By Design - Fall 2018

25 Resources section of asgca.org for more techniques for reducing annual maintenance costs.) Master plan development was the second most popular type of project for golf course architects, with 77% having been involved with master plan work in the previous two years. By developing a master plan, a golf club has a reference point for all future changes to the golf course, ensuring that all work is done with a common goal in mind and allowing clubs to anticipate, schedule and budget for work on the golf course (for more information, download Master Planning for Golf Courses via the Resources section of asgca.org ) . For nearly one in four golf course architects, master planning is also the area of business activity which has generated the most revenue (see Figure 2). The third and fourth most popular types of project are short game development (77%) and practice area improvements (75%), both of which are attractive for golfers that want to work on their game and maybe don’t have time for a full round. And rounding out the top five types of project that golf course architects have been involved with is green complex redesign or renovation. This emphasizes the point I made in the last issue of By Design , that condition of greens is the top- ranking priority for customers. I was encouraged to find that 49% of golf course architects have been involved with a new golf course design and construction in the past two years, and new course work is a top revenue earner for 13% of golf course architects. This may be a far cry from the golf course construction boom of the 1980s, but it’s a positive sign for the industry that so many architects continue to have new golf course design work among their projects. • Jon Last is founder and President of Sports & Leisure Research Group, a full-service marketing research consultancy. Figure 2: Which projects provide the most revenue? Type of projects ranked as the number one revenue earner by golf course architects Figure 1: Architects are working on a multitude of projects Golf course architects were involved in the following projects in the two years to September 2017 79% 24% 71% 7% 63% 62% 61% 60% 77% 14% 77% 13% 75% 8% 52% 52% 49% 47% 46% 45% 45% 42% 38% 37% 19% Re-bunkering Master plan development Elimination or modification of irrigated areas New course construction/new course design Mitigation of safety issues Reconfiguration to make land available for other uses Re-design or renovation of between four and eight holes Fairway redesign Irrigation system replacement/re-routing Backward tee box additions (increasing length) Re-design to accommodate a change in turf grass varieties Clubhouse renovation or redesign Master plan development Re-bunkering Short game area development New course construction/new course design Practice area improvements Total re-design or renovation of nine or more holes Green complex renovation or redesign Practice area improvements Tee box redesign Re-design or renovation of one to three holes Forward tee box additions (shortening length) Re-grading or re-shaping playable surfaces for better drainage or playability Total re-design or renovation of nine or more holes