Your tastes in golf courses are so -- excuse me for saying -- mainstream.

[Dan Kelly]

Good question, Mike.

I hope that someone will please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the photo below depicts examples of external green contouring, eg spines tied to the surrounds, humps and dips around the edges, etc.

Which hole is this?

[Eric Smith]

13th at Barnbougle.

[John Kavanaugh]

What good is great architecture if it is not fun or provide options that can be used to manipulate an opponent.  My goal from the strike of the first shot is to win the game I am playing.  What better avenue than one whose architecture may allow me to outsmart a more talented ball striker.  I love great architecture because it increases my chances of success.

[Tim Martin]

What good is great architecture if it is not fun or provide options that can be used to manipulate an opponent.  My goal from the strike of the first shot is to win the game I am playing.  What better avenue than one whose architecture may allow me to outsmart a more talented ball striker.  I love great architecture because it increases my chances of success.

Who doesn`t want this guy as a fourball partner?

[Greg Clark]

The exact quote was "I'm constantly surprised that your tastes in golf courses are so -- excuse me for saying -- mainstream."  Anytime PPallotta takes enough time to read something I have written and then comment I take it as a compliment.  So first, let me say Thank you.

I will say that when I was a teenager I took great pains to listen to obscure music in an attempt to foster an image too cool to care what people thought of me.  I saw two concerts in college, Muddy Waters and David Bromberg.  I also married my highschool sweetheart so I was never influenced by the sweet notes of P when it came to my album collection.  Guess what, I grew up and now enjoy many of the mainstream bands of my generation.  I only bring this up to give some background in the possibility that many people manufacture tastes to project an image they desire.  I hope I don't do that with golf.

Now what the hell does mainstream taste in golf courses imply?

Show me any guy who ever said he didn't want to be popular, and I'll show you a scared guy. I've studied the entire history of music. Most of the time, the best stuff is the popular stuff. It's much safer to say popularity sucks, because that allows you to forgive yourself if you suck. And I don't forgive myself. Do you?

Jeff Bebe from "Almost Famous"

[Mike McGuire]

What good is great architecture if it is not fun or provide options that can be used to manipulate an opponent.  My goal from the strike of the first shot is to win the game I am playing.  What better avenue than one whose architecture may allow me to outsmart a more talented ball striker.  I love great architecture because it increases my chances of success.

This explains  why I prefer match play (or hate medal play) and don't golf by myself.

[PCCraig]

John,

I think your tastes in golf courses, posted on GCA, are "mainstream." But I've gathered it's due to wanting to show the other posters that they often try to be different, for different's sake.

Personally, I think many on here do try hard to be a GCA "hipster", "snob", "elite", or whatever. There is a happy medium to having an open mind to both the best of Fazio, Jones, Jones Jr., Dye, etc. as well as the best of Doak, C&C, MacRaynor, etc.

[John Kavanaugh]

John,

I think your tastes in golf courses, posted on GCA, are "mainstream." But I've gathered it's due to wanting to show the other posters that they often try to be different, for different's sake.

Personally, I think many on here do try hard to be a GCA "hipster", "snob", "elite", or whatever. There is a happy medium to having an open mind to both the best of Fazio, Jones, Jones Jr., Dye, etc. as well as the best of Doak, C&C, MacRaynor, etc.

I do honestly believe my tastes in courses has more to do with where I am invited to play, or join, than where I would choose to play under equal circumstances.  I think a perfect example was when I naively called St. Louis CC and talked to the membership director about joining.  I had never played there or set foot on the grounds but thought it would be a cool place to rest my heels when visiting the town.  The funny thing was that the guy was so confused about who I was that he spent an hour on the phone with me and asked me to submit an application once I got to know some members and went through a seven or eight year waiting period.  I called and joined Norwood Hills instead, also without ever playing the course.  note:  I have since met many members of St. Louis CC and had great times playing the course and enjoying their company.  I believe I exhibited good taste by wanting to be a member.  To me, wanting to join Bellerive would have been the mainstream choice.

When choosing where to play or join taste is a two way street.

[Mike Hendren]

[My guess is that,for him, the playing trumps all the ancillary stuff--and probably does for a lot of good players.

An insightful observation.   Back in the glory days of the Hillbilly Tour I often complimented John that he enjoys playing the game more than anybody I'd ever met.   The guy loves to golf the ball - that's why he's a delight to play with.

Bogey

[Sean_A]

John,

I think your tastes in golf courses, posted on GCA, are "mainstream." But I've gathered it's due to wanting to show the other posters that they often try to be different, for different's sake.

Personally, I think many on here do try hard to be a GCA "hipster", "snob", "elite", or whatever. There is a happy medium to having an open mind to both the best of Fazio, Jones, Jones Jr., Dye, etc. as well as the best of Doak, C&C, MacRaynor, etc.

I do honestly believe my tastes in courses has more to do with where I am invited to play, or join, than where I would choose to play under equal circumstances.  I think a perfect example was when I naively called St. Louis CC and talked to the membership director about joining.  I had never played there or set foot on the grounds but thought it would be a cool place to rest my heels when visiting the town.  The funny thing was that the guy was so confused about who I was that he spent an hour on the phone with me and asked me to submit an application once I got to know some members and went through a seven or eight year waiting period.  I called and joined Norwood Hills instead, also without ever playing the course.  note:  I have since met many members of St. Louis CC and had great times playing the course and enjoying their company.  I believe I exhibited good taste by wanting to be a member.  To me, wanting to join Bellerive would have been the mainstream choice.

When choosing where to play or join taste is a two way street.

While I am not rushing out to join clubs on a whim, I do agree that choosing where to play is often down to invites.  I am inclined to accept the  invite (if in the area) even if it means I won't see the top courses in the area.  Its wonderful to be invited anywhere by well known friends or practical strangers never before seen and invites shouldn't be dismissed lightly because of "the course".  My advice for travellers is to always try to accept invites. 

Ciao

[Carl Nichols]

While I am not rushing out to join clubs on a whim, I do agree that choosing where to play is often down to invites.  I am inclined to accept the  invite (if in the area) even if it means I won't see the top courses in the area.  Its wonderful to be invited anywhere by well known friends or practical strangers never before seen and invites shouldn't be dismissed lightly because of "the course".  My advice for travellers is to always try to accept invites. 

Ciao

Sean:
I agree 100% -- I'd almost always rather play with someone who has invited me than to play somewhere else (especially solo) because the course is better.  There are probably exceptions, but for me, there's so much more to a round than just the course.