John,
To answer your question, "Why would a course want wicker baskets. Don't you as one of the leading minds in golf, that is why they asked you, have a responsibility to tell them they will harm themselves with this obvious ploy for attention."
It is because I am one of the leading minds in golf that they asked me. You see I uncovered a forgotten piece of this club's past in which they used wicker baskets for flagsticks and now would like to use them for two special event days a year in which they honor their past.
Does that make more sense now?
The irony of having one of the finest minds in golf is that it sometimes gets forgetful. For example, as Chris & Kyle suggested, I have called over to Rivermont to ask them. Why is that irony in any sense of the word? becasue I played there a few weeks ago WITH Chris at his outing and forgot that they had them! I was so enamored with the course and its fabulous greens that they weren't that memorable in comparison! On top of that, I live less than 10 minutes from the course!