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By Design
A
s the architect responsible
for the renovation project at
Longleaf Golf & Family Club
in Pinehurst, North Carolina, Bill
Bergin, ASGCA, delivered the teeing
system that became the template for
the Longleaf Tee Initiative.
By Design
asked him about the project and how
the teeing system gives players of any
age and skill level the opportunity to
get more enjoyment from golf.
How did the Longleaf project come
about?
Dan Van Horn, founder and owner
of U.S. Kids Golf, gave rise to the
Longleaf Tee System with his
belief that if golfers are to achieve
excellence at any age, they should
be able to shoot par. For that to be
possible, the course must be scaled
to allow players to reach greens in
regulation. It was clear to us that this
concept is applicable to all golfers,
particularly as older players and
beginners typically play on courses
that are too long for their abilities.
When you examine the distances
people can actually hit a ball, you
realize that most are playing from
a yardage that demands a more
challenging approach than that of
a touring professional on the most
difficult course.
Golfing ability can also be likened
to a bell curve. We start by being able
to hit a ball a certain distance, then
gradually become capable of hitting
longer shots and playing longer
courses. However, everyone reaches
a yardage pinnacle before slowly
beginning to descend the other side
of the curve. We have a tremendous
number of golfers on both sides of
the bell curve, and we believed that
the Longleaf Tee System would allow
players of any age and skill level to
enjoy the game.
What were the main challenges you
faced, and how did you overcome
them?
The distance concept is based on
how far a player carries a driver. If
players only carry a driver 100 yards
then a 3,200-yard course will be
an appropriate length, but if they
carry a driver 275 yards, a 7,400-
yard course would be more suitable.
Our courses are separated by 600
Making golf
more accessible
INTERVIEW
Bill Bergin, ASGCA, highlights how his implementation of the
new tee system at Longleaf Golf & Family Club is paving the way
for golf clubs to make courses more enjoyable for any golfer.