Where can a golf club...

[Phil_the_Author]

purchase wicker baskets to replace their existing flags? U.S., U.K., elsewhere?

[John Kavanaugh]

I checked wannabe.com and they were out so you might try getanoriginalidea.org.  btw..I don't like wicker baskets unless they are for putting lotion into.

[John Kavanaugh]

I have never been there, and will never unless my wife dies and I fall for a local overbearing hillbilly much much younger than me, but does Longaberger use baskets instead of flags?

[Phil_the_Author]

I also tried stupididiotwhodoesn'tappreciateaseriousquestionaskedforaspecificreason.net and they said you were out...

As for Longaberger, I have no idea...

[John Kavanaugh]

I also tried stupididiotwhodoesn'tappreciateaseriousquestionaskedforaspecificreason.net and they said you were out...

As for Longaberger, I have no idea...

Good one.  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.

[JC Jones]

I saw a recent episode of Playing Lessons w/ the Pros and they were at some course in California with Freddy Couples.  The course there used wicker baskets and they were black.

Is Merion the first and were they, until this course in California, the only to use wicker baskets?

[George Pazin]

I vaguely recall Longaberger did have something unique when they filmed an episode of Shells WWOG there, but maybe I'm just thinking of the giant basket headquarters.

Phil, you might try someone like:

http://www.americabasket.com/

or simply try to find someone who makes unique individual wicker items, since you likely don't need more than 18! I had an aunt who did so, but she recently passed. If you get desperate, contact the Nantucket chamber of commerce, there's gotta be someone there who can help.

JC -

I don't recall, certainly others on here will know better, but I was under the impression there are UK clubs that have long utilized the wicker basket flag. When I was Googling for Phil, I came across a link that said they use wicker baskets at Sea Island.

[PCCraig]

I saw a recent episode of Playing Lessons w/ the Pros and they were at some course in California with Freddy Couples.  The course there used wicker baskets and they were black.

Is Merion the first and were they, until this course in California, the only to use wicker baskets?

That would be the Madison Club...

[Eric Smith]

Phil,

Ask Chris Cupit. Mac posted this pic of his course, Rivermont in ATL the other day.

[Jim_Kennedy]

http://golf-flog.net/


Perfect. 

[Phil_the_Author]

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!

[John Kavanaugh]

Good answer. I was perhaps a bit quick to criticize.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Phil,

My guess is that club in question is SFGC.

[Kyle Harris]

Merion wasn't even close to being the first or only to use wicker baskets.

They were fairly ubiquitous for a time in the Philadelphia area. I believe Lulu, Huntingdon Valley and Aronimink all used them at one point or the other.

[Phil_the_Author]

No problems John... that was simply you being you! A loveable pain in the ass like the rest of us! I took no offense as you didn't with my reply.

Yes Steve, that is correct... You'll see a photograph of one in use there on the Duel hole in the next issue of Tillinghast Illustrated which is due out TOMORROW! Trust me, no one who loves the history of golf course architecture will want to miss this one...

[Kevin_Reilly]

[Chris Cupit]

PY,

Call me and I can give you some ideas.  I have used a couple from Charleston, I have purchased them from golf-flog but mostly we buy the wicker, soak it and weave from scratch our own baskets. We have many members and guests for whom we have made small putting green sized baskets for their home, office or backyard green.

The history of wicker baskets as well as all sorts of adornments that used to occupy the tops of flagsticks is quite interesting and I considered a lot of different ideas.  Since our baskets are homemade each is unique and they are quite different from Merion.  As someone mentioned Merion was not the first to use baskets they are just the most famous

Anyway if I finish my dinner in time I'll give one copycat's perspective of what I was thinking!

404-312-8284

[Roger Wolfe]

Just call the pro or superintendent at Sea Island.  They have them on Seaside.

[Carl Rogers]

Why re-hash the past?

Come up with something new and distinctive!

[JC Jones]

Why re-hash the past?

Come up with something new and distinctive!

Like classical golf architecture based on the old dead guys type of new?

[Phil_the_Author]

Carl,

If one doesn't remember and honor the accomplishments of the past than those in the future will have but a short meaning and far less than what they otherwise should be...

[DMoriarty]

Try here . . .

[Ronald Montesano]

Longaberger has flags, no picnic baskets, on their sticks.

"come up with something new" has to be the lamest cop-out I've read today on this site.  Who are you to decry what a club wishes to do?  Since when is the adornment at the top of the stick anyone's business or the topic of a beauty contest?  Next thing you know, we'll debate pastels versus crayola colors for flags, followed by barber-shop tim on the flagstick.

This thread should have been restricted to those willing to help; those with venom in their typing fingers and thumbs should wander off into the swamps.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Miguel Crespo has a nice gig. 

http://www.usamateur.org/2005/news/baskets.html

I wonder who 'Potato Head' is?

[Chris Cupit]

Why re-hash the past?

Come up with something new and distinctive!

Yes, like Flags I suppose