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"It is my own desire to unify
the BuffaloGolfer.Com community through the provision of unique and
useful golf web links on the internet. Each month I intend to
update this page with functioning hyperlinks to portals of golf
knowledge, wisdom, information and humor. If you know of a site
that merits inclusion, by all means send an email my way at
buffalogolfer@buffalogolfer.com.
Yours in cyber-golf,
Sandy Lie"
In January of 2006, Sandy Lie
stepped aside as BuffaloGolfer.Com added its first international
correspondent. Peter Heilmann's contributions emphasize the global
essence of the internet.
Click here for Peter's
The Wor(l)d of Golf searches.
Peter didn't
last too long and there was a clamor for four new golf sites a month.
It wasn't bedlam, just a clamor. Maybe a loud din. As a
result, in January of 2009, Sandy Lie was reborn!!!
And the saga continues. The internet is a cool, innovative place,
but the current trend is to move away from original sites toward video
and audio. That certainly doesn't help Sandy Lie's cause.
Fortunately for us, Dr. John Stamey does. Dr. Stamey is a
professor of computer science at Coastal Carolina University and the
writer of a weekly golf column. Sandy wants to give his column a
test run on BuffaloGolfer.Com, so read on and enjoy.
Guess what? John
bailed!! He hasn't been heard from in 12 months. Right now,
there's bedlam, or a clamor. Or a loud din, for Sandy Lie to be
reborn yet again!!!
Interested? Email us at buffalogolferATbuffalogolfer.com
Found a guy to write for a
while...goes by the name INDY...we'll see how this goes.
|
2010 Porter Cup Preview # 2: Have You
Seen This Field?
For those in the know regarding
amateur men's golf, being a Walker Cup year is often directly
related to strength of field in invitational golf tournaments.
Selection as one of ten young men to represent the USA versus
Great Britain and Ireland is monumental in the life of a college
golfer (at least until pretty girls and professional dollars come
a calling.) 2010 is NOT a Walker Cup year, although four
young men will represent the USA in the World Amateur Team
Championship this Fall. Despite the evenness of the year,
the strength of field at this
week's Porter Cup is quite noteworthy. Let's take a
look.
An, Byeong-hun of Bradenton, FL, the
2009 US Amateur champion;
Benjamin, Brad of Rockford, IL, the
2009 US Amateur Public Links champion;
Constable, Donald of Wayzata, MN, the
2010 North & South Amateur champion;
Hall, Gavin of Pittsford, NY, the
2010 Rochester District champion & the 2010 US Junior
quarterfinalist;
Henley, Russell of Macon, GA, tied
for 16th in 2010 US Open championship;
Hudson, Bobby of Memphis, TN, the
2010 Sunnehanna Amateur champion;
Jeong, Jin Busan of South Korea, the
2010 British Amateur champion and tied for 14th, 2010 British
Open;
Kim, Lion of Englewood Cliffs, NJ,
the 2010 US Amateur Public Links champion;
Liu, Jim of Smithtown, NY, the 2010
US Junior champion;
Merkulov, Yaroslav of Penfield, NY,
the 2009 NY State Junior and Men's Amateur champion;
Smith, Nathan of Pittsburgh, PA, the
2009 US Mid-Amateur champion & USA Walker Cup team member;
Uihlein, Peter of Orlando, FL, the
2010 Sahalee Players Champion and 2009 USA Walker Cup team member.
The list above counts the champions
of major national amateur events...a solid dozen players.
The remainder of the field is populated by chaps who garnered top
tens in the same events, played for collegiate teams at the D-1,
D-2 &
D-3 levels, and on and on. There's no better opportunity to
realize just HOW GOOD the best players in the game are than a day
spent at the Porter Cup in
Lewiston, New York. Admission is free and parking is
less than $5, with all proceeds going to a charitable foundation.
2010 Porter Cup Preview # 1: Flip The 9s?
The 2010 Porter Cup, the nation's
premier amateur stroke play event, is two weeks off in the near
distance. The usual corps of outstanding young amateur
golfers is prepared to solve the subtleties of the Niagara Falls
Country Club course in Lewiston, but they may be in for a bit of a
surprise.
Let's begin with Ben (Byeong Hun) An,
the reigning US Amateur champion. Still in high school when
he emerged as the last golfer standing at Southern Hills in Tulsa,
Oklahoma, An has had a quiet year of rule. He made the cut
at the PGA Tour's Verizon Heritage and finished 4th at the Jones
Cup. Otherwise, not much. Did he peek in Tulsa Town?
We'll find out in 16 days.
A fellow with something to
prove is Brad Benjamin. If you looked at his recent record
with an untrained eye, you might say "hmm, 2nd at the Northeast Am
and 3rd at Sunnehanna...pretty good." Perhaps, but not what
Benjamin ultimately wants. One bad round in each event (73
in the 3rd at Northeast, 73 in the 4th at Sunnehanna) did him in
as the eventual champions played just a bit more consistent golf,
just a bit better. This is the type of event that Benjamin
likes...will the course suit him and will he become its suitor?
Tune back in next fortnight.
Bobby Hudson, Donald
Constable, Peter Uihlein...recent summer amateur tour winners (Sunnehanna,
North & South and Sahalee Players, respectively.) Is any of
the three up to the task of winning a second event and vaulting to
the foreground of the chase for a spot on the USA World Amateur
Championship team? The 2010 US Amateur champ will be
guaranteed a spot, leaving three slots open for debate.
What all 79 contestants
might face for the first time is a par-four finishing hole.
Rumors around the escarpment have the membership playing the nines
in reverse order this year. If this is to be the case come
late July, anticipate a very different ending to the victory story
than in years past. While it's true that the same 18 holes
will still be played, four times around, by each player, it's the
nature of the potentially-new closing holes that makes the deal a
bit different. In the past, players came to the final four
holes with much to gain and even more to lose. Although the
15th was a driveable par four, it's horseshoe-shaped stream, steep
uphill approach and sloped green didn't reward the risk...replace
that hole with the old 6th and you have a similar, driver wedge
hole with a much more accessible and puttable green...birdie
becomes a reality. The 16th hole, that 215 yard, slightly
uphill beast, demanded a long or mid iron against unpredictable
winds. Miss it left and you were on the Robert Moses
Parkway; miss it right and sand was your fate. Contrast that
with the 7th hole, the one that Tiger aced and a good thirty yards
shorter. True, the green is smaller, but 180 yards is 7 iron
for these contestants. Get it on the small green and you're
guaranteed a run at a deuce. Until 2008, the comparison of 8
and 17 would have elicited giggles; 17 is one of the most daunting
par four holes in western New York. Uphill all the way, 460
yards of OB left, OB right, OB long and sand, ending at a green
that beguiles and befuddles. With the addition of a new tee
on #8, however, that average-length par four can now be stretched
to nearly 470 yards. With the big tree on the left and OB
right, new #17 would be nearly as demanding as its predecessor.
And what of the ultimate
hole? #18 has seen much tragedy over the years. From
Rafael Alarcon's wide-left down the parkway, to John Harris'
3-putt from 3 feet, the hole seemed to happen too quickly to be
the final chapeter in an epic volume. Not offering much
opportunity for birdie, #18 instead seemed to caution, "survive me
and you just might win." Number nine, on the other hand,
while extending to about 460 yards, is a driver-mid iron on a
typical day. And the green? Subtle, yes; tragicomic,
no. The odds are that a player needing birdie to tie or win
the Porter Cup lead on the final day is much more likely to find
it on this hole
So our vote is AY for the
change. Give it three years and see how it goes. Our
guess is that the contestants will rise to the occasion, making
2010 and beyond, memorable years for the Porter Cup.
(Editor's Note:
After an informative media day at Niagara Falls Country Club on
July 13th, we learned that the course will play as it has in years
past. The reversing of the nines was for members play
alone.)
May/June 2010--Opening of Seneca Hickory Stick in Lewiston
The last in a line of successful golf
course openings in western New York took place on Monday, June
28th, in Lewiston. A course that began in 2002 with the
opening of Arrowhead Golf Club in Akron, followed by the Links at
Ivy Ridge, Buffalo Tournament Club, Concord Crest, Diamond Hawk
and Ironwood, drew to a close this week with the unveiling of
Seneca Hickory Stick along the Robert Moses parkway.
A number of dignitaries,
including
Kevin W.
Seneca, Chairman, Seneca Gaming Corporation; Seneca Nation
President Barry E. Snyder, Sr., and Bruce Charlton, President of
Robert Trent Jones II (the golf course architects), attended the
opening. The course will be managed by Kemper Sports, with
Fran Roach (Director of Golf) and Gerry Doolittle (Superintendent)
serving lead on-site roles.
The golf course boasts the
first double green (a tradition in Scotland) in western New York,
merging the finishing points of the 9th and 18th holes. The
layout winds its way through wetlands dotted by the Shellbark
hickory tree, from which the course earns its name. Blessed
by Charlton as a "people's course," Hickory Stick will provide a
high-end golf experience at an affordable rate. Green fees
never top the $65 mark, with Lewiston residents receiving a 10%
discount at all times. For more information, visit the
course website at
http://www.senecahickorystick.com.
March/April 2010--PGAMagazine.Com versus The
Wire
Of late, I have received a flood of e-zines
from PGAMagazine.Com in one of my many inboxes. For years, I
utilized my e-subscription to The Wire (from
golfbusinesswire.com) for much of the industry information that
I couldn’t find on TravelGolf or any other site. I have a sense
that PGAMagazine.Com is ramping up efforts to take on The Wire
in a head-to-head, battle to the death.
I’m not sure that I’m a fan.
To begin, let’s take a quick look at the section headings that
The Wire has used for years to segment news in an easy-to-read
fashion:
Apparel, Business, Clubfitting, Courses, Facilities, Media,
People, Tours and Tournaments
Wander over to PGAMagazine.com and you find a
deceptively-smaller list:
Industry, Practices, From the PGA, From the Magazine.
The first heading breaks down into subtopics of:
Press, Financials, In the bag, Equipment and Apparel.
The second, into:
Teaching, Retailing, Travel, Women and Golf, Tournaments, Demo
Days.
Aye, I might be skeptical, but I definitely see this as an
attempt by the PGAMagazine.com folks to move in on some fertile
ground presently occupied by The Wire. How fertile? Consider the
advertising. I counted 7 sizeable ad tiles on The Wire, compared
with 13 much smaller ones in the PGAMagazine.Com e-zine. There
seemed to be little crossover between the two, leading me to
wonder how much revenue one might pull in if the balance shifted
to 80%-20% or higher…
Granted, some of the tiles might not be up-front payment type,
but rather, of the click-through or pay-per-purchase type. Being
an industry outsider, I often invent my own terminology, so bear
with me.
I did find an ace in the hole, however, in The Wire…the
connection with GolfWorld. Low down on the email is “Featured
News powered by Golf Week.” In the world of golfing magazine
giants, GolfWeek is solidly positioned as number three (behind
Golf Digest and Golf) and is the best of the lot, in my opinion.
That’s a strong ally to have, and one that The Wire will need in
order to stay alive.
June 2009: The Test Run
Continues
The
Internet Column: How to Win a Golf Tournament
By Dr. John Stamey
This week, we will look at some of the ways
to win tournaments on the PGA Tour. Five major categories of
techniques come to mind:
Just Do It: Tiger Woods simply lapped the
entire field in the 2000 US Open, ultimately winning the event by
fifteen strokes. RULE #1: If you destroy the field,
and the golf course, you can be a Tiger too.
Last Man Standing: Padraig Harrington won
his first Open Championship at Carnoustie in 2007 because Sergio
Garcia forgot to par the 18th hole, missing the green then missing
a 10 foot putt for par. Harrington took a miserable double bogey
on the 18th hole and made it to the 19th hole to claim his claret
jug. Harrington didn't particularly win - he was just the golfer
with the lowest score after the smoke cleared. RULE #2:
Work extra hard on those three-footers for double bogey can win an
Open Championship.
Acts of God and Other Miracles: There are
times when events beyond our control can change history. Here are
three examples that bit Greg Norman, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold
Palmer.
Larry Mize had an impossible 140 foot chip
at the 1987 masters. He was in a playoff with
Greg Norman who was 20 feet away from the hole. All Norman had to
do was continue
breathing and he would two-putt and win his second masters - until
Mize holed out
that impossible chip, forcing Norman to make his 20 footer to tie
and continue the playoff.
Needless to say, Norman missed and Larry Mize had his miracle
green jacket.
RULE #3: Always try to be in a playoff with Greg Norman.
The odds are in your favor.
Jack Nicklaus was being interviewed as he
had just concluded his last round in the 1982 US Open at Pebble
Beach. After 72 holes, Jack was tied with Tom Watson who was in
"jail" in the rough on the par three 17th hole. It was a sure bet
that Watson would make at least bogey and Nicklaus would have the
lead with Watson yet to play the brutal 18th hole at Pebble Beach
- until Watson holed out his chip to get that one shot lead of
Nicklaus he needed for victory. RULE #4: The flagstick can
stop your shot out of the rough.
Everyone remembers Johnny Miller's
fantastic 63 in the final round at Oakmont in 1973? That round
vaulted him past the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Lee
Trevino, and Arnold Palmer for his first US Open Crown. It's funny
that no one remembers that the sprinkler systems accidentally over
watered the greens early that Sunday morning. Earlier groups
benefited from the soggy greens which dried out as the later
pairings began playing. It was like throwing darts at a magnet as
Miller slammed the ball at the pin on a US Open course on the
fourth day. Most of his heroics took place on the front nine. He
was the leader in the clubhouse while Palmer and Nicklaus were
fighting those dried out greens later in the afternoon.
RULE #5: Have a friend that has a degree in mechanical
engineering.
Devil Is In the Details: One or two strokes
can make a huge difference in a major championship. Here are two
famous instances.
Roberto De Vicenzo is best remembered for
scorecard mishap on the 71st hole of the 1968 Masters. On that
fateful hole, playing partner Tommy Aaron recorded a par instead
of the birdie made by De Vicenzo. This score had to stand, once
signed off by De Vicenzo, causing him to miss a playoff with Bob
Goalby who was declared the winner.
RULE #6: Check your scorecard carefully before you sign it
(and of course never let Boo Weekley keep it - just ask Sergio
Garcia).
An extra driver most likely cost Ian
Woosnam his best shot at an Open Championship (British Open). When
his caddy found the 15th club in Woosnam's bag before teeing off
on the second hole a 2 shot penalty was recorded. While Woosnam
carded an even par round of 71, he recovered from a couple of
disastrous bogeys. He lost that Open Championship by four shots to
David Duval by four shots. RULE #7: Don't count on
your caddy to count your clubs - do it yourself before every
round.
Duel To The Death: Thanks for the memories
of the 2008 US open. This one took 91 holes to decide - and 19
holes for the playoff. Tiger and his knee defeated Rocco and his
son (who caddied for him) in a modern-day shoot out at the OK
Corral (right around the corner from Black's Beach - the original
nude beach in California). RULE #8: Don't play Tiger
Woods in an 18 hole playoff if you can avoid it.
There you have it - eight simple rules to
follow on your way to being a top player on the PGA Tour. Cheers.
--
Myrtle Beach Golf Conference
October 19-21, 2009
www.MyrtleBeachGolfConference.com
General Chair, Dr. John Stamey
Department of Computer Science
Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC
843-349-2552 /
jwstamey@coastal.edu
June 2009: Guest Test Run of a New
Column
The Golf Column: PLAYing Golf
By Dr. John Stamey
This week’s special guest author is Dr.
Barbie Norvell
Why do we play golf? In fact, the operative
word in that question is not golf, but it is the word PLAY. Play is
something we do naturally from birth. Dr. Stuart Brown is a famous
play expert and researcher, and is the the founder and director of
the National Institute of Play. He has characterized eight play
personalities in a new book "Play, how it shapes the brain, opens
the imagination and invigorates the soul." (Avery Press, 2009)
This week in The Golf Column, we will take a
look at reasons we like to PLAY golf. The idea for this week's
playful analysis of golf came from working with noted authority on
Early Childhood Education and play, Dr. Barbie Norvell from Coastal
Carolina University.
Back to our original question, "Why do we
play golf?" Some of us have realized that we will not be winning the
US Open any time soon. However, we religiously get out to the course
and play golf. What is the attraction to the game of golf? The eight
play personalities from Dr. Brown can give us insight into the
different reasons we love the game of golf.
Play Personality 1: The JOKER is the most
basic and extreme player. The Joker's play revolves around nonsense.
To this end, we can see that the golfer who wants to drive the
farthest, with complete disregard to score, or the golfer who wants
to hit the shortest club (an 8 iron when everyone else is hitting a
5 iron) is the consummate Joker.
Play Personality 2: The KINESTHETE is the
person who needs to move in order to think. Kinsthetes like to push
their bodies, many times, to the max. The typical golfer who is a
Kinsthete insists on playing 36 holes a day while on vacation, and
has no fear of playing in 104 degree weather when everyone else is
enjoying the Golf Channel (and a cool gin and tonic) in the 19th
hole.
Play Personality 3: The EXPLORER lives to
explore the world around himself or herself. Exploration can mean
physically going to new golf courses at every opportunity. It can
also mean mental exploration, being addicted to GolfChannel.com or
GolfAtlas.com and exploring new golf destinations and courses that
one would never possibly have the time to visit.
Play Personality 4: The COMPETITOR has broken
through the pure joy of the game and lives to play to win. The
competitor is always practicing past sundown so that they can win
their flight in the club championship. The competitor will read
sports psychology books until midnight to shave strokes off their
handicap index. You know the competitor, for this is the golfer that
you hate to draw in any round of a match play tournament.
Play Personality 5: The DIRECTOR enjoys
planning games with friends, being part of the tournament committee,
and being a member of the Club Ambassadors who periodically visit
and play at other clubs. Directors live for the social aspect and
networking opportunities that golf provides.
Play Personality 6: The COLLECTOR is the
golfer who loves history. The Collector has a golf towel (or flag)
from every important course on which they have played. Don't look to
closely into the Collector's living room, lest you see a martini
mixing glass with The Masters engraved upon it.
Play Personality 7: The ARTIST/CREATOR loves
making things. This golfer will write about the game, have a spouse
help create a garden of the eighteen plants for which the holes of
Augusta National are named. The artist should have the best
appointed golf outfit (and secretly purchases things from Ian
Poulter's website).
Play Personality 8: The STORYTELLER is self
explanatory. This golfer remembers every hole they have played,
every tournament they won (and/or lost), and can give you the
details - in no less than one hour - of Phil Mickelson's collapse at
Winged Foot (and it only took Phil 20 minutes to collapse).
Thanks, Dr. Norvell, for introducing The Golf
Column to the theory of play, and for laughing while you proofed our
article. Cheers.
Dr. John Stamey is an Associate Professor
in the Department of Computer Science at Coastal Carolina
University.
www.TheGolfColumn.com is based out of Myrtle Beach, SC, the Golf
Capital of the World.
May 2009: Official Sites Of The Last
Four Major Champions
| Where... |
What is it? |
Sandy's Lie... |
|
Here... |
Angel Cabrera |
The official site of the
2009 Masters champion is available, as one who expect, in two
languages. It is clearly written in Spanish first, then
translated nearly directly (with typical goofiness) into
English. |
|
Here... |
Padraig Harrington |
The double major winner of
2008 (PGA and British Open) has a splashier intro than Cabrera,
thanks to a bit of Flash. The Irishman is pretty accesible,
from equipment to instruction to favorite things. |
|
Here... |
Tiger Woods |
Depending on what you're
after, either the gold standard of web sites or mass marketing
like no other golfer. To his credit, the look rarely stays
around long enough to get boring. |
|
Here... |
Trevor Immelman |
Nearly as surprising as his
2008 Masters triumph is the fact that a major championship
winner does not have an official website. Under
construction? Seriously? Come on, Trev! |
April 2009: Golf Course Architects
Part One
| Where... |
What is it? |
Sandy's Lie... |
|
Here... |
Donald Ross Society |
The creator of CCB in
Williamsville and Mark Twain in Elmira (along with Oak Hill and
others in Rochester.) |
|
Here... |
A.W. Tillinghast Society |
His local influence is
Niagara Falls CC in Lewiston, although much of the course has been altered. |
|
Here... |
Walter Travis Society |
The best represented locally
of the greats, with Orchard Park, Cherry Hill, Stafford, Lookout
Point and Penn Hills on his list. |
|
Here... |
Seth Raynor Society |
The closest locally that we
know of is Fox Chapel in Pittsburgh. Like nothing in WNY. |
March 2009
| Where... |
What is it? |
Sandy's Lie... |
|
Here... |
MYGolfSpy.Com |
A golf portal , which led us
to ... |
|
Here... |
GolfBall-Guide.de |
A virtual golf ball museum
for a real and rentable golf ball collection. Now you can
find that ball granny used to play and learn a bit more about
it. |
|
Here... |
50DollarGolf.Com |
Golf equipment auctions for
no more than $50 american. |
|
Here... |
GolfClubAtlas.Com |
The best site on the web to
learn about golf course evolution and its current state. |
February 2009
| Where... |
What is it? |
Sandy's Lie... |
|
Here... |
The Golf News Net |
Seems to be an entry portal to a series of
golf radio shows/podcasts. Well, we need those. |
|
Here... |
Hooked On Golf |
A very attractive golf site with an apparent
base in northern California. |
|
Here... |
GolferLynks |
A true golf portal...very impersonal and
very helpful. |
|
Here... |
Acemakr |
A dude's golf blog...there are tons out
there and each has something worthwhile to say. |
|
|
January 2009
| Where... |
What is it? |
Sandy's Lie... |
|
Here... |
Golf Architecture Pictures |
No commerialism, just good golf photos from courses that you'll
probably never play (they're that good and exclusive!) |
|
Here... |
Geoff Shackleford |
He is a
self-described curmudgeon, a writer, golfer and infrequent
course designer. He has a daily e-blast that's worth the
free subscription. |
|
Here... |
Buffalo District Golf Association
|
Our home association.
Play local tournaments and support junior golf. |
|
Here... |
PGA Tour official site |
Three tournaments into
2009, it's a good time to feature the US PGA Tour website. |
|
|
June 2005
Since one of our own started
writing for TravelGolfer.com's blogosphere, I thought that I might
delve into the mysterious
and exotic world of golfing blogs. I
whetted your appetite in May with the Jam-Boy blogspot. Here
are three other golfing
blogs to keep you going. As always,
visit RonMon's blog on TravelGolfer.Com by going here.
| Where... |
What is it? |
Sandy's Lie... |
|
Here... |
Bogey Lounge |
Golf Blog # 1 |
|
Here... |
Robert Thompson's
Going For The Green |
Golf Blog # 2 |
|
Here... |
SirShanksalot
|
Golf Blog # 3 |
|
Here... |
RonMon |
Local Golf Blogger Makes
Good |
|
|
May 2005
Sorry that I took April off.
Kind of got cooped up in the house too long, and played too much
early season golf. Here are three sites that make me laugh, plus one
for single golfers.
Remember that all individual course
websites can be accessed from our Public Courses page
HERE.
| Where... |
What is it? |
Sandy's Lie... |
|
Here... |
Jam-Boy Blogspot |
This guy will make you weep.
Prolific writer, caddie, blind Star Wars devotee.
|
|
Here... |
SortaGolf |
Screw the rules (sorry,
David Fay and Scottish rules guy). Play sortagolf and
keep your sanity.
|
|
Here... |
HowDidItGoIn Dot Com |
How Did Tiger's shot go
in? Here are the answers to all the questions.
|
|
Here ... |
DateAGolfer.Com |
If you are single and a
golfer, what else do you need? |
|
|
March 2005
It came in like a Lion, so
will it go out like a lamb? While we think that we are the
finest golf site in the region, we are certainly not the only one.
Therefore, find below a list of other golfing resources across the
Niagara region. We always learn from our competition, and we
think that you will, too. Remember that all individual course
websites can be accessed from our Public Courses page
HERE. |
|
| Where... |
What is it? |
Sandy's Lie... |
|
Here... |
Buffalo Stix Golf |
They make golf clubs.
|
|
Here... |
Western New York Golfer |
WNYG is the regional
outlet for the Michelob Ultra tour, where some of the best
tournament competition sites are found.
|
|
Here... |
Western New York
Singles Golf Association |
If you are single and a
golfer, what else do you need? This group gets together
all year long, be it for golf or good cheer. |
|
Here... |
Merv's Golf |
Merv has got some neat
products on his site, such as the Golf Caddy and the Golf Ball
Rake. |
|
Here... |
WNY Golf Courses |
This site does a nice job
separating courses and ranges by county, and providing Yahoo
maps to get you there. |
|
Here... |
Buffalo Golf Guide |
A very nice site.
BGG does a good job organizing information on local courses. |
|
February 2005
|
| Ahhh February. Undoubtedly the most appropriate month to admire
the special beauties in our lives. With every sideways glance we
take, it seems as if new thoughts spring to mind. Every curve our
eye follows can bring us to different journeys and broaden our
experience and imagination. I'm talking about golf course
architecture, so get your head out of the trap and pay attention to
these special interest sites that help make you the Don Juan of
Aesthetic Agronomicry
|
| Where... |
What is it? |
Sandy's Lie... |
|
Here... |
Leading Australian designer, Tony Cashmore's take on modern
par 5 design. I'll give you a hint, you can quote this article
on saying the modern designer "can't make a par 5 long enough".
He speaks of a current par 5 design of 609 meters (666 yards) in
length and actually claims it is reachable in 2 ("with a decent
wind"). But seriously, he does bring up an excellent point in
where designers can only design for the technology and golfer
they have at their time. |
I am planning my to change my name to Cashmore once I had
more... and then move down under. Tony is one of Austrailia's
leading golf architects and many of his contemporaries follow
similar design patterns for modern par 5s. Pay attention people.
Good Lie |
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Here... |
From design of a single type of hole to more modern design
philosophies. There have been many approaches, minimalist and
outrageous redesign. Here is a link to a current project from
one of Iceland's leading golf architects. Edwin Roald employs
the minimalist approach to design and re-design of a golf
course. |
Take a gander at the pictures of this guys projects in
action. You can see why he takes on jobs like this, the natural
surroundings are so amazing, the garden-of-Eden we all long to
return to is already around the course. Any artificiality will
become an eyesore
Beauty Lie |
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Here... |
For editorial balance, we will include some megalomaniac
projects. Tom Fazio was enlisted for Trump National. This "well
designed" course has engineered beauty that will overload the
visual senses. |
The web site is all flash code, so you can't get directly to
the area I want you to look, so click on "Golf" then "Hole By
Hole Photos". It is excess beyond excess; kinda like adding
chocolate syrup with chocolate sprinkles on a chocolate ice
cream. But hey, maybe that is your thing.
Unnatural Lie |
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Here... |
Redesign has gained HUGE popularity as of late. In America,
some of the most acclaimed holes were designed during what was
considered the "golden age" of golf (1910-1940). This article,
by Lester George, is informative in the modern "return to the
past" era of design and reports on what modern designers have
done to make the golden days shine once again
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Amazing how a redesign alters the characteristic of a single
hole so dramatically. Take a CLOSE LOOK at the before and after
pictures of the 12th hole of a Donald Ross redesign. Astounding,
the before picture looks like any other hole in America, the
after picture brings out the natural hazards and NOW the hole
looks amazing and inviting.
Juicy Lie |
| Here... |
When speaking of golf careers, most people think of
professional players of the game. But if you an engineering type
and love the game, perhaps a career in architecture and design
is for you. Living in America, the leading group is the American
Society of Golf Architects. |
I want to be an architect too! Aww, I need 8 years of
experience before I can be a member of this elite group.
However, they are INCREDIBLY helpful in design and redesign and
they are very involved in educating the modern designer.
Fantastic Lie |
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Here... |
So how about MY own golf course. Well all you need is a
little of your own cash and you too can have your own course.
Sound crazy? How much for this green garden? Well just click on
the link and get your calculator out and welcome to "Club Me".
It is the 1980s all over again! I love it |
With 17,000 golf courses in America and the estimate of
nearly ONE NEW ONE per day opening up, do YOU really need your
own VERY private club? You bet you do, just pull out the
checkbook because it's gonna cost you big.
Fantasy Lie |
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Here... |
The MEGA INDEX of golf course architects, designers,
contractors, suppliers, authors and associations. So you want to
do your own course, better get the RFP sheet out and contact
everyone on this list. |
Once again. Google comes through with locations of nearly
everything you wanted. If I did not cover it above, then you
will find it in this fantastic index. Bookmark because you will
be visiting.
Fantasy Lie |
| Here... |
The American Society of Golf Course Architects. Find
your favorite designer's website, and learn more about
architecture. |
This job is not as easy as it
looks: drainage, environmental studies, grading, shaping,
all the background stuff that goes into a great golf course. |
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January 2005
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| Once again, devastation struck my hopeful
soul upon failure of receiving what most Buffalo golfers desire from
a certain fat man during a peculiar December holiday: Global
Warming. Yes, the tragedy in orphaning beautiful neckties, wooly
socks and clean underwear at my gift table for a game which lies
four months away or 1,200 miles south, likely violates major ethical
boundaries. But building thine house of handicap with sandbags is
truly a sin, and when April rolls around and my friends guffaw the
icy 7s, 8s and 9s on my card, they won't recall my glory days of
autumn golf as well as the handicap computer does. Lack of play does
that to me, but seemingly no one else. With that, this months theme
focuses on golf games you can play online while you wait, like me,
for the thaw. At least my index-finger-pitch will work well in
spring. --SL |
| Where... |
What is it? |
Sandy's Lie... |
|
Here... |
"Golf Course" appears on NabiscoWorld
and Candystand; the link goes to the NabiscoWorld site.
Shockwave is required. Amateur and professional levels are
offered. Play 18 holes on a "real" golf course. Lots of fun and
the pro level can be challenging. |
Really cool. Sound effects amazing for a
Shockwave online game. Multiplayer, too! Note: This does take a
little bit to download the 'client side' of the software. Sandy
is a pretty good computer guy and Nabisco golf passes the anti-trojan
and anti-virus detectors. Safe Lie. |
|
Here... |
When's the last time you putted into a
clown's mouth? Or through a spinning windmill? USA Network
online Mini-Golf. Play 3D minigolf online (Schockwave required)
lets you do that. |
Amazing 3D graphics and easy-to-use game
make this very neat. It is so pretty that you really will ignore
the in-game 'billboards' for all that creative advertising for
USA network programming. Mini-golf is NOT golf (i can hear the
emails coming now). Sidehill Lie. |
|
Here... |
eBaums world Mini-Golf 2 a sequel to
their first one many years ago. |
I know... ANOTHER mini-golf (not real
golf). This one is a little bit of a let down if you played the
USA network one. Excepting the music track that goes along with
the graphics makes it pretty cool. Besides, where else can you
play an 18 hole PAR 70 (!!) mini-golf game. Kinda tough to get
used to. Slightly Buried Lie. |
|
Here... |
Skyworks downloadable Pin High Country
course golf download. System Requirements:
• Windows 95/98/ME/NT4.0/2000/XP
• 400 mhz CPU, 128 Mb RAM
• Sound Card, SVGA Graphics (16bit) 13.1 megabyte download,
approximately 35 minutes on a 56k connection |
This is from the makers of the Nabisco
game. Basically shows off the game to business prospects and is
really a marketing tool for what they call 'Sponsored
Entertainment'. But the graphics are great, the Aussie announcer
is fun. Too bad the trial only lasts a few holes. Perched Lie
with high lip. |
|
Here... |
Master your skill with the original 18
holes that started it all |
When the kids/spouse/dog complain that
that you've been stuck behind the computer all winter, have them
play this. Multiplayer and you get to pick little
South-Park-Like characters. Fluffy Lie. |
|
Mo's
Additions |
|
Here... |
Calendar Golf Card For Western New York |
One of two ways to save tons of $$$$$
and play different courses at the same time. |
|
Here... |
Golf In The Scottsdale, Arizona Area |
It's not hard to pronounce, like p-hoenix,
and it has great golf, especially at this time of year. |
|
Here... |
Talking Bottle Opener (huh???) |
It's the nuttiest thing I've seen, which
makes for a great gift for your friends. |
|
Here... |
Swing Tempo Training Aid |
Less nutty, get your groove and rhythm.
Site loads slowly (lots of Flash, bells and whistles) so view it
on high-speed. |
|
Here... |
Lost Golf Balls ('nuff said) |
Umm, OK, they don't actually return your
balls to you, but they look like yours, and they don't cost $50K
to clone. |
|
Here... |
Get A Tee Time Here |
State-By-State, you can reserve a time
on the course you want to play. |
|
Here... |
Play Golf In San Diego |
If you flee winter to a sunnier region,
such as San Diego, you can learn about their golf courses here. |
|
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December
of 2004
(Getting A Head Start!!)
Middle age is so tough, yet they have a link to buff-golf)
Every
serious golfer has everything... almost
You
think I'm a hardcore golfer. How about these guys
Advantages for having this caddy: Doesn't talk much
Disadvantages: Fairways ruined, Greens hosed, Fines for slow
play, Odor Problem
There is
no discrimination in golf... not
Someone
forgot to check with the product marketing department research panel
on this club...
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November of 2004
Perhaps
unpopular with the married guys, these are interesting.
http://www.golfmates.com/
18
Commandments of Golf
My
favorite commandment: Thou shalt not build thy house of
handicap with sand bags.
(That
same site offers golf horoscopes. look out!)
For
the female readers, specialty golf hats. I think I've seen
some of these in 1920's vintage pictures
Shirts
only Kenny Perry would wear:
If you
really don't want to know you are a duffer, then just HYPNOTIZE
yourself to a better game:
Some
very useful prayers before hitting the first ball (poetry too):
The
most honest golf club I've ever seen. With special nominations
for a**hole of the day. Modified rules format
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