Nice write-up. I enjoy reading Fried Egg Golf Club reviews about courses like Olde Salem Greens. Is this the first SVK review?

How scruffy can a course be to retain its strategic and architectural value? Examples might be wild contours but stimp readings of 5, or creative bunkers but they’re technically waste areas . . .. .

More of an idea than a question here, local 9 hole goat track next to me in TN but has good bones. Opened in 1920’s. I’d like to into turn it into a physical “Fried Egg Golf Club”. Could community source it to do the routing, shaping, etc. Would take a lot of planning but every great idea started somewhere, right? FEGC members play for free!

What are your thoughts on sneaking onto elite private courses? I am a non descript looking 40 year old dude and find I can walk into any club in my city and use there practice facilities without a second look. I also recently snuck onto an old money top 20 in the USA after a thunderstorm and played 12 holes teeing off on their 4th behind the clubhouse. When I was a kid I took pride in sneaking onto whatever I could. But now as I age should I have more respect for these clubs … should I “have some shame”? Or if I cant get on after exhausting the normal avenues should I continue to sneak on?

I keep thinking about public golf and “shrink the game.” How we actually solve the jam for tee times and crappy courses charging a million dollars for 4 minute intervals. Impossible question, but any ideas on where would you start? I feel like we have plenty of courses, just not plenty of interesting accessible courses? Everyone can probably name 10 courses near them that they have no interest in playing again, which stinks.

I know Ive asked this elsewhere to Garrett. Is there a definitive list for "types" of courses? Ie links, parkland, heathland, mountain, desert, headland, sandbelt, etc? Should there be more or sub categories? In the midwest we love calling a treeless course links-style, which is a small pet peeve (usually more wetland or prairie ground). What are NE sandhills, WI sand based, NC sand based? Maybe Im getting too deep in the woods but just curious.

The modern driver is easy to hit and modern metals are about the same size as persimmon drivers of old. Rather than adding 100’s of yards to scale up classic courses, maybe architects should develop strategies to take the driver out of play for elite players. Modern drivers make the game less interesting at the highest levels of the game.

I recently found out that there's a "Perry Maxwell design" about 3 hours from me at Kentucky Dam State Park. I can't find much information about the course online, but from the pictures I've been able to find, it certainly looks like any Maxwell has been scrubbed from it. I will be making an effort to go play it this year but my question is when does a course become so far removed from it's architectural beginnings that it can no longer be credited to that architect? Also, any info on this course would be great!

Besides the Old Course, what Scottish courses have had the most influence on golf courses in the US?

Shoutout to Don Placek the GOAT!