a lower level of maintenance, reducing
the cost of upkeep of a golf course.
Recognizing the benefits that
alternative formats could offer,
creative and forward-thinking golf
course architects are working with
their golf club clients on ideas that
are suitable for their individual
facilities and markets.
Pascuzzo and Pate Golf Design
has introduced a ‘Challenge Course’
concept at two clubs, Monarch Dunes
GC in Nipomo, California and The
Club at SpurWing in Meridian, Idaho.
Consisting of 9-12 par three holes
with multiple grass tees, bunkers,
water features and all of the normal
elements found on a typical golf
course, the key feature of these
courses are the oversized, undulating
greens which have been carefully
designed to create a variety of difficult
and easy flag locations.
“This is key,” says ASGCA Past
President Damian Pascuzzo, “because
each green has two flags, one in an
easy location and another in a more
difficult spot. The underlying principle
of a Challenge Course is to provide
various ways to play that are only
limited by the golfer’s imagination.”
Multiple objectives are fulfilled
by the Challenge Course concept:
Experienced players have the
opportunity to work on their iron
play in a fun environment that
remains ‘real golf’; Players of all
abilities can have a quality golf
experience in a shorter period of
time, often little more than an hour;
multiple tees and angles provide an
entry level option for people of all
ages who are new to golf; and the
courses appeal to older golfers who
may not be able to play even nine
holes of a typical layout, but want to
keep swinging a club.
It doesn’t end there, explains
Pascuzzo: “A 10-some of friends can
play, drink a few cold ones during
the round, and then head to the
clubhouse to spend the same amount
of time figuring out the bets!”
At Monarch Dunes, a daily fee facility,
they have taken the concept a bit
further, with the introduction of an
eight-inch cup at all of the easier pin
locations. “They have put an emphasis
on introducing new players to golf
though their Learn Golf program.
Assuming that these new players
have no golf experience whatsoever,
Monarch Dunes offers clubs and balls at
no charge, a ‘cheat sheet’ of instructions
to guide players on what to do when
on the course, and on weekends they
have an on-course ambassador assisting
players,” explains Pascuzzo.
The Challenge at SpurWing is an
addition to a private club and helps
retain older golf members, while
being able to offer young families
a membership that includes the
Challenge course, swim, fitness, and
clubhouse privileges. This not only
helps increase the health of the club
by additional food and beverage
revenue but a fair number of these
members are expected to graduate
into full golf memberships.
The Challenge course has a parkland
style that matches the regulation
course and, importantly, real estate
values of the surrounding lots also
match those on the regulation course.
Other short course concepts have
taken hold at individual facilities. A
well-known example is the Horse
Course at The Prairie Club in
Valentine, Nebraska, designed by Gil
Hanse, ASGCA. There are 10 par-three
holes, but no formal tee boxes. With
similarities to the basketball game of
‘horse’, the winner of the previous
hole gets to choose the starting point
and green for the next hole.
A new concept that can be played
on an existing, regulation course
combines golf with fitness. Called
GOLF-PT (for Personal Training),
it is being developed by Forrest
Richardson, ASGCA and began when
he was working with the United
States Marine Corps to find a way to
get marines more interested in golf.
The United States Marine Corps
operates 15 golf courses around
the world as part of its Community
Services and Recreation Program.
GOLF-PT is a timed event in which
players run throughout the round,
going from hole to hole in an attempt
to record the shortest time of the
entrants. A typical 18-hole round by a
trained and fit marine who possesses
some golf skill will be completed in
the 50-110 minute range.
ALTERNATIVE FORMATS
10
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By Design
Justin Rose and
Sergio Garcia recently
participated in
an experimental
15-inch cup event
Images: Paul Abell/AP Images for Hack Golf
