Mike Clayton
Stephanie,
I'm probably around those dates. Lloyd Cole has a concert in Melbourne on the 17th - if you're into his music. He also has one on Hobart - I think added just so he can play 7MB!
We pretty much live at St AB now - a mile down the road from the course - so let's play on the 25th. I assuming you're playing at Portsea?
0417 853 835.Give me a call when you get here.
Link to commentBrian Decker
I have always enjoyed whenever your work wades into the realm of media criticism, since you’ve worked at both legacy media and independent shops. How has your ability to develop relationships with subjects and sources changed, if at all, since being at FEG and NLU vs. The Sun or ESPN?
Link to commentGarrett Morrison
Re: #2 — in Joseph's defense, he thinks and talks about the "game design" aspects of a course very frequently.
Link to commentMike Ihm
Its a part of the package, we added Eden also. Everyone Ive ever talked to who has played it, including brother and buddy say it is not even close to a 0. Hoping its not wet.
Link to commentBen Denison
Piggybacking to say that making a course interesting architecturally and challenging to pros these days is so difficult (and hamstrung by rules enforced by tour on course setup) that I do not pity anyone trying to do it. From watching, I'd take Toronto over Minneapolis any day, though!
Link to commentBen Denison
Make sure to add the famous Doak 0 when you're in Scotland!
Link to commentKevin Merfeld
To me, a good course asks golfers interesting questions in a variety of interesting ways. The best also enhance the 4-plus hours you are spending in nature in a way that is unique to that site.
Of course, asking PROS interesting questions in a variety of interesting ways is incredibly challenging today. The best tournament courses ask the best players in the world to show off their world-class skills. (Wind and firm conditions greatly enhance this.) The worst ask a question that everyone has already solved for, and leave little room for the game’s best to show off their genius through shotmaking and high-variance recovery shots.
So I wouldn’t necessarily ask if a course is bad. I would look at what the course is asking.
Link to commentMatthew Schoolfield
I can’t say whether I agree or not (I’ve never played the course), but I will say that my thoughts course ratings lend themselves to your takes.
1. There is no accounting for taste.
2. People rate courses after a few plays at most. This, by definition, ignores nuances unless they’ve been explained by a member/regular.
3. You are specifically talking about game design aspects of the course, a topic mostly glossed over or at most treated as secondary to shaping these days.
I’m fine with haters, as long as the framing is “I think it’s bad” and not “it is bad,” because people appreciate different things.
Link to commentMike Ihm
Well put together. I think bad is always an aggressive term for courses. Very few are true Doak 0s. Even the worst courses have some merit. I'm sure there are better synonyms to use.
I haven't played the course and honestly didn't watch much of the tourney last year. I do remember the comical aerials with bunker Cs dotting the landscape. I think where everyone tends to fall on TPCs, Joneses, Fazes, Nicklaus, etc, is that they tend to be fast food, edible but lacking. Copy paste deep bunkers on inside of doglegs and fronting flatter occasionally tiered dartboard greens. What "tests" pros for non-majors is typically not interesting because of the sameness pros prefer.
I would guess why it gets so much crap, its hosting a historic National Open and is held to a higher standard.
Hoping the new tour schedule starts to force interesting varied venues.
Link to commentBrent Accurso
How are you navigating golf parenthood with a pretty skilled junior golfer?
Link to commentStephanie Martone
Mike, hi! Will be in Melbourne March 15-20 and Sorrento March 21-25 before heading down to Tasmania. If your schedule allows, would love to coordinate. Right now have St. Andrews Beach scheduled for the 25th but should definitely have flexibility to shuffle things around.
Link to commentJordan Smith
This is a really interesting insight. Great write up as always.
I agree that spring 2027 could be a massive opportunity for the tour. I also have to imagine that baseball fans would be the easiest sports fans to convert to golf. Baseball is another slow paced, low action, high skill/mental game (relative to basketball/football/hockey).
Link to commentCullen Robbins
I would think the problem with allowing play during the winter would be lack of predictability? People can’t plan trips there based on the random days of decent weather, so unless they just open it up to “local” members or allow daily fee (which seems very unlikely), I don’t know how they would do it.
Link to commentStephen Gronsbell
Hi everyone! I’m 42 with little interest in fighting. I live in Buford and grew up in Marietta.
Grew up mostly as a baseball player but played some AJGA (the real AJGA-Atlanta). Spent a lot of time at Legacy, Fox Creek, Marietta City, and Indian Hills. Was lucky to have friends at Atlanta Country Club, and worked the Bellsouth Classic before it moved to Sugarloaf.
I was a member at Hamilton Mill CC for ~5 years but resigned last fall for a variety of reasons. Now enjoying the freedom of playing wherever I want, without the guilt of playing away from my home course. I’ve really enjoyed playing The Chimneys a few times recently. Their conditioning has been outstanding since getting a new GM from Chateau. It’s a far cry from when it was the backup/drinking option when I was at UGA.
I’m new to FEGC and excited to be around other like-minded golf sickos!
Link to commentStephen Gronsbell
First Fried Egg event and first time at 👀 out ⛰️ !
Link to commentDavid Wellen
Unrelated to any of your work, is there an outside-the-box life goal you have (e.g., being a Jeopardy contestant, climbing a mountain, etc.)?
Link to commentRichard Hefter
4th…just a great course for the price point. If you can somehow find a way on to Flint Hills National it is a ton of fun.
Link to commentZachery Mraz
Will this potential lockout help or hurt TGL? Are the small market TGL teams gonna demand a salary cap?
Link to commentMike Clayton
Stephanie,
I might be there in March - but if you're coming to Melbourne let me know. Maybe play St Andrews Beach?
Link to commentJoshua Lambert
Any looks into doing a FEGC Australia/NZ trip?
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