GCA Blind Date: Best Thing

[Ronald Montesano]

Copake Lake, NY might as well be the set for "Dirty Dancing." There I was, hanging out in the clubhouse, on cup of coffee numero dos, when in walks this tall, silver-haired dude with sunglasses on. Says he's there to meet a guy and that he's going to walk the course. Of course, it was Tim Martin. Big handshake, big smile, absolutely genuine from the first moment. 4.16 hours later, we had our apres-golf beverages and went our separate ways.

In the interim, we discussed the merits of the course, the brilliance of Emmet, the excellence of Fine and Witter and the best way to approach each green (we ultimately settled on one less club for the bounce from the front of the green~~uphill, downhill, cross-hill, didn't matter...you needed the 15 feet.)

I considered all this and more on my 5.5 hour ride home (Tim got the better part of the deal with 1.5 back to Hartford) and realized exactly how great a GCA Blind Date is. You know that you've both/all got love, interest and enthusiasm in/for architecture in common and that you should have a great round of it. You know that you can royally f-up a putt, running approach, whatever and that your partner(s) will understand not only what you attempted to pull off, but why you opted to do so as well.

So here's to more GCA Blind Dates...I've had two this month (TM and JNC) and I'm looking forward to the subsequent ones.

[David Harshbarger]

+1

Wish I could have joined you. 

[Ronald Montesano]

Man, was Tim pissed when I told him..JK...he understood and said "next time!" I look forward to putting pegs in the turf with you, David.

[Jay Flemma]

English, please!   Press 1 for English

[Tim Gavrich]

I wish I could have joined y'all two, but I had to drive down to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.  Family vacations always get in the way...

There needs to be a larger-scale GCA outing held at Copake at some point, I think.

[Joe Bausch]

Are you talking about Tim Martin from Yale?  Jeez, what a cranky old fart stick in the mud he is.  Ron, if you enjoyed his company then you can pretty much skip playing any course around SE PA with me.

[Ronald Montesano]

Jay, JK stands for "John Kavanaugh"

Joe B., Tim said that I'm nothing as a shooter in comparison with you...he said that he had no idea that you took as many pics as you did, until he saw them. I indicated that I'm something of an apprentice and can't wait to meet you and see your style. Cranky old fart stick in the mud pretty much describes him, though...

[Jeff Shelman]

My better half has referred to a round with a GCAer as a "blind date" several times.

Once I was in Charlotte for work and was going to meet Turboe to play. Her reaction was:

Her: "You're going to drive a couple of hours to play golf with a guy you've never met."

Me: "Yep. We've chatted on the board"

Her: "So it's an internet blind date. Even better. Where exactly are you going."

Me: "It will be fine."

She no longer thinks it's weird or crazy. And pretty much every single person I've met from this board has been great.

[Bill_McBride]

The conversations with the wife usually start, "So let me get this straight...."

[Tim Martin]

My first GCA blind date was with Joe Bausch and one of his colleagues from Villanova at Yale. After 3 holes I felt as if I had known Joe forever although I have to say that I was hitting my tee shot pretty good that day and did get kind of sick of him hitting it by me 30 yards on every hole. When Joe sent the collection of photos he took that day I was blown away by the quality and how he seemed to catch every great angle that you could wan`t. I probably don`t remember him taking 20 shots although he sent me 150 plus. The generosity, camaraderie, and sense of adventure exhibited by the guys on this board is unrivaled. When an opportunity presents itself with GCA guys I am at the ready because I am yet to be disappointed. The standard line I get from my wife is "you are going where with who"? Upon my return she will ask how was the day or trip. My answer so far on every occasion has been" fantastic". She then replies "where next?" and so it goes.

[Tim Martin]

The conversations with the wife usually start, "So let me get this straight...."

I am still trying to figure out what to say to my Mom and Dad when Eric Smith and I stay with my folks in Ireland this September. Not only will it be a GCA blind date, but he will also have to "meet the parents"!!!!

      Even better will be the comments back from your parents as the Irish are without peer when it comes to circumstances such as these-should be priceless.

[Kalen Braley]

My better half has referred to a round with a GCAer as a "blind date" several times.

Once I was in Charlotte for work and was going to meet Turboe to play. Her reaction was:

Her: "You're going to drive a couple of hours to play golf with a guy you've never met."

Me: "Yep. We've chatted on the board"

Her: "So it's an internet blind date. Even better. Where exactly are you going."

Me: "It will be fine."

She no longer thinks it's weird or crazy. And pretty much every single person I've met from this board has been great.

Hmmm, this sounds so familiar...oh thats right, its almost word for word verbatim the 1st time I did such a trip a few years back.

And she was especially creeped out that we were going to share a hotel room too...   

[Ronald Montesano]

Golf whores, we are...meet a guy in a bar, start talking, one guy is going on a junket, next thing you know, you're together for a few days in the same room

[JNC Lyon]

Situation: you fly from Upstate New York, across the country to Denver, Colorado on Fourth of July weekend.  You arrange to catch a shuttle from the airport to a hotel (a different one from the one where you are staying) to meet two guys, one whom you've met, vaguely, once or twice in England or Scotland or someplace like that, and one whom you have never meet, to have drinks and talk golf architecture.  The next day, you catch a shuttle back to the airport to meet four other dudes you've never seen, one who is going to drive you from the airport out to the sand hills of western Nebraska, down dirt roads and sand trails filled with cattle and buzzards, to a golf course that is ranked 201 in among U.S. modern courses.  Five days later, you've become friends for life with everyone you've met.

Thanks to everyone for a great Ballyneal and 5th Major excursion.

[Richard Choi]

My wife wanted the every detail information on where I was going to stay and who I was going to meet, etc., etc. on my first outing. She thought I was absolutely out of my mind to fly out to play golf with bunch of guys I met on the Internet.

But I have yet to be disappointed with a company of GCA'ers. Best bunch of people I have met in my life. Talking on this board is great, but meeting folks to play actual golf is even better.

[Ronald Montesano]

Is your wife the crazy one from Hangover Part One? The one that Stu dumps?

[Keith OHalloran]

My first GCA blind date was for a morning round with Mac Plumart. I assured my wife that we had a mutual friend (which was a lie, but nothing in comparison to what I usually lie about) because I thought it was wierd to meet someone online and set up a 4 hour date. When I arrived, I was early, and it turns out JC Jones was also early. Five hours later, including breakfast (Mac knows the way to a fat man's heart) I had a great day, even though MAc paired me with JC.
My second blind date is coming up in October when Brian Sheehy come to Long Island. If anyone has any words of warning for me, let me know!

[David Harshbarger]

Until I get on an airplane solely for a GCA blind date, my better half will be cool.  And if there's an overnight (or anniversary) involved, there's only one approved bunkmate.  Otherwise, drive 4 hours each way to play an Emmitt Smith course with a bunch of strangers?  Whatever!

Now, my 9 year old?  Different story....Take Me! Take Me!

Heck, I bet my wife would sign the papers to let me take him to Canada to play golf with Internet strangers, just be home tonight.

[Kyle Harris]

4:15???

What took you so long!?

[JNC Lyon]

4:15???

What took you so long!?

Surely they weren't playing Inniscrone on a Saturday morning...

[Colin Macqueen]

Keith O'H,

Gee whizz this Mac Plumart obviously likes blind dates.  My better half , Tricia, was gob-smacked that the first thing I was going to do after flying half-way across the world from Australia to Scotland was meet up with 3 other guys who I had “chatted” to on an internet golf forum. Marty and Mark couldn’t make it as it turned out but Plumart was there in the St. Andrean mizzle just raring to go. What a fine day we had playing Balcomie at Crail. So once again a thumbs up for the blind dating fixture on GCA!

Cheers Colin

[Bill Seitz]

But I have yet to be disappointed with a company of GCA'ers. Best bunch of people I have met in my life. Talking on this board is great, but meeting folks to play actual golf is even better.

You've had it lucky, apparently.  My first weekend with other GCAers was at the Mashie last year at Lost Dunes where I randomly got paired up with a trio of jokers named Doak, Kavanaugh, and Freeman.  

Actually, I can't say I've ever played with someone from the board that I wouldn't jump at the opportunity to play with again.  

[Tim Martin]

4:15???

What took you so long!?

The plumb bobbers in front of us.