35 When Michel Niedbala found himself, like most golf architects, spending more time at home than usual because of pandemic travel limitations, he took the opportunity to put pen to paper and spell out (in both his native French and English) what is effectively a manifesto for his personal philosophy of golf course design. The resulting self-published book, illustrated with sketches, plans and photography of his projects (as well as his painting of rock legend Jim Morrison!), is a fascinating perspective on one man’s approach to the craft. As the title suggests, Niedbala’s core pledge is one of balance between golf and our natural environment. He delivers a strong argument for the positive impact of golf, on the planet, our society and culture. “In my view, every project ought to be a place of innovative social experimentation,” he writes. In the section of the book devoted to the new Le Golf De Roissyen-France course in Paris, a project we profiled in the January 2020 issue of GCA, we see how these principles have been applied in practice, to create a public golf course with the aim “to reach out to all social and economic sectors of the population”. Niedbala says: “There is much more to what we are doing than simply laying out a golf course.” His book gives us a compelling insight into what that is. €75 plus shipping To order, contact Michel Niedbala at: contact@golfoptimum.fr Golf Course Architecture is the Art of Embracing Nature GOOD READ Construction has started on the new Seven Mile Beach golf course in Hobart, Australia, for tour professional Mat Goggin’s development group, The Golf Preserve. Mike DeVries is co-designing the 18-hole layout with Mike Clayton, and will be on site for the next six months. “The reveal of the site without trees has reaffirmed my suspicions of its greatness,” he said. “The diversity of the landscape combined with the views and intimacy of the routing will make for a compelling and lasting golf course.” Construction and seeding will continue during 2022 with the opening set to take place in 2023. “Walking over the site in its cleared state and seeing the holes from tee to green has confirmed our hopes,” said Clayton. “This is the rarest and most beautiful of sites. I am convinced that it can be worked into a truly worldclass course.” Construction begins on Seven Mile Beach Co-designers Mike DeVries (left) and Mike Clayton ponder design decisions on the Seven Mile Beach site Photo: Lukas Michel
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