach really is the second best course in the area. And I am certain this course is not the next best. But what do I know..

[Tom_Doak]

Mike:

The ad was in "Departures" magazine, which American Express sends to premium cardholders and in which many luxury goods providers like to advertise.  There were several resort ads which included golf, but the only other private golf development ad I noticed was for Kukui'ula in Hawaii -- whatever that one is.

[Mike_Cirba]

Bellewood?

I liked it!

Jim,

Tell me about Bellewood.   It's about 13 minutes from my house and I've never played there.

I know it has something of a controversial rep...is it worth a visit?

[JMEvensky]

I saw the ad also and just assumed CPC was holding a membership drive.NowI realize why they haven't returned my call.

[Adam Clayman]

I remember the pre-hype buzz (self-started mind you) that this place was aiming to be more exclusive than CPC.
 
So, I wouldn't call it the trouble in paradise, it's more like reality sucks.

As I recall the numbers to join and own a lot here, was considerable.

Perhaps the bottom half of the Top 2% is having trouble?

[Michael Whitaker]

Perhaps the bottom half of the Top 2% is having trouble?

Nah, we're doing fine! 

[Jay Flemma]

Well Tunring stone casino routinely chirps that they are as good as "Pinehurst, Whistling Straits, Augusta National and Valhalla."

In fact, they tell people they are "Fazio's Northern Augusta."

[Tim Nugent]

If you're not in the forest, can you say you're in the neighborhood? The Preserve, I thought, was inland a bit.  Perhaps you should have know something was afoot when they pushed aside Mike Poellet and brought in Fazio - if it's the place I'm thinking of.

[John Kavanaugh]

Brad Klein recently said that Bandon IV is "perfect ground for golf"...I wonder how that compares with Ron Whitten saying Erin Hills was top 5 best pieces of land he had ever seen?  When a critic turns architect all rationalization goes out the window.

[Tim Nugent]

John, my father visited the site with Mike Keiser pre-golf courses and said it was the best land this side Ballybunion he had ever seen.  I think his quote went something like "you'ld really have to step on your d--k to screw that site up".  So who knows, maybe even a critic would have a fighting chance.

[Jerry Kluger]

I just wonder if people really go to a resort because of the advertising claims. This is silly and they can't really believe that people are going to buy into it.  To me, the best advertising would be a great photo along with quotes from credible individuals who have been to the resort.

[John Kavanaugh]

John, my father visited the site with Mike Keiser pre-golf courses and said it was the best land this side Ballybunion he had ever seen.  I think his quote went something like "you'ld really have to step on your d--k to screw that site up".  So who knows, maybe even a critic would have a fighting chance.

That is interesting.  In my opinion as a pedestrian golfer, I think both the sites where Bandon and Pacific sit are better.

[John Kavanaugh]

I just wonder if people really go to a resort because of the advertising claims. This is silly and they can't really believe that people are going to buy into it.  To me, the best advertising would be a great photo along with quotes from credible individuals who have been to the resort.

I think Brad Klein and Ron Whitten are credible.

[Kalen Braley]

Barney,

Since when does saying "perfect for golf" equate to "top 5 sites I've ever seen".  I'm sure there are hundreds if not thousands of places that are "perfect for golf" worldwide.

Sorry J/K, you gotta come up with something better than this...

[John Kavanaugh]

Here is Brad's exact quote: "But the gorse, once shaved back, reveals perfect ground for golf."

[Kalen Braley]

Here is Brad's exact quote: "But the gorse, once shaved back, reveals perfect ground for golf."

And...................

Your grasping at straws here JK, not seeing the dilemma.

[John Kavanaugh]

There is no dilemma for me...it lies with those who slammed Whitten for thinking the land at Erin Hills was near perfect.  I think a lot of golf critics could learn something from days like this when golf architects die.  Give em all a break or just shut the hell up when it comes your turn to build one yourself.