By Design - Winter 2018

14 | By Design CREATIVE FREEDOM projects. Even then, I am not sure I want to work with an unlimited budget. As the old saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention, and I fear I would rely on old concepts too much if given enough money to move earth everywhere. Striving for the least building on a site-specific basis always yields the most unique designs and creates the greatest sense of place.” Welcoming input “I actually want our clients involved and providing input,” says Tripp Davis, ASGCA. “They are the ones who will have to manage the course after we are done. Their input can help us tailor what we are doing to fit their needs. I consider those needs to be a part of what we have to work with in design, not much different than how we have to work with the land, how we have to consider different turf types, or how we have to consider the local environment. “If you are creative enough, and committed enough, there are solutions to all criteria we have to work with. “One client we have had who generally left us to do our job without a lot of requests was Matthews Southwest, the developer of The Tribute Golf Club and the Old American Golf Club just north of Dallas. Still, we made sure to understand what they wanted out of the golf course, and how that would fit into their overall business objectives. Both courses have been successes financially and critically.” “I am in the final stages of construction for a new course for Indiana University, and have just recently opened the new Maridoe course in Dallas,” says ASGCA Past President Steve Smyers. “On both projects the client depended on me to guide them through every avenue of the design process and at Indiana I was depended on for the final decision. “As I commenced work on both projects, I realized immediately the potential and uniqueness of the sites. I also had known many of the key players for some time, having played golf with several of them for many years. Much of our time together was spent playing and competing on some of the most recognized courses in the world. Because of our time together, we had a similar belief of what the great courses had in common. “I have taken the position that the more I can explain the design process and my vision for their site, the more support I will have throughout the project. This in turn allows me creative freedom.” Overcoming challenges Where constraints arise, the architect’s brief is to find a solution that doesn’t compromise the quality of the golf course. “Most lost opportunities result from changes to the boundary, bad site conditions and a reluctance to lower grades in difficult rock,” says Curley. “This is typically driven by the contractor, who talks the owner into change. “Managing these situations can be very tough when language is an issue. What I found in China is that the owner usually has a ‘golf expert’ who is there to watch over you. Often it is the same guy you dealt with on another project. Most of the time I got along fine, but some of them feel the need to show their importance by taking you on, to justify their existence. I had “I have had great experiences on many courses,” says Brian Curley, ASGCA. “For instance, at Mission Hills in China, I found we were paying more for the clay we capped with than straight sand, as we built further to the south and closer to the sand source at the river. “This prompted me to ask the chairman Ken Chu, ‘why don’t we just build a sand dunes course’ on the lava-based site. The quick-thinking Ken thought about it for about three seconds and replied, ‘good idea, confirmed.’ That was the last we discussed it, and the team and I went straight to it. “It is one of my favorite courses I have done to date, a blast to play and visually stunning.” Mission Hills Resort Hainan, China I am not sure I want to work with an unlimited budget . As the old saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention Jeffrey Brauer, ASGCA Photo: Brian Curley