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Lakewood Golf Club (AL)
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Lawsonia (WI)Winner was Lawsonia! I can’t wait to go back there some day. What a treat.
I attended the Wisconsin “Cheesehead” event in June and hosted the New Orleans “Big Easy” event two weeks ago. Here are a few thoughts.
1) My Wisconsin trip was incredible! It was great spending a few days walking with people I had not seen in a few years. The golf courses were fantastic. My golf was horrendous. Which leads me to my second point.
2) Its about the fellowship! Yes, it’s a golf trip so we all like great golf courses and we all like to play well when we travel. I believe these trips should have a different mindset and order of priorities than a typical golf vacation. It should be viewed as an opportunity to meet and make friends with other like minded people in a different part of the country. These new friends can then expand your options for other golf trips in the future. I’ve travelled solo to TWGS events for this purpose and I believe it’s enhanced my experience. I encourage others to do the same.
3) Host an event! I was very apprehensive to do so. I’m so glad I did. I was worried that the golf courses in New Orleans would have people disappointed. The reality is that we had a great time, people enjoyed their stay, and I was able to show off New Orleans for what we are typically known for with the food and entertainment. Unless everyone lied to me, I think I had a unanimous vote of success. It was an incredibly gratifying experience. I look forward to having another in the future.
4) Memorable moment/Teaching Opportunity:
If we want to promote Walking and show that it is “better”, we need to be able to demonstrate that. Here’s a case in point. Our first round at Lawsonia Links began with some theatrics. Here’s the story:
When we checked in we had five. We were told that Lawsonia would allow a group of five to go off; but, starter was very militant about it and would check on us regularly. We arrived on the 1st tee to hear a prepared speech by the starter making it clear that we would be allowed to play as five at his discretion and how he would handle breaking up the group when we feel behind. I stepped up and fired back him, “At the end of our round, I want you to tell me who is holding up the group in front; and, I’ll bet you it’s not us!” On the third hole, he rode over the hill in his cart to see all of us leaning on our clubs waiting to hit. On #5, when he saw all of us waiting to hit into the par five, he rode up to me and said, “Alright, you were right!” We just smiled and shrugged back at him. Needless to say, he did not follow us around after that. We actually had a couple other spots during the round where we had brief waits. Nothing bothersome, it just proved that we were exactly in position the entire 18 holes.
That’s an opportunity that all of us can take advantage of when we walk. Set that example, change minds and perceptions, use it as a way to invite others to try walking.Tom, great topic! When I was in Austin, TX a couple years ago I played with a gentleman who had his Springer Spaniel with him. The dog was fantastic and to be honest, the dog made the round more interesting. When making the turn, a woman on the porch of the clubhouse yelled down to us, “hey mister this is a golf course, not a dog park. why don’t you take your dog where it belongs!” I immediately responded, “I’ve been with this dog for 2 hrs now; and, you have just made more noise and interrupted my round more than the dog! Congrats!” Everyone on the first tee, the putting green and the groups making the turn had a chuckle.
I’ve never tried it here. I can’t imagine it would go well. I do love the idea though. As long as the owners are responsible enough to pick-up after the pet.Craig Moore, well put. I agree with you completely and will add the problem of developers wanting to sell everyone “golf course” property to maximize profit. This forces the designers to stretch a property and add much of what is not needed so that everyone has there own private and secluded view of a golf course.
Lastly, you mention Pros and Supers leading the charge with knowledge. I’ll push back a little on that point. Pros are now glorified facility managers or corporate hacks that are bounced around to salute company flag and/or grow the “brand”. Many no longer teach, own the pro shop, or have much stroke at the club they manage. The supers could lead with knowledge; but, how many of them have enough job security or excess cash in there budget to make the changes needed.
Perhaps the supers and pros can plea to the course designers to change the direction of developments.
Either way, we are a very tiny minority of the current golf population that needs to become a much louder voice. I take it as a personal responsibility to tell every golfer I connect with about the wonderful aspects of walking. That’s the first step to making people aware of the course changes we advocate. People flying around in carts, playing radios, smoking cigars, and drinking beers don’t appreciate anything between shots, or the routing.Mr. Morrow, I agree with everything you mention with 100% convictio but I must add one caveat… when applicable. If a property is available with the attributes you mention I fully believe that your points should be followed to the letter. However, much of the land here does not allow that. It’s just not the reality of the situation. Let me explain.
We have trees! Lots and lots of trees in much of the undeveloped property that could become golf courses. We also have lots of property covered in grasses that are unsuited for golf. Or, we have property that is lowland and needs to be filled in places to create the playable portion of the property while also creating natural drainage. Having trees or lowland should not give permission to create a contrived concept such as TPC Sawgrass and the like. It does allow a conscience designer to use his artistic talents to create something that blends well and works with the natural setting. Sometimes, it’s a conflicting presentation that makes the experience enjoyable.
One example that is front of mind is Sweetens Cove in Tennessee. It was once a field or pasture at the bottom of a valley in the mountains. On a foggy morning, when the mountains are not visible, one could easily mistake their location as somewhere like a links. It was completely created from an artistic vision and concept. It’s completely unnatural yet feels completely natural and organic.
Other examples include inland courses, on great property, where trees were removed only to make fairways and green complexes. These are very common and make for wonderful golf experience. The trees that shape the holes were there. The artistry is not in what is built but rather how little is removed to give us a golf course.
Many of us appreciate true links and wish it were more available here. My response to you is not to create dissent or disagreement with you. I just ask that you recognize and give legitament value to other ways of achieving the same goals. God didn’t make the entire earth a links so we need to develop what we have.That’s great for you to have such land to work with. The one major problem with your point is that God did not make all Coast land such as that. Where I live, if we leave the land as God created it we would get this:
http://www.compass-points.com/iom_images/BigBranchMarsh.jpg
When you figure out how to make a golf course out of that without using art, science, architecture, and moving dirt, please let me know.Too many shots to hit on the back 9 for me to look elsewhere. 17 might be the only hole on the back that I don’t have a particular shot I’d like to try. I know it’s cliche but I don’t care, I’m going back 9.
The “country club” is no longer very common. The trend for decades has been to build courses for golfing communities. This forces the routing to cover much more acreage as developers can sell an exponentially higher number of lots with course access. In my opinion, this has been the death kneel of golf. We no longer offer kids the opportunity to walk onto golf courses after school or in the summer like we did in years past. It seems the only modern courses being built to support the walking golfer are tournament courses and few resorts. Unfortunately, I don’t see this trend changing. If the demand was there we would see it supplied.
