Gamble Sands was built in 2014 by the Gebbers family, who have been growing fruit in the region since 1900. They wanted to diversify their community, and even though they aren't big golfers themselves, they saw the value that golf can bring to a community. Turns out, they had perfect land for a golf course -- pure sand bluffs overlooking the Columbia River Valley.
I am thrilled to introduce yet another budding Canadian golf course architect, Keith Cutten, on our Q&A series A Casual 9. Keith has been partnered with his mentor, Rod Whitman, since 2007, and has also worked on an array of projects with architects Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw, and Jeff Mingay. Keith established Cutten Golf Inc. in 2010 with a goal of creating fun, exciting, and strategic golf. His recently published book, The Evolution of Golf Course Design, takes a deep dive into the history of golf course architecture, and has quickly become a must-read for anyone with an interest in the craft. Please enjoy.
No matter who we are or what we do, we all feel pressure at times. Whether it's on the golf course or at work or when you're the emcee at your friend's wedding reception and everyone is counting on you not to stink. Achieving anything in life will have some level of pressure associated with it, therefore pressure isn't something we should avoid, but rather something we should embrace.
It's that time of year when those of us who have endured a long winter start to emerge from our shanties, often scruffy looking and mumbling to ourselves. Winter can be an emotionally jarring time for golfers, but that's also what makes spring the most exciting time of year...
It is with great pleasure that I introduce a rapidly growing stud in the golf writing and golf architecture space, Garrett Morrison. Garrett has been a teacher for ten years and started writing about golf as a hobby in his spare time. Some of his recent pieces on his blog, such as A 2019 Viewer’s Guide to Architecturally Intriguing Tournament Golf Venues, and his three-part series, Reading St. Andrews, in addition to his part-time contributions to The Fried Egg, have put him on the map of most golf and golf architecture enthusiasts. He recently announced that he is quitting his career as a teacher and making the leap to be a full-time writer and editor at The Fried Egg, which is good news for anyone who loves good golf content. Garrett is a superb writer and thoughtful cat, please enjoy.
I'm a sucker for punishment, so I'm marching on with my tradition of trying to prematurely predict each major champion for the entire year with Golf is Mental’s 6th annual Major Championship Predictions. Last year wasn't my best season for predictions, but that's golf. It's all about how we bounce back, right? I'm feeling rested after an enjoyable off-season, my lift cycles are dialed in, and I'm starting to get my competitive feels back. Here we go.
Episode 11 of A Casual 9 with Canadian golf course architect Jeff Mingay sparked some interesting conversation and left people wanting more. It was suggested we keep it rolling and play an Emergency 9, and Jeff kindly obliged. Please enjoy more insight from one of golf's insightful minds.
I'm not really a New Years resolution type of guy. The concept of waiting until January 1st to instill positive change in one's life is a weird one to me. Why can't we set our minds on doing something positive on March 17th? Or October 21st? Having said that, there is something mentally refreshing about the ol' Gregorian odometer turning over. The start of a new year creates the perception of a clean slate from which to renew our ambitions. As golfers, we need all the help we can get keeping our minds free of unnecessary clutter, and the start of a new year is a good excuse to clean house.
It is with great pleasure that I introduce our second Canadian golf course architect on our Q&A series, A Casual 9. Jeff Mingay has operated his own golf architecture firm, Mingay Golf Course Design, since 2009. Previous to that, Jeff worked under Rod Whitman for nearly a decade where he had a hand in the design and construction of three Canadian gems -- Cabot Links, Blackhawk Golf Club, and Sagebrush (although Sagebrush is currently closed with ownership issues, it has nothing to do with Jeff’s work!). His first solo project was a master plan for Victoria Golf Club in late 2008, with restoration work beginning in 2009 and continuing over the past 10 years and counting with Jeff as the consulting architect. Jeff continues to compile an impressive list of successful projects as a golf course architect and has a tremendous outlook on the game. Please enjoy.
We sat down on the patio adjacent to the first tee for a post-round beer and I excitedly scurried to choose a few photos to post on social media. When it came to describing what I thought about Victoria Golf Club after our maiden voyage, I just went with my gut -- if Pebble Beach and Pasatiempo had a baby and shipped it up to Canada, it would be Victoria Golf Club. Bold, perhaps, but after having some more time to chew on it, I generally stand by my statement.
