Shapers Part II

[Tom Lehman]

To Everyone involved with GCA, thank you for making my first post on the site so interesting.  Just a couple of comments:
      1.  I, too, hope I am not posting on weekends
      2.  I believe good shapers do improve on the vision that the designer has
      3.  I actually do know that it takes more than two guys to build a golf course
and
      4.  Kyle and will both speak very highly of Tom Doak and are very appreciative of the opportunities that he
                 gave them.
I look forward to interacting with all of you on a regular basis:  there is a great combination of brains, humor and intrigue.  Thanks for making me feel welcome.

oh, a short p.s...........US wins the Ryder Cup!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jay Kirkpatrick]

Tom - Quick question... as a full-time Tour player, how many projects do you feel comfortable taking on at one time?  Also, do you find people come to you specifically for projects or do you have to go out to bid/compete just like the rest of the architecture community?

[Bart Bradley]

Tom:

Would you mind sharing with the group what design elements excite you?  What are your inspirations?  What are your favorite designs?  I think we would all be interested.

Welcome.

Bart

[Jeff Fortson]

Just a quick note...

This may come off as a supreme kiss ass move to a tour pro but I want to share this story to reflect on Tom's character.  I don't know Tom at all but I did meet him once and from one simple gesture he gained my complete respect as a person.

Back in the late 90's I was working at the La Quinta Resort and Club (Mountain/Dunes) as an Assisant Golf Professional.  Glen Frey was a member there and used to host an event each year.  Tom and his wife played in the event.  Tom made it a point to introduce himself to the entire professional staff and to thank the course for having him.  He made small talk for about 5 minutes and then went on his way to play.  

Now, some may think that is no big deal, but to a kid in a golf shop it was a lesson in humility and class.   To have one of the best players in the world at that time come in and thank him for extending the courtesy to play was a truly gentlemanly thing to do.  I can't tell you how many tour pros rolled through that clubhouse on the way to the first tee and never even gave a nod to us.  I never expected any tour pro to come thank me or anyone else on the staff, but to have the class to extend that gesture made me respect Tom.  I guess it made me feel like he was human after watching him so many times on TV.  

Thanks Tom for being a gentleman that day.  I think we are all very excited to finally have someone with your experience in competitive golf and architecture contribute to this site.  Welcome!


Jeff F.

[Mike Sweeney]

I look forward to interacting with all of you on a regular basis:  there is a great combination of brains, humor and intrigue.  Thanks for making me feel welcome.

I met Tom briefly at Barrister's in Southampton during dinner on one of the weekday nights of The '95 US Open. I was with two friends at a different table from the University of Minnesota including the son of "Swede" Olson who played golf at "The U". Swede has Mucci-like ability to play golf as he gets older. It was like a reunion of Fargo cast members in Southampton.  Tom was and appears to be a genuinely nice guy.

Tom,

Be careful what you wish for. My guess is you will soon have 1499 opinions on how to build The Prairie Club. Good luck and enjoy.

Minnesota appears to be one of the underated states on this discussion board and I recently was told great things about Windsong Farms GC.

[Ron Farris]

Here is an unauthorized photo of Tom and Chris at the Prairie Club site from earlier this week.
The photo reveals very little of the character of the site, so I don't think I will get in trouble for posting site shots.
These two gentlemen, as well as the Shapers are creating something very different from all of the other Sand Hills projects, IMHO.
I refrain from commenting on the design aspects of the Lehman course as you can get it all from Tom, now that he is a GCA poster!
Chris, sorry about the poor photography.  I should have clicked when the wind wasn't blowing 40 mph.

[Bruce Leland]

Tom:

Hello from Alexandria and welcome to the site.  I look forward to your posts about progress at the Prairie Club and your other endeavors. 

Bruce Leland

p.s.  Congrats on the JHS Hall of Fame induction. 

[Brian_Ewen]

Tom:

Would you mind sharing with the group what design elements excite you? 

Run On Areas ?

[RJ_Daley]

Tom, what process did you use to select turf species and cultivars (turf consultant or examining performance of turf varieties at nearby DR or SH or speaking with their supers?).  What did your group decide to seed?  Will both courses at P.C. be grassed in the same species and cultivars?

[Mike_DeVries]

Tom,

Welcome to GCA -- I look forward to your perspective on design.  I will add that Will and Kyle are very good guys and although I haven't worked with them, I hear high marks about their work from all.

I think all these questions the group has for Tom could be put into a great Feature Interview, if Tom is amenable to that.

Go USA!
Mike

[Dan Herrmann]

Minnesota appears to be one of the underated states on this discussion board

Mike - Nah - flying over the Twin Cities at 40,000 feet on my way to Bandon was spectacular!  As was my Bandon caddy from Mankato.   It was amazing how big the Metrodome is from up there!   

[Jim Nugent]

oh, a short p.s...........US wins the Ryder Cup!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sure hope so.  Any thoughts on what they need to do? 

[Jason Topp]

oh, a short p.s...........US wins the Ryder Cup!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sure hope so.  Any thoughts on what they need to do? 

Win more matches than the other team. 

Tom - forget about the Ryder Cup.  Educate yourself about the BUDA Cup.  We actually won that one this year.

[JESII]

Tom:

Would you mind sharing with the group what design elements excite you? 

Run On Areas ?

Not knowing Brian, I am going to assume this was in good spirit...which would then make it the best welcome to the site of all because it best reflects the modus operendi[/b] of the site...honesty!

[Tom Huckaby]

...or better yet, join the SoCal team for King's Putter VIII (or whatever we're up to now). 

Oh, nevermind, Huckaby would just rig the teams and put him on the NoCal team like he always does... 

scores in matches set up by Huckaby:  21-15, 12-12, 18-14
scores in matches set up by others:  26-6, 28-4

If I am rigging matches, good god I must suck at it.

Now get back to bitching about rules slights that no one cares about except you.

TH

[rocket]

welcome to GCA.

I meet you breifly at Lora Bay in Collingwood, Ontario.
I might just go up there is weekend and take a look around.  Good luck at the Praire Club.

[Mark Chaplin]

Jason - was your BUDA win officially a Rest of the World team??

[Ted Kramer]

OK, I know this is not about shapers, but guys, please forgive me -- I gotta ask:

Tom, given your thoughts on Shinnecock being cool specifically because it tests the player's ability to line himself up square to the intended line of play, I have to ask:

Is that Sharpie line on the ball to indicate a line for putting (which I dubbed the "cheater line" about 5 years before Ian Macallister ever said it on TV in a Titleist ad) legitimately within the spirit of the game and Rules of Golf, or in your opinion, is it a relatively-recent abomination which ought to be utterly cryit downe? 

I've been holding down the fort on this issue nearly single-handedly, with a little help from Pat Mucci  -- like it's the Alamo or something -- for many years on this issue, and unfortunately David Eger left this board for the Senior Tour before I could ask him.  Thus, I just gotta ask somebody whose living is affected (or not affected) by it...because I don't want to make the same mistake of non-inquisitive silence twice.

Back to shaping....

I'm insulted.
I thought I was your most loyal backer . . .

-Ted

[Scott_Burroughs]

As long as we're sharing Lehman tales.....this is all I have, a snapshot of Tom during a searing
hot practice round at the '05 U.S. Open at #2 (I think #3 green):

[Patrick_Mucci]

Tom,

Welcome aboard.

I think you bring a perspective to GCA.com that's unique.
While most watch Tour events on TV, few know what lurks in the hearts and minds of the competitors when it comes to strategy, challenge and shot making in response to the architecture.

What might be deemed a meaningful defensive feature to some, might be deemed irrelevant by you and your peers, so it will be refreshing to here from you.

It will be interesting to hear you expound on your perspective as it pertains to various issues discussed on this site.

My first question would be:

What architectural features do you find most challenging ?
And, WHY ?

[Chris Haspell]

Tom,

 I agree with most of the statements but the last one, I am afraid i would have to say Europe for the Ryder Cup and not the USA, a bit of  banter never went a miss though!

In My experience it works both ways, the shapers are only as good as the Architects ideas , but the Architect is only as good as the guys who transform the ideas into reality.

Match the 2 and you are on a winner

Nice to hear praise though,

Chris

[Dan Herrmann]

bumping (in honor of Mr. Lehman's recent award)

[Kris Shreiner]

Is it just me, or is it not somewhat unfortunate that Tom never responded to any of the questions/comments posted on this thread after his original salvo. I remember being fired up that someone with his insights was coming aboard for a ride on the GCA bandwagon.

Sure, there are some comedians and characters in our line-up, but that is no reason to cease participating. We're all busy, yet most here seem genuinely interested in sharing and learning about all matter of things, golf architecture related and otherwise.

I'd encourage Tom Lehman and others to contribute when possible. Despite the laments of some, that most of the real quality posters have left the building; I believe there is plenty of rich potential in the current line-up. Some of the OT stuff gets a bit trite, but on balance, there is much to appreciate from this forum.

I'll leave the gang with a quote, from noted philosopher George Santayana, that says it all, "The wisest mind has something yet to learn!" 


Cheers,
Kris

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

The bumping of this thread leads one to wonder why Tom never returned...was he warned off by the fcat that many on this site are well in tune with architecture and would be prepared to wrestle on topics......perhaps he knew that his own work may be judged and did not want to deal with the critism never mind how constructive...or simply too plan busy?

Either way a shame..
I hvae spoken to several tour player"consultants" about this site, and expressed that their contributions would be appreciated, my feeling on each occasion has been...you really need to talk to this guy or that guy they know more about it than me

[Yancey_Beamer]

Tom,
Thank you for Arroyo Trabuco.