By Design – Issue 53, Summer 2021

18 LESS IS MORE L udwig Mies van der Rohe, one of the pioneers of modernist architecture and designer of the Seagram skyscraper in New York, adopted the motto ‘less is more’. His most famous designs throughout the US and Europe are known for being functional and simple. Drew Rogers, ASGCA, was taught by a professor who trained directly under van der Rohe at the University of Chicago, and says this mantra should not be misunderstood. It doesn’t mean to simply do or use less, it means to do more with less, which should be applied very thoughtfully in golf course architecture. “In recent years, the approach has become more en vogue, what with vast reductions in funding and labor. We’re all trying to do more with less. As golf course architects, we certainly have a responsibility Keeping it simple Adopting a ‘less is more’ approach to golf course design can improve a club’s operational efficiency and golf experience, as Richard Humphreys finds out.