My name is Jeff Blume, and I think I might be remiss in that I was so intrigued by the discussions involving the Old Course renovations that I forgot to introduce myself. Seeing other newbies create a thread of introduction made me aware of my fauxpas. Anyway, I am a golf course architect based in Houston. I began my career with Jeff Brauer in the late 1980's and continued with Robert von Hagge until 1997. In that year I started my own firm. Most of my work since opening my own shop has been in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma, although I did do a new course in China last year. I did alot of international work with von Hagge, mostly in Mexico and Japan (in conjunction with Mike Smelek, Rick Baril and Kelly Moran). I learned a great deal about golf course design from Jeff and Robert, and consider myself lucky to have worked with such talented individuals. Kelly was actually the first architect to introduce me to the profession by letting me come and visit the von Hagge offices when I was in school. As Rick stated in his introduction, I too am a card carrying member of the ASGCA and have met alot of good people and established many good friendships in that organization. Lester George and I got in the same year, and I have had many interesting and informative conversations with Ian Andrew (whom I consider the Moosehead drinking, hockey playing, Canadian version of the most interesting man alive).
I find it refreshing to read the opinions on this site (whether I agree with them or not), and think that the debate and dialog is a healthy thing for the creation and/or preservation of great golf course architecture (realizing of course that greatness is in the eye of the beholder).