I like where the money is going:
The chief beneficiary is the Clearview Legacy Foundation, whose mission is to preserve the legacy and facilities at Clearview Golf Club, in Ohio, the only course in the country built, owned and operated by an African-American.
Agreed. I had missed that when I first made the post. I was wondering where all the $ was going. Maybe I should do a seminar next year and give all the proceeds to charity?
If indeed the participants all look at it like a baseball fantasy camp, no problems here. I doubt that will happen, though. I'm betting it's our dentist from Hooper and other guys who will try to use it as a credential, like I've seen some people use the week-long Harvard course . . . and if that's what happens, I'm surprised ASGCA is giving people the credential.
Honestly, though, my main take is that the seminar is aimed at poseurs rather than actual students. I still remember that, as much help as I got in my youth from everyone else in the greater world of golf, the ASGCA were the outliers . . . they were no help at all, not encouraging in the slightest. [Not that that should reflect on current members.] That's the real reason I never wanted to join. I'd rather put my money toward our internships.
TD,
I see the ASGCA the same as you. Foundations can raise a lot of money.
Read carefully. "chief beneficiary" does not mean all profits go to that charity. And where you would offer "all of your proceeds" to a charity, I don't see that mentioned here. Foundations are interesting... Associations such as PGA and GCSAA and USGA all have foundations as do clubs like ASGCA also. A 501c3 is only required to distribute around 5% each year I think. It's a great vehicle for absorbing expenses and in the case of family foundations, it's a great way to give the "challenged kid" a job and keep him out of the company business. I've watched it in a foundation I serve on for the last few years.
Tom,
Posers? Not sure what that means in this context unless we admit everyone here is one of those. That said, yes, this is more for affluent golf architecture buffs who want a unique experience. It would be great to find a way to get this out to others, and we may still. If we end up with 16 green chairs out of 14,800 courses that want to learn to be more ornery, that is a chance we take. It could also work out that they have more appreciation for what goes into a design. We actually have had one response where a club wants to gift it to their pro or super as an Xmas bonus, another where a guy asked if he could buy a spot for his child, maybe even taking it together as a nice father-son experience.
If a younger person takes it as one of many learning experiences that might lead to an industry job, then so be that as well. We don't discriminate! While I don't see a young associate taking it, there might be some value, i.e., working for a firm with no routing experience, learning that there are different perspectives than those offered by their employer, etc. But, it is not the main focus that we envisage.
Mike,
Leave it to you to cast this as some dark, sinister plot! We are being transparent that this year's main recipient is Clearview, and that others are on the horizon. We have no damaged kids we are trying to employ or anything like that. Just because you think you know of a few shady foundations doesn't mean they are all like that......we are frankly trying to raise enough money to widen good works, like most legit Foundations.