By Design – Issue 49, Summer 2020

28 | By Design FIVE TO FINISH C had Goetz, ASGCA, graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in landscape architecture before joining Nicklaus Design in 1999, where he has spent his entire career. Goetz has worked on various US projects and has spent 10 years working in Europe. He is currently based at the firm’s headquarters in Florida and focuses primarily on work throughout North America. How is your game? Like a lot of us, I don’t get to play as much as I’d like. It’s funny, but it seems the less I play, the better I play. My official handicap is a nine, so I could shoot 78 one day then easily follow that up with a sporty little 90 the next. My short game can be seriously cringeworthy. Which three people would make up your dream fourball? I grew up in the Kansas City area, so I would start with our hometown’s favorite son, Tom Watson. I would then add my boss and legend in his own right, Jack Nicklaus. Even though it might be a meaningless fourball, it would be fun to watch Tom and Jack’s competitive spirits come out because they just can’t help it. I think I would complete the group with another fierce competitor, Lee Trevino. He would add some great shotmaking and serious entertainment value. It would be fun to hear the stories and watch Lee talk up Jack and Tom yet another time. I have no doubt that I have plenty of personal quirks that would be easy targets for Lee’s ribbing. What is your favorite hole in golf? Other architects have cited some of my favorites in previous interviews, so I will go a different route away from the Golden Age and say the third hole at Pronghorn Resort in Oregon. I was fortunate to work on this project in 2002 with Jack and Chris Cochran, ASGCA. It is a very long par three usually requiring a wood from the tee. The correct play is over an ominous bunker that sits well short and right of the green. The ball will briefly disappear over the bunker and then come back into view across the green a few seconds later. Due to the shallow angle, shots played at the green will not likely hold. Once a player knows where to play, it turns a long, intimidating hole into a fun, playable one. If you could change or add one rule, what would it be? I would allow the pros and all levels of competitions to use rangefinders. We need to speed up the game, especially on the professional level, and it seems counterproductive to watch a Tour pro spend two or three minutes adding up, pacing off and double checking the yardage before considering their play. Those detailed green diagrams probably need to go too—leave the green details to the architects. What project are you currently working on? Despite the COVID-19 limitations, we continue to be very busy. We are under construction now at Grand Cypress in Orlando and I continue to work on plans and documents for what is anticipated to be a very busy 2021 of extensive renovations and redesign work. • I would allow the pros and all level of competitions to use rangefinders . We need to speed up the game Chad Goetz, ASGCA Chad Goetz, ASGCA, is overseeing a renovation project at Grand Cypress Golf Resort in Orlando Photo: Nicklaus Design