Golf Course Architecture - Issue 79, January 2025

The global journal of golf design and development I SSUE 79 JANUARY 2025

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1 WELCOME Given the state of golf development since the world economy imploded in 2008, the post-Covid boom in golf and its subsequent increase in new course construction is more than pleasing for everyone in the industry to see. For more than ten years after 2008, new courses only came into existence when circumstances all got neatly in line. The growth of the destination golf resort that Bandon Dunes had prompted continued, with places like Streamsong and Sand Valley, but it is hard to see either of those as part of any kind of trend. However in the last few years, the combination of increased golf participation numbers has prompted a flood (well, a small flood) of new golf developments, especially in the United States, and especially in some of the low-tax and warmer states such as Florida and Texas, which are proving attractive to affluent Northerners keen to escape cold winters and keep their hands on more of their wealth. In some of the ritzier parts of Florida, getting into any of the older-established high end clubs is well-nigh impossible for new arrivals, and so quite a few new ones are being built to accommodate them: names like Panther National, Apogee and Miakka will soon be familiar to golf industry observers, if they aren’t already. And in the renovation market, golf architects are busier than they have been for quite a long time. The inflation of recent years has meant that the materials needed to build or rebuild courses – sand, drainage pipe, irrigation systems – have gone up considerably in price, resulting in wild stories circulating in the industry of frankly eye-watering budgets for some high-end renovation projects. It is unarguable that the presence of a lot of work is good news for golf architects. But economic cycles are always, well, cyclical. What goes up must come down, and the industry will not always enjoy these good times. If I were a golf architect, I would be watching the economic numbers very carefully. Easy does it ADAM LAWRENCE

Donegal Golf Club is one of the very best canvasses of any golf course in the world, and that what both excites and motivates me to best utilize the terrain while also honoring the history, routing and flow of this magnificent Links. PAUL MCGINLEY PRINCIPAL DESIGNER paulmcginleydesign.com joe@golfmcginley.com Dublin, D11 KP73 Ireland Design • Renovation • Restoration Founded 2005

3 PEFC Certi ed This product is from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources www.pefc.org PEFC/16-33-576 Follow Golf Course Architecture: Golf Course Architecture is published with the support and guidance of the ASGCA, EIGCA, GCBAA, GCSAA and GEO Foundation. Contributing Editor Adam Lawrence News Editor Richard Humphreys Editorial team Alice Chambers, Rebecca Gibson, Amber Hickman, Laura Hyde, Alex Smith Contributors Caspar Grauballe, Brad Klein, Justin Olmstead Design Bruce Graham, Libby Sidebotham, Dhanika Vansia Publisher Toby Ingleton Publication & Sales Manager Benedict Pask Production Manager Stuart Fairbrother Website Development Chris Jackson Circulation Sophia Brinkley Subscribe www.golfcoursearchitecture.net/subscribe Photography Althaus Golf Design, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Channing Benjamin, Big Cedar Lodge, Jay Blasi, Konrad Borkowski, Brandon Johnson Golf Course Design, Cabot, Carolina Pines Golf, Crooked Stick, Brian Curley, Tripp Davis, Josh Delgorge, Golfplan, Caspar Grauballe, Vaughn Halyard, Harris Kalinka, Gideon Heller, Chip Henderson, Bob Harrison, Brad Klein, Patrick Koenig, Larry Lambrecht, Gary Lisbon, Lobb + Partners, Matt Majka, Nagle Design Works, Tony Ristola, Evan Schiller, Schyuler Meadows Club, Fabian Sixt, Jacob Sjöman, Stefan von Stengel Published by Tudor Rose Tudor House, 6 Friar Lane Leicester LE1 5RA Tel: +44 116 222 9900 www.tudor-rose.co.uk ISSN 1745-3585 (print) ISSN 2754-9828 (online) Printed in Great Britain by Micropress Printers. © 2025 Tudor Rose Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be stored or transmitted or reproduced in any form or by any means, including whether by photocopying, scanning, downloading onto computer or otherwise without the prior written permission from Tudor Rose Holdings Ltd. Views expressed in Golf Course Architecture are not necessarily those of the publishers. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply official endorsement of the products or services concerned. While every care has been taken to ensure accuracy of content, no responsibility can be taken for any errors and/or omissions. Readers should take appropriate professional advice before acting on any issue raised herein. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject advertising material and editorial contributions. The publisher assumes no liability for the return of unsolicited art, photography or manuscripts. It is assumed that any images taken from sources which are widely distributed, such as on the Web, are in the public domain. It is recognised though that since such images tend to be passed freely between sources it is not always possible to track the original source. If copyrighted material has ended up being treated as public domain due to the original source not being identified please contact the publisher, Tudor Rose. Golf Course Architecture (ISSN No: 1745-3585) is published quarterly by Tudor Rose, and distributed in the USA by Asendia USA, 701 Ashland Ave, Folcroft PA. Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is pending at Philadelphia, PA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Golf Course Architecture, 701 Ashland Ave, Folcroft, PA. 19032.

CONTENTS TEE BOX 8 Our Tee Box section kicks off with news about the official opening of the Karoo, Roost, Squeeze and Wedges courses at Cabot Citrus Farms in Florida. INSIGHTS 28 Justin Olmstead of Profile Products talks about the relationships behind the renovation of Crooked Stick. 32 Caspar Grauballe considers how Norway’s clubs can maximise the playing season, to help keep pace with growing demand. ON SITE 54 Architect Christian Althaus has completely rebuilt the 27-hole Föhr club in the far north of Germany over the last 15 years. Adam Lawrence reports. Cover photograph by Stefan von Stengel FEATURE 49 Golf architects and their construction crews have mastered the art of building features – especially bunkers – that are both functional and beautiful. But is the beauty being over-emphasised at the expense of the function? 6

7 INTERVIEWS 34 Bob Harrison has had a long career as one of Australia’s top golf designers and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road. 42 Richard Humphreys speaks with Cabot’s co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more. ON SITE 62 Iceland’s Brautarholt Golf Club is being extended to 18 by architect Tony Ristola. Adam Lawrence says he expects the finished course to make quite a splash. REPORTS 68 Rees Jones has completed a project to redesign three nines of golf at Florida’s Addison Reserve 72 Six holes of Nauka Nayarit, a new Fazio Design course on Mexico’s Pacific coast, have opened for play. 74 Golfplan has designed two courses at Vinpearl Golf Léman in Vietnam, with the first opening in January 2025. 76 Quail Ridge unveils the results of the North course redesign, completed by Fry/Straka and contractor NMP Golf Construction. 79 Tripp Davis updates bunker strategy and introduces subtle movement to greens at Black Diamond’s Ranch course. 83 Brad Klein reports on the Phil Smith Design renovation of Seven Canyons in Sedona, Arizona. GCSAA SHOW 86 With the golf course industry preparing for the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in San Diego, GCA highlights some of the businesses to check out if you are attending. HOLING OUT 108 We close the issue by taking a look at a short course that has been in the works for nearly 30 years.

TEE BOX Kyle Franz and Mike Nuzzo lead design work at former World Woods property in Florida. Four courses open at Cabot Citrus Farms 8 The third hole on the Kyle Franz-designed Karoo course

9 Cabot Citrus Farms in Florida, USA, is officially opening two new 18-hole courses, a nine-hole short layout and 11-hole par-three course on 21 January 2025. Kyle Franz designed the 18-hole Karoo course and co-designed the 18-hole Roost layout with Mike Nuzzo, a collaboration that also saw greens shaped by Rod Whitman and consultancy from Golf Magazine’s architecture editor Ran Morrissett. Nuzzo also designed the Squeeze and the Wedge, both short layouts. The Cabot Collection acquired the former World Woods property and its Pine Barrens and Rolling Oaks courses in 2022. The 7,201-yard Karoo course occupies the same corridors as the Pine Barrens course, with the reversal of the third and sixteenth holes (both par threes), and the second and seventeenth (both par fours). Tees, fairways and greens have all been expanded and redesigned. Greens now have more contour and a “more sculpted” aesthetic. “The course is a blend of a lot of things that I really like, and I’ve tried to mould it into a style that is our own and allows us to be creative and challenge ourselves,” said Franz. “We have tried to do something that’s fun and we have taken risks, hopefully in areas where everybody really likes them, as we want golfers to walk off and feel like they’ve never played anything quite like it.” The course has fairways that provide multiple routes of play and are split by large expanses of sand. Ridges, bunkers and sand waste areas help to create a variety of heroic tee shots and riskreward lines of play. Karoo’s flexible teeing grounds allow golfers to play a round that suits them on the day – they can opt for an easy carry, or a more challenging tee shot. “We really tried to get a tremendous amount of elasticity in the redesign where you can play it way forward and way back day to day,” said Franz. The architect highlights that the parthree third could potentially stretch to 292 yards if teeing it all the way back. “The bounce-down slope off the right and the succession of rolls within the green are really cool,” said Franz. “You’ve got to land your ball on the perfect spot on that hillside and it will bounce down to the pin. The pin location at the very back is like a little pedestal.” The 7,200-yard Roost layout lies on the site of the former Rolling Oaks course. “There were several holes on the old routing that were problematic, and the walk felt challenging,” said Nuzzo. “The terrain was very interesting and significantly impacted the routing… it would be difficult to drastically change the existing corridors. “The greens, bunkers, tees and cart paths were average or dated, but there seemed to be a deeper distraction to Rolling Oaks. The up-and-down nature felt like a negative when it could have been more positive. “Travelling home after my first visit I sketched a simple routing on an airplane napkin, and the unknown nagging issue jumped out at me. The old routing tacked to the back of the property via an adventurous path, then straight back to the clubhouse. Then the start of the back nine beelined out to the same spot and continued the Photo: Matt Majka

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11 TEE BOX nice tacking manner until the end of the round.” Nuzzo’s solution was to have more changes of direction throughout the property, which would help with walkability. “Our new routing for the Roost now feels like one went out to play without interruption,” he said. “The entire course flows a lot more organically.” The opening hole – which, along with the second, was shifted more in the direction of the third tees – is now more dramatic. The ninth green was moved to turn the hole from a par four to a five, and the tees at ten were shortened to turn the hole from a par five to a short four. “We eliminated the original eighteenth hole,” said Nuzzo. “It felt disjointed in how it played down below what felt like a pond in the sky. “The current sixth plays perpendicular to the old corridor, which included a forced layup tee shot short of a pair of large trees. The new location for the green is located on a dramatic highlight of the site, adjacent to a beautiful old oak.” Nuzzo relocated nine more greens and reversed a five-hole loop. “The holes now play counterclockwise – the five holes [seven and twelve to fifteen] play in the opposite direction from the old greens to the old tees. This was to improve the course’s flow, interest, playability and walkability.” Morrissett suggested flipping the sequence of seven and sixteen, which Nuzzo says changed the flow and idealised the order of holes by placing the old par-three eighth in the penultimate position of the seventeenth, which enabled more expansive views. “We developed a new theme for the course, with more expansive and rolling golf holes that fit this great site,” said Nuzzo. “We expanded and connected the irrigation pond into a course-wide feature that starts on top of the hill and finishes towards the cottages. “The backlands generally don’t drain off the property. Instead, much of the land drains to a giant sinkhole. It is a very dramatic feature that was essentially hidden previously. Now we play a one-shot hole directly over the deepest part of the sinkhole to a small green, of a similar playing nature to some of [Cabot developer] Ben CowanDewar’s favourite short holes. Rod Whitman’s design ideas and green shaping have been an enormous part of the project and helped to elevate the interest and enjoyment of the entire golf course. “Now, the high points are distributed throughout and by shifting some greens, we were able to create very dramatic vistas. The majestic oaks now stand out more and even act as strategic features on several holes.” Read our report on the Squeeze and the Wedge layouts in the July 2023 issue of Golf Course Architecture and turn to page 42 for an interview with Cabot developer Ben Cowan-Dewar. Mike Nuzzo has completely redesigned the former Rolling Oaks into the new Roost course Photo: Matt Majka

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13 TEE BOX New course in Cambodia nears completion Grassing is nearly complete on the Palms course at Chunn On Golf Resort, located north of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The new course joins the Lakes, which opened in January 2024, with both layouts created by CurleyWagner Golf Design. The resort, which will soon be more easily accessed via a new highway, sits on a former floodplain with both courses created through substantial earthmoving – huge lakes over 10 metres deep were formed to generate the fill to elevate holes and counteract flood concerns. The Palms is being built by the same team as the Lakes: Flagstick Golf Course Construction and Sports Turf Solutions. Fairways have been grassed with Zeon Zoysia while greens are Lynkz Zoysia. “The use of Zeon and its strong resistance to damage allows carts to leave the paths and drive directly to the player’s ball, a feature often absent on courses in the region and a significant advantage to the enjoyment of a round and allowing faster pace of play,” said architect Brian Curley. “The Palms is dominated with large lakes and massive sandy expanses, punctuated at times with islands of bahia grass. The course features a more natural look [than the Lakes course] with transitional edges to bahia landforms. Palms are the dominate tree with thousands spread throughout the course.” The course is 7,300 yards from the back tee and the resort has ambitions to host professional tournaments. “The Palms has grass-faced bunkering and evokes more of a TPC Sawgrass design style,” said Curley. “Given the pure and brilliant Cambodian skies that dominate almost daily, the two golf courses were routed to ensure as many north-south alignment holes as possible. While the lakes play a key role at times, great effort was made to allow for plenty of width in landing areas and avoid a relentless showing of water in play off the tee. The result is a feel of openness as holes weave through a steady environment of treelined corridors and landforms.” Photo: Brian Curley The tenth hole on the Palms course at the Chunn On resort in Cambodia

14 TEE BOX THE BIG PICTURE The sixteenth hole at Soleta Golf Club in Myakka City, Florida, as photographed by Patrick Koenig. The new course, which opened in December 2024, was designed by Nick Price’s firm and built by Heritage Links. The 7,400-yard layout has been routed through grass-covered pastures, oak-filled prairies and saw palmettos. “The property has wetlands, uplands, open grassland and some great trees,” said Price. “We’ve laid out the golf course to take advantage and incorporate those natural features into the design of holes. I am also really happy that no wetlands have been impacted or eliminated anywhere on the property. These natural elements will be part of what gives the golf course its natural look and feel, which is inherent to the Myakka area.” The Soleta club also has a 30-acre David Leadbetter practice facility, and a nine-hole short course called The Colt will open in spring 2025. “The private Soleta course project was completed in a remarkable 11 months and the final product is outstanding,” said managing partner and developer David Turner.

15 Photo: Patrick Koenig

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17 TEE BOX Photo: Josh Delgorge Renaissance completes redesign at Melbourne’s Commonwealth club Renaissance Golf Design has completed a restoration-inspired renovation of Commonwealth Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia. Brian Slawnik was appointed as principal architect in 2020, with Tom Doak involved in planning and the creation of a concept plan. “The second phase involved significant architectural changes to the southern end of the course, with the most notable modifications being at the seventh, tenth and twelfth greens,” said course manager Adam Lamb. “They have been redesigned and brought closer together. This creates a connection like the northern section, which features several paired greens, or ‘duos’, interconnected by short-mown surrounds.” This work follows on from phase one, which, among other changes, covered greens two to five, thirteen to eighteen. Pure Distinction creeping bentgrass, developed by Pure-Seed Testing, was selected for greens. “The seventh green has returned to its original alignment, featuring a bunker on the right and a moderate swale to the left,” said Lamb. “The green falls away at the back-right, and the approach is narrow. The par-five tenth has had its green moved back by around 20 metres, though the approach bunkers remain in place. This encourages golfers to clear the bunkers and potentially run the ball onto a horseshoe-shaped green, which is protected by a small deep bunker in the front middle.” Read more about the renovation project and the club’s vegetation efforts on the GCA website. Dunstanburgh Castle, on the north-east coast of England, is a fine James Braid design in the lee of a ruined fourteenth century fortification that was intended to protect the area from Scottish raiders. But we were not aware that it was quite so popular among GCA readers; its appearance in October’s Gopher Watch prompted the largest batch of correct answers we have ever had. Given Dunstanburgh’s design heritage, it is perhaps appropriate that the first entry out of the hat was from Simon Barrington, a golf history buff with a huge interest in Braid – Simon recently recorded two podcasts on the man with Cookie Jar Golf, which we recommend. This issue, Sandy is still on the links, on a rather newer course. New it may be, but it is part of one of the oldest golf resorts on earth. That’s quite enough clue, we think. Entries, if you know where he is and fancy a prized GCA golf shirt, to gopher@golfcoursearchitecture.net GOPHER WATCH

New course takes shape at Somabay on Egypt’s east coast A new course by Lobb + Partners is being built at Somabay Golf Club on the east coast of Egypt. “Our new 18-hole design is created to complement the existing Gary Player Design layout,” said architect Tim Lobb. “It was not our intention to design a traditional championship course but to create a family friendly and manageable test of golf for the holiday golfer.” The layout is being constructed in three phases of six holes, with the first six now being built and grassed. The full 18 is expected to open in winter 2026, with Lobb expecting there to be some preview play before then. “The golf course will occupy some of the internal land of this epic peninsula and offer sea views from nearly every hole,” said Lobb. Somabay lies on a peninsula that juts into the Red Sea. “The original site lacked detailed contouring but had the expansive views of the Red Sea. The views and scale of the site were the main inspiration for the golf course intent.” The course is being built by the same Egyptian teams that Lobb trained during the construction of the club’s golf academy, which he designed with James Edwards of EDI Golf. The shaping philosophy is to ‘make it look like Mars’. Course superintendent Andrew Hughes is the project manager and will look after grow-in of the Pure Dynasty playing surfaces from Atlas Turf International and Pure Seed. “Fun is the intended playing experience at our new course at Somabay,” said Lobb. “We have not created a long course – it will be a par 71 of 6,200 yards. We started with eight formal bunkers in the design and have already taken a few out. Sand waste areas and abrupt landscape mounding with native grasses which give a striking visual appeal and provoke a strategy for this ‘sleeper’ of a golf challenge.” 18 TEE BOX

19 Photo: Lobb + Partners RTJ II designs reversible short course for Al Badia in Dubai A new reversible short course by Robert Trent Jones II (RTJ II) has opened at Al Badia Golf Club in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. “The brief was to design a world-class, multipurpose learning and performance academy,” said Mike Gorman, senior architect at RTJ II. “The facility needed to seamlessly function as both a traditional practice range and a short course, offering flexibility to suit different needs. Additionally, we designed a 30,000-square-foot Himalayas-style green, providing a fun, informal space for learning golf. The course will include template features such as Dell, Double Plateau, Punchbowl and Biarritz. “While there’s an eight-hole ‘scorecard’ option, the real spirit of the facility is as a ‘choose-your-ownadventure’ short course,” said Gorman. The course can be lit for evening play. “Lighting was a key consideration, especially given Dubai’s climate,” said Gorman. The RTJ II team worked closely with John Clarkin and Craig Hanney from Turfgrass Consultancy. The Al Badia short course has been designed for players to ‘choose their own adventure’ The ‘Cliffhangers’ par-three golf course at Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri, USA, is expected to open for play in summer 2025. The 18-hole layout, which is being built on a hillside adjacent to the resort’s Payne’s Valley course, will feature holes ranging from 60 to 165 yards with significant elevation change and greens that have severe slopes and tucked locations for challenging pins. “We wanted to put people in touch with different vistas, beautiful spots of nature all along the course,” said resort owner Johnny Morris. “There were a few question marks along the way about how we’re going to fit 18 holes on this crazy, steep hillside,” said Morris’s son John Paul. “I think we ended up with a heck of a routing.” On the fourth hole, the resort has incorporated a waterfall down limestone cliffs, from which golfers have views of the surrounding Ozark Mountains and Table Rock Lake. Cliffhangers will be the third short layout at the six-course resort, joining the Mountain Top and Top of the Rock courses, designed by Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus’s firms respectively. Big Cedar Lodge to open new par-three layout Photo: Big Cedar Lodge

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21 TEE BOX Landscapes Unlimited is preparing to begin construction of a new golf course by Craig & Coyne, the design firm of Colton Craig and Tom Coyne, in Ideal, South Dakota. The Lazy J Sporting Club will be a private destination club with a 7,216yard layout that is expected to open in summer 2027. Landscapes Unlimited is managing planning, development and construction, and Landscapes Golf Management is overseeing pre-opening activities, including membership campaigns and financial management. The Jorgensen family, which owns and operates the existing Grand Lodge, has deep roots in the area, tracing back to 1909 when Martin Jorgensen Sr established a farm on the land. “The Jorgensen family owns 20,000 acres of land,” said Craig. “Their only request was that we approach the design with the utmost respect for the property’s natural beauty and its cultural significance. There were no constraints on layout or style – only a desire to honour the land. “This property is truly unparalleled – it’s without a doubt the most extraordinary land we’ve had the privilege of working on. A dynamic waterway, Thunder Creek, runs through the site, and the way the golf course interacts with this natural feature will offer golfers a thrilling and visually captivating experience. We refer to the terrain as being in the ‘Goldilocks zone’ – not too dramatic, but just dramatic enough. The land is naturally conducive to walkable golf, and we anticipate minimal earthwork will be required, allowing us to preserve its natural charm and features. Our goal is to create a course that feels like it’s always belonged there, utilising the land’s inherent beauty and challenges.” The design duo is planning subtle greens, naturalised bunkers and short connections between greens and tees. “The front nine follows a linear out-and-back layout, while the back nine is more axial, with a central ridge acting as the hub for many of the greens and tees – much like the centre of a wagon wheel,” said Craig. “We believe the third hole could become one of the best bunkerless holes in the world. The land is begging to become a golf hole.” Plans for Lazy J also include the creation of a short-game practice area and a 12-hole short course. The existing 42-bed lodge, including a lounge and restaurant, will also undergo interior and exterior renovation. Landscapes Unlimited poised to break ground at Lazy J in 2025 Photo: Vaughn Halyard

22 Brandon Johnson develops renovation plan for Jeremy Ranch TEE BOX Brandon Johnson Golf Course Design and Turfgrass are collaborating on a renovation at Jeremy Ranch Golf and Country Club in Park City, Utah. “Since 1981, Jeremy Ranch has sat virtually untouched,” said Johnson. “Now, the club and its membership realise it is time to reinvest back into the course for continued growth and success for the next 40 years.” The architect has developed a masterplan that focuses on a complete renovation of green complexes, bunkers and tees, regrassing, native area conservation and cart path work. Rebuilding the putting surfaces is a priority for the club due to several issues: the complexes have shrunk, settling and collar buildup has caused extreme turf loss and damage, there is very high organic content in the greensmix, and subsurface drainage has been compromised. Adam Moeller, the director of agronomy for North America at Turfgrass, completed a greens audit with Johnson and golf course superintendent Chase Davidson. “Turfgrass and Adam’s data-driven approach helped guide our project team and the Jeremy Ranch membership to make timely and informed decisions about an appropriate scope for greens construction and the overall project,” said Johnson. Moeller said: “The life expectancy audit included a comprehensive examination of various components that impact the short- and longterm performance of the greens. The specific evaluation process included an agronomic inspection of all greens to identify factors that impact the physical performance, such as the construction method, surface and internal drainage, green sizes, useable area for hole locations, growing environments, entrance and exit locations, grass species composition, overall turf quality and historic performance.” Turfgrass sampled ten greens with a soil profiler for a visual evaluation and assessment of layers and organic matter content. It removed and sent 18 PVC core samples from six greens to a soil testing laboratory for analysis, dug test holes on five greens to visually evaluate the entire rootzone profile and gravel layer, measuring the field infiltration rate of the gravel layer, and created an inventory of the rootzone depths from the test holes and PVC core samples. Turfgrass then provided A visualisation of the proposed renovations to the eighth hole

23 insight into greens mix performance and composition. “Our intent is to restore the original sizes and shapes of greens while making targeted expansion and contour modifications to introduce new pin locations,” said Johnson. “We will retain the existing character of greens and use that as a guide when redesigning any that will increase pin locations, setup variety and playability. Greens that currently have limited pinnable areas due to severe slopes and pitches will be recontoured to make more playable with increased setup options.” Proposed work on bunkers aims to enhance the character, aesthetics and strategic interest of the hazards, as well as address drainage issues, sand contamination, eroding slopes, faces and edges, and their locations. “We will also address problematic drainage areas on fairways,” said Johnson. “While we are still contemplating the variety, we will regrass all fairways to establish a consistent stand of healthy and high performing turfgrass.” Other work includes realigning and expanding existing tees, adding new forward and back tees, removing some cart paths and rerouting others to hide them from sight better. “Also, we will help blend the existing natural and native surrounding slopes and valley floor along the creek into the overall golf course character and aesthetic,” said Johnson. “And convert existing maintained turf areas into native turf and vegetative areas that are in character with the natural surrounding landscape.” Photo: Brandon Johnson Golf Course Design “It may be quirky and one of the toughest holes in golf” For 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 – Kevin Norby, Richard Mandell, Nathan Crace and Forrest Richardson take on the challenge of redesigning the Road hole at St Andrews. “Calls from golfers to ‘fix’ the Road hole are misguided,” said Norby. “It may be quirky and one of the toughest holes in golf, but a complete blow-up would only serve to soften the course at a time when some might argue that the Old is no longer the best tournament course to test the best golfers in the world.” GOOD READ To download the latest issue and subscribe to By Design, visit www.asgca.org.

Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club in Menlo Park, California, has reopened following a $23 million renovation by Todd Eckenrode – Origins Golf Design. The project goals were to make the layout more playable and interesting, improve course aesthetics and conditions, and adhere to the club’s sustainability initiative. In addition to the rebuilding of all tees, fairways, bunkers and greens, there has been a significant tree management programme and a new irrigation system has been installed. The course has new drought-tolerant grass, and over 20 acres of turf has been replaced with landscaping to showcase the natural beauty of the course’s setting. We spoke with Eckenrode to find out more. How has the playing experience at Sharon Heights changed? There are now many ways to play the holes, as opposed to just straight and through the air. The increased width in the fairways and hole corridors allow golfers to play one side of the hole or the other, generally, to gain advantage into the green or hole location. Also, the new bentgrass Fairways, bunkers and greens have been rebuilt, as seen at the fourteenth TEE BOX Photo: Channing Benjamin “ There are now many ways to play the holes, as opposed to just straight and through the air” Todd Eckenrode of Origins Golf Design has transformed the Sharon Heights golf course in California. Q&A with Todd Eckenrode 24

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27 fairways, approaches and greens allow the ball to bounce and roll – the ground game can very much be played and that makes for a much more interesting playing experience. The course has been opened up quite a bit, with the vast tree removal a big part of that. The corridors are wider, leading to a grander scale and the views across the property have been recaptured as well. The style and scale of the bunkering also lends to a dramatic aesthetic. Can you tell us more about the impact of that tree work? The land has a lot of great character to it, but most of the holes were narrow and lined with trees – you could only see the hole that you were on. By removing the linear nature of the trees, creating clusters of trees, connecting fairways and removing trees behind greens, the views throughout the course have been recaptured. The third and fifth holes are great examples of this, as well as holes four, fifteen and sixteen. I can’t really describe how different those areas feel now, but these are the most talked about new features by the members, so I know they are seeing it as well! Which holes best capture your work? The holes that have been most dramatically improved are the parallel par threes – the second and sixth. These holes were basically set in a wet bog before and were not very natural. The setting has been transformed – it now features a natural meadow and creek, highlighted by native California sycamore trees. We made a great effort to make the holes play differently as well, with hole six being more of a drop-shot par three, closely protected by hazards and a sharp slope to one side. Hole two is more generous in its approach and seemingly plays simple from the right side. However, the green has an interesting boomerang shape around a ridge that cuts into the middle of the green from this right side. This ridge is impactful on shots and creates smaller hole locations in front and behind it that are a lot of fun. The ‘bowl’ area of the green in particular is very hard to access over this ridge, but if you do, the ball should settle very close to a hole location there. Photo: Channing Benjamin Eckenrode has opened up the course via tree removal, which has also highlighted the site’s native California sycamore trees TEE BOX

28 JUSTIN OLMSTEAD INSIGHT This trip to Carmel, Indiana, was a bit different. I rode in a cart with Jake Gargasz, the golf course superintendent at Crooked Stick Golf Club, in June 2024, to check on the progress of the course renovation. Before that, I had met Jake several times to discuss Profile rootzone blends for the new greens – a major focus of the renovation work. But it was on the cart that day that I truly realised the historical significance of the project I was involved in. When we arrived at hole three, Jake pulled out his phone and showed me the first video in a series he had developed to keep members abreast of the progress of the renovation. They tell an interesting behind-the-scenes story about ties to Pete and Alice Dye, the original architects and stewards of Crooked Stick Golf Club’s design. While the videos were not created for wider distribution, Jake has graciously allowed me to share some aspects of these stories. The development of the Dyes’ unique architectural style is well documented. It was influenced by a trip to Scotland where Pete participated in the 1963 British Amateur Championship at the Old course in St Andrews. While there, Pete and Alice visited and photographed over 30 courses. In 1964, Crooked Stick would serve as the first canvas for Pete and Alice to fully express a new design vision. Many say Pete’s iconic architectural design style began at Crooked Stick. Pete is well known for his unique use of railroad ties as design elements on many of his courses. However, what I found most interesting are the personal ties of the people involved with the renovation. This project brought together an impressive team of industry professionals, each with a personal connection with Pete, which shaped the thought process and outcomes of what could be considered Crooked Stick’s first major renovation. There were many motivating factors behind the project. Most were related to the natural impact of time on a golf course, such as ageing infrastructure and changes in cultural practices. Another was that the club is set to host the US Senior Open in 2028. The intention was not to make big sweeping changes, but to update and unify an already outstanding course. Consulting architect Tom Doak’s relationship with the Dyes began the summer of his junior year at Cornell University, when Pete called him to join the golf course construction crew for an upcoming project. Accepting Justin Olmstead of Profile Products talks about the relationships behind the renovation of Crooked Stick in Indiana. The ties that bind

29 Photo: credit Crooked Stick was one of the first courses Pete Dye used railroad ties as a design element that position and working closely with Pete set the path for Tom’s impressive career. Over the years, Pete continued to be an influence and mentor, helping him become one of the world’s most in-demand golf course architects. Part of Tom’s success is his minimalist approach to design, which made him a perfect fit to help lead the renovation of Crooked Stick. In the video, Tom says: “It’s fun to be back. I have some very pleasant memories of hearing Pete tell stories about this place and what he did to build it. Hopefully we have a very light touch, and people can’t really remember what I did five years from now.” From the beginning, this project has focused on preserving the legacy of the club and Pete and Alice’s original vision, while making updates that will improve the health and playability of the course. Eric Iverson, a member of the Renaissance Golf Design team responsible for much of the shaping work, summed up the significance of the project in a way that resonated with me. “This is a very important course in the history of golf course design, and in particular the architectural branch of the tree that Tom and I both come from,” he says. Around the same time Tom started his journey with Pete, Eric began an internship with Pete’s son Perry, in Denver. Iverson also highlighted how aware the renovation team is of the project’s historical importance. “It’s a heavy weight when you’re working on the golf course that Pete Dye lived on and tinkered with for all these years,” he says. “Exactly what you’re going to take that back to is subject to a great amount of debate. We’re just trying to honour Pete’s legacy and his overarching philosophy for Crooked Stick and iron out some things that might have occurred through cultural practices over the years.” Expanding on the historical importance of the project, Doak adds: “This was really Pete Dye’s first world-class golf course when he built it in the 60s. In the original version, you could see the evolution of his design ideas. It was a much more eclectic course than most. There were bunkers that looked like those of Alister McKenzie, Donald Ross and CB Macdonald, based on him actively travelling around during the two or three years that he was building it and seeing other places and bringing back an idea, here or there, to use on the golf course.” Some of the changes from the renovation will focus on unifying the diverse features found from hole to hole. As Iverson explains: “From a design perspective, what we’ve settled on is that it’s OK to have an eclectic collection of bunkers course-wide, but kind of keep them in the same family.” “ We’re just trying to honour Pete’s legacy and his overarching philosophy for Crooked Stick” Photo: Crooked Stick

31 He was referring to the mounded, flat and pot-style bunkers that Dye has implemented on many of his designs. Other updates include improving and stabilising watersheds, replacing or adding railroad tie features and making some minor redirections to shot corridors. One of the most notable changes involves tee repositioning on the par-three thirteenth. The tee was moved slightly to the right of the hole for a more intuitive shot into the green. The rebuilding of the greens was the most significant undertaking of the Crooked Stick renovation. Doak explains: “This is a really special set of greens. When Pete built this golf course, originally green speeds were eight on the Stimpmeter, and now they’re 12 or 13. Even though he’s redone them in pieces over time, it’s still just creeping up, and there are hole locations on some greens that you really can’t use anymore. So, we’re trying to get a little bit of that back without changing the difficulty of the greens in general. We’re trying to get some things back in play that haven’t been used much in the last 15 years.” This highlights the overall theme of the renovation – subtle but meaningful changes. Towards the end of the video, Iverson makes a comment that sums up the collective goal of the renovation in a very poignant way. He says: “It’s an honour and it’s also an obligation and it’s a chance for us to give back a little bit to the man and the family that gave us our springboard into the business.” I echo Eric’s sentiment – it has been an honour for me to be involved in this project, in my own small way, given the deep respect and passion engrained in it. I’m looking forward to the 2025 reopening of Crooked Stick and I’m excited to see how the changes take shape with the finishing touches complete. I believe the golf experience there will be one of the best. INSIGHT Bunkers have been renovated to a unified style throughout the course Photo: Crooked Stick

32 Golf in Norway has experienced unprecedented growth over the past few years. The number of golf club members nationwide has surged from 100,000 to 150,000 since the pandemic, while registered rounds have climbed by 20 per cent in just the past year. This surge in participation has presented new challenges for golf courses across the country, especially given Norway’s short playing season due to its cold climate. How can courses keep pace with the growing demand while maintaining quality and efficiency? The answer may lie in two innovative strategies: adjusting tee time intervals and optimising course layouts. Reducing the time between tee times might seem like an obvious solution to accommodate more players. However, this can lead to overcrowded courses, slower rounds and frustrated golfers. A better approach, particularly during Norway’s long summer days, is to optimise tee time intervals for the speed of rounds; by improving pace of play, courses can host more players without sacrificing their experience. Experimenting with intervals is a relatively quick adjustment that can yield significant benefits. Every course is different, and the optimum teeing interval may be longer than seems logical, but may reduce queuing, which can in turn speed up the overall playing time. Faster rounds lead to happier golfers – and more opportunities for everyone to enjoy the course. In Norway, the golf season often lasts six months or less. To maximise play, courses must open as early and close as late in the year as possible. Achieving this requires courses to emerge from winter with minimal damage, as ice and freezing conditions can severely impact the grass and, in turn, the playing season. From a design perspective, this challenge bridges agronomy and architecture. Sustainable course maintenance starts with designing greens and fairways that prioritise optimal growing conditions. My mentor, Fred W. Hawtree, once described golf course design as “95 per cent drainage and five per cent common sense”. That wisdom remains as relevant today as ever. Drainage is crucial in Norway’s climate, where frequent freeze-thaw cycles can cause ice buildup on greens, leading to dead grass in spring. To combat this, it’s essential to divert water away from greens efficiently. In steep, mountainous terrain, runoff CASPAR GRAUBALLE INSIGHT Caspar Grauballe considers how Norway’s clubs can maximise the playing season, to help keep pace with growing demand. Winter is coming

33 from surrounding areas often flows across flatter greens, increasing the risk of ice formation. Good design minimises this risk, ensuring greens can withstand Norway’s demanding conditions. The rise in rounds played has taken its toll on many courses, with wearand-tear most evident on high-traffic areas like par-three tees. These compact teeing areas often struggle to recover quickly enough from divots. On greens, the effects of increased play are subtler but equally significant. Thinning turf and a shift towards poa annua dominance is a common occurrence. This grass type, while initially inconspicuous, is more susceptible to disease and winter damage, which can leave greens vulnerable to widespread winterkill. For tees, the answer is straightforward: build larger teeing areas to distribute wear more evenly. For greens, the solution is more nuanced. It’s not just about increasing the size of the greens but also addressing golfer traffic patterns. Bottlenecks near bunkers or paths to the next tee often funnel wear into specific spots, causing damage. To mitigate this, course designers must consider the natural walking paths of players. By shaping green surrounds strategically, golfers are encouraged to take different routes depending on pin location and ball placement – this spreads wear more evenly and helps maintain turf quality throughout the season. Norway’s golf boom is both an exciting opportunity and a unique challenge. By embracing thoughtful course design and strategic maintenance practices, courses can meet the demands of today’s players while preserving quality for future generations. In a country where nature’s beauty defines the game, sustainability and smart design are the keys to keeping golfers on the greens – no matter the season. Caspar Grauballe is a Danish golf course designer and president of the European Institute of Golf Course Architects. Norwegian clubs like Kjekstad have a short golfing season due to the long periods of freezing conditions Photo: Caspar Grauballe “ Sustainability and smart design are the keys to keeping golfers on the greens”

34 INTERVIEW Australians, in general, like to travel. If the focus of the developed world can be said to be (historically at least) in Europe and North America, well, Australasia is a long way away from both. And Australia, because of the way it developed as a modern country, tends to breed a particular sort of person: friendly, laid back, optimistic and happy to travel. Almost perfect personality traits, in fact, for careers in golf course architecture! Bob Harrison is the paterfamilias of the Australian golf design community. He found his career earlier in life, albeit partly by accident. “Contact with the Australian property development company Lend Lease was my break,” he says. “I studied civil engineering at university, and it was great fun, but I wasn’t really motivated and in my final year asked the professors if I could do my thesis on a golf course project. This wasn’t totally preposterous because golf course projects involve earthworks, drainage, water supply, dams and the like. They agreed, provided I could find someone in the commercial world preparing to develop a golf course project and they were then able to compare what I did with the real thing. “So, I chased around and found Lend Lease, who were preparing to relocate the golf course at Campbelltown outside of Sydney into their proposed residential development nearby. The then golf course became the site for what is now Campbelltown Hospital. Von Hagge Barnes & Devlin (VBD) had been engaged by Lend Lease and were well-advanced with the design process. Lend Lease needed somebody to work for them on the project management who understood something about golf – and I got the job after graduating. VBD had produced a design which subsequently proved to be far too expensive, and after a year Lend Lease fired them and took a chance with me. So, I ended up with the design of an 18-hole course about a year out of university.” After working for Lend Lease for a while, Harrison made the move that would define his career. It was the late 1980s, and Greg Norman was the world’s number one golfer. As such, he had a lot of opportunities in the thenbooming signature golf design market, so he established his own design firm in 1987. Norman himself was, by that time, based in the USA, but as a son of Australia, his homeland offered many opportunities, so he needed an Australian-based design associate. “I got very lucky but was also resourceful,” says Harrison. “I got the best job going in the golf industry in Australia when I teamed up with Norman and IMG at the very beginning of Greg Norman Golf Course Design (GNGCD) to do the design in Australia and Asia. My scope included the documentation of the first five courses Bob Harrison has had a long career as one of Australia’s top golf designers and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road. Wizard of Oz BOB HARRISON “ I ended up with the design of an 18-hole course about a year out of university”

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