| What are the most important considerations for a | | | | condition. |
| developer when they are thinking about doing | | | | When a golf course is considering doing a renovation, |
| renovations or re-design of their golf course? | | | | what are the things that can give them the greatest |
| A lot of the older courses that have been around for a | | | | returns for their investment? |
| while are looking to improve their courses either to | | | | If you talk to the golf course owner or the golf board, |
| attract new membership or to reduce maintenance | | | | they are typically more focused on visual elements of |
| costs. | | | | golf course design… things like the color of the |
| Generally what we suggest is to do a hole by hole | | | | sand, the shape and contour of the greens, the |
| analysis and then a long range master plan. We look at | | | | treatment of the pond edges, |
| things like safety, drainage, bunker placement, course | | | | However, if you talk to the golf course superintendent, |
| conditioning, playability, tree removal and shade and | | | | they're typically most interested in maintenance issues, |
| overall course conditioning. | | | | things like bunker drainage, trees, cart traffic, irrigation |
| Once that plan is complete, then we work with the | | | | systems, etc. |
| course to develop a phasing plan and a budget for | | | | So part of the process for us is to bring these groups |
| improvements. We want to work together to prioritize | | | | together to educate them and help them understand |
| the changes. | | | | the problems involved. If we can improve the overall |
| What can you tell us about creating holes that play | | | | playability, minimize the maintenance and improve the |
| fairly? | | | | visual look of the hole, everybody is happy. What we |
| This is an important issue because we want to create | | | | do is walk the course with all parties involved. Then we |
| holes that are challenging to all levels of play, yet not | | | | go back to the drawing board and address all the |
| so difficult that beginning golfers are punished for their | | | | concerns as best as we can. Then we present our |
| lack of ability. For example, if the greens are large | | | | recommendations to the membership so people have |
| enough and the hole is relatively short, we will | | | | a better understanding of what we can be |
| sometimes create a more difficult green. This makes | | | | accomplished by improving the course. |
| for a challenge for all levels of golfers. | | | | What kinds of problems can arise when a golf course |
| One of the things we take into consideration is the | | | | takes on a renovation project? |
| type of golf course we are designing - who will | | | | One of the primary concerns for people is that they |
| typically be playing on it. Certainly on the public courses | | | | don't want to shut down the entire course for several |
| we want to make them play a little easier and more | | | | months. We spend quite a bit of time considering how |
| forgiving. If we don't accommodate for the weaker | | | | we can do this effectively. |
| players, the courses will end up playing dreadfully slow | | | | One of the big issues is hiring an architect that can help |
| and become frustrating for everybody. We want to | | | | you look at all these kinds of issues, including how to |
| make it so that people will go out and have fun and | | | | prevent taking the entire course out of play. |
| enjoy the course. | | | | Oftentimes, we can do these projects in phases in |
| One of the problems that I see happening is that some | | | | order to minimize the impact on play. |
| of the courses opt for faster greens and this can | | | | How do you design or re-design a green? |
| make some of their holes very difficult because the | | | | In part, when it comes to designing a green, it is |
| beginning player doesn't typically have the ability to spin | | | | important for us to have an understanding of who will |
| the ball as well, so having their shots stick on the green | | | | be playing the golf course. We look at how different |
| becomes more challenging on these fast greens. | | | | players of varying ability will play the hole and what |
| Are you seeing a lot of courses that want to extend | | | | type of contour will penalize or reward them for a |
| the length of their courses these days because of all | | | | particular angle of approach. |
| the advances in equipment and the ability for people to | | | | For daily-fee courses which maintain their cutting |
| hit the ball farther? | | | | heights at a slower speed, we generally put a little |
| I think technology has certainly impacted the game. I | | | | more slope in the greens and try to make them fun. |
| think we're finding that people are contacting us | | | | For private courses and courses which might keep |
| because they are faced with a variety of problems. It | | | | their greens a bit faster, we flatten the greens a little |
| may be that they are looking to add some additional | | | | and try to divide the putting surface into different |
| length or simply eliminating obsolete bunkers. With | | | | zones. We also like to provide for a preferred angle of |
| people driving the ball further, some bunkers simply | | | | approach and to vary the design of the green |
| don't come into play as they were once intended to | | | | depending on whether we want to encourage an |
| do. | | | | aerial or bump and run approach |
| We're also seeing a lot of interest in improving course | | | | Finally, we always try to design a green to will allow |
| conditioning and playability. People are starting to | | | | for water to run off in several different directions. This |
| recognize that they are not competing as well with | | | | insures that the green will drain quickly and wont have |
| some of the other new courses that have come into | | | | maintenance issues caused by standing water.. These |
| their area. Sometimes they simply feel that they need | | | | contours will make for some very interesting breaks in |
| to improve their course in order to complete with the | | | | the green. |
| course down the road that is longer and in better | | | | |