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Blake Conant

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New member Blake Conant
« on: March 15, 2012, 10:35:43 AM »
Good Morning Everyone, just wanted to introduce myself to the board.  My name is Blake Conant and I'm a 2nd year graduate student at The University of Georgia and studying Landscape Architecture.  I'll be using this degree to springboard / bellyflop myself into golf course architecture.  I received an art degree in painting from The University of Montana, but truth be told I probably spent more time up there golfing.

I'll admit that I've lurked here for years.  There seems to be a conversation every week that I want to jump into and ask questions or give input.  It's a great resource and Ran and Ben have done an excellent job.  I'm happy to be a part of it. 

Joe Bausch

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Re: New member Blake Conant
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2012, 10:41:16 AM »
Have you ever played Dismal River?

Welcome, Blake.  I'll be looking for your insights as a young landscape architecture student!
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

Howard Riefs

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Re: New member Blake Conant
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2012, 10:46:08 AM »
Welcome, Blake!

Can you tell us about the course at UGA? Golfweek has high praise for it:

-- #6 public/resort course in Georgia: http://golfweek.com/news/2012/mar/12/golfweeks-best-courses-state-state/

-- #8 college campus course in country: http://golfweek.com/news/2011/sep/07/2011-golfweeks-best-campus-courses/


Is it worthy of those lofty rankings?
« Last Edit: March 15, 2012, 11:23:19 AM by Howard Riefs »
"Golf combines two favorite American pastimes: Taking long walks and hitting things with a stick."  ~P.J. O'Rourke

PCCraig

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Re: New member Blake Conant
« Reply #3 on: March 15, 2012, 10:55:10 AM »
Welcome Blake!
H.P.S.

Mike Nuzzo

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Re: New member Blake Conant
« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2012, 10:55:30 AM »
Welcome
Would you share a favorite painting of yours?
Cheers
Thinking of Bob, Rihc, Bill, George, Neil, Dr. Childs, & Tiger.

Melvyn Morrow

Re: New member Blake Conant
« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2012, 11:11:10 AM »

Welcome Blake

The key words are Natural and Nature, the land is your friend so please be gentle with her. If the selection process is correct then the land does not need to be ravaged or stripped bare, just carefully nurtured with preventive keyhole surgery rather than a hysterectomy for drainage/irrigation. The same applies to Greens and bunkers, sustainability not conservation as the latter places constraints upon design.

Think more outside the box; please get away from highly thirsty, over cut and manicured courses, seek the natural and do please work with Nature as she will always get her way with or without your help. 

As you can see I know zero about GCA but have a little knowledge on the game of Golf, not of course to be confused with cart ball or any other new variation that people are so desperate to link to that great Royal & Ancient Game of Golf. ::)

Most of the members of GCA.com have their hearts in the right place, even those who are well past their sell by date, but allowances must be made for them. If Tom D starts talking about his year in St Andrews in the early 1890 ops sorry it’s the 1980’s, then please do not fall asleep as we hold him in high (as we do the other designers on this site) regard. As for his designs, well that’s another question.  :'(  ;)

Welcome and I am the one many love to hate, but I am just an old open and honest golfer in the traditional sense.  8)

Melvyn


Ron Csigo

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Re: New member Blake Conant
« Reply #6 on: March 15, 2012, 11:14:07 AM »
Welcome Blake!

Tell us about some of your favorite courses in Montana.  Also, are there any hidden gems in Montana that people on this board might not know about?

Playing and Admiring the Great Golf Courses of the World.

Mark Pritchett

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Re: New member Blake Conant
« Reply #7 on: March 15, 2012, 11:17:50 AM »
Welcome and Go Dawgs!

Emile Bonfiglio

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Re: New member Blake Conant
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2012, 01:18:39 PM »
Welcome to the "club", try and keep the SEC rules the world attitude to a minimum and you'll ok with me. What is your favorite course you have played?
You can follow me on twitter @luxhomemagpdx or instagram @option720

Mac Plumart

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Re: New member Blake Conant
« Reply #9 on: March 15, 2012, 01:24:21 PM »
PM me anytime for a game.

And avoid Mark Pritchett at all costs!!!!

 ;D
Sportsman/Adventure loving golfer.

Anthony Gray

Re: New member Blake Conant
« Reply #10 on: March 15, 2012, 01:30:02 PM »


  GLAD TO HAVE YOU. welcome to nerdville.

 

Blake Conant

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Re: New member Blake Conant
« Reply #11 on: March 15, 2012, 02:43:28 PM »
Welcome
Would you share a favorite painting of yours?
Cheers

I have no idea how to post a picture, but I will say that my favorite artist is Al Held.  Bold, bright, hard-edged architectural paintings that are absolutely massive.  I'm talking 20'x30'.  Never seen one in person, but if you google search his name you can get a real sense for how cool it'd be to stand in front of one. 

Welcome Blake!

Tell us about some of your favorite courses in Montana.  Also, are there any hidden gems in Montana that people on this board might not know about?



For sentimental reasons, my favorite course in Montana was the 9-hole University course in Missoula.  Played it 3-4 times a week.  Would get the $6 twilight rate and could usually squeeze in 18 before it got dark.  The best were those couple weeks in July when it'd stay light until 10:30 p.m.  We'd grab as much beer as we could, get on right at 6, and could usually squeeze in 21-22 holes.  Hard for any course to top that. 

As for other courses I played, Old Works - a Nicklaus design in Anaconda - was probably the best course I played followed by Canyon River just outside of Missoula. 

I'm sure with this board's collective brain, no course is unknown, but I had some friends from Hamilton who always talked about Stock Farm.  Never got a chance to see it, but that's as close to a hidden gem as I can think of. 

I will add that I'm born and raised in Nebraska and went to Montana when I was 20.  Have played quite a few courses out there. 

Kalen Braley

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Re: New member Blake Conant
« Reply #12 on: March 15, 2012, 07:08:08 PM »







Kalen Braley

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Re: New member Blake Conant
« Reply #13 on: March 15, 2012, 07:09:20 PM »
P.S.  Blake...I live in Spokane, WA area...I just may be your closest neighbor!!   ;)

P.P.S.  I hope to take in Old Works sometime this year, just not sure when yet.

Bill_McBride

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Re: New member Blake Conant
« Reply #14 on: March 15, 2012, 09:47:33 PM »
Blake, couple of questions:

Have you played at Athens CC yet?  One of my favorite Ross courses, avoid the new nine.

Have you met Mike Young yet?  If not, try to.  He'll give you the straight skinny on golf architecture in the modern area.

Mike Nuzzo

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Re: New member Blake Conant
« Reply #15 on: March 15, 2012, 10:51:59 PM »
Thanks Blake
I was asking to see one of your paintings.
Cheers
Thinking of Bob, Rihc, Bill, George, Neil, Dr. Childs, & Tiger.

Brett_Morrissy

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Re: New member Blake Conant
« Reply #16 on: March 15, 2012, 10:56:54 PM »
Welcome Blake,

Early days, but how do you think your art degree may give you the edge over your competition in golf architecture design in the future? Or advance you in your career?
@theflatsticker

Anthony Gray

Re: New member Blake Conant
« Reply #17 on: March 16, 2012, 07:27:37 AM »


  Athens is the home of a famous GCAer.


   

Pete Blaisdell

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Re: New member Blake Conant
« Reply #18 on: March 16, 2012, 09:00:05 AM »
Blake
  Welcome to GCA. I'm fairly new myself but have enjoyed the interaction with the members and I'm still impressed by the variety of topics available. Imagination is not in short supply here.
  A valued friend who passed away a couple of years ago, Ed Hoard was the Pro at Athens CC in Georgia.
  My one visit to Montana was in '94 for the USGA APL Championship at Eagle Bend in Kalispel on the northern side of Flathead Lake. Beautiful state and very independent people. Hope to get back there some day. Glacier National Park was awesome.
  All the best to you in your studies and I trust you will be a valued poster to GCA. Good people here, serious about their golf but like to have some fun too. Good mix.
' Golf courses are like wives and the prom queen doesn't always make for the best wife "

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