I remember that Killian and Nugent subscribed to Forrest's newsletters and that I saw a few copies back when I started there in 1977. Good stuff, and they were always willing to help a kid with aspirations to be a golf course architect, as I also prove.
As to how I got into gca,
Grew up in suburban Chicago, my best friend's family were members of Medinah. At age 12, they took me out there to play on a Monday when the course was closed. Fell in love with golf and maybe even more, golf courses immediately. Took a placemat with the 54 holes laid out home, and told my folks I was going to be a golf course architect, but really didn't know what that would take.
At age 15, my father happened to read in the biz pages that a group called the American Society of Golf Course Architects had just moved its HQ from Washington DC to Chicago and made Paul Fullmer Executive Director. Called him up, and a few weeks later, came home from work with a stack of ASGCA and NGF articles and booklets, including "planning and building the golf course" by NGF, and both NGF and ASGCA architects lists. Was surprised to see one in nearby Palatine, Il.
Wrote both them (K and N) and RTJ letters. Got nice responses from both, with an invite to come see the KN office. Got my first sports jacket and went in for my "interview" somehow half thinking my Junior and High School drafting classes were soon to be put to good use. LOL< but they did lay out a basic plan for what it would take, landscape architecture degree, with extra classes in survey, turf, aerial photos, business writing (for contracts) etc. Oh, and a summer job at a golf course and /or landscape contractor.
I did all that and went back after graduating college, and they felt obligated to hire me, even though they didn't have a lot of work in the few years after the 1974 Oil Embargo, etc. that slowed down the economy. Stayed at KN for 6 years until the split up, and stayed with Ken Killian for one more year. Walked into his office on my 29th birthday and quit to start my own firm before 30, as I had always planned.
In a sense of obligation to them for mentoring, decided I would not compete on their home turf and started researching other cities to move to. In searching various phone books in the local library, found that Dallas was the only major city without a golf course architect, which sealed my decision (cheap but good marketing) Also, had a good airport, which I felt was required.
Moved here in May 1984 and the rest is a minor sub plot of gca history, as it were.
Like Forrest and Jack Snyder, I considered KN to be the best of mentors, at least in the technical side of golf architecture. They had started working a few projects with Jim Colbert, and it dawned on me they didn't really play golf, and didn't know a lot about how good players play. Later, I worked with Jim and other pros to get a sense of that side of design.
Much of my loyalty to ASGCA stems from that early encounter with their literature and the kindness of their members, so it was always a goal of mine to join. The rest stems from the ongoing great experiences I probably would have never had if I didn't regularly attend those meetings and meet even more of us in the profession. Thus, my view of ASGCA is about as positive as Mike Young's negative view. I was just a snot nose kid and they and their members did everything possible to open the gate for me, so we obviously have wildly different experiences.
I remember that Killian and Nugent subscribed to Forrest's newsletters and that I saw a few copies back when I started there in 1977. Good stuff, and they were always willing to help a kid with aspirations to be a golf course architect, as I also prove.
As to how I got into gca,
Grew up in suburban Chicago, my best friend's family were members of Medinah. At age 12, they took me out there to play on a Monday when the course was closed. Fell in love with golf and maybe even more, golf courses immediately. Took a placemat with the 54 holes laid out home, and told my folks I was going to be a golf course architect, but really didn't know what that would take.
At age 15, my father happened to read in the biz pages that a group called the American Society of Golf Course Architects had just moved its HQ from Washington DC to Chicago and made Paul Fullmer Executive Director. Called him up, and a few weeks later, came home from work with a stack of ASGCA and NGF articles and booklets, including "planning and building the golf course" by NGF, and both NGF and ASGCA architects lists. Was surprised to see one in nearby Palatine, Il.
Wrote both them (K and N) and RTJ letters. Got nice responses from both, with an invite to come see the KN office. Got my first sports jacket and went in for my "interview" somehow half thinking my Junior and High School drafting classes were soon to be put to good use. LOL< but they did lay out a basic plan for what it would take, landscape architecture degree, with extra classes in survey, turf, aerial photos, business writing (for contracts) etc. Oh, and a summer job at a golf course and /or landscape contractor.
I did all that and went back after graduating college, and they felt obligated to hire me, even though they didn't have a lot of work in the few years after the 1974 Oil Embargo, etc. that slowed down the economy. Stayed at KN for 6 years until the split up, and stayed with Ken Killian for one more year. Walked into his office on my 29th birthday and quit to start my own firm before 30, as I had always planned.
In a sense of obligation to them for mentoring, decided I would not compete on their home turf and started researching other cities to move to. In searching various phone books in the local library, found that Dallas was the only major city without a golf course architect, which sealed my decision (cheap but good marketing) Also, had a good airport, which I felt was required.
Moved here in May 1984 and the rest is a minor sub plot of gca history, as it were.
Like Forrest and Jack Snyder, I considered KN to be the best of mentors, at least in the technical side of golf architecture. They had started working a few projects with Jim Colbert, and it dawned on me they didn't really play golf, and didn't know a lot about how good players play. Later, I worked with Jim and other pros to get a sense of that side of design.
Much of my loyalty to ASGCA stems from that early encounter with their literature and the kindness of their members, so it was always a goal of mine to join. The rest stems from the ongoing great experiences I probably would have never had if I didn't regularly attend those meetings and meet even more of us in the profession. Thus, my view of ASGCA is about as positive as Mike Young's negative view. I was just a snot nose kid and they and their members did everything possible to open the gate for me, so we obviously have wildly different experiences.
another great story of someone pursuing their childhood dream job!