Non-binding Referendum - Form of the New Confidential Guide

[Peter Pratt]

Tom,

I prefer the big pretty book with lots of photos and an on-line, updatable accompaniment.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Just an additional note for any who may have missed it:

"A" and "B" would have to exclude any Doak rating under 5... For me, this takes away the essence of the book and probably the most valuable part of it... i.e. Having a respected eye give us a different angle from normal sales / magazine blurb and rate a course that most everyone else in the industry rates too highly....

Without this aspect, the guide loses its appeal.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

I am reminded of a point Tom made when we completely re-wrote World Atlas of Golf. He pointed out that the golf courses in the original 1976 edition had changed more in the 30 years since first publication than they had in the previous 75 years. It's a trend that doesn't look like slowing down.

[Patrice Boissonnas]

Hello Tom,

I would go for A with a limited selection of courses (grade 6 and higher) and E so that the most passionate of us can read your views on all the courses you've seen.

[jeffwarne]

I am wrestling with how best to present the new edition of The Confidential Guide.

There are so many courses to include that if I try to fit everything in one book, and include some pictures, it will become one of those Encyclopedic books that you can't even pick up.  (The last edition was close to my weight limit, and there are many many more courses to include this time around.)  Not sure I want to go there.

So, if you had a vote, which of these forms do you think would be best?

(a)  A single color-photo edition like the 1996 Sleeping Bear Press edition, large and heavy and pretty

(b)  All one edition, but no photos, to keep down size and cost (like the 1994 limited edition)

(c)  Multiple regional editions (2 or 3 or 4), color w/photos

(d)  Multiple regional editions (maybe as many as 10-12), no photos, trying to keep them pocket-sized to carry on travels

(e)  Not a book, but a CD or online subscription access, so there is space to search for everything and room for as many photos as I have.  Updatable in the future.


For (a) and (b) the courses scoring below 5 on the Doak scale would have to be excluded due to space constraints.  For other options, there would be room for every course I've ever seen, and then some!

Please vote for one or two choices you prefer.  And, please note, this is what they call in politics a "non-binding referendum"

A or C if needed, but would want it to include ALL courses played, with selective pictures to make a point or sell the book.

Some of my favorite courses I've played you rated 2-4, and would be a shame not to share all you have seen, with the disclaimers about when you saw them last (a la Portsalon)
Some of the best and most interesting courses aren't "rated" highly by Doak or anyone else, but your commentary is still noteworthy and valuable.

If I want a list of 6's or 7's or higher I can just go to Top 100 list somewhere

History has already shown people will pay.
Could be the best Guidebook/golfbook ever.
I love coffee table books, and the avergage golfer does  as well.
I've seen and bought some pretty big ones, and wouldn't be adverse to buying my biggest one yet.

I can't imagine taking smaller versions around with me, as I would assume research would be done PRIOR to any trip you might take.

There are so many online resources, I'd say online would devalue the product as well as out of sight out of mind.
Wouldn't be a bad addition after the initial coffe table size though.

[R Yonce]

D

I'm a bit old-fashioned, and in my opinion, nothing beats having a hard copy book in your hands. I realize that most resources are going digital, but in the case of this and other golf course arch books, I'd much rather physically read them than stare at a computer screen any more than I have to. 

Photos don't really do anything for me. Isn't the point of this book about traveling and physically seeing courses anyways? If I am going to read about this book, I am more interested in the content anyways. (If I really want to see a photo, I can search for and see many on the internet).

Definitely releasing regional/international editions would probably work out best. Possibly even offering a discounted price if one were to buy all of them at once, kind of a like a package deal?

[Rich Goodale]

I am reminded of a point Tom made when we completely re-wrote World Atlas of Golf. He pointed out that the golf courses in the original 1976 edition had changed more in the 30 years since first publication than they had in the previous 75 years. It's a trend that doesn't look like slowing down.

Mark (and Tom)

That's a catchy post, but I'm not at all sure that the premise is correct, particularly since "the previous 75 years" takes us back to 1901when most of the great courses had not fully (if at all) responded to the massive change in design requirements engendered by the introduction of the Haskell ball. (the patent for the rubber-cored ball was granted in 1899, and significant production did not get under way until 1901 or so).

Tom

More intriguing to me is to what degree your standards for rating golf courses (the parameters articulated in the "Doak Scale") have changed in those years since you first read the original World Atlas of Golf and took your salad days trip(s?) to the UK in the early 80's?  For example, the standard "worth the journey" means a very different thing to a person in their 50's vs. one in their 20's (not to mention the even greater difference to one in their teens vs. one drawing Social Security....).  Or more simply, in the new book, could you tell us to what degree any changes in individual course ratings are based on changes in the course vs. changes in your criteria?  Thanks.

Rich

PS--I'd vote for B.  As Mark has said, the more you complicate the content with pretty pictures and fancy fonts and glossy paper the more you stray from substance into form.  Do you want your chef d'oeuvre to be serious reading or eye candy?

rfg

[BCrosby]

"C"

It's important to retain the snarkiness of the CG. That tone was unprecedented and played a big role in the popularity of the original book. That tone was most often directed at lower ranked courses. For that reason it is very important that those courses are included.

A series of well produced regional books would give you the headroom to cover bad courses. Plus, books are special objects in ways that CD's will never be. Books age, develop a patina and become collectible. That they will become dated some day is a feature not a glitch. It is part of their appeal. As is the case with the current CG.

Bob

[R Yonce]

Don't get me wrong, photos are great.... but If I am to see a course for the first time, I will take many of my own photos anyways, which ultimately makes the photos in the book more or less void spaces that could have been better used to describe more courses.

[Mike Schott]

Tom, I wore out my Sleeping Bear Press edition flipping through it so much. The improvements I'd like to see are more details of the non-Doak 10 or highlighted courses and this would be best executed by having regional versions. Along with this, an online subscription version could be offered that includes all of your course ratings.

[J_ Crisham]

Tom,   C would be nice with a good deal of pictures- 3 or 4 seperate geographical areas would be about right. If you chose 4 I could have 1 in each of my bathrooms Great place for serious architectural enlightenment!

[Matthew Petersen]

C or E would have my vote

[Brett Hochstein]

C or E, with a lean towards E and the future

More photos the better, especially for the courses that you just may never get to in a lifetime.  I usually find photos a stronger lure to actually get out and see something too, but that could just be me.

[Jud_T]

For (a) and (b) the courses scoring below 5 on the Doak scale would have to be excluded due to space constraints.  For other options, there would be room for every course I've ever seen, and then some!

Nonsense.  Here it is in all 1728 pages of glory...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/listing/2686414129100?r=1&cm_mmca2=pla&cm_mmc=GooglePLA-_-Book-_-Q000000633-_-2686414129100

[John Foley]

A & E

I think in the long run doing E keeps it's future alive to change an / or amend.

AS someone who is a book-phile A would be great!

[Brian Ross]

Like many, it seems, I prefer options C and E.

Ideally, it would be a combination of the two.  Despite the ascension and ease of use of the tablet, there is still much to enjoy about possessing a hard copy of a work.  Many of the technologically-savvy, myself included, find much joy in collecting hard copies of golf course architecture's great works. 

Option C would be a great series for the collector, allowing coverage of ALL the courses you've seen, 0-10.   I would be disappointed with the exclusion of all courses below a "5".  I believe the average enthusiast can learn just as much about golf course architecture from exploring why a 2 is a 2 as they can from why a 10 is a 10, with much less need for "access." 

Ignoring the elephant in the room (aka technology), would be a missed opportunity, IMO.  Echoing many responses, my iPad makes for a much more handy travel companion than a book does and I, for one, would certainly purchase the combination package, if offered.

I think the fair way to market this combination would be to offer Option E as a complimentary add-on to the purchase of Option C, while also allowing for the purchase of Option E without the purchase of Option C for those who could care less about the hard copy.  Obviously, the C+E combo would be more costly than E-only.  I would resist double charging the hard-copy buyer who also wants the online edition, though. 

[Mark Smolens]

A or C, with a companion E that has ALL courses you've done. Access to E could be included with the purchase of A/C or additional.

I like large books.

Ryan Simper, the Sir Mix-a-Lot of gca?

I like the ability to upgrade or revise a review that you'd get with an electronic version. Not necessarily because your opinion might change, but more likely because a course has been changed. Surely your views/rating of the South Course at Olympia Fields would be different today than it was ten years ago. And how about a place like Dismal River? I've only played it in its current configuration (and loved it!), but there can be no dispute that in its original form there were lots of differing opinions.

[HarryBrinkerhoffDoyleIV_aka_Barry]

B - that way you have something to travel with, and read while on airplane, driving in car from one destination to another.  It is great food for thought and discussion material when on long road trips traveling from course to course.
E - love the idea of lots of pictures (as I don't think one or two pictures ever really do a course justice), and every course under the sun.  Also love the idea of a searchable database.

[Bob Jenkins]

Tom,

I would go for A or C but also have E.

Gotta have pics! Thanks and I look forward to seeing the new Guide. I have the '96 version which I check often.

Bob

[Bill Seitz]

How about A, with E as an insert with updates, etc.

This would be my choice as well.  I like the big version as a coffee table book, but I think a web version, optimized for mobile devices, would be perfect for traveling and a fantastic web reference.

[Jim Sherma]

I am wrestling with how best to present the new edition of The Confidential Guide.

There are so many courses to include that if I try to fit everything in one book, and include some pictures, it will become one of those Encyclopedic books that you can't even pick up.  (The last edition was close to my weight limit, and there are many many more courses to include this time around.)  Not sure I want to go there.

So, if you had a vote, which of these forms do you think would be best?

(a)  A single color-photo edition like the 1996 Sleeping Bear Press edition, large and heavy and pretty

(b)  All one edition, but no photos, to keep down size and cost (like the 1994 limited edition)

(c)  Multiple regional editions (2 or 3 or 4), color w/photos

(d)  Multiple regional editions (maybe as many as 10-12), no photos, trying to keep them pocket-sized to carry on travels

(e)  Not a book, but a CD or online subscription access, so there is space to search for everything and room for as many photos as I have.  Updatable in the future.


For (a) and (b) the courses scoring below 5 on the Doak scale would have to be excluded due to space constraints.  For other options, there would be room for every course I've ever seen, and then some!

Please vote for one or two choices you prefer.  And, please note, this is what they call in politics a "non-binding referendum"

I think the answer has to lie with the final purpose of the book. If the goal is to compete in the marketplace as a coffee table book then (a) has to be the answer. If the goal is to have a reference book, my preference, then the answer would be (b/c) although I my preference for a fuller version that keeps the 0-5 rated courses in it probably mandates (c).

From a business standpoint I would think that the best choice would be a combination of (a) with a version of (e) for the geeks amongst us. The online/cd component could be included in the coffee table book's cost or be availale seperately.

Personally, there are plenty of photos available in the world and the real value added of the Confidential Guide is clearly in the writing and the pictures would just increase the heft of the book.

Based on these musings my vote would be for (b) with a living version (e) on the web that is available as a subscription service, access should be included with the book purchase. I do a significant amount of my reading while lying in bed and reasonable sized books are just better for that.

[Michael George]

Tom:

I believe with new media, we are a content driven society now.  Pictures can be found on the internet very easily.  My guess is that people will be purchasing your book for your opinions, not the pictures.  Accordingly, I would pick (b) - so long as it includes all courses.  The more courses in the Guide, the better.

However, if maximing sales revenue is the goal, which it usually is for publishers, I would go with the regional productions as you will sell more books.  Daniel Wexler recently went with option (b) in his Private Club Guide and followed it up with regional productions.  

Also, I think you do item (e) regardless what option you choose. 

Good luck.  I will buy it in any form.

[Bill Crane]

Put me down for ( e ).
  
I have really enjoyed Wayne Morrison’s “The Nature Faker”  about William Flynn and the courses he designed and built, and I find myself going back to it periodically.  It is in a CD.

An online version would be super since it could be upgraded on a continuous basis and serve as fascinating reference.

My second choice would be ( c ).


Wm Flynnfan

[Carl Nichols]

In my view, the more courses the book covers, and the more photos, the better.  So I vote for E, but not a website or something that's accessible only when one is online.  Instead, I'd do either (1) an electronic book available for reading on kindles/ipads/nooks (so that it can be downloaded onto the relevant device and accessed anywhere) or (2) an app.  Even electronic books can now be read by people who don't have those devices, so I'd vote for E(1) first. 

[SL_Solow]

Tom;  As you know, I have them both.  The second is prettier but no more informative.  I would be happy with any of the formats although I confess to a weakness for real books; showing my age I suppose.  For me the real question is what are your goals for the book and how much time do you want to spend?  If the objective is to sell the most copies, I suspect that pictures will be important regardless of format.  If you intend to update the material periodically, the digital version is probably best.  But if you don't plan on making a career out of course criticism and continue to devote your time to designing and building courses, that feature may be unimportant.  Its your time and effort in question, we should all happily defer to your preference notwithstanding your inquiry.