Scratching the Surface

Golf Course Design & Landscape Architecture - Part 1

2011-04-14T09:13:00.000-04:00

Landscape Architecture encompasses the analysis, planning, design, management, and stewardship of the natural and built environments. This includes the design of golf courses, which are classified as recreational landscapes. The term Landscape Architecture appears to have been first used by Gilbert Meason, a friend and co-traveler of Sir Walter Scott, in his book “On the Landscape Architecture of the Great Painters of Italy” (1828). The title Landscape Architect was first used in the United States by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux for their plan of Central Park in New York City in 1858. The design of Central Park included approximately 800 acres of land. In 1899, the first professional body was formed – The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). In 1900, the first university course in Landscape Architecture was started at Harvard.

At nearly the same time the ASLA was being formed, the first golf courses in America were being built. Because golf was a new sport in the United States, most of courses were designed by professional or skilled golfers who knew the game from Scotland. Many of the methods for constructing the new golf courses were borrowed from the techniques of working Landscape Architects. Park planning and construction were often similar in both scale and scope of work. However, due to the “newness” of the sport in America, golf course design did not develop within traditional landscape architecture in the early period. During the golden age of golf course design (1919-1939) many of the Landscape Architects were working on urban parks, open space systems, National Parks, campus plans, cemeteries, and large estates. The development of cities and the desire of the growing middle class to live and find leisure time in organized spaces led to the advancement of the profession during the early decades of the 20th century. If not for the financial crash of 1929 and the ensuing Great Depression, it is likely that golf course design would have naturally merged into the folds of Landscape Architecture, and benefited from it. In fact, some golf course designers, such as Stanley Thompson - employed Landscape Architects in their office during the earlier period. However, during the great depression, golf course construction was nearly extinct and traditional landscape architecture was focused on public works programs, such as the Civil Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC took advantage of Landscape Architects skill and employed them in designing new towns, public recreation facilities, and new highways were constructed as rural “parkways”.

In the next post, I will discuss the modern era of golf design and how the lack of Landscape Architectural training led to an era of generally poor and "uncreative" course design.

April is National Landscape Architecture Month

2011-04-02T10:33:00.004-04:00

By definition, Golf Course Design is Landscape Architecture. It is a recreational design niche within the profession of Landscape Architecture. As such, I will be focusing on the profession of Golf Course Design within the field of Landscape Architecture over the next several weeks. I am kicking off the month by giving a lecture at the State University of New York in Syracuse on Monday April 4th. The class is an introductory course in the Department of Landscape Architecture and provides students insight into the broader field of Landscape Architecture. In the modern era of design, nearly all Landscape Architects specialize in something. So this is an opportunity to provide them with insight into golf course design, and the path to becoming a professional Golf Course Architect.

For this month, I will touch on the history of landscape architecture and parallel what was happening in golf course design. I will also spend a good deal of time on the legal qualifications for today’s golf course architects, including licensure and the various laws that regulate the profession. And finally, why I believe the future of golf design will be led by professionals within the field of Landscape Architecture and not by untrained and unqualified PGA Tour professionals. (Though some are trained, and have studied architecture - such as Ben Crenshaw - most are not. Ben also works hand in hand with a trained professional). This should make for an interesting month, particularly for the students who are following the blog, and for those curious about the path to becoming a “professional” Golf Course Architect.

Finally, in celebration of National Landscape Architecture month, the ASLA has posted Landscape Architecture Magazine online this month. You can find it through the link below.

http://www.zinio.com/reader.jsp?issue=416163142&o=ext&RF=LAM_April2011

College Course Being Offered: An Introduction to Golf Course Architecture

2011-03-28T08:28:00.000-04:00

I will be teaching a class in the Department of Landscape Architecture at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) in Syracuse, New York this summer. The class is titled “An Introduction to Golf Course Architecture”. This is the first of a series of courses on Golf Course Architecture that I am preparing for the university. The course will review the history of golf course architecture, the features of the modern golf course, and the design process specific to golf course landscapes. Students will have an opportunity to analyze, contrast and play a historic golf course and a modern golf course. Students will also design their own golf course in a studio setting. The class will conclude with each student presenting their golf course design.

ESF is an accredited Landscape Architecture program and the course provides 3 credits for students. The class will run during the summer session that begins July 5th and runs through August 12th. For more information see: http://www.esf.edu/outreach/summer

Looking Back at 2010 & Ahead to 2011

2011-01-28T10:41:00.006-05:00

In spite of the doom and gloom hovering over much of the golf course development world, 2010 was a very good year for me. In May, I opened up Champion Hills Golf Course, a new private course located in Victor, New York (a suburb of Rochester, NY) The course has done very well in its inaugural year and the future looks bright. It is a unique type of golf course that I refer to as a “cottage course” and it fits a distinct niche market that adds to the fine palette of golf available in the greater Rochester area.

Champion Hills - 3rd hole

Champion Hills - 9th Hole

Through the summer months and into the late fall of 2010, I spent more than 45 days on site directing the construction of the final 9 holes at the Lazy Swan Golf and Country Club in Saugerties, NY. These are the final 9 holes for a new 18 hole course (I have been told it is the only new 18 hole course currently being built in the Northeast.) The first nine holes have already opened for play. Four of the second nine holes have been grassed and the earthmoving on the remaining 5 holes are complete. Final grassing will be completed by Memorial Day of this year and a Labor Day opening for the entire course has been set. In addition, more development within the golf course “village” is planned. Stay tuned for this and other announcements in regards to the project. We are all looking forward to a big opening party early in the fall.

Lazy Swan - 9th Hole

Lazy Swan - 10th Hole

Lazy Swan Construction - 3rd hole bunker complex

2011 will bring yet another new course construction in New York State. Plans are set for breaking ground on Barrow’s View Golf Course for June of this year. The course will feature several holes that overlook beautiful Skaneateles Lake and the lake valley. My focus for this project will be on the ecological design of the property. We are going above and beyond the governmental requirements of the project to ensure that we protect and enhance the lake watershed. Skaneateles Lake is one of the cleanest lakes in the United States. I will be discussing this project more as the construction gets under way.

In addition to the new courses, several renovation projects are in the works. So while the economy continues to negatively impact recreation such as golf, I feel fortunate to be involved with several great projects. If all goes as planned, I will have opened 3 new golf courses in 3 years during the current economic downturn in which many more courses are closing than are opening in this country. Here’s to hoping the trend continues through 2012 and beyond.

A Ryder Cup Connection

2010-09-30T11:25:00.003-04:00

A few weeks back, a friend of mine called after watching Corey Pavin make his picks for the USA Ryder Cup team on ESPN. He said, "Hey, Isn't that the same Jim Remy you worked for in Vermont, sitting next to Pavin?" I told him that it was was. We did an extensive renovation at Tater Hill Country Club under the direction of Jim Remy, current President of the PGA of America. It involved rebuilding 10 green complexes and re-routing several holes. I think my friend was fishing for Ryder Cup tickets, but I am too busy finishing my new course "The Lazy Swan" in Saugerties, New York and planning another new course for next year to make any trips at this point. We'll be busy building untill the snow flies, and busy through the winter preparing for the next one. However, I do want to wish Jim and team USA good luck in the matches. I always enjoy watching the teams play and there are a number of good guys on both sides this go around.

After we finished our work at Tater Hill, I received a nice endorsement from Jim. It is always good to be recognized by someone with his credibility. I will post that below. I look forward to working with him again in the near future.

"We retained Barry Jordan's services to conduct a major renovation project at Tater Hill Country Club. Barry was personally committed to the project throughout the process and worked hard to come up with creative design solutions that fit perfectly with our goals and objectives. The project has been enthusiatically received by our members and quests. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Barry and would highly recommend him as a Golf Course Architect".

Jim Remy - President PGA of America

Lazy Swan Site Planning

2010-09-13T08:59:00.000-04:00

One of the things that has been great about the Lazy Swan was developing the "village concept" for the facilities. It allowed me to create an intimate relationship between building architecture and the golf course. Separate buildings include the clubhouse / restaurant, pro shop, banquet hall, pilates studio, locker rooms, cart barn and snack shop. There are still a few more structures to go in, such as office space and retail shops. The owner is now looking into the development of a hotel on site. The golf business has been booming and the facilities, freshly opened, are booking events at a rapid pace. This is a different model from golf and housing, but one that is quite successful here, particularly considering the economy we are in right now. Golf is up at the course 150% over last season, and it appears the banquet hall will be equally successful in the 2011 season.

News From the Lazy Swan

2010-09-03T11:03:00.000-04:00

Things are progressing nicely on the new nine holes at the Lazy Swan in Saugerties, NY. All indications are that we will be open for 18 holes of golf at this time next year (if not before). The existing nine hole course is doing a tremendous amount of business and bucking the downward trend of golf in general. Below is a recent article on the entire facility and future plans.

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/2010/08/23/news/doc4c71d544cab31851808649.txt

Character Trumps Length

2010-07-21T10:20:00.000-04:00

This seems obvious to me……but maybe not so for most golfers. There is no column on the golf card for character. You'll find par, length, handicap, and slope (whatever that is). But you often hear the length of the course mentioned when a course is described - “A brand new 7,500 yard layout”. Often, courses would be better characterized as a long and boring golf course, void of any character or original design concepts. Some of the length of a golf course is simply from not understanding the golf course market that one is targeting. Most often, a golf course is not going to host a PGA Tour event.

There is a HUGE difference in designing a course that will award a professional player over one million dollars for winning a tournament, and designing a course that wants players to pay over a million dollars annually to play. Most of my clients want players to pay to play their courses, not pay out players for winning a tournament.

How many golfers would turn down an opportunity to play National, Augusta, Pine Valley, Fishers Island, etc. if they were required to play a tee length of 6,400 – 6,500 yards?

Lazy Swan Expansion Article

2010-07-13T09:59:00.000-04:00

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/2010/07/12/sports/doc4c3aa3e6d56db786700538.txt

The Iron is Ready

2010-04-07T19:41:00.001-04:00

Our construction team is on site in Saugerties and ready to go. We will be adding 9 holes to the existing course that opened in 2008. I will keep you posted as the construction gets underway.

Coming Up for Air

2010-03-16T09:48:00.001-04:00

It's been over a month since I have posted on this blog. For the past several weeks I have been putting together the final design and construction drawings for the new nine at The Lazy Swan. Once these drawings are completed, my construction guys will start their work. There have been many long nights that have turned into early mornings in the studio for the past three weeks. And once the design for this project is completed, another new course design is lined up right behind it. So unfortunately, there isn't a lot of time to write.
In regards to the Lazy Swan - I am getting many questions about the design from golfers that will play the holes. What’s it going to be like? At one point I considered using the blog to break down and discuss the holes being developed, but after further thought, I decided not to. I felt it would be like telling what happens in a movie before one sees it. So although my journal and sketchbook is full of the concepts and sketches of the holes, I will wait until the holes open and are being played before I discuss them in detail. My job is to create the problem. It's the golfers job to figure it out. Sometimes telling too much about the design cheapens the experience of playing it. I think this is best left to after the fact. However, there are a few principles that are guiding my work that I don't think will give away too much.

1. Character trumps course length.

2. Flow and overall quality of holes trumps the "funkiness" of a hole or two.

3. It's more about what the site "needs to be", rather than what I "want" the site to be.

4. More linked passages - playing through spaces.

5. Balancing the test of both precision and power.

I will break down each of these in the coming days. But for now, I just need to breathe a bit of this Spring air.

Where Design Inspiration Comes From – Some Thoughts to Consider

2010-01-27T11:42:00.001-05:00

Consider this: Not all music is inspired by other music; not all paintings are inspired from other paintings; not all architecture is inspired by other architecture; not all writing is inspired by other writing; and not all golf architecture should be inspired by other golf architecture.

It was 1994 and I was doing some research during my graduate studies. I contacted a few prominent “Golf Course Architects” to ask some questions in regards to design. What I was interested in at the time was the inspiration or conceptualization of the final forms of the golf holes. I remember one conversation in particular. I asked this architect about “form generation” and where he got his ideas for the forms and features of the golf course. There was dead silence. It was like I was speaking a foreign language. Most well known building architects can articulate where their forms are inspired by. But when it comes to golf design, I am continually struck by the “shallowness” of it. I went on to explain that a Ross bunker doesn’t look like a MacKenzie bunker, and so they obviously had different inspirations for design. What I am asking is, “What is your inspiration? What is leading your forms to become what they are?” I guess maybe he never thought about it, which I found incredible. Yet 16 years later, you rarely hear a “Golf Course Architect” talk about their inspiration. Or when you do, it is always about other golf holes, historical courses, or dead architects. I am so tired of hearing –“This hole was inspired by (fill in some classic golf hole here)” Or, as every architect now claims, “I am inspired by the classic golf courses of the golden age of golf design”, and not those “horribly boring modern designs!” How convenient, how cliché, and how easy it is to try to align oneself with the esteemed architecture of the past. The only problem with this is that they were creating original designs. What do you have to offer? My eyes glaze over every time I hear the “Classic Design” cliché. Enough already, we got that back in 101 Design Theory. There are indeed important foundational principles and characteristics of classical golf design, just as there is in building architecture. But they are to be built upon, not plagiarized. I, for one, am very skeptical of the “template” mentality. I speak as a designer, as one who creates. Not as an architectural critic. As a critic, it is often very useful to describe new holes in comparing them to older designs. This is to describe – it’s not about the genesis of the form. But as a designer - as one who creates - I believe great architecture at its best is original, intuitive, comes from within and can be inspired by a variety of sources – not just the study of other golf holes, or great golf course architects.

As Emerson said,
“Shakespeare will never be made by the study of Shakespeare.”

Think about it.

Hibernation Design

2010-01-04T10:18:00.001-05:00

“They steal upon the sleeping mind while winter steals upon the landscape, sealing the inviting cups beneath sheets of ice, cloaking the contours of the fairway in snow.”

John Updike - opening line to Golf Dreams

The photo shown here is the view from my studio window this morning. As a Golf Course Architect in the Northeast, I am often asked by folks that don’t know the industry, “What do you do in the winter?” I usually tell them that I plow snow – (and in this economy, I might make better money doing it!) But honestly, I prefer the break from the game of golf itself and welcome as much snow as possible between December and February. Come March, I am ready for a couple of months of warmer sunshine, but January and February are wonderful times to walk or cross country ski in the winter landscape and work on next seasons designs. “Hibernation Design” I call it. And it can be one of the most creative times of the year for me. Blowing snow and rounded forms provide inspiration much in the same way that blowing sand and beach forms do. The process of nature is visible and the palette is clean in new fallen snow. Rough forms are softened. There is also purity in the light that illuminates relief in the simplest of undulations. Well, it's time to let the dogs out and shovel again.

By the way, for those of you that have never read Golf Dreams by John Updike, it’s the perfect time to do so. Golf Dreams is one of my favorite all time golf books.

More Good News - Barrow's View Golf Course - 2010

2009-12-22T11:29:00.000-05:00

I will be constructing another new course in 2010 - Barrow's View Golf Course in Borodino, New York. The course will overlook beautiful Skaneateles Lake in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. The golf course is part of a larger development that includes housing, a cluster of retail and artist buildings, and additional recreational facilities including boating. The property includes a waterfront component that will allow golfers to arrive by boat. Overnite guests will be shuttled by boat to the village of Skaneateles for dining and shopping. The course is named after John D. Barrows, a Hudson River School landscape and portrait painter who resided in Skaneateles during the late 1800's. His work includes many paintings of the Skaneateles Lake area. More recently, the town of Skaneateles became famous for hosting then President Bill Clinton - who vacationed on the lake during his presidency. I am attaching a couple of early sketches I prepared for the golf course. The routing and preliminary construction drawings have been completed. I will be writing more about this project and posting updated plans as they become available for release.

Lazy Swan Expanding to 18 Holes

2009-12-17T09:29:00.003-05:00

The Lazy Swan Golf and Country Club in Saugerties, New York is expanding to 18 holes.

Construction on the new nine is scheduled to to take place in the 2010 season with an opening date set for 2011. The first nine that I designed opened in 2008. Since that time, six buildings have been constructed that make up the "Village Area". The buildings include the clubhouse, pro-shop, locker rooms, snack shop, pilates studio, and cart barn. Currently, the banquet hall is under construction. The views from the facility will frame golf holes and mountain views. (See attached photo). The Banquet hall is scheduled to open in the summer of 2010.

The golf course was originally planned as a nine hole course. However, reviews from the golfers were so positive that the owner, Tony Bacchi, decided to purchase additional land to build nine more holes. The holes will continue the overall themes created in the first nine and will enhance the diversity of the course by moving in and out of some beautifully wooded areas. The routing is complete and the project has been granted sketch plan approval. We anticipate a spring groundbreaking once final permits are secured.

Silent Blog + Trashed Studio = Good Signs

2009-12-04T10:21:00.002-05:00

Things have been "good busy" in the studio for the last month and a half. (See image above) Next week we will have some news about at least one large project that will be under construction next year, and a very good chance more to follow. As I look around my studio, I see trash paper sketches everywhere, piles of paper stacked on my desk, and books from my design library strewn about. I know this is a good sign. Another good sign is when my design sketchbook begins to fill up again. I have been ripping through pages the last few weeks. This is where I begin to articulate design ideas that will eventually turn into golf holes.

Another good sign, unfortunately, is a silent blog. (First things first - especially in this economy) I am sure there are plenty of golf architects with very clean offices and plenty of time on their hands to do all the writing they want. Right now, I am fortunate not to be one of them. I must say, it is difficult to stay committed to the blog when there is so much studio work to be flushed out with relatively little time to do it. It is now December and come March, northern golf construction season begins. Only three full months away. Yikes! I can't wait......

Champion Hills Nears Debut

2009-10-13T07:10:00.003-04:00

The 9th hole and clubhouse beyond - at Champion Hills Country Club

My latest new design, Champion Hills is nearing its debut.

Located in Victor, New York – just east of the city of Rochester - Champion Hills Country Club is the areas first “Cottage Style” layout. The final hole was seeded approximately a month ago, and is coming in nicely. Work continues on the building out of the residential area as well as tuning up the golf course. A grand opening will occur early next spring. This is the first new course opening for me since the highly acclaimed Lazy Swan Golf and Country Club opened in Saugerties, New York in 2008. Champion Hills is significant for me not only because it is opening at a time when few new courses are built, but also due to its unique concept. It is also the second golf course I have completed with Scott Hall, my shaper from Empire Links Golf Construction.

The "Cottage Style Course" - is a term I coined while working out the design concept. The ‘Cottage Style’ refers to a nine-hole course that is less than 3,000 yards and has a non-traditional total par. However, more importantly, the course is designed to "reflect a quality and craftsmanship in its detailing of features, equal or exceeding the top-level courses”. It is a style of course directly contrasting the absurd modern architecture of 7,500 yards or more, ‘McMonster’ courses. These long, process designed courses are excruciatingly boring and offer little interest to the large masses of common golfers. By contrast, a cottage style course is infused with strategies that require careful thinking and an honest evaluation of ones own shot making abilities. When possible, alternative routes to the hole are also provided. They are also designed to address the modern lifestyle of today’s golfers.

One of the unique beauties of the 'Cottage Style', is the desirability of the course for all age groups and skill levels. The length alone insures that the holes are playable – and ultimately “parable” - for most golfers. However, the holes do provide challenges that will assist in the development of a wide repertoire of shots if the course is to be mastered on a regular basis. One can also expect to find many of the hazards found on regulation courses. Both sand bunkers and water features are typically present and the courses require tactical decisions by players if they are to successfully negotiate the golf holes. However, the courses do eliminate forced carries of any significant length and offer multiple tee boxes for varying skill levels.

The ‘Cottage Style’ is also deliberately designed to be family friendly, where one can imagine a grandfather playing with his son and grandson. In addition, better golfers will find these courses as a quick and useful tune-up for their games when they are short on time. The typical length of time to play a cottage style course is 90 minutes or less. And players will find that despite the reduced length of the course, they are required to hit every club in their bag.

I will be introducing several of the holes at Champion Hills as well as discussing my clients goals and objectives and how those were specifically addressed throughout the design and construction of the golf course.

Space Matters

2009-10-06T10:37:00.002-04:00

For the past week I have been working on a routing for a new golf course. Nine of the holes are set. So I have been working out the final nine holes and amenities, such as the practice facility, parking and clubhouse circulation. It became apparent that we will need some more land – not a lot - but certainly more. I have tried over 50 – 75 routings and variations. This isn’t uncommon for me even when land is plentiful. But it is more difficult to make a course of distinction without sufficient land. It leads to the question, “How much land is needed for an 18 hole golf course?” That’s a question not always easy to answer. So much depends on what one is trying to achieve, as well as parcel configuration, topography, environmental issues (such as wetlands), existing vegetation, etc. In 1926, this is what the great Golf Architect Donald J. Ross had to say:

“Don’t make that most regrettable of mistakes, the selection of too small a tract. Don’t try to save money in that way. One hundred ten acres will do, but it’s bad to limit it to even that. One-hundred twenty five is a fair size, but one-hundred fifty is better. It is not necessary to use all the ground available for golf. By using less, the upkeep is kept down, a big item in this day of high prices. Under certain favorable conditions, a small piece of property, fortunately shaped, might work out admirably. Other times it would make a most unsatisfactory and decidedly uninteresting course.”

Keep in mind that he was working back in the day where a course of 6,500 yards was plenty for a championship course. (A length that is still plenty for the 95% of all golfers, but certainly too short for Men’s championships.) So to a certain extent, what your goals are will determine the amount of land you will need. At any rate, at the end of my week of routings, I decided to take in this past weeks PGA Tournament that was held at Atunyote, the Tom Fazio design at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, NY. Saturday was a beautiful fall day and it was a pleasure to soak it in. I’m not here to critique the design, which by the way is very beautiful and very “Fazio”. I have played it before and it is a fun track, very playable even for a 9 handicap hacker like myself. But what struck me most about my visit in the midst of routing a course with limited land, is the expanse of the golf course proper. I literally could fit a very nice 9 holes on three of the holes out there. Give me the 12th, 18th and 9th holes, and I would have plenty to work with. This is mainly because the goal of the resort was to host a PGA Tour event, and they host their Turning Stone Resort Championship in fine fashion. The planning included space for bleachers, corporate tents, paved cart paths throughout, “spectator mounding”, etc. It’s a completely different design criteria.

So there is no definitive amount of land needed for 18 holes. Donald Ross’ answer is still a good one. But if we are to grow the game of golf, we need to create interesting courses nearer to urban populations where we can expose the game to the maximum number of people who have never tried it. This means designing courses on smaller pieces of land and will require more creativity from the architect. Certainly, it is a greater test of ones ability to design a fine shorter course with limited land than a longer course on an expansive remote piece of property. I think as an industry we should be headed into smaller urban parcels where potential players are abundant, even if the land is limited. Players will eventually travel to play golf in remote areas but we need to let “interesting golf” - and not necessarily "long golf" - get them hooked first.

Good Shapers Song

2009-09-29T22:42:00.001-04:00

Bulldozers and Dirt - DBT

"Green green grass under my feet,
but all I can think about's the dirt underneath,
Bulldozers and dirt, bulldozers and dirt,
behind the trailer my dessert,
Them red clay piles are heaven on earth
I get my rocks off bulldozers and dirt".

Drive-by Truckers

How I Got Started in Golf Architecture - Part Three

2009-09-25T11:20:00.001-04:00

"Sight is faculty; Seeing is an art."

George Perkins Marsh

My growing passion for golf and the golf course landscape eventually led to me leaving my Landscape Architecture firm and entering graduate school to focus solely on golf course design. It was not an easy decision. Not only did I enjoy the people I was working with, but I had built up a fairly impressive portfolio of work. A portfolio that would now be useless when seeking to obtain golf course design commissions. But before I made the final commitment I needed to get over one last hurdle. I was still finding that the design of golf courses was lacking in both creativity and foundational design. The question I needed to resolve was this; is it the process itself or is it just the people designing golf courses? In other words, was the design of golf courses simply too limiting, or were the designers themselves lacking in creativity? The person responsible for helping me think through this process was Bob Reimann. Bob was a brilliant and creative Landscape Architect and long time design instructor (and former Dean of Landscape Architecture) at the State University of New York at Syracuse. When I discussed some of these issues with him, his answer was “all the more reason to follow your passion.” If it wasn’t to be extremely challenging to me as a designer, then what was the point? He also pointed out that sometimes subtlety in design can make a huge difference, but it isn’t always obvious to the casual observer. Eventually I came to realize that strong conceptualization could lead to both bold and subtle forms. And that some things only the designer recognizes. And that’s OK.

So I left my firm and entered graduate school. I already knew that a great golf course must be both strategically sound and aesthetically appealing. So I set out to further study this. First, I did the obvious and began studying the classic American courses. I then traveled to Scotland and Ireland to study some of the links courses. I wasn’t, (and I’m still not), interested in becoming a golf course historian. I made no intention to “memorize holes” or golf course routings, though I sketched every course I visited. My purpose in traveling and studying the classic courses had two purposes. First, to simply experience the origins of the great game of golf. And then secondly, to see how the architects of old interpreted the original links in a new landscape. My goal was never to capture something that I eventually could cut and paste into my future designs. At the same time I was continuing to pursue a broader interest in studying the forms and features of the natural landscape. With Bob Reimann’s guidance, I spent a semester conducting “A Study of Natural Compositions in the Adirondack Park”. In a nutshell, my goal was to observe nature, and then through photography and sketching, try to figure out why certain landscapes are more attractive than others. It also involved analyzing the processes of nature, such as the movement of water, its “sequence”, and erosion. You see, I believe what the great Landscape Architect Olmsted did, that nature has a restorative power – and not just for intellectuals but for the common man. And I knew I wanted to infuse my golf course design work with a sense of this. I began training myself not to just look at golf courses and nature, but to “see”. As George Perkins Marsh wrote in Man and Nature – “To the natural philosopher, the descriptive poet, the painter, and the sculptor, as well as the common observer, the power most important to cultivate, and at the same time hardest to acquire, is that of seeing what is before him. Sight is faculty; seeing is an art.”

When I left graduate school I felt confident I was ready to get started. I obtained my License in Landscape Architecture and in 1996 simply “Hung my Shingle”. The rest - as they say - is history.

How I Got Started in Golf Architecture - Part Two

2009-09-24T11:01:00.004-04:00

"It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, - she moves in mysterious ways" U2

It was 1987 when I began working at Environmental Design and Research, a large Syracuse based Landscape Architecture firm. I knew if I wanted to practice Landscape Architecture (including Golf Design) that I would need to eventually obtain my professional license. This would require me to apprentice three years under a licensed Landscape Architect, and then take and pass a rigorous week long national exam. This is similar to architecture or civil engineering. So even though I hadn’t yet decided to specialize in golf course design, I knew that either way I would need a license and this position would fulfill part of that requirement.

My role initial role at EDR was that of a typical “green” intern, starting with the most menial tasks, such as drafting and assisting partners with their projects. I eventually became more involved in design and project management. David Crandall was the founder of the company and the lead designer at the firm. He was a great person to work for and an outstanding designer. I came to the firm with strong conceptualization skills and a love of design in general. But Dave really influenced me a lot. He taught me to trust my intuition and helped me translate my ideas into quick sketches. His encouragement was critical to my development as a designer. We worked on a broad range of projects, residential design, streetscapes, community planning, urban design, and athletic facilities. I learned that the design process is similar to each project and that managing projects and budgets are important aspects of the profession. But we also were getting golf design projects – or pieces of them - and I was able to do routings and preliminary design work. It was during this time that I recognized a higher level of interest and spent much time outside of work researching golf course design.

During the same years I was working at EDR, I was invited by the State University of New York at Syracuse, to teach design in the Department of Landscape Architecture as a visiting instructor. My design work at EDR was beginning to gain attention and the department felt I would be able to bring my knowledge of design to the classroom. At the time, I was the youngest instructor in the department. I gave lectures and was responsible for daily interaction and instruction for 1/3 of the design studio. I also began to look more closely at Golf Course Design and considered going back to obtain my Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture. I also briefly considered pursuing a career in teaching Landscape Architecture.

While all of this was going on, I traveled with my wife and some folks from my church to Honduras in 1992. We were there to see what life was like in Central America and we were led through various villages and barrios by one of my best friends. It was truly an eye and heart opening experience. While I was there, my wife and I struck up a conversation with a retired Latin American History professor from Columbia University. He was living in Rochester, NY – just a short drive away from us in Syracuse. He invited me to join him later on that same year to travel to Nicaragua. He was planning a trip and needed someone to design and build a children’s playground in the Village of Chacra Saca. I decided it was something I would like to do. So later that same year, I traveled to Nicaragua with a small group of high school students, an electrician (to electrify their well) and a Vietnam Veteran and his son. We built the only playground we saw in the country. Some may have wondered, why we were building a playground for the children, when there were so many other pressing issues. Most of the residents did not have electricity and most of the homes were made from random pieces of wood and had dirt floors. But all of the villagers were very grateful. They loved to see the joy the children had when they played on the playground. For a moment, the children lost themselves in a world that took them somewhere else. Isn’t that what recreation is meant to do?

I mention this story because it was an amazing trip and we had long conversations into the night. The poverty was unbelievable, but the spirit of the people amazing. I thought a long time afterwards about recreation, and its value to both children and adults. It seems a very odd place to come from, but after the dust settled from those trips, I decided to take a chance and pursue a career specializing in Golf Course Architecture. I had finally recognized (and accepted) the value that recreation has for any civilized society, and the wonderful opportunity this country affords to pursue ones own dreams.

How I Got Started in Golf Architecture - Part One

2009-09-22T10:53:00.000-04:00

A question I am often asked is just how I got started in golf design. I will try to trace it as best as I can, but it’s not really such a linear progression. I first found out about Landscape Architecture as a profession when I was a junior in high school back in Connecticut. I spoke with a Landscape Architect and she told me about the various things that Landscape Architects do. She mentioned that most Landscape Architects eventually specialize in one aspect of the field. She mentioned Golf Course Design as one of several niches within recreation specialization. And while I thought that this was interesting, I was equally intrigued by all facets of Landscape Architecture, including urban planning, residential design, park design, garden design, historical preservation, ecological restoration, etc. She then described the process of obtaining a degree in Landscape Architecture from an accredited university and then obtaining a license in Landscape Architecture in order to practice in the majority of states with licensing laws. I decided this was a great field and ended up getting an Associates Degree from the State University of New York at Cobleskill. There I took courses in Turfgrass Management and Landscape Development. Bob Emmons, who has since retired, was the turf guy. (Little did I know at the time my good friend and fellow DJ, Frank Rossi, would eventually end up being the “turf guy” at Cornell!) Anyhow, we ended up building two greens and learned how to operate golf course maintenance equipment.

Following graduation from Cobleskill, I worked on the maintenance crew at the Shennecossett Golf Course in Groton, Connecticut. (This was back when it was still a Donald Ross course, before they ruined it – but that story is coming in another blog!) Anyway, I wondered who this Donald Ross guy was that designed it. At the time, I was involved in all of the operations of maintenance, including cutting greens, raking all 100 bunkers, cutting cups, etc. I also did some construction of tees, drainage, and helped with minor irrigation repair. I loved it. So much so, I took a year and a half off before going to Syracuse to get my degree in Landscape Architecture. Once I got to Syracuse, I became fascinated with all aspects of Landscape Architecture. I was interested in Golf Course Architecture, but was by no means “focused” on it. I did look into the field of Golf Course Design – but to be perfectly honest, I found it to be awfully shallow compared with other aspects of Landscape Architecture. The only interesting book I found was an old one – “The Links” by Robert Hunter. (Still one of my favorites) This was during the mid-80’s. I wasn’t sure, but it seemed no contemporary golf course architect had anything worthwhile to say. Yet contrasting this were the other aspects of Landscape Architecture. There was plenty to say. From Jens Jensen, to Thomas Church, Lawrence Halprin, Ian McHarg, John Simonds, Dan Kiley, and others. There was also this “kid” – an undergraduate from Yale that I was reading about - who had recently won a design competition for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC. Her name was Maya Lin, and she had just blown away a field of national and international Architects and Landscape Architects by winning the competition. Her “original” thought process had led to an “original” design that is as moving and awesome and popular a piece of memorial architecture as exists anywhere in the world. I found that inspirational. Here, there were all of these ideas and original thoughts in many aspects of Landscape Architecture, and then there was Golf Design – with nothing to say, dead, completely void of any new design concepts. And worse yet, golf course design was being practiced by an old boy network – that looked like a “fraternity of designers and professional golfers”, who not only didn’t have any new ideas, but hadn’t even bothered to study the old ones! So I pursued what seemed far more interesting to me at the time, and took a job in a Landscape Architecture firm in Syracuse.

Why "Scratching the Surface"?

2009-09-17T23:54:00.001-04:00

“NO ASPECT OF THE PAST, HOWEVER GRAND IT MAY APPEAR, IS TO BE REGARDED AS SUPERIOR TO THE PRESENT MOMENT”

emerson

A few have asked about the title of my blog, "Scratching the Surface". Scratching the surface is what we do when we create a golf course. In one way or another, we scratch at the surface of the earth. Sometimes we need to scratch more than others. The second meaning has more to do with the purpose of this blog. The art of golf course architecture is in its infancy. And in my opinion, lagging behind other allied arts (including other niches within Landscape Architecture) in the development of ideas and contemporary theory. There are many reasons for this. Many involved in design are not qualified or formally trained. And the majority of today's golf architects are focused on (or hiding behind) the past and "classical design". They offer nothing new. Ideas are inbred and stale. Honestly, when was the last time you heard an architect say anything interesting about their work? Templates and berms are two words for "I have nothing new to offer". Fresh ideas are hard to find and discussions about design are overly simplistic. The profession is starved for new ideas and plagiarism is rampant. To be certain, the history of golf design is important and foundational to developing an understanding of the profession. And I love the old classic courses and confess to being a Ross-head myself. But it is all Golf Course History 101. It's freshman year of design at college. It's time to move beyond and offer true and original interpretations of what a golf course can be. And that doesn't mean abandoning all of the wonderful characteristics of great historical design anymore than one would in building architecture (or as my nephew Ryan says, "real architecture"). Scale, proportion, balance, juxtaposition, etc. are all important. But great architecture is not just about recreating the past. It also involves being here now. And in that way, we are just beginning to "Scratch the Surface".

Advancing the Art and Profession of Golf Course Architecture

2009-09-14T12:49:00.000-04:00

I've decided that the best time of the year for me to focus on writing generally lines up with the academic year. Summer gets hectic with construction schedules, travel, family activities, and yes - for those of us residing in the Northeast, playing golf. During the next several months I will be focusing on more philosophical ideas that I hope will lead to the advancement of Golf Course Architecture as both an art and profession. My involvement with the State University of New York Department of Landscape Architecture in Syracuse always brings a few calls or e-mails from students (or occasionally their parents) asking about Golf Course Architecture as a profession. The undergraduate students ask about schooling, licensure, the job market, types of projects, how I got started, etc. as they try to determine a specific area of specialization or interest within the field - something nearly all contemporary Landscape Architects will eventually do. I have also worked with several graduate students and sat on their committees. Many of these students have a foundational background in design theory, and design history, and it often leads to interesting philosophical discussions in regards to golf design. Therefore, much of what I will discuss in the coming months will be directed towards this audience, as I know they are out there actively looking for this information. Other topics I will address include reflections from my golf design journal that I have been keeping since 1999.

Fishers Island Club - "Sneaking On Story"

2009-06-24T13:33:00.018-04:00

My favorite "sneaking on" story has to do with the now famous Fishers Island Club. I was 15 and just learning to golf at Shennecossett, a Donald Ross Course located a block from where I grew up in Groton, Connecticut. My best friends older brother was a scratch golfer and his buddies were all good sticks. The course at Fishers Island loomed across the sound and was a mysterious and mystical place for me at the time. I knew little about it, only having glimpses of the holes you could see from biking or boating around the island. Fishers was a lot more laid back in those days, and mostly undiscovered. The conditions were only average at best, but I had heard stories about how awesome the course was. Anyway, these "golf obsessed" upper aged teenagers used to fill a cooler with beer (the drinking age was younger back then) and get 4 guys into a Boston Whaler, and head out from the shore of Eastern Point around 5pm. After they crossed Fishers Island Sound, they would motor slowly up to the island and anchor the boat just offshore. After filling their golf bags with beer, they would then carry their clubs high on their backs to the shore - having carefully timed the trip for low tide. Then they'd put their golf shoes on, sneak onto the course, and play as many holes as they could until dark. They would then head back in the boat through the dark. Quite an adventure. I wish I could say I had the chance to experience that, but it wasn't until years later that I got to play Fishers legitimately for the first time. I hope some day I can design a course that would be so desirable it would prompt a similar effort by "golf obsessed" youngsters to try to sneak on. But it is highly unlikely I will ever produce anything that can compare to Fishers. Having grown up in its shadow, it's still a mystical place to me.

The Aftermath

2009-06-23T10:34:00.005-04:00

Two things strike me after watching the open this past week with a critical eye. One has to do with bunker grasses and the other with drainage. I know, it's easy to be a critic........

First, for the most part I thought the set up of the golf course was excellent. The one place I think they got it wrong was with some of the long grasses on the faces and noses of the bunkers. For instance, on the 18th green complex. Sure, it’s a “cool look”, and I have no problem with the fescues growing into the sides and noses of the bunkers when larger fescue rough areas tie into the bunker. In other words when they are adjacent to the hazard. However, they become randomly penal when they are in the middle of normal rough, the fairway, or a green complex. I don’t think you should ever be penalized more for carrying a hazard than in it. Some might argue that the long grasses are “part of the hazard”. The problem is, surrounding the green these grasses can be extremely thick due to irrigation. And at one point in the Open, a player had to hack it from the face of the bunker next to the green, and into the bunker in order to play a shot. Under normal circumstances, (without the aid of ball spotters and fans), the ball would likely have been lost. It doesn’t make sense when the player is “on-line” and just a couple of yards off of the green. My thinking is if the USGA is going to transition the rough from fairway to longer grasses, why wouldn’t they consistently carry out that philosophy throughout the course?

“There’s so much water on the 18th fairway that Michael Phelps couldn’t par it.”
Golf Writer Dan Jenkins

I know they had an awful amount of rain. However, if you have ever seen the 18th hole – it’s easy to identify where the drainage is going to be an issue. Whenever the land has a dramatic drop and then flattens out, you can expect water to collect and sit. Now I know there are many purists out there who think you should never have a catch basin in a fairway. And maybe they refuse to work on sites with clay soils. But when you are planning a course for the US Open Championship and you are given millions of dollars to prepare the course, you would think one would address the landing area of the finishing hole. You do anything you can to get the water off of the prime landing zone. Collect the run-off in the rough and penalize a poor shot. Or, as a last resort, put a catch basin in the fairway if you have to. There is plenty of room at Bethpage to get the water off of landing areas.

The Black

2009-06-19T16:55:00.015-04:00

I am going to be blogging on a regular basis starting in mid-September. I will kick-off the blog with an explanation of what I hope to accomplish, write about, etc.. But I thought I would post some photos I took of Bethpage Black a little more than a year ago. It was late October 2007 and I was at Bethpage to give a presentation on green design. The USGA was making preparations for the Open, so the course was shut down for the day. It is very unusual to get to tour the course when it is empty. It is a much better way to see a golf course if you are interested in studying features. (I did the same thing at St. Andrews by going on a Sunday and I will post those on my blog in the future). I toured the course on this beautiful fall afternoon with Scott Ramsay CGCS, the Golf Course Superintendent at Yale - a fantastic Seth Raynor design. We got to see the course from all angles, and we were completely overwhelmed by both the scale of the property and golf features. The bunkers are just enormous! You just can't grasp the scale of these things from the TV. The bunker that Scott is standing in front of contains as much sand as some entire courses have. Probably not fun to hand rake yesterday after 2" of rain!

We both noted that the green surfaces themselves are not overly impressive. Coming from Yale's dramatic and bold greens, Scott was commenting on their simplicity. Simple, but if they are stimping at 14, it's a good thing. I noted that many of the greens are elevated and you can't see the surface, so I thought it made good design-sense that they are straightforward. Anyway, it's beer-thirty on US Open Friday, so it's time for me to push out of my studio and watch some golf. These are some of my better photos. Enjoy.

Getting Started

2009-06-03T14:38:00.004-04:00

"A designer must study and understand the idiosyncrasies of a given project, for that is where initial inspirations and indications come from. Design is not about preconceived ideas, and it does not spring from the air – it is a studied reaction to a set of given conditions. Then intuition kicks in and brings fluidity and magic to the scheme."

Dan Kiley