TMac, the post I copy below belies your contention that you look for truth. It shows that you draw preconclusions and then twist stuff around to make your point. For my money, BTW, when you foisted your Barker designed Merion theory on this website, you lost all right to tell anyone about a search for the truth. I can only imagine you out there helping OJ in his search for the "real killer."
My benchmark for an interest in history and an interest in finding the truth is consistency in getting the facts straight and objectivity. You have a long track record of not getting your facts straight, which you defend by saying you don't have the time (but you do have the time to interject yourself into all these discussions), and you seem to prefer to take sides on historical issues as opposed to looking at the facts objectively. And maybe that has something to do with not having the time too. Also as a golf architect you have a long track record of disdain toward historical important golf courses....redesign university over preservation.
BTW, I agree I have made mistakes on this site, and as mentioned above, realize I don't spend the time researhing golf history that you do. I have always commended you for that, and BTW, endorse your basic quest to learn more of the details of who does what. That said, from time to time, I think your mission statement leads you from time to time to over reach in order to credit lesser lights. Perhaps its just bound to happen, and even when you make some mistakes, I like the direction you have gone, even if I disagree with your contentions on Barker at Merion. To me, maintaing that belief just goes to far.
I also think you can get somewhat illogical, and use assumptions, sometimes with slight twists, to make your point. As to your post above, I question the logic of me having presented 25% (and frankly, never on design, but always on financing, phasing, or explaining your proposed renovations to members or golfers) of exactly 5 of the nearly 200 ASGCA "Remodel U" seminars and what the means about my feelings about restorations.
You also hint that RU="Anti Restoration" which is a flat out lie on your part. Nothing in RU content says anything of the kind. But, it does show the world just the level of suppposed knowledge feel you need to have before presenting something as fact on this site. So, while I am guilty of making mistakes, and often for the same reason, I don't believe you do any better, and sometimes worse.
Lastly, you tell the world that I have a long architectural record of disdain for classic courses. Could you substantiate that?
I agree that Dornick Hills was not restored to its original condition, but I was hired to match the already changed work of my former employer Dick Nugent on the back nine. In any case, the original NGLA inspired design had been remodeled out of existence in the 1950's or perhaps before. I did present the option of restoring to the original design, but they actually didn't have the info that Chris Clouser later dug up, and didn't want to redo the front nine again, for money reasons. There was some debate, and some Maxwell descendants were in the room, but the club directors made that decision.
If you care to lump me in for a few old courses that KN had redone to modern standards (circa 1977-84) but which had already been touched many times by that point, go ahead. I was in no position to affect those decisions.
I really have not been commissioned to restore any historically signifigant Golden Age courses.
So, there is my record of disdain that you are willing to incorrectly put out there.
Lies, twists, misinformation and tenuous logic connections (repeatedly) from you. You can see why I have that low opinion of your logical analysis ability. And, if I take sides, its not against history, its simply against those cases where I believe passionately that a few here are trying to twist for reasons I don't understand. But, I do try to keep the disagreements based on specific issues, rather than simply call you an idiot. Not that I am always successful!
But enough about that, its a waste of everyone's time. I am sure I haven't changed anyone's mind about your logical abilities or lack thereof, but I did want to respond to some of your unfounded claims about me.
That said, I do believe all of us have "put stuff out there" regarding clubs, architects, other site members (and I include myself in that, to be sure) that really go well beyond the bounds of good taste, or even what should be posted on the internet about defenseless parties. (who from PV can post here if not a site member to defend this or that?) Is it really right to get into these lengthy discussions, calling long dead figures mistaken, or wrong, or liars? At the very least, we should all clearly label our posts as to how much we really know, again, myself included.