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Ian Andrew

Best of the Decade on GCA
« on: December 29, 2009, 06:44:43 PM »
Best of the Decade on GCA

It’s been essentially ten years for Golf Club Atlas.

The site has been graced by some wonderful writing and some very interesting discussions. I still enjoy coming to the site on a fairly regular basis. I have learnt quite a lot from those who have willingly shared their knowledge and respectfully consider other opinions. When the site works as Ran intended, it has become an incredible source of information. I have taken a great deal away from the site over the past ten years and want to thank Ran for that opportunity and the rest of your for what you have shared.

In the early years Ran used to announce his year end awards. I think they were called the Ranny’s but for the life of me I can’t remember. I thought it would be fun to look back on the past decade and try and acknowledge the Best of GCA. I’m going to get the thread started by listing a few categories and insert my own suggestions. I want people to share the writings that educated them and kept them coming back for more.

Feel free to expand the categories…

Best “In My Opinion” Piece

Gliding Past Fuji – CH Alison in Japan

I knew practically nothing about the courses and history that Tom shared with us. When you combine the quality of courses, the incredible research and the wonderful narrative – this was a stunningly enjoyable read that I return to each year.

Best Architectural Review by Ran

Yeamans Hall

I can’t say why specifically, but I just loved the information that Ran shared from the recent history through to the origins of the course. You feel like you walking in step with him and experiencing the course by his side. This was always a favourite.

Best Feature Interview

Mike Strantz

The combination of quotes from Mackenzie, his views on architecture and the series on “myths” left me wanting more after I read it. I just flat out liked him and respected him a great deal from reading the interview. He remains the saddest news of the decade.

Best Discussion Thread

Garden City’s 16th Pond (approximate title)

My favourite was a discussion about Garden City where the entire history was unraveled for us to dissect and each individual change was brought up with photos and aerials. The most fascinating part was the discussion was about the pond on the 16th which essentially “happened” and whether a restoration would turn that back into a bunker or recognize that this was now habitat.

Best Series
 
The hole by hole reviews of multiple courses. I don’t know who started the trend but its a format that works very well. I don’t tend to post on them even if I’ve played – not sure why really – but I do enjoy reading them. The Kingsley one was particular fun since I have not been there and enjoyed the tour.

I’m sure others have categories they want to add or other suggestions that they want to share. I thought this might lead us back into the archives to re-discover some of the best of what is here.

Favourite Quote from GCA

“I consider a hole in high esteem if its design challenges are such that a player is more annoyed at himself for wrong play choices, than annoyed at me for creating them.”

Paul Cowley

« Last Edit: December 29, 2009, 06:46:35 PM by Ian Andrew »

Don_Mahaffey

Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2009, 07:44:15 PM »
Ian, this thread, started by me back in 2001 deals with an issue that never seems to go away. I certainly don't know that it is worthy of any "best of", but it does show how some topics never go away. I think we'll still be discussing this in 10 years.
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,5165.0/
« Last Edit: December 29, 2009, 08:33:18 PM by Don_Mahaffey »

Ian Andrew

Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2009, 08:22:28 PM »
Don,

That's exactly why I posted this thread.
No need to guess what I'm in the middle of reading from start to finish.

Thanks!

paul cowley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2009, 09:34:55 PM »
Ian

Favourite Quote from GCA

“I consider a hole in high esteem if its design challenges are such that a player is more annoyed at himself for wrong play choices, than annoyed at me for creating them.”

Paul Cowley


I said that?...dahm...go figure...hope all is well, and see you soon enough....til then,

Your Friend,

Paul
paul cowley...golf course architect/asgca

Jason Topp

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #4 on: December 30, 2009, 02:26:06 AM »
From my memory

Reverse Old Course by Jeremy Glenn

Phillip Gawith and Kyle Henderson photo tours

Matt Cohn's piece on Australian golf

The Pizza Man

The rabbitt

Hockey Fights.com was my favorite ot thread.

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #5 on: December 30, 2009, 02:46:53 AM »
I'll throw Scott Borroughs "course of the day" series in there for an award, where we would first guess, then after I.D., we'd discuss various folks experience there.  Not only an award for the idea of it all, but Scott's perserverance to give us more than a course a day for more than a year. 
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

Scott Warren

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #6 on: December 30, 2009, 03:31:18 AM »
Can someone link the Pizza Man thread. I have heard so many references to it, but never actually seen the thread.

James Boon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #7 on: December 30, 2009, 04:54:38 AM »
Scott,

I suspect this is the thread concerned...
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,12142.0/

Cheers,

James
2023 Highlights: Hollinwell (Notts), Brora, Aberdovey, Royal St Davids, Woodhall Spa, Broadstone, Parkstone, Cleeve, Painswick, Minchinhampton, Hoylake

"It celebrates the unadulterated pleasure of being in a dialogue with nature while knocking a ball round on foot." Richard Pennell

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #8 on: December 30, 2009, 05:34:47 AM »
Best Series: Mark's piece on Royal Melbourne.

Best Architectural Review by Ran: Eastward Ho!

Best “In My Opinion” Piece: Tommy Mac's Arts & Crafts.  So much cool discussion can be generated from that piece.  Its a shame folks got hung up on its conclusions.  I learned a lot from that piece and it changed the way I look at which elements are necessary to create a great course.

Ciao

New plays planned for 2024:Winterfield, Alnmouth, Camden, Palmetto Bluff Crossroads Course, Colleton River Dye Course  & Old Barnwell

Ian Andrew

Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #9 on: December 30, 2009, 09:48:24 AM »
Jason,

Matt Cohn's piece is excellent.

he and I share a love for the 17th hole - and his description of how the playing conditions effect play is spot on.
I find the peice interesting to read in conjunction with Brian Philips discussion of NSW


Mike Nuzzo

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #10 on: December 30, 2009, 10:06:23 AM »
Best of GCA

A conduit for meeting many industry professionals


Best Song Parody of the Decade: 

I'm on a Doak
Thinking of Bob, Rihc, Bill, George, Neil, Dr. Childs, & Tiger.

Jud_T

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #11 on: December 30, 2009, 10:27:36 AM »
I certainly haven't been on GCA for a decade (a chorus of "Thank God" goes up), but the best thing I've read on here in my limited time is MikeN's essay on how to think about courses as Challenging, Pretty or Fun.  A light bulb went off in my thinking about courses after reading this.  For those who haven't read it, here's the link:

http://www.nuzzocoursedesign.com/pdf/GAV5.pdf

Golf is a game. We play it. Somewhere along the way we took the fun out of it and charged a premium to be punished.- - Ron Sirak

K. Krahenbuhl

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #12 on: December 30, 2009, 10:32:05 AM »
Can someone link the Pizza Man thread. I have heard so many references to it, but never actually seen the thread.

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,12142.0/


George Pazin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #13 on: December 30, 2009, 11:29:53 AM »
I can't say "best", as I think I've missed too many good threads to say, but I can list a few of my favorites:

- Tom MacWood's bunker quiz (if I were to pick a "best", it would be this one) with the surprise result

- Mike and Don's Wolf Point threads: probably my favorite threads, on so many levels

- John Kirk's Time is the Key thread: probably the deepest thinking by a non-industry guy

- I, too, favor Ran's Eastward Ho piece

- I think Rich Goodale's Dornoch pieces are tremendous


I'm sure I'll think of more shortly.

-----

Were I to choose a Poster of the Decade, it would be a many way tie between all the architects who participate and all the supers who participate. Without them, the site would be far less. One little thing I tend to do is look at who started a thread and who just posted. When archies and supers share, I am much more inclined to look in. (If Ian started it, I am guaranteed to read it. :))

-----

The thread I'm most proud of only drew minimal attention, it was about why the pursuit of natural isn't only about the look. I wish others would have shared more in it; I'm biased, but I think it covered some important stuff.

Is the pursuit of a natural appearance really only about the look?

(Apologies for the self-promotion, I'm just bummed the thread didn't get more posts. As penance, I will offer my many jousts with Matt as my most embarrassing moments of the decade...)
« Last Edit: December 30, 2009, 11:38:18 AM by George Pazin »
Big drivers and hot balls are the product of golf course design that rewards the hit one far then hit one high strategy.  Shinny showed everyone how to take care of this whole technology dilemma. - Pat Brockwell, 6/24/04

Garland Bayley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #14 on: December 30, 2009, 11:36:56 AM »
Best Pictures Accompanying a Ran Review

Friars Head



Best George Pazin "Get to Know" Thread

Kelly Blake Moran

Best US Open Preview

Oakmont by George Pazin
« Last Edit: December 30, 2009, 12:06:33 PM by Garland Bayley »
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Neal_Meagher

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #15 on: December 30, 2009, 11:52:01 AM »
Guaranteed Most Entertaining Post (and usually most truthful)

Anything by Gib Papazian
The purpose of art is to delight us; certain men and women (no smarter than you or I) whose art can delight us have been given dispensation from going out and fetching water and carrying wood. It's no more elaborate than that. - David Mamet

www.nealmeaghergolf.com

George Pazin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #16 on: December 30, 2009, 12:09:46 PM »
Threads I Miss The Most By The Poster I Miss The Most

Paul Turner's photo threads of hidden UK gems


I know Paul still posts, but I feel sorry for everyone who wasn't around in the early part of the decade, when he posted a lot.

-----

The original Painswick thread will always be one of the best.

-----

My favorite quote is in my tagline and has been for over 5 years now. Simple brilliance, not surprisingly from a top notch super.
Big drivers and hot balls are the product of golf course design that rewards the hit one far then hit one high strategy.  Shinny showed everyone how to take care of this whole technology dilemma. - Pat Brockwell, 6/24/04

John Shimp

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #17 on: December 31, 2009, 09:46:41 AM »
Sean Arble's reviews on UK courses.  Great introduction to lesser known, mostly English courses.  Always well done. 

Tony Weiler

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #18 on: December 31, 2009, 10:12:27 AM »
Best of GCA

A conduit for meeting many industry professionals


Best Song Parody of the Decade: 

I'm on a Doak
What is the story behind the parody?  Who did it?

James Boon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #19 on: December 31, 2009, 11:13:44 AM »
I haven't been on here long enough to say whats been the best of the decade, but in my time there have been several things that I've really enjoyed...

- The photo tour threads are fantastic, be it a course I've played as a reminder or one I've never seen. I enjoy posting them as well  ;D They really are a great resource!
- I didn't see the original aerial of the day threads, but Mark Rowlinson did a series of similar aerial threads about this time last year, that were great fun.
- Just the opportunity to talk golf course design with similar minded people is great, to be able to meet a few of you, is even better.
- I have to admit that so far the In My Opinion pieces are something I havent read many of. However Sean's mention of the Arts & Crafts one, took up most of yesterday for me as I read through it and kept getting side tracked doing my own reading up on Morris, Lutyens etc before even getting to the bulk of the golf discussion.

I look forward to many more years of posting and reading...

Cheers,

James
2023 Highlights: Hollinwell (Notts), Brora, Aberdovey, Royal St Davids, Woodhall Spa, Broadstone, Parkstone, Cleeve, Painswick, Minchinhampton, Hoylake

"It celebrates the unadulterated pleasure of being in a dialogue with nature while knocking a ball round on foot." Richard Pennell

Adam Clayman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #20 on: December 31, 2009, 11:15:18 AM »
I'm partial to Bob Crosby's essay "Joshua Crane and the Golden Age".

To me, it was a starting point for further discussion that sadly has not materialized, yet.

Peter H's Bunny thread on Pebble Beach was the most humorous, in an unbelievable way. Yet, it was truth.





"It's unbelievable how much you don't know about the game you've been playing your whole life." - Mickey Mantle

Kirk Gill

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #21 on: December 31, 2009, 07:51:24 PM »
Getting to know some of you had really been the greatest thing I've reaped from this website over my time here during the last decade. Many who I just know from exchanging posts, some IM's, some by telephone. Only a few I've met in person, but that has perhaps been the best thing of all. I particularly remember a Denver GCA get-together hosted by Doug Wright at DCC, where I had the opportunity to meet a few GCA'ers as well as Eric Iverson. That was a very special evening indeed. I also had the opportunity to meet Jim Engh and spend some time with him at his Pradera course. I learned a lot in those few hours, and drank a few beers!

But as to actual content on the site, there is one moment that sticks out for me above all others. For those who participated in the thread about David Moriarty's "Faces of Merion" essay, what many remember is all the ill-will and mudslinging and vitriol, but in the midst of all that there was the magical moment when Wayne Morrison posted about his research at Merion Cricket Club that yielded Macdonald's letter to the Merion Search Committee (it's on page 17 of that thread). There'd been a lot of discussion about what might or might not be in that letter, and then it was made real for all who were interested. It was an amazing moment to share, and a testament to the power of the internet that a guy like me with nothing but an interest in such things was allowed for a moment into that world. I appreciated it, and it is a very special memory of mine.

To all of you on the site, from Ran on down, to those of you who I've met, conversed with, and even those who skip my posts every time they see 'em, my wishes for the Happiest of New Years.
"After all, we're not communists."
                             -Don Barzini

Joel_Stewart

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #22 on: January 01, 2010, 12:27:49 PM »
Best Interview:  Sandy Tatum

Best Course Review: California Golf Club

Best Photos: Friars Head (taken by Kenny)

Best Thread: ? too many to count.


Happy New Year

Tim Gavrich

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #23 on: January 01, 2010, 01:10:37 PM »
The Reverse Jans National thread deserves at least some mention for hilarity.

I'll second the AOTD posts.

Also, all the pictures of Ballyhack during construction and grow-in were pretty excellent.

I agree that the level of research and care that went into both sides of the Merion discussions was incredible, but I think I could have done without them in order to have the people who departed GCA in their aftermath back.
Senior Writer, GolfPass

Kirk Gill

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best of the Decade on GCA
« Reply #24 on: January 01, 2010, 02:02:27 PM »
I agree that the level of research and care that went into both sides of the Merion discussions was incredible, but I think I could have done without them in order to have the people who departed GCA in their aftermath back.

That was one disheartening thing in going back to that thread to discover which page the letter was on. Lots of "guests" in there now. It's too bad, and on balance, I can't disagree with what you are saying. I hope that some of those folks DO come back, sometime.
"After all, we're not communists."
                             -Don Barzini

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