Get To Know David Bartman

[Ronald Montesano]

No, this isn't THE Steve Bartman who interrupted an important catch by Moises Alou. It's David Bartman. Thanks for being our first volunteer. Gentlemen and Ladies, David Bartman...He'll be here all week, two shows a night.

What brought me to Golf : My father was/is an avid golfer so I grew up playing golf.

What brought me to Golf Course Architecture:  As I grew up, I was always pretty proficient at the game, so I thought about it a lot.  I would doodle golf holes in class as early as middle school.  I have always been interested in golf course design.

What brought me to Golf Club Atlas:  Recently, a friend of mine and I were having a debate about various courses in Southern California , what he like and didn't and why.  After which, he thought I would really enjoy being on this site.

[Mac Plumart]

How old are you?

Where do you live?

Family?

Favorite golf course?  Why?

[David Bartman]

First of all I didn't realize this was what I was signing up for, but I guess its too late now.

41
Los Angeles

No kids that I am aware of, single, one brother, parents still around.

Favorite golf Course - Augusta National, I had the opportunity to play it last year and when you are there you know you are experiencing something special. 

[George Pazin]

David, I'd recommend looking in on a few of the older threads, to see what they're like.

List of Get To Know participants

In particular, you might look in on Gary Slatter's or Mike Clayton's threads, they are guys with golf experiences that are also top notch.

I'm sure most of us are in awe of your experiences, perhaps you could share a moment or three that stick in your head. Off the top of my head, I recall reading that you spent some time with some LPGA stars, a story from that might be illuminating.

What are your particular strengths as a golfer? Any particular tournament courses that you find especially compelling?

[Mark Bourgeois]

9 holes in one! Wait, that's not a question. David, of your NINE holes in one, which one was most meaningful to you and why?

[David Bartman]

Okay, now that I have read some of the other people’s get to know me threads I have a better idea of what is required of me. 
First, I am up to 10 holes in one . 
The most memorable was my second; I was playing the second hole at Brentwood CC where I grew up with my father.   The pin was on the right side of the green and the hole itself wasn’t visible from the tee.   Both my dad and I hit good shots right at the pin, mine flew next to the hole and his landed short on the backside of the bunker and bounced towards the hole.  When we got to the green there was only one ball, about 2 feet away, and a pitch mark about 1 foot short of the hole.  Initially, I went to mark the ball 2 feet thinking my dad’s ball was short, but then I saw the ball in the hole.   We both were playing the same brand, luckily different numbers, and I checked the ball on the green and it wasn’t mine:).   

I played college golf at UCSB, for a couple years with Geoff Shackleford, before he transferred to Pepperdine.  I was fairly successful in college, but mostly had better results in the summer at the national amateur events.  After college I turned pro, played on the Hooters Tour, Asian Tour, Canadian Tour, Nike Tour, Golden Bear Tour, Dakotas Tour, and some events on the Golden State Tour, various State Opens and 1 PGA Tour event that I Monday qualified for ( I missed the cut by 2 , Tucson Open ).
When I turned 30 I wasn’t really happy with the lifestyle the professional golf provided.  I had lost my status on the Buy.com Tour (formally Nike) and decided to try Q-school one last time.  I got disqualified after my first round in the first stage, I’ll wait for someone to ask why to tell that story, and it still pisses me off!  Anyway, I stopped playing golf for a living, and was planning on going to Law School, when an old friend was starting a company and needed someone to help him raise funds.  I raised 80% of the funds for the company, and my business life began. 

I have my amateur status back and love participating in tournaments, seeing my old friends around the county from my playing days, and my competitive drive, although waning is still there.   I have had some successes, I won the Trans Mississippi Amateur in 2005, made match play and played Danny Lee at the US AM in 2008, and also won a national mid am event @ Carlton Woods in 2011. 

I help a young woman who was on the Solheim Cup last year, so I had the wonderful experience of representing our country by caddying in the event.  We (the players, caddies and captains) all stayed on the same guarded floor in Ireland, we ate dinner together, spent free time in the Team Room together, and that is how I got to have the up close and personal experience with the Solheim Cup USA Team. 

[Mac Plumart]

Why'd you get DQ'd at Q School?   

[David Bartman]

I hit a ball right into a hazard, a stream.  I played the ball out, but in doing so I had to blade it a bit because the ball was partly submerged. 
When I reached my ball in the fairway, I marked it and checked if the ball was out of round, it wasn't and I replaced the ball , hit it on the green and made bogey.   I didn't think anything of it. 

Anyone know what rule I broke? 

[Greg Chambers]

What's your opinion of Brentwood CC?  We don't hear much about it on here.

[Will MacEwen]

I hit a ball right into a hazard, a stream.  I played the ball out, but in doing so I had to blade it a bit because the ball was partly submerged. 
When I reached my ball in the fairway, I marked it and checked if the ball was out of round, it wasn't and I replaced the ball , hit it on the green and made bogey.   I didn't think anything of it. 

Anyone know what rule I broke? 

Didn't notify your playing partners that you were picking up the ball?

[Colin Macqueen]

"First of all I didn't realize this was what I was signing up for, but I guess its too late now."

Ah David such innocence ......."For fools rush in where angels fear to tread".

Fear not that to every answer you give a hundred questions will come forth. You have joined an august body in that parcel of rogues embedded in the list of "Get to Know Participants".  So many shrinking violets!  Looking forward to hearing about.


Now ten holes in one! You must have a good story relating to your most egregious one! They surely were not all finely executed?

Cheers Colin

[Ronald Montesano]

Didn't ASK your players if the ball could be replaced...you alone can't make that decision.

[Alex Miller]

What's your opinion of Brentwood CC?  We don't hear much about it on here.

I'd also like to hear this. I've played it maybe 7 or 8 times and will be again in a couple of weeks. I might get some photos to spur discussion if there is interest.

David,

What are your thoughts on LA golf? Favorites?

[David Bartman]

Yep, I didn't notify my playing partners.  They were over 150 yards away.  

Just some more insight to me, the officials came up to to me on the range the next morning after I had signed my card.  Asked me what happened, I had no idea I had broken a rule, I knew I was allowed to determine the ball had been damaged, didn't know I had to verbally announce it.  I told them what happened and then they called me over to tell me I was DQ'd.  They told me that I had to announce my intentions when marking the ball.  I quickly responded, what if I was mute?  My playing partners were 150 yards away! Obviously, I couldn't  argue my way out of this one, but it was pretty petty for one of my playing partners to call that on me after the round was over and I turned in my card, instead of at the scoring tent, where I wouldn't have been DQ'd.

It was an easy exit from Professional golf after than incident.  

I have had two crazy holes in one, the first was at the 7th hole at La Cumbre in Santa Barbara in college.  I pulled a tee shot with a short iron left, it landed on a steep hill and kicked towards the green , and slammed into the pin and went in the hole. Not a good shot by any means but the results were unbeatable.

Another one came on the a par three on Saturday of the Utah Open.  I again missed the green, this time right, with a 5 iron, and the ball bounced off a large hill right of the green onto the green and into the hole.  There was a car on the tee, and everyone had thought that I had won the car!  However, the insisted that the signs were not up and the car was for Saturday.

Brentwood CC - Most of you guys wouldn't like the course, parkland, tree lined, mainly flat , lush with little roll.  We have started a native grass program to let parts of the course grow out, and become hazards, as well as pine straw under the pine trees instead of grass.  I am on the greens committee and we are trying our hardest to get back to original design that had a creek running from north to south in the barranca that cuts across 3-4 holes.   I don't mind the course and prefer it to a course like Bel-Air, Hillcrest, and Lakeside because from a play ability standpoint it really doesn't have any quirky holes.  I do think that we are in the process of making it far more interesting , have made it more difficult with the native area hazards and are on the right direction with the land constraints that are present.  We had used John Harbottle for our last redesign , and I am currently one of only a few on the search committee for out next architect, which has been interesting.  


LA golf, is pretty weak is you ask me, after Riviera and LACC there are not many fantastic courses in LA.  I do like Rustic, not as much as most of you on here, but I am not sure I would call that LA.  

[jeffwarne]

Now THAT's a stupid rule!!! (or at least ruling)
Welcome

[Mark Bourgeois]

Jeff, I take the story as a reminder not so much of how arcane the rules can be but of how "different" pro golf & golfers are from the game as we understand it.

[Mark Steffey]

your handicap is WAY too high for a former touring pro who is so young .   you may find yourself invited to a m/g here or there!

[William_G]

Yep, I didn't notify my playing partners.  They were over 150 yards away.  

Just some more incite to me, the officials came up to to me on the range the next morning after I had signed my card.  Asked me what happened, I had no idea I had broken a rule, I knew I was allowed to determine the ball had been damaged, didn't know I had to verbally announce it.  I told them what happened and then they called me over to tell me I was DQ'd.  They told me that I had to announce my intentions when marking the ball.  I quickly responded, what if I was mute?  My playing partners were 150 yards away! Obviously, I couldn't  argue my way out of this one, but it was pretty petty for one of my playing partners to call that on me after the round was over and I turned in my card, instead of at the scoring tent, where I wouldn't have been DQ'd.
 

Weird...playing partners obviously were pretty petty, LOL..who were they?   

[Ronald Montesano]

I can't find mention of the 9 holes in one nor the handicap anywhere. Where do you guys come up with this information?

[Colin Macqueen]

Ronald,

"First, I am up to 10 holes in one .."

Reply #5 by David

[George Pazin]

Ronald,

"First, I am up to 10 holes in one .."

Reply #5 by David

But how did Mark B know about the 9? I know Mark seems to know everything, but I didn't realize he kept track of everyone's aces!

-----

David, what was it like to play against Danny Lee? Are you surprised he hasn't made much noise since his Am win?

If you win the Mid-Am, can I caddy for you at Augusta?

[Mark Bourgeois]

Not just aces; four-color, offset printing processes, too.

[RJ_Daley]

David, any overseas golf, competitive or golf trip w/freinds? 

Since PGA is still recent, have you played many Pete Dye courses, and your favorites?

Also, do you separate your golf tastes in architecture-design from competitive venues to rounds for pure enjoyment.  Any comments on that aspect of your preferences?

Yup, like Colin states, we can come up with a question to follow every answer! 

[Jason Topp]

David:

Thanks for participating!

1.  Best golf trip?
2.  Your top 10 courses?
3.  Any unique preferences with respect to design and/or conditioning for competitive play?
4.  Best area for golf you have visited?
5.  Dodgers, Angels or another team?
6.  Worst traffic experience?
7.  LA or Palm Springs for golf?

[David Davis]

David having been a pro I'm curious as to what you think about this statement:

 In terms of playing levels the difference between a 36 hcp and a scratch player is about equal to the difference between a scratch player and a successful tour pro.

I'm overlaying my past tennis life onto golf in saying this and have to laugh every time I hear someone say wow you're a 1,2,3,4,5,6 hcp you're almost pro. Do you think that's about accurate or do you think the difference between scratch and pro is much greater?

You're a decent Google researcher, I'm concerned about the fact that you live single amongst a state full of California girls and your children are unaccounted for.