Guess The 8 Finalists for the Olympic Design Job

[RJ_Daley]

Shirley, the joke is on me... 

I skimmed the headline of the thread, and scanned down a few named lists, and "thought" or "mis-thought" or "unthought" that there must be some plan afoot to remodel 'The Olympic Club'.  So I put a Cali - Olympic CC bias spin on the smart ass list.  Is there a Brazilian equivalent to, "I'm a big stupid".   

[Brett Morris]

Hurdzan/Fry
Nick Faldo
David McLay Kidd
Greg Norman
Tom Doak
Robert Trent Jones Jr
Tom Fazio
Jack Nicklaus

[RJ_Daley]

If the olympics are going to be on NBC, I'm sticking with Miller.

But, probably who ever Eike Batista chooses.  Has he run with the Jackster or the Shark at some smoozie cocktail party? 

[Michael Goldstein]

I'm competitive and so am making one minor amendment.

Jack/Annika
Norman/Ochoa
Renaissance
Dye
RTJ Jr
Faldo
Thomson/Perret
Hurdzan/Fry

[Mike_Young]

My gut feeling is that the Brazilians that can make the call really don't worry about the design as much as the politics.  If TD wishes to do this I wish him the best and I would think he has worked Brazilian connections but I when they mention they want some group that will remain and manage and operate and give back and all of that, then This thing could get to where it's not worth it.  The firms like JN and Player specialize in "selling" this type of stuff and you know that KPMG group has to be in there somewhere.  Read between the lines.  A company like JN or Player or whomever can have other fees attached besides a $300,000 design fee.  Your main spokesman has to have someone with enough Brazilian "gunpowder" to overcome the really big boys.
So whoever gets it will have really done something if they can overcome JN or Player.  It would sort of be like having to overcome a team that had Pele when it was time to build a soccer stadium.

[Carl Rogers]

Where can info be had on the site?  Any decision on that?

[Yannick Pilon]

What a weird process this has been, as far as I know.

The funny thing is, most of the firms named here most likely haven't designed a course for $300 000.00 in decades!  It feels like the process is more about who can actually buy the publicity of designing the Olympic Course rather than who can actually design the best course in the best interest of both the Olympics and Brazilian golf in general.

This make me feel both sad, and uncomfortable.

YP

[jeffwarne]

The real answer is does it really matter who? (except to the architect)

Has the Ryder Cup suffered when played at its' recent Great Britain modern TOP 200 sites?

[Tom_Doak]

The real answer is does it really matter who? (except to the architect)

Has the Ryder Cup suffered when played at its' recent Great Britain modern TOP 200 sites?

Jeff:

It probably matters more to the architect than to anyone else.  However, I think it does matter to the world of golf in general, or I wouldn't have made a proposal.

A friend said to me a month ago that there is a lot of pressure on this job, because the success or failure of Rio 2016 is going to determine whether golf stays in the Olympics or not.  [It will also be played in 2020, but they'll decide before 2020 if it's going to continue after that.]

Now, I know some people think the Olympics are bad and golf shouldn't be associated with them.  But, now that it's in, I'd like to see golf put its best foot forward, and perhaps help attract more attention for the game in the countries where it still has room to grow.


P.S.  I have no idea who the eight are going to be -- I've got good guesses for six of them, but as to the others I have no clue.  But, anyone who put down Coore and Crenshaw is not going to get all 8 correct.  Both of them told me they had no intention of submitting a proposal.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Random question - if the first olympic golf event does turn out riveting, what does it do to the Ryder and President's Cup?  Seems to me that it would diminish the latter and pros would complain about yet another international free event, leading to some sort of consolidation, etc.  In theory, the Olympics would trump the others as a play for your country event.

Random Question 2 - Does anyone know what the Olympic format might be?  How many players each country, how do they qualify, etc.

[Kalen Braley]

Seems to me, they pretty much already do "Olympic Golf"....its called the World Golf Cup and they just played it last week in China somewhere.

How many of you watched it?

The Olympic setup won't be much different I suspect, with the exception to adding a singles event in addition to two man team play so they can hand out medals for two competitions instead of just one

[jeffwarne]

The real answer is does it really matter who? (except to the architect)

Has the Ryder Cup suffered when played at its' recent Great Britain modern TOP 200 sites?

Jeff:

It probably matters more to the architect than to anyone else.  However, I think it does matter to the world of golf in general, or I wouldn't have made a proposal.

A friend said to me a month ago that there is a lot of pressure on this job, because the success or failure of Rio 2016 is going to determine whether golf stays in the Olympics or not.  [It will also be played in 2020, but they'll decide before 2020 if it's going to continue after that.]

Now, I know some people think the Olympics are bad and golf shouldn't be associated with them.  But, now that it's in, I'd like to see golf put its best foot forward, and perhaps help attract more attention for the game in the countries where it still has room to grow.


P.S.  I have no idea who the eight are going to be -- I've got good guesses for six of them, but as to the others I have no clue.  But, anyone who put down Coore and Crenshaw is not going to get all 8 correct.  Both of them told me they had no intention of submitting a proposal.

Tom,
I think it matters to most on this forum.
It's just that we've all gotten cynical at the processes (and results) of recent designed for purpose International venues.

Of course what should matter to the golf world is that the best course possible  is built with some/much thought to what happens afterwards incorporated into the design.
Kudos to you for having the principles (and means) to participate in the process.

Hopefully they're looking for the architect who produces the best product, not the most mainstream name recognition.

If selected I think you should use the under 6500 yard template you presented in Ben Sims' thead and really shake up the world.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Jeff B.,

For the sake of historical accuracy  , this will not be the first Olympic golf event...

Canadian George Lyon won the gold medal in golf at Glen Echo, in St. Louis, in 1904. Interesting fact, the silver medalist was Chandler Egan. And, I didn't realize this until I just checked to recall the name of the St. Louis club where the event took place, in 1904, but apparently golf was on the program in Paris in 1900 as well.

So, this will be the third Olympic golf event, at Rio.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Kalen,
I was thinking that it might go the route of skating or hockey, where the Olympics are every four years and in the intervening two years there are the "World Championships".

Jeff,

My bad, and thanks.  But, you know what a lying sleazeball I am if you participate on this site, right?

[Jeff_Mingay]

Liar and sleazeball are not words I've ever associated with Jeff Brauer

[Jud_T]

Dye
Fazio
Nicklaus
Faldo
Norman
Doak
RTJ
DMK

[Jeff_Brauer]

Jeff,

Thanks, bud.  Appreciate the nice comments.

BTW, after that St. Louis golf thread, I did pick up that History of St Louis golf book.  Haven't looked at that one in a while.

[Lou Cutolo]

Jack Nicklaus
Rees Jones
Tom Doak
Nick Faldo
Greg Norman
Tom Fazio
Martin Hawtree
RT Jones Jr.

[Mike Nuzzo]

Who are 8 people not in my living room.

[Mike_Young]

Liar and sleazeball are not words I've ever associated with Jeff Brauer

Jeff B,
I looks like somebody must have gotten you confused w me

[jeffwarne]

Jeff B.,

For the sake of historical accuracy  , this will not be the first Olympic golf event...

Canadian George Lyon won the gold medal in golf at Glen Echo, in St. Louis, in 1904. Interesting fact, the silver medalist was Chandler Egan. And, I didn't realize this until I just checked to recall the name of the St. Louis club where the event took place, in 1904, but apparently golf was on the program in Paris in 1900 as well.

So, this will be the third Olympic golf event, at Rio.

Who designed the first 2 Olympic venues?

No GOOGLE..

[Adam Clayman]

Couple thoughts


A woman would be a nice touch. If she had a Brazilian, that could prove short grass is a hazard.

My poker tournament director friend, just turned down an op to go there. Too dangerous, he said. Be careful out there if you get it, and don't bring your wife. She'll be a target for kidnapping.

[George Pazin]

My poker tournament director friend, just turned down an op to go there. Too dangerous, he said. Be careful out there if you get it, and don't bring your wife. She'll be a target for kidnapping.

Thanks for the tip, reservations for two just made!

Homer that I am, I'm hoping someone from this site gets it. Not holding my breath, though.

[JMEvensky]

A woman would be a nice touch. If she had a Brazilian, that could prove short grass is a hazard.

I've been sitting here trying to make up a Brazilian joke and you beat me to it.

[Howard Riefs]

Jack/Annika
Norman/Ochoa
Renaissance
Dye
Fazio
RTJ Jr
Faldo
DMK

The only certainty is that Chicago Highlands will not be hosting the event:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,41107.0.html