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Chris Johnston

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Wall Street Journal Article on golf club names
« on: September 17, 2011, 03:08:14 PM »
Todays WSJ has an article on golf course names titled "You Named Your Golf Course What?"

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904060604576574621372158568.html

Jeff_Brauer

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Re: Wall Street Journal Article on golf club names
« Reply #1 on: September 17, 2011, 03:52:03 PM »
Hey, what's wrong with the "Wilderness at Fortune Bay?"
Jeff Brauer, ASGCA Director of Outreach

Jay Cox

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Wall Street Journal Article on golf club names
« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2011, 03:59:49 PM »
The Dismal River picture isn't actually Dismal River.

Any mocking of golf course names needs to distinguish the ones that are named for unusually named local destinations, and the ones that are pure inventions of the owner.

Jon Wiggett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Wall Street Journal Article on golf club names
« Reply #3 on: September 17, 2011, 05:21:55 PM »
Hey, what's wrong with the "Wilderness at Fortune Bay?"

Jeff,

why not just Fortune Bay? I never understood this desire to use pretentious names for courses. Where does the wilderness come from? Are there herds of bison roaming across it or is it only playable with ranger as a guide.

Jon

Jeff_Brauer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Wall Street Journal Article on golf club names
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2011, 05:31:10 PM »
Jon,

Actually one of three courses I ever got to name - the Quarry and another one called Wilderness.

When I designed a course for Lake Jackson, TX, it was in Wilderness Park.  They had a contest for a name, with a bunch of terrible entries and after all that, I suggested the Wilderness would be the best and they all agreed.  But, that project got sued by the Sierra Club (maybe in part because of the name) and when Fortune Bay came up, we were looking for a name.  In the restroom, I noticed their slogan was "We put the wild in Wilderness" and told the Wilderness is a great name, and my course in Houston wasn't going to be using it.

Of course, two weeks later, the lawsuit settled in the city's favor and I opened two courses by the same name in one year.....

Really, the biggest problem with the name the Wilderness is that neither place came up with a logo, just the name printed on the golf shirts, although in TX they have a small oak leaf.

BTW, I have seen Moose, Deer, Bear, Fox, and a Timverwolf at the northern version, so the name isn't that far off.
Jeff Brauer, ASGCA Director of Outreach

Dan Kelly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Wall Street Journal Article on golf club names
« Reply #5 on: September 17, 2011, 06:13:36 PM »
Hey, what's wrong with the "Wilderness at Fortune Bay?"

It's not "Wilderness at Fortune Bay." It's "The Wilderness at Fortune Bay."

Said it before; will say it again: One preposition or article is plenty for a golf course name. Both? No.

Nice course, though!
"There's no money in doing less." -- Joe Hancock, 11/25/2010
"Rankings are silly and subjective..." -- Tom Doak, 3/12/2016

Tim_Cronin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Wall Street Journal Article on golf club names
« Reply #6 on: September 17, 2011, 06:22:57 PM »
Any course named The Preserve should not be – preserved, that is.
The website: www.illinoisgolfer.net
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Anthony Gray

Re: Wall Street Journal Article on golf club names
« Reply #7 on: September 17, 2011, 08:05:19 PM »
  I like The Beach at Carmel instead of Pebble Beach

Steve Lang

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Wall Street Journal Article on golf club names
« Reply #8 on: September 17, 2011, 08:48:19 PM »
Jon,

Actually one of three courses I ever got to name - the Quarry and another one called Wilderness.

When I designed a course for Lake Jackson, TX, it was in Wilderness Park.  They had a contest for a name, with a bunch of terrible entries and after all that, I suggested the Wilderness would be the best and they all agreed.  But, that project got sued by the Sierra Club (maybe in part because of the name) and when Fortune Bay came up, we were looking for a name.  In the restroom, I noticed their slogan was "We put the wild in Wilderness" and told the Wilderness is a great name, and my course in Houston wasn't going to be using it.

Of course, two weeks later, the lawsuit settled in the city's favor and I opened two courses by the same name in one year.....

Really, the biggest problem with the name the Wilderness is that neither place came up with a logo, just the name printed on the golf shirts, although in TX they have a small oak leaf.

BTW, I have seen Moose, Deer, Bear, Fox, and a Timverwolf at the northern version, so the name isn't that far off.

Jeff, what about the wiild hogs at Lake Jackson?  THey needed two fences (one electric) to try and keep them out!
Inverness (Toledo, OH) cathedral clock inscription: "God measures men by what they are. Not what they in wealth possess.  That vibrant message chimes afar.
The voice of Inverness"

Sam Morrow

Re: Wall Street Journal Article on golf club names
« Reply #9 on: September 17, 2011, 09:36:06 PM »
Plus The Wilderness in Lake Jackson has camo carts, which is nice.

Garland Bayley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Wall Street Journal Article on golf club names
« Reply #10 on: September 19, 2011, 12:29:22 AM »
To bad they named the golf course Mountain View in Boring, OR. Otherwise the NYT would have been all over Boring Golf Club in Boring, OR.

"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