While there are many reasons a golf club may decide to make updates and improvements to its course and surroundings, two specifically stand out: making the game more fun and attractive to players, and the natural wear of a course requiring attention. Members of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) work with clubs across the United States and around the world. They are called on to create and execute master plans to ensure clubs maintain a level of excellence expected by members. These same architects also address individual projects, bringing an expertise and experience level leading to improvements that meet budgets and enhance the playing experience.
As the economy gains back strength lost to the recession, ASGCA members are hearing from more clubs. Those clubs are seeking insight on projects large and small.
“I find more new clients looking to develop a master plan for long-term renovations,” said John Harvey, ASGCA. The New Jersey-based architect sees a number of reasons for this, including:
- Past maintenance and renovations are showing their age and it’s time to take corrective action by hiring a professional golf architect.
- Competition with neighboring clubs. Decision makers seek a refurbished course to elevate their club’s stature; and they are ready to invest capital.
- The club sees itself becoming less relevant and wants to tackle the problem head-on by addressing course features with preparation of a well-crafted master plan.
- The club needs direction and assistance establishing a vision for protecting and enhancing strategic and aesthetic elements on the course.
One Things Leads to Another
Every homeowner knows planning one home repair project often leads to a bigger discussion. Something similar happens with golf clubs as well.
“The majority of my clients begin their master planning after pressing concerns for aging course infrastructures, like irrigation, greens, practice areas, paths, turf, etc.,” said Drew Rogers, ASGCA.
“As the plan develops, the needs become more apparent and more encompassing. It usually becomes wise to consider a more extensive renovation effort as opposed to phases, but that is not always the case. However, if irrigation needs to be replaced, then that is the time to do the rest of it!”
Rogers said private clubs are seeking to strike a balance.
“Clubs are trying very hard to appeal to younger prospects and families,” he said. “A quality golf experience remains a high priority, especially in a competitive market, but there are other competing amenities to consider: pool, tennis and fitness.
“In some cases, clubs are trying to develop a new identity, something that sets them apart and is marketable to a broader cross section of potential members. Clubs with a history or pedigree are looking to re-launch themselves and lay claim to their historical past.”
Whatever direction a club looks to take, Rogers and his fellow ASGCA members have experienced similar projects. The average ASGCA member has been a part of more than 100 projects while working as an architect for more than 25 years.
“Women are a huge draw, yet many courses fail to address their needs,” Rogers continued. “Renovations today are more gender- and ability-focused. For example, many clubs fail to realize that women don’t all play the same game. Just like men, they want/need a variety of tee positions.”
Todd Quitno, ASGCA, an associate of Lohmann Golf Designs, sees more clubs adjusting to the changing times. “Courses are doing more with less,” he said. “They are employing unique, affordable renovation strategies to make improvements and upgrade infrastructure. The solutions golf has deployed in response to tighter budgets is the lemonade we’ve created after having been handed such a big basket of lemons.
“The ‘gas and regrass’ option [fumigating grass to minimize disease, weeds or pests and reseeding], for example, has proved a fine alternative to costly, full-on greens renovation or reconstruction. Ditto for push-up greens construction [which uses native materials to provide a less expensive alternative to USGA specification greens].
“We’ve also seen a large increase in the use of in-house labor—meaning course maintenance crews,” said Quitno, “and the breakdown of master plans into affordable chunks, helping clubs work those projects into annual budgets.”
Water Considerations
All architects agree that the environment is a primary issue on any project, especially water. TOP LEFT: Naperville (Ill.) Country Club renovated its course with emphasis on providing additional length, improved shot value and new green complexes. Thirteen holes were rerouted and the remaining five holes were lengthened. ABOVE: At Naperville Country Club, every tee, green complex and sand bunker was newly constructed to USGA standards; all fairways were re-graded and reseeded and a state of the art irrigation system was installed throughout the golf course and practice facility. PHOTOS COURTESY OF STEVE FORREST, ASGCA, NAPERVILLE COUNTRY CLUB
Jan Beljan, ASGCA, notes, “Clubs are concerned about the future of water, especially with regard to proposed rule from the Environmental Protection Agency on Water of the United States. Clubs have much to consider: their own ability to have enough water for the future; refining irrigation systems to be prescriptive; removing irrigated, maintained turf in favor of naturalized areas that require fewer long-term inputs of labor and materials; discussion and some implementation of women/family-oriented tees and programs.”
“Golf is doing an all-around admirable job of developing more efficient irrigation control, water conservation, and water sourcing and heat/drought-tolerant turf species,” Quitno said. “Of course, it’s one thing to have these advances available; the powers that be at golf facilities still have to pay for them, and that remains a tall order these days.
“Look at Better Billy Bunkers [a bunker construction method]. These are proven cost-savers in the long run, especially in terms of man-hours. But they require a significant investment. It’s a big hump to get over, but more and more clubs are taking that leap with their sights on the long term.”
Rogers sees similar concerns among clubs being addressed.
“Clubs are trying to trim their bottom lines by identifying ways to save on maintenance and water,” he said. “They are developing an overall smaller irrigated footprint, removing bunkers and irrigating more efficiently.”
Architects work today while always keeping one eye on the future. Today, they see more clubs doing the same.
Course Trends
“Nearly every one of my clients are looking to develop distinctive short game facilities, or if space allows, even a short course or practice holes,” Rogers said. “All are intended to provide alternative experiences for members—especially children—and keep families involved with golf.”
“Practice areas and short-game areas are becoming more popular for all segments of the game,” Harvey said. “Many clients are also discussing grassing strategies to enhance environmental benefits, aesthetics and maintenance factors to reduce bottom line costs by incorporating ‘native’ areas while benefiting wildlife.”
Quitno summed up the view of those working in an ever-evolving trade.
“Golf course architects will be relied on more to be team facilitators rather than mere designers,” he said. “What we architects refer to as ‘the creative process,’ once limited to drawing pretty pictures, is increasingly focused as much on implementation and delivery as it is on the design itself.”
Marc Whitney is director of communications at the American Society of Golf Course Architects. He can be reached at [email protected]. Download your free guide “Master Planning for Golf Courses: Questions and Answers” or “The Golf Course Remodeling Process: Questions and Answers” by visiting http://www.asgca.org/ free-publications.