Golf course designers, The Clash, Black Flag and Deerfield Academy

I was having an interesting discussion about real punk rock, pop-punk rock and golf design with fellow golf course architecture expert Jason Blasberg. He said the band "The Clash" was under appreciated. At first I thought "Not true...London Calling sold a hell of alot of records," but then one of the other music lawyers in the office, pointed out that back in the old days, kids got what it meant to "be punk" and now kids like the Clash merely to like the Clash and be cool and really don't understand it.

She's right. Just like that saying in the movie A Fish Called Wanda:

Otto: Apes don't read philosophy!

Wanda: Yes, they do Otto! They just don't understand it.

Anyway, I wrote back to Jason, (as a laugh)I wonder what everybody would think of Black Flag.

Black Flag was a hard-headed, hard-biting punk rock band out of New York. Among such other gems as "We don't care what you say %$#@ you!" they growled, grunted and groped their way to a reputation as one of punk's loudest bands. I had two Deerfield Academy acquaintances that were both from NYC that actually decorated their dorm rooms in brown paper shopping bag with the Black Flag logo (see above) and anarchy symbols done over in Sharpie.

These two guys...with the help of lots of Vodka...actually got laid and were really popular. One went to Berkeley a year early he was so smart. They sell real estate now and I do the punk rock. Go figure. Punk really has fallen;)

Personally, as far as music goes I'm not a fan and Black Flag is more an interesting but important footnote, but it does show the difference between punk in the time of real punk and watered down major label "punk." (Simple Plan anyone?)

Brad O' Sullivan and Black Flag would kick Chuck from Simple Plan's ass in two seconds flat.

Anyway, Jason and I got to thinking...who has the same "punk ethos" in the world of Golf Course design? And I don't mean who has a spiked mohawk and swears and such.

Who is so sure in his design that he does what he wants and trumpets it proudly. I'm out of time for today and really need to reflect on the nuances of it, but it's question microcosmic of a lot of issues at the center of the debate about what makes a great golf course.

To be continued...with more great musical references too. Never let it be said I don't embrace pop culture.