Golf Course Architecture - Issue 64, April 2021

43 The cover story of the latest issue of By Design magazine – produced for the American Society of Golf Course Architects by the team responsible for GCA – profiles six clubs highlighted by the latest ASGCA Design Excellence Recognition Program. “My original intention was to create another National Golf Links, similar to the great Charles Blair Macdonald’s layout,” said Tom Clark on his Cutalong golf course, one of the six projects recognised by the annual ASGCA awards programme. Over 20 years in the making, the course finally opened in late 2020 with holes inspired by the work of Harry Colt, Old Tom Morris, Alister MacKenzie and others. Also in the Spring issue, Agustin Pizá talks about his approach to projects with a small footprint, Jon Last of Sports & Leisure Research Group discusses the factors that are driving decision-making at golf facilities, and Troy Vincent provides insight into a bunker sketch he created for a renovation project at The Reserve at Lake Keowee in South Carolina. To download the latest issue and subscribe to By Design , visit www.asgca.org “My original intention was to create another National Golf Links” GOOD READ Photo: Illinois Athletics Rogers plans Atkins update The University of Illinois is working alongside Drew Rogers on plans for a spring 2021 renovation of the course at Atkins Golf Club. The club was previously known as Stone Creek Golf Club but was renamed in 2020 after developer The Atkins Group gifted the course to the university. “We have been consulting with Drew to transition the course with increased distance and properly repositioned fairway bunkers to accurately and fairly challenge the modern collegiate players,” said Mike Small, the men’s head golf coach. Rogers said: “We’ll be varying the fairway widths to place a greater premium on tee shots and the overall approach to the bunkering will be to reduce their numbers, while making their specific placements more impacting to shot values and strategic shotmaking options.” Read the full interview with the project team at www.golfcoursearchitecture.net The first nine holes of a new Jack Nicklaus II golf course at Royal Golf Club near Hanoi, Vietnam, are complete and now growing in. The design of the front nine on the new Queen’s course has embraced the rocky nature of the site. “We took advantage of the natural rock’s presence as much as possible,” said Jim Wagner of Nicklaus Design. Tees, fairways and rough are being grassed with Zeon Zoysia, while greens have Primo Zoysia. “We chose Zoysia for its regional adaptability and for its f lexibility to a wide variety of weather conditions,” said agronomist Cameron Thompson. Work has now turned to the back nine, with completion expected by autumn 2021. Read an interview with Wagner about the project at www.golfcoursearchitecture.net Nicklaus course takes shape Photo: Nicklaus Design