[JakaB]

the poor.  This has been a very trying couple of days because I have been nervous that when the white smoke blows my name will be called.  What a life changing experience being Pope would be....but....since this is an architectural web site we need to focus on the possiblility of being the Pope of golf as opposed to the Vicar of Christ.  One of the great debates of recent history is what to do with all the great treasures of the church and that relates directly to all the great golf courses of the world that are only open to a select few.  So,  if you were the P'o'G would you open the great courses of the world to the poor.   Would this grow the game or be a short term fix that eventually destroys everything golf has become over the last 500 years.

[Tony_Chapman]

As a card-carrying member, Jaka, I also am nervous I may get my name called (let's just hope it ain't Huckaby)!

In response to your question, I would say no. The great places like Augusta, PVGC, NGLA just wouldn't be the same in my opinion if they were open to everybody.

It's why they are called "clubs." Plus, I think if you worked really hard and wanted to get access to these places you could. I'm for people working for it.

[rgkeller]

If the Pope of Golf opened all courses to the poor, a boom in croquet among the elite would surely follow.

[Mike_Sweeney]

We have no worries about the Jesuit trained Mr Huckaby being elected today at The Vatican. There will be no Jesuits as Pope in our lifetimes!

On the golf side, I agree with Tony, and I think you would be surprised how little 90% of the golfers would care.

[THuckaby2]

Just to soothe your nerves, I can report that when the Cardinals contacted me yesterday, I declined the invitation.  My feeling was I am far too connected to the Presbyterian church these days, and the world is not ready for the ecumenical fence-building my papacy would bring about.  Thus the black smoke this morning.

As for the question at hand re golf, man this is a tough one.  For years I have railed on the US private club system, wanting it to be more like the UK, where visitors can have access.  But with age and experience has come wisdom, seeing the realities that make this impossible here in the US.

So if I am made Pontificate of Golf, no way I make the sweeping change to open up all private clubs... not until our US tax laws and other key issues regarding public accomodation are changed.  Change those and then hell yes, we adopt the UK way of doing things.  

TH

ps to Mike - to make matters worse, from birth through grade 12 I was trained by Carmelites.  There's even less chance of one of them becoming Pope than a Jesuit.  

[THuckaby2]

Forget the shoes - what HAT does the PoG wear whilst playing?  The normal papal hat won't exactly help with the sun.  Putting a visor on that seems tacky.  I am quite troubled by this.

[Tony_Chapman]

John - Very tough call re: the shoes. I think you have to go with the special shoes. That completes the ensemble. However, if you have purple shoes, are you no longer a purist??

Plus, I'm with Huck. What about the hat? This is a key piece and will you put a driver head at the base of the crook?

[Adam_Messix]

I think everyone on this site who has not read it, needs to read Butch Berry's book Scotsman's Dream.  The end game of the story would fit this thread.

[ForkaB]

No Carmelites?  That rules out Huntley....

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

Certainly not until the same pope was willing to acknowledge that the spread of aids in poor Africa could be quelled with the approved use of birth control...sorry that is too political

[ForkaB]

Be careful, Shivas....

He might just outlaw putters longer than his crozier.  Bye Bye Broomhandles!

[rgkeller]

Another more serious issue the P'o'G needs to consider is how to make women feel like they are vital to the game without screwing everything up at the same time....any ideas.  

Well, the Catholic method of keeping the females subservient to and helping the men might be worth investigating.

[Mike Benham]

Just to soothe your nerves, I can report that when the Cardinals contacted me yesterday, I declined the invitation.  

What Huck failed to mention is that he did accept a position with the Vatican Golf Association to be its Chief Rater ...

[THuckaby2]

Shhhh!  That gets announced when the white smoke appears.

 

[Mike Benham]

With the odds for the new Pope leaning towards a Cardinal from a traditionally non-golfing nation

The Fav in the Conclave]

the opportunity for the new Pope is to spread the great game of golf to non-golfing nations.  We crow about seaside duneslinks as the perfect spot for building a course, there must be some true linksland along the Gulf of Guinea in Nigeria.

[Nate Mady]

It would be nice to see the private establishments open to locals on a very limited basis.. Maybe a town day a year.. Vermont Golf Association has "State Days" All the privates (publics as well) allow play to members of the State Golf Association one day a year for a nominal fee.. Ekwanok is the only course missing from the list.. I've played just about every course of interest in Vermont, except Ekwanok.  I have bitter beer face!!

[THuckaby2]

1. We sell Pebble - hell it's been done so many times, why not one more?

2. The golf cardinals meet at Sand Hills, the US home of spirituality and golf.  St. Andrews is too obvious and security would be too difficult.  I could stay dead in peace if they met at Dornoch also.  

TH

[Dan Kelly]

Letterman's Top Ten

[From January 3, 2005]

Top Ten Signs Your Neighbor Is Vying To Be The Next Pope

Often stops at Costco to buy communal wafers in bulk.

Threatens to send you to hell if your dog craps on his lawn again.

Short on money, he just made the Domino's kid a saint.

Regularly offers to baptize you with the garden hose.

His name is Kenny, but he asks you to call him John Paul.

Refers to his studio apartment as the "Little Vatican."

The son-of-a-bitch keeps hitting on your wife in Latin.

You ask how he's feeling and he replies, "Oh, quite Popey, thank you!"

He asks if you want to go giant hat shopping.

Book on his coffee table: "How to turn your Ford Focus into a popemobile."

------------------

As for the question:

I would assign one Cardinal (archbishops, especially Irish ones, need not apply) to man the gates at each of the courses that I, as Pope (in collaboration with the defrocked former Cardinal Whitten of Golf Digest -- whose guidance will be studiously ignored), have chosen to be safeguarded against the barbarians.

Anyone -- ANYONE! -- would be welcome to approach the gates, for inspection as a potential entrant to the hallowed grounds.

The Gatekeeper Cardinal's mission would be to interview all applicants for playing privileges -- seeking to determine whether their love of the game and appreciation of the course-at-hand are sufficient to merit inclusion in The Elect.

Those would be the only criteria. The Cardinal would be forbidden to make judgments based on applicants' appearance -- or to ask any questions about an applicant's income, assets, secondary or post-secondary schooling, ancestors, religion, race, color or class (if any).

(I'm still awaiting Divine Guidance on the sexual-preference thing. ... Just kiddin', boys!)

Any applicant who mentioned his Rater Card would be summarily rejected.

How would I keep my Cardinals honest? Each of my Gatekeeper Cardinals would take his post inside a small, starkly appointed but comfortable one-room, two-section structure just outside the gates, with an opaque screen separating the Cardinal from the supplicant. This structure will be known as an "Accessional."

How's that for Papal bull?

[THuckaby2]

Well done, Pope Daniel I.  That is a fine Papal Bull.  It's also fine papal bull.

Since this is a fantasy world, I guess my caveats about US tax laws and the like have no relevance.  So yes, well done.  That would be a fine way to handle these things.

The funny thing is, in a strange way that's not wholly different from how things are now.  The key is to find the proper Accessionals.  That is difficult.  But once found, true love of the game seems to be the deciding factor, at least in some very great places and with some very great people.

TH

[Jim_Kennedy]

John,
....they'd meet in the Sistine Chapel of golf, where else?

As for the shoes, the PG would have to go spikeless. Imagine how funny he'd look in a kneeling position with all the nails removed from spiked shoes.

If from their inception the "great" courses in this country were more accessible I feel we would have seen a more relaxed and more knowledgeable culture of golfers.  

[ForkaB]

My greatest fear is that the PoG will let you visit all the great venues in the world (and maybe those in the beyond....), but if you aren't confirmed in his church he won't let you play from the tips.

[THuckaby2]

Wow.  I could care less about playing the tips.  My greatest fear is that the PoG will let you visit all the great venues in the world (and maybe those in the beyond....), but if you aren't confirmed in his church he won't let you play at all - you just watch from the clubhouse.

And Jim - great call re the Sistine Chapel of Golf.  Duh... that is the very obvious answer.  Yes I am very slow, very often.

 

[Dan Kelly]

My greatest fear is that the PoG will let you visit all the great venues in the world (and maybe those in the beyond....), but if you aren't confirmed in his church he won't let you play from the tips.

Don't worry, Rihc. That's the Church of Scotland!

[Dan Kelly]

damn that smoke is white.

Line of the year -- to date.

[Tony_Chapman]

It's true. The bells have tolled. This is actually pretty darn cool!!!

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()