Butler above Shoreacres?!? Come on...
Spring Hill at #100....sure..............................
I received a note from Steve and Derek with a screenshot of my comment above which they understandably not happy with.
I let them know that I didn't think I am a good fit for their current panel and I decided it was best I step away.
Golf Digest's list (or any ranking that matter) was never "perfect" but it is a shame to see the direction the list and the overall quality of the panel as gone. I hung around on the panel as I was hopeful that Derek, whom I respect, would attempt to make a positive impact on the quality of the list/panel but I'm not seeing it. As others have noted, the guy who pays $1,300 to get on the panel they are already not in it for the right reasons and current list reflects that.
It's too bad as I had had some good times as a panelist and I always enjoyed the "evaluation" process. I never would have stopped into Cedar Rapids CC in ~2016 unless it was on the GD "best new renovation" candidates and I found time to stop in while driving through Iowa. And if I hadn't done that I wouldn't have met Vaughn and it probably would of taken us a couple of more years to become friends
I wish GD the best of luck. As Mr. Shelman said above, each list has their own flavor. My taste profile just happens to be much different than what they are serving these days.
Thanks PCC! The pleasure is all ours. We were having a great run at CRCC until the storm. The forensics are pretty clear and I can tie our buzz to a specific progression of evangelism by You, Jack Crisham, Joe Andriole, Shelman, Tom D, and Corey's Ross Super list, all on GCAtlas. Brad Klein, GW and the GolfWeek Top 100 Raters did a bucket ton of heavy lifting of our profile.
The world of GCA in general is in an interesting place. Though nobody wants to be stuck at the bar with us in the 19th Hole, demand has blazed a spotlight on good golf architecture. Classic and now even Modern golf course restoration is booming to the point that RFP shooting wars have broken out. Golf archies (and others) that used to eschew restoration are lobbing in bids.
Munys, resorts and clubs are sold out of tee times, weeks, months years in advance.
While I was a rater for "Magazine A", I had a fantastic time hosting Jim Franklin and Andy Troeger From "Magazine B". Pat, besides you, Ryan Hillenbrand, and the GCA crew, they were our first visiting panelists from "Magazine B", who were kind enough to come, way the hell out of the way, to Iowa because we had been added to their list. That meant a ton to us. It was a fantastic round of shared experiences, conversation and learned GCA chatter. But the conversation and ideas were informed with refreshing amounts of nuance.
Now, as I am a panelist for "Magazine C" (Not like I can hide it...), as unhinged as I can be, I will show restraint but share this opinion, as architectural appreciation continues to nudge into the mainstream, selection of any panelist representing a "List maker" needs to be as selective as it was when you and others we know joined the panel.
I am a veteran of what was a bloody restoration war. I'm not guessing about what it takes to restore a classic course. We are in the process of having to do it again. The best thing about BUDA's, Mashies and the Dixie is that they bring true GCA types together on neutral ground, raters, panelists and unaffiliated. What cranks me sideways is when a card carrying panelist waltzes onto my home course, the one with my blood splattered all over the land, and tries to tell me that "the only way to truly evaluate my course is from the tips". They embarrass themselves and trigger my GTFOH reflex.
Informed GCA/Rater/Panelist Opinions and Lists have ValueWe are now in the first of a two year repair/renovation of our award winning restoration after last year's Derecho. Every Rater/Panelsit/Top100 visitor that played and shared their thoughts have made priceless and positive contributions to our current effort in some interesting ways:
1: Their/your recognition and appreciation of our investment has raised the golf IQ of our membership
(Other People's opinions and outsider thoughts carry weight and validation)
2: Though never as high as we would like it, that increased golf IQ has accelerated support for the drastic changes we need to make to the course based on the violence visited upon our entire property by Mother Nature.
3: The membership is proud of the previous work by Ron Prichard and Tom Feller and heartily supports the next iteration.
4: The first time, we had near fist fights and calls for resignation for "Ruining the Course" (Then a Donald Ross Tree Farm)
- There are members I still refuse to speak to other than cordially
5: Excellent investments in great golf architecture at places like Davenport (Alison/Forse/Nagle) and Harvester (Foster.. and Foster again)have benefited from proximity visits and platitudes.
In closing, I will go on record, again, I am in favor of the lists.
The people that fill out the ballots need to know what the f*** they are looking at.
(You knew I was gonna' snap somewhere in here. Plus I can't believe anybody would send hate mail to PCC, a member of the Mashie Committee?!?)