N
ew ASGCA President Lee
Schmidt called for members
to help clients by providing
creative and adaptive designs, at the
recent ASGCA Annual Meeting in
Tulsa, Oklahoma.
“I am proud that ASGCA members
continue to work together to
provide suggestions, solutions
and innovative design concepts to
make the game of golf better for
future generations,” said Schmidt,
who was elected ASGCA President
at the meeting. “Our new designs
need to be creative, problem solving
and adaptive in order to meet the
environmental, economic and social
needs of today’s projects.”
The meeting saw over 100 ASGCA
members and guests gathering
in Tulsa for a mix of discussion,
education and golf. Speakers
included various ASGCA members,
golf course owners and developers,
USGA staff, and representatives from
ASGCA industry partners Toro, Rain
Bird and Profile Products.
Some of the most pressing issues in
world golf were addressed, from open
discussions covering wide topics such
as the popularity of golf and business
models at golf clubs, to sessions
focused on topics such as bunker
design and pace of play.
ASGCA Associate member and
captain of the USA Ryder Cup team
TomWatson spoke about his own
golf course design business and his
preparations for the forthcoming Ryder
Cup matches in Gleneagles, Scotland.
Class-A PGA professional golfer
and Air Force pilot Maj. Dan Rooney
was presented with the Donald Ross
award for significant and lasting
impressions to the profession.
Rooney is founder of the Folds of
Honor Foundation and Patriot Golf
Day, and owner of The Patriot Golf
Club in Tulsa, where architects
gathered for golf and the Donald
Ross Award Reception and Dinner.
Three members–Cary Bickler,
Keith Evans and Dr. Michael
Hurdzan–become ASGCA Fellows,
and two new associate members
were welcomed to the ASGCA, Gary
Brawley, a partner at Tripp Davis and
Associates and Troy Vincent, owner
of Vincent Design.
Read our interview with the new
ASGCA President Lee Schmidt on page
. For more about the new ASGCA
Fellows, turn to page
DIGEST
Architects help clients with
creative and adaptive designs
ASGCA Annual Meeting 2014
05
Golf in Tulsa
As part of the ASGCA’s ongoing
professional development programme,
members were able to experience
some of the most noteworthy golf
courses in Oklahoma.
Southern Hills Country Club
Designed by ASGCA Founding Member
Perry Maxwell in 1936, Southern Hills
has a rich championship history that
includes the hosting of three U.S. Opens
and four U.S. PGA Championships, the
most recent of which was won by Tiger
Woods in 2007.
The Patriot Golf Club
Designed by the firm of ASGCA Past
President Robert Trent Jones, Jr. and
opened in 2010, The Patriot takes the
player on a journey through marsh,
woodland, prairie and limestone
canyons. A dramatic opening tee shot
with long views to Tulsa drops 160
feet to the fairway and sets the scene
for a round that offers drama around
every corner.
Tulsa Country Club
In 2011, ASGCA Past President Rees
Jones completed a successful renovation
of the golf course at Tulsa Country
Club, which was originally designed
by A.W. Tillinghast in 1920. The
redesign achieved the club’s objectives
of improving conditions, aesthetics and
playability, while also reducing the
demand for city water.
Tom Watson, ASGCA Associate, was among the wide
range of speakers at the Annual Meeting
