By Design - Winter 2018

23 Left: Bill Coore, ASGCA, spoke on the value of alternate courses he has designed, with Ben Crenshaw, for Mike Keiser. Above: Recommended course yardages based on driver carry Brian Conley , of Bobby Jones Golf Course in Atlanta, updated attendees on several unique aspects of their new “reversible nines” course, designed by ASGCA Past President Bob Cupp . “At least three women said to our staff in the first month, ‘I made my first ever birdie today.’” “The elimination of irrelevant shots.” That was the key point from Dan Van Horn and Bill Bergin, ASGCA , who shared data on what was developed at Longleaf and key results to date. Today, more than 80 percent of rounds at Longleaf are played at 5,400 yards or less. Arthur Little and Jann Leeming , who have spent decades in the golf industry, including time as golf course owners, summarized their presentation by defining Design Fairness as “Courses, properly designed, on which all golfers can reach greens in regulation.” To achieve this: • Golfers play the set of tees matching their swing speed. • If golfers play the tees/yardage that fits their swing speed they will have the same or similar clubs for their approach shots. ASGCA Past President John LaFoy and Scott Brown , CGCS, highlighted challenges and opportunities following natural disasters. “Know your insurance policies,” Brown stressed. “Some policies pay for a course ‘interruption.’ But if you keep nine holes open because the damage was not ‘too bad,’ that is not considered an interruption and will not be paid out.” LaFoy noted hurricanes and other storms sometimes allow facilities to rethink some aspects of the course and expedite Master Plan projects. The symposium featured the release of the latest ASGCA Foundation publication, Forward Tee: Case Studies in Additional Tees . The book includes details on more than a dozen golf courses that have seen positive results following the addition of more teeing options for players of all ages, and a look at the history of innovative thinking when it comes to tees and golf course architecture. Forward Tee is free to download at https://tinyurl.com/y8j8o55m . • ASGCA Foundation President Bruce Charlton, ASGCA, (top) welcomed attendees and Dan Van Horn of U.S. Kids Golf spoke about forward tees