By Design - Winter 2016

FOREWORD

fter a considerable rebuild, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series. This

wasn’t happenstance: it was a result of hiring good professionals, patience

and building solid infrastructure. Similarly, my best projects are the result

of thoughtful design, collaboration and a foundation of solid infrastructure.

80 percent or more of a golf course construction is stuff that golfers can’t

see: like irrigation, drainage, green subsurface or soil amendments, etc. This

is what quality is—unseen, but necessary and valuable. These improvements

allow efficient operations, predictability and provide for a great golf experience

regardless of changing weather or climate.

The same could be said about what we do as professionals: plans, meetings,

coordination, engineering, permits, budgets, etc., are all things that are unseen,

but necessary for the thoughtful execution of a quality golf experience. That is

infrastructure and it is necessary and valuable.

One of the first processes in building the infrastructure of a golf course is to

create a routing plan. Our cover story for this issue considers the process of

routing the golf course, with ASGCA members sharing their perspectives on how

they go about it, and whether their approach has changed in recent years. It’s a

great insight into a one of the most challenging, but also most rewarding, aspects

of being a golf course architect.

I hope you enjoy the issue.

Greg Martin, ASGCA

President

American Society of Golf Course Architects

CONTENTS

COVER

Digest 04 A round-up of the latest news in golf design, including the projects selected for the 2016 ASGCA Design Excellence Recognition Program. Arnold Palmer, ASGCA Fellow 10 Golf course architects who have worked alongside Arnold Palmer, ASGCA Fellow, share their memories. Solving the Puzzle 12 How do you route a golf course? We ask ASGCA members about the process, and ask if their approach has changed as the golf industry responds to calls for shorter formats of the game. The Value of Par 18 Ty Butler, ASGCA, considers what golf would be like if par didn’t exist. Longleaf Golf 20 By Design explores the details of the recent renovation project at Longleaf Golf & Family Club in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Five to Finish 24 Billy Fuller, ASGCA, provides his unique take on our usual five questions.

An extract from the routing plan

created by ASGCA Past President

Steve Smyers, ASGCA, for the Costa

Jama development in Ecuador.

The value of infrastructure

Editor and Publisher:

Toby Ingleton

Design:

Bruce Graham

Editorial contributors:

Ty Butler, ASGCA

ASGCA Staff:

Chad Ritterbusch; Therese Suslick; Mike Shefky; Aileen Smith; Marc Whitney

Photography:

Arcadia Bluffs; Brian Gomsak; Clive Barber; Forrest Richardson & Assoc.;

Getty Images; Michael Cooper; Pinehurst Resort; Rob Tipton

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