As someone who spends time trying to understand and sort through popular culture — trying to keep up with my actor daughter! — I often see and hear things that many in my world may not "get to" see or hear. One such example is the JAX hit song, Victoria's Secret...the chorus goes like this:
I know Victoria's secret
And, girl, you wouldn't believe
She's an old man who lives in Ohio
Making money off of girls like me
Cashin' in on body issues
Sellin' skin and bones with big boobs
I know Victoria's secret:
She was made up by a dude (Dude)
Victoria was made up by a dude (Dude)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFKnuJB_WkMI've heard this creative song several times now. It's a brilliant commentary on the BS aimed at young women for the past 20+ years. And, not just from Victoria's Secret, but from many fashion, make-up, retailers and popular culture messengers. They have, quite masterfully, with the help of media and entertainment — created a fantasy world where "the only good look is the Victoria's Secret look..." JAX (Jackie Miskanic) presents a series of lines that has (equally masterfully) taken aim at big media and the critics and people who make things happen. She exposes that Victoria's Secret is really nothing more than a brand and look "made up by a dude..." ... "...an old man who lives in Ohio..."
It got me thinking. Has golf design got its own "Victoria's Secret" syndrome? Has the crinkle edged, old-style, wide fairways, less trees, it-can-only-can-be-one look-or style-to-be-good genre been force fed to us. Are there only just "so many brands" that are cool in golf design? And, is this because the writers and critics of golf courses have, themselves, been brought up to only respect a certain look and style? If the course has not been created by _____, ______, ______ or ______, is it "not cool" and should be avoided at all cost? Well, that's what JAX is admitting — that young women have, for years, been fed the line that there is only one good and attractive look...and it begins with the Victoria's Secret and all the look a-likes. I'm sure you know the brands. Such and such are "cool", but anything else is certainly not.
Have we entered this stage in golf design? Are we hearing from the current crop of writers, critics, media and reviewers that "there is really only one good direction..." — and if you are not headed that way, well, you're ugly and not viable? I fear we are to some degree. But, I'm looking forward to opinions. Of all the arts and endeavors, it seems golf design should a place for a much more 'open' and wide array of styles and genres.