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