A friend of mine has created a new branch of social science he calls popology. It’s hard to define, but it largely relies on famousness in terms of pop culture and how it impacts us and our perceptions about society. He’s discussed everyone from Brittany Spears to Colin Powell in the context of their popological impact. It’s weird, but there’s a certain beauty to it.
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Google shows 653 hits for “John Zimmers.” By comparison, a similar search for “Paul Latshaw” (which would include both father and son) generates 401 hits. Do you think there’s just a little bit of interest in the conditions at Oakmont this week?
I’m sure you’ve seen a few of the stories already, but I’ve been amazed by the quantity and the quality of the coverage of Zimmers and his team. Here are a few examples along with interesting quotes from each:
Golf Digest: The Oakmont Guys: Key quote: “This is from an actual conversation an Oakmont board member had with the grounds superintendent, John Zimmers: ‘When I bring guests to the course, I want them to return to their cars after the round and sit there shaking. I want tears streaming down their faces.’”
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Key quote: “John is just about as good as anybody I’ve seen in the business,” U.S. Golf Association director of rules and competitions Mike Davis said. “There is no individual who has bigger impact on any U.S. Open than the golf course superintendent.”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Key quote: The aforementioned Paul A. Latshaw about Zimmers: “He probably went through the ranks faster than 99.9 percent of people do.”
Congratulations, John, on becoming a rock star in the world of popology and good luck to your and your team this week.
Pat Jones is president of Flagstick, LLC.