Three interesting items on the Standard-Examiner editorial page today, all dealing with one of our favorite red-meat topics, Emerald City's crown jewel Mt. Ogden Golf Course.
Just as we predicted, Boss Godfrey has finally responded to the recent flurry of Std-Ex letters to the editor, all of which have been critical of Godfrey and his recent four-option plan to forever drastically change Emerald City's treatment of our hillside gem. This morning's guest commentary consists of Godfrey's bullet point rant, slamming the golf course yet again, and once again illustrating Godfrey's penchant for cavalierly dismissing any ideas which aren't his own:
• Ogden mayor defends Mount Ogden Golf Course scrutinyAs an added bonus, we find a fine broadside letter to the editor from Weber County Forum reader Jason Wood, peppered with various signature euphemisms which will be familiar to long-time readers of this blog.
And don't miss this morning's Matthew McGarry Campbell letter, which, among other things mentions anecdotally an event which we hadn't heard about previously:
"Matthew Godfrey has a personal vendetta against the golf course. Eight years ago he was chastised for his selfish practice of jogging on the fairways of Mount Ogden golf course."
This was indeed a new one for us, and we thus invite any readers who have knowledge of this event to expand on it a little bit, and offer more particular details for our further enlightenment.
In this connection, we'll also suggest that the Mt. Ogden Golf Course would no doubt increase its patronage, and log MANY more rounds played, if Boss Godfrey would simply involve himself more personally in the golf course's promotion, and promise to jog regularly on the MOGC fairways.
We're running a busy calender today, and we're posting this on the fly. We'll thus leave the deep microanalysis to our ever-gentle readers.
Well.....?
Update 4/3/08 10:10 a.m. MT: As a further added bonus we post below a photo of Boss Godfrey's preferred option, the $10 million course redesign (click to enlarge image). As you peruse this graphic, ask yourselves what the little dotted line running diagonally from the roadway in the southwest corner to the mountain ridge on the east represents. Egad... A GONDOLA? We thank gentle reader Dan S. for this intriguing submission.
32 comments:
If Godfrey would run on the MOGC again, I would go more often just to try my luck at a driver to see if I could hit the little liar.
Good idea. Sort of like Whack-a-Mole with a large golf club.
Maybe he was running around, looking for the clubhouse.
"Why don’t we just market it better?
We are doing the best we know how. We have an exceptional team that is great at stretching our marketing dollars. They have a marketing budget and spend it the way they think provides the best return."
Who? Dave Harmer? Stuart Reid? Bill Glassman? The Geigers?
Chris Peterson?
Anyone know what the contour interval is on that map? Curious about the elevation change on the driving range, top to bottom.
Curm:
I was told that the elevation change on the driving range is 80 feet. I was also told that the driving range was a very tentative proposal, the "best they could do" given the topographical constraints.
You're right, curm. Looking at the contour lines, it would appear that a cheapskate like me could buy a half-bucket of balls, and spend the whole day smacking the same balls, over and over again. When they'd get to the top of the hill, they'd just roll right on back. Looks like a real bargain, to me, HAHAHA!
Curm:
Hard to tell with no scale. I'm guessing 20 feet. For example, on the topo map I have, the elevation gain between the WSU buildings and the water tanks is 80 feet. I'm guessing from my experience that's about a 200 foot elevation rise on the driving range. It says "possible 2-4 storey structure" which would be 250-500 feet tall, not sure what that's about.
Maybe they are going to install a gigantic Skee-Ball arcade, using golf balls instead of hand-thrown balls. It's been a big hit at Coney Island for years. Why, that would be extremely high adventure!
Quit your bitching. Godfrey is a visionary, dammit. HE receives electromagnetic eminations from God, straight through his massive antenna forehead.
Mono and Og:
They'll be hitting up? The point of most driving ranges, I think, is so golfers can improve their drives [distance and accuracy]. That's why ranges have those little signs out there saying "100 yds" and "150 yds" and so on... so you can get some idea of the distance you are getting. That will be nearly impossible hitting into an 80' rise, won't it?
I've seen driving ranges on steep slopes where the tee area is at the top and you hit down. Very satisfying. The ball goes forever. But that too makes it difficult to damn near impossible to know the actual distance you are getting on drives.
"Best they could do given the topography" may translate, for any reasonable person not star-struck with gondolas, as "too steep to work."
Well, at least this time they're not proposing fairways that have 100' drops from one side to the other....
We don't need another empty building like the current clubhouse if they try to move it to 36th ST,maybe a renovation would be more cost effective. It isn't that hard to find if you are a serious golfer. How many years will the old Golds Gym on 25th stay empty, we don't need more empty buildings in Ogden? Maybe a petition drive to stop that suggested new clubhouse would be in order or leagal action since it would add more vehicles on a curve that is already dangerous, especially with the college students. Marketing is still the way to go. I haven't seen any new signs on Harrison Blvd directing golfers. Also a color brochure highlighting MOGC and ElMonte passed out on base, at visitors centers to draw folks north into the city. The state still has places set up for tourists information, downtown SLC, the airport, at rest stops, and even the AAA Club would gladly handout promotional materiel for visitors. I haven't seen any at the visitors center in Union Station which does still draw tousist and locals alike.
Maybe Godfrey should buy a set of clubs, and learn to play golf on one of the world's finest golf courses.
We already know the little shite grew up poor, with a resentment to the guys and gals who starred on the Weber High Golf Team.
It's hard, really hard for we Ogdenites to deal with this mental problem of Mayor Godfey,
But he can start picking out his clubs here.
So please somebody, tell us about the event where Godfrey was "chastised" for jogging on the MOGC fairways.
Did somebody in MOGF staff get fired over that?
Inquiring minds need to know the facts!
GONDOLAS FOREVER!
We'll beat you naysayers down and have our gondolas, thanks to the visionary Lord Godfrey.
What a shame that US forces didn't drop a nuclear bomb on Osaka during the final moments of WWII.
Screw Descente, and the shithead samurai who support the GEIGERS!
watch the birdie: I've never golfed in my life, but that would certainly tempt me to take it up.
Bummer:
Well, used to be the MO Park people would turn on the watering system early in the AM. And if you were walking the MO Exercise trail near the Pavilion at the head of 32nd Street, you got soaked but good unless you crossed the little stream and walked onto the fairway instead until you were past the sprinklers. I used to do that. The MOGC staff caught me once and ran me off. They were officially Not Happy that I was walking on the fairway, even though no golfers had reached that point on the course yet. [It was the time of day my daughter used to delicately refer to as "the butt crack of dawn."] I suspect something like that happened to the Mayor.
Can't say I blame them, meaning the MOGC people. People walking along fairways are liable to get hit by golf balls, bringing on all kinds of paper work if not law suits. I suspect something like that happens to early morning joggers who get off the exercise trail and wander out onto the fairways. My guess is, that's what happened to the Mayor. Not a big deal, really.
I just looked back at my post and meant to say 25-50 feet, not 250-500.
Still, I like the idea of a golf-based Skee-Ball driving range, with automatic downhill ball return. I may submit it for RAMP funding.
I think I figured something out.
I'm guessing that the 2-4 story structure is what you hit from. Then, even with the rise, you'd be hitting even.
Still, I agree with Curm that it would be next to impossible to measure the distance on your drive.
Plus, the proposed driving range cuts across one of my favorite accesses to the Mt Ogden Exercise Trail. You can't tell me the trail system would remain in anything like its present form if this redesign were to take place.
As for Elder Godfrey's jogging on the fairway -- no personal knowledge of it but it's consistent with his track-running past. They say that running is the common currency that brought him and Mrs. Godfrey together. Although I still find that inscrutable; beautiful and rich as she is, she could've had any guy. It's like Anne Bancroft's wanting Mel Brooks.
Very glad to see the letter from that demon of the dramshops, Jason W. Shame that he was driven off this blog.
Jason is gone from the blog??
What? How? Jason, come back!!
Wonderful letter BTW.
Nice the paper printed it and McGarry's today, to counterpoint Godfrey.
curm,
your suggestion as to what the gogfrey story was all about was not far from the mark.
except godfrey was in the middle of the course as i heard the story and you didnt fire the employee that told you to get off the course because he dared to look out for your well being.
godfreys ideaology on the golf course was found in todays comics. mother goose to be exact.
the words of lenin the russian communist politician - a lie told often enough becomes the truth.
godfrey thinks that if he keeps saying it we will believe.
In today’s paper on page C2 there is an article about the midtown developers; remember Godfrey’s buddies, Godfrey’s large political campaign contributors and our downtown saviors that want to build the downtown retail/business/hotel/water park/condo/take over 275 parking stalls from our mall project.
Seems they want to redesign their deal in Clearfield. Their superior knowledge of what the market needs isn’t working in Orem (only closed on 4 units out of 78) and now the want to develop a new strategy in Clearfield (apparently it’s not working in Clearfield either). That’s now after they already have a commitment for about 20 million dollars from Clearfield City, (Makes me think of the old adage, changing horses in the middle of the stream).
They now want to build a separate retail/hotel/business building rather than having a combined building/housing complex. Now they also want to build cheaper smaller residential units. Now they want to build the separate residential units after they see if the retail/business building works. The separated residential buildings will be taller, narrower and not stated in the article, but most likely will look like an inner city low housing project seem in larger cities around the US and the same style of buildings used in low budget movies were they are referred to as the “projects”.
I thought the whole idea of combining the retail/business with the higher end residential units was to have a built in market created by the presence of residential within the single building complex. If you separate the two by distance and/or timing of construction you loose all of that synergy.
Seems to me they are just flying by the seat of their pants, making up the dialog as they go, selling sound bites and looking to build something anywhere where that they can get a city to subsidized their project. These guys need to be cut a wide berth.
Curm, how dare you. Lying little matty was indeed in the middle of the course when Jensen confronted him. He had made a very regular habit of jogging on the faiways, stems back to his track days at then Weber State College. I can't believe you'd believe because of your own innocent mistake you'd be so naive as to attribute your own humble innocence to a lying arrogant conceited pinnoccio syndrome infected sort equipt with a devining forehead. Shame on you.
As for jobs lost, I won't make the connection but I'll point out that both Jensen (the course superintendant) and the popular pro, Steve Wathen were gone in 2003. Coincidence ?
I will also challenge you to once again try and defend the gondolaists cult member/lying little matty enabler lee carter on why his paper on occasion will refuse to print some opinions without documented proof but allow lying little matty to spew falsehoods whenever he wants to.
Todays prevarication dejoir is just another fine example.
His claim that the've invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into course improvements. Where? Can lying little matty document that one, and show someone where?
New golf carts? I recall El Monte receiving a new fleet of carts, some of Mt. Ogdens are over 8 years old, a fleet which consists of not enough old beat up rundown carts to fill the demand. I often wonder what impression a visitor gets when they are given one of the doozies that looks like it won't make it up the 1st fairway.
Oh, I wonder if this invisible hundreds of thousands of dollars includes the refurbishing and roofing of the historic El Monte Clubhouse?
Here's a good one. If you're in the business of golf course design, and you call me complaining that your course is not golfer friendly, how would you respond? " no sir, your nuts, this is a beautiful challenging course.I wouldn't touch it." Or, "oh yes, for four or five million we can give you what your little heart desires." Golf Digest has no future financial stake in our course, and they didn't reccommend a bulldozer. What gives?
As for the irrigation system, it"s 25 years old and was poorly designed to begin with. I'd call it economic developement and take the cost to upgrade it out of Harmers Department. With the economy going south and their proven ability to give away money that just leaves town, it would be a good opportunity to make an investment here at home.
Bill:
Well. Quite a tirade. OK, since you asked: (1) I didn't defend the Mayor, simply offered an explanation, based on my own having been run off the course, of what might have happened. That's all. And, please note, I agreed that MOGC people had good reason to run non-golfers off the fairways. Did you miss that?
(2) You wrote: I will also challenge you to once again try and defend the gondolaists cult member/lying little matty enabler lee carter on why his paper on occasion will refuse to print some opinions without documented proof but allow lying little matty to spew falsehoods whenever he wants to. Bill, don't know how to break this to you , but elected public officials command press attention because they are elected public officials. It kind of comes with the territory. And you did notice, I hope, that the paper printed today letters that opposed the Mayor's take on the golf course.
Nobody has taken the SE reporting staff to task for not asking follow up questions, for printing unexamined the statements and press releases of elected officials and their official public flacks, more often or more loudly [so to speak] over the last few years than I have. However, today's Godfrey piece was an op-ed essay, not a news story. And yes, Bill, he gets more leeway on what he can say in an op ed piece because he is the mayor. He speaks as the elected representative of the people of Ogden City, whether or not I like it, or you do. That's the way it is, Bill. It would be as true of Mr. Hansen or Ms. Hooser, had either of them become mayor.
If the SE editors and reporters on the city beat are smart, though, they've added the Mayor's essay today to their clip files, and will begin tracking down corroboration or refutation going forward, looking for evidence to support or undermine his claims. If they are smart. They're record doing this sort of thing has not been, I grant you, good over the last two or three years. But they have been a little less credulous in the months since the election. Not a lot less, but some.
Hell, if I were running the paper, I'd have my political reporters taking everything any elected official or staffer said as something to be approached with Hazmat gloves and tongs, until its accuracy had been checked out against the facts, the evidence, to the extent possible. But then, I'd probably have run the paper into bankruptcy by now too. Sad to say, I'm afraid the age of the investigative journalist [or in Teddy Roosevelt's much better term, "the muckrakers"]in small/medium daily paper markets is passing fast. Wish that were not so, but it seems to be.
There are still muckrakers out there, but increasingly you find their work in the alternative press --- best damn investigative reporting in this state often appears in the Salt Lake Weekly --- or on blogs [the better journalistic ones, like "Talking Points Memo" and "The Huffington Post"]. Sad but so I'm afraid.
Here's some more comment on lying little matty's pervarication dejoir.
The fact is, the main factor in the drop in rounds played has been lying little matty himself.
When he came to office rounds were over the 40,000 mark. Under his leadership and as a result of his directives, that include a four year state wide and regional campain of negativity towards the course, play has dropped to near 30,000.
I would also question the veracity of his statements like, "doesn't appeal to the average golfer" and " it's too difficult for most golfers." What pray tell, does he know about the game that would allow him to conclude anything about it with any accuracy? Fact is, nothing.
I interpret his resorting to statements like that as him making excuses for his own short commings as far as a manager. That would extend to anyone that resorts to hiding behind those types of statements, current management included.
Fact is, no coordinated effort has ever been tried to lure play to the course, only the opposite. And the numbers show that under his leadership he's been able to drive more than 25% of the business away.
Bill:
Hizzonah da Mayor is now shilling for Bingham Cyclery. He appears in an ad on TV for the cyclery, inviting people to come on down the exciting new Bingham Cyclery store on Ogden's beautiful Ogden River parkway. Odd that he can find time to shill for a campaign contributer, but for the city's own golf course, for the last several years, he's only got time to try to keep people from playing it.
Maybe if MOGC had contributed enough to his re-election campaign, things might have been different.
I found the Mayor's appearing on a TV ad for a merchant... well, a little demeaning. Appearing at a ribbon cutting or an opening of a news business, fine. But appearing in a TV ad saying "I'm Mayor Mathew Godfrey" and inviting folks to buy bikes from Bingham is, for me, going over the line. [And before anyone asks, yes it would have been over the line, and I'd have said so, if Rep. Hansen or Ms. Hooser had won the mayor's race and had done the same.]
"I would also question the veracity of his statements like, "doesn't appeal to the average golfer" and " it's too difficult for most golfers." What pray tell, does he know about the game that would allow him to conclude anything about it with any accuracy? Fact is, nothing."
Well put, Bill. I stated essentially the same recently regarding his knowledge of skiing, snowboarding, climbing, surfing and more. He is a wannabe adventurer. I have ridden my snowboard down Taylor Canyon to 27th and observed Malan's Basin from the high ridges in winter. He has never done either nor will he ever. Neither has any one of the gondolists. They all speak from dreamland and ZERO experience. This terrain WILL NOT support a ski resort and likely not even a small day ski area. I say this from experience not as something I pull out of my ass like the rest of the Gagfreeites. Taylor Canyon can NEVER be made passable to less-than-expert skiers. Malan's Basin is not suitable to grooming making it ONLY suitable to skiability on the fresh powder days and only for about TWO HOURS!!! based on the speed at which the fresh powder gets chopped to an impassable minefield. Then it is a waiting gamew till the next storm would make the basin again skiable.
I have yet to see Bob or Curt Geiger or ANY of the gondolista hard core at Snowbasin this season so what gives with this nonsense about ski companies and their access to Snowbasin. I have never seen Mike Dowse at the front of the Needles gondola or John Paul liftline on a powder day. For those of you not in the know, first chairs on a powder day is the defining status for those who consider themselves enthusiasts or hardcore. There are a few of us but not one of the guys I see regularly at the front of the line are associated with ANY ski company or LiftOgden Nonsense squad.
Why do the public suck up the lies of so many posers so easily these days. Republicans are the worst posers always making boasts to seem like they are the worldly and tough mofos. Thay are pussies and liars.
Good call, Curm.
I have not seen the ad but it sounds like something I'd rather not see on a full stomach.
It sounds terribly unorthodox. Since when does a mayor make an endorsement of one business over any other within the city. I'm not sure how many other bike shops are in town but I am sure they do not appreciate that kind of official government endorsement of their competition. If owned another bike shop I would be down at the 9th floor first thing this morning with a chain link puller to attach to Godfreys nostrils.
The Mayor does the ads because he is an unscrupulous whore, favors for campaign donations, you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.
He is truly pathetic.
And people believe him because they wont take the time to research the large amounts of horse shit he spwes.
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