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conceived idea of how it should be
done, we should listen and learn
from other cultures.
RR
: There are several differences,
beginning with understanding local
culture and customs. In China, the
concept of feng shui is very important
among many owners. This will affect
the location and orientation of all
key buildings such as the clubhouse,
hotels and real estate products.
There are also cultural differences in
golf course design and construction
methods. For example, Chinese
golf course owners all want very
long, challenging and tournament
ready courses regardless of the site,
market demands or other factors.
Chinese contractors have their ways
of building courses that are not up to
the same standards we use in the US
but we have to find a way to blend
all these things together to make
projects become successful.
What does the future hold?
RR
: For those in the golf course
design profession, the future
will almost
require
us to work
internationally if we want to be able
to design new courses. There will be
exceptions of course, but for those
unwilling or unable to conduct some
foreign business, by far most of
their work will be renovations and
remodeling projects. Those who wish
to be successful will have to stay well
educated, be very nimble in reacting to
current conditions and be prepared to
expand the scope of services they offer.
DD
: What is lacking at this time is a
disposable middle income. That has
been all but lost by the majority of
golfers that want to play but can’t afford
to play like they once enjoyed prior
to the bubble. I watched a booming
economy with private memberships
sales on a high suddenly crash to a halt.
Now what is interesting is the emerging
market for public golf that has followed
the private golf development boom.
RB
: As golf stakeholders, we can seem
more preoccupied with the declining
number of players than major issues
on golf’s horizon. The increasing cost
and declining reserves of water and
oil are going to significantly impact
golf. If we don’t attend to these issues
now, we can only expect golf will be
subjected to further declines. So what
does the future hold? We—the golf
stakeholders—will finally recognize
that golf is not a business. We will
have to fashion a style of golf that is
sustainable, and that means golf will
become a game again.
•
Stensballegaard in Denmark was designed by Rick Baril
Jim Engh worked with extreme mountain
terrain at Jangsu in South Korea
How does having
‘ASGCA’ after your
name impact
business outside
North America?
“I can say without a doubt
that having the ability to put
ASGCA after my name is
a huge asset in the China
market and has a very
positive connotation in every
market I have worked in
so far,” says Rick Robbins.
“It seems to be understood
in many places that if the
designer has an ASGCA
affiliation, then that person
has developed a degree of
credibility. Many new design
opportunities in China will
require ASGCA membership
to be considered in the
selection of the designer.
I believe this is the result
of the fact that ASGCA
has been historically so
well represented by Jack
Nicklaus, Bobby Jones, Jr.,
Lee Schmidt, Brian Curley
and many other ASGCA
member architects.”
