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W
hen Bob Martin handed a
golf club to his 10-year-old
nephew, Greg, neither one
knew the impact it would have. An
avid golfer who travelled Europe while
serving in the U.S. Army, Greg’s Uncle
Bob would tell tales of Carnoustie and
Troon and Ballybunion. For a young
boy, it all sounded like fairy tales.
“It sounded like he was referencing
Middle Earth,” Greg recalled.
But a seed was planted, and in April,
Greg Martin, ASGCA, began his term
as ASGCA President.
While studying Landscape
Architecture at Iowa State University
in Ames, Iowa, Martin found a way to
feed his growing passion.
“Playing golf at ISU’s Veenker
Memorial, I became more intrigued
by the game and was completely
hooked,” he said. “It’s a Perry
Maxwell design that is so simple,
yet remarkably engaging. There may
be 10 bunkers on the entire course,
but it uses amazing tactics and
strategies, angles and positions. I still
haven’t figured it out. The difficulty
is magical. One thing about golf and
golf course architecture is figuring
how a course can provide that
mysterious nuance and subtlety.”
Martin began his design career
with a landscape architecture firm,
but moved his focus to golf course
architecture when he took a job in
1985 with William James Spear,
ASGCA, in St. Charles, Illinois. He
recalls Spear being, well, rather frugal.
“Jim would have half a stick of gum
in the morning and the other half in
the afternoon,” Martin said.
But that ability to respect every
dollar and work within a budget was
an effective practice for Spear, and
benefits Martin today.
“Jim’s influence was quite
extraordinary,” Martin said. “We
were designing a 9-hole course for
a farmer. Jim was figuring how to
piece together a drainage system
from old tiles. It was simultaneously
frustrating and fascinating to see
what he was accomplishing.
“I learned different techniques on how
to make the most of a budget, which
served me well when the economy went
bad in 2008. All those things that were
vital in providing service to the client
and working within tight budgets; I had
done that my whole career.”
In 1991, he formed Martin Design
Partnership, Ltd., in Batavia, Illinois.
“I am most inspired by projects
that compel me to think about
The simple interaction
of man and nature
INTERVIEW
Recently-elected ASGCA President Greg Martin reflects on his
beginnings in the game and career thus far. By Marc Whitney
I am most
inspired by
projects that compel me to think
about how golf can solve greater
problems
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By Design