LATEST
NEWS

“The government made the right decisions early on”
Richard Humphreys
/ Categories: News

“The government made the right decisions early on”

Christoph Städler discusses how the coronavirus pandemic has affected his projects in Europe and how he thinks future projects will play out.

“We are currently working on 17 active projects, one of them is under construction and three more are scheduled to start construction in July, August, and September respectively,” said Städler. “Six of these projects have been put on hold, two of them since 2019, the other four only recently due to the economic effects of the coronavirus crisis.”

For projects going ahead, the team on site have been keeping 1.5 metres apart from one another.

“The virus has affected my travel plans,” said Städler. “I have had no access to my projects in Poland and Switzerland, and even to the German Bundesland Mecklenburg-Vorpommern since the start of the month, where we have a project on the Baltic coast. And other inner-German site visits, which require an overnight stay in a hotel, are not possible because all the hotels were closed by federal regulation.”

Städler has made one site visit to oversee construction of a greens and bunkers renovation project and has worked in his home office the rest of the time.

Three of Städler’s team are working in the firm’s office, keeping the necessary distance. Communication with clients and contractors is being done via email and phone.

“I have completed previously unprocessed planning tasks, have increased acquisition activity, finished files for a design competition, a renovation project of some greens, finished the master plan for another golf course, and I am now awaiting for decisions on whether we will be awarded with contracts for the next phases of design and construction work,” said Städler.

“The global golf industry will definitely be affected. It is not possible at present to predict to what extent this will be the case. It will vary from country to country and will depend crucially on how the coronavirus is brought under control. Personally, I am lucky to have most golf projects in Germany. There, the government made the right decisions early on and it looks as if the restrictions can be relaxed again soon. We expect that the projects here will only be postponed and not finally cancelled.

“On the other hand, our project in Bytom, Poland – the expansion of the golf course from nine to 18 holes – has suddenly become uncertain due to the financial impact of the Covid crisis on the investor. It is no longer possible to think of construction starting in 2020.”

Previous Article Albanese and Matthews collaborate on new nine for Saskatoon GC
Next Article Rockland CC reopens following bunker renovation
Print
2064 Rate this article:
No rating
Richard Humphreys

Richard HumphreysRichard Humphreys

Other posts by Richard Humphreys
Contact author

Contact author

x
Winter 2024 issue of ASGCA’s By Design magazine is out now
Magazine, News | Wed 11 Dec, 2024

Winter 2024 issue of ASGCA’s By Design magazine is out now

Golf course architects take on the challenge of redesigning the Road hole at St Andrews

The October 2024 issue of Golf Course Architecture is out now!
Magazine, News | Thu 17 Oct, 2024

The October 2024 issue of Golf Course Architecture is out now!

The Keep at McLemore, a Bill Bergin-Rees Jones mountaintop design in northwest Georgia, features on the cover

FEATURE
ARTICLES

Taking time to recapture character
Inwood Country Club
Opinion | Daniel Friedman

Taking time to recapture character

Inwood’s Daniel Friedman talks about how the New York club has spent the last 20 years trying to make up for the previous 80 years of change that had slowly eroded the character of its Herbert Strong-designed course

A masterpiece comes into view
Cobbs Creek
Opinion | Mark Wagner

A masterpiece comes into view

Mark Wagner provides an update on progress of the revival of Cobbs Creek

Bill Amick: Long calling for short
ASGCA
Interview | Adam Lawrence

Bill Amick: Long calling for short

Adam Lawrence spoke to the designer about his life and his attempts to encourage golfers to play shorter courses

The triumph of the Dyeciples
ASGCA
Feature | Adam Lawrence

The triumph of the Dyeciples

Adam Lawrence asks why architects who trained with Pete Dye are so dominant in today’s golf design business

The Keep: On top of the world
Evan Schiller
On site | Richard Humphreys

The Keep: On top of the world

Richard Humphreys reports on a new layout that is destined to catch the eye. Designed by Bill Bergin and Rees Jones, McLemore’s second course occupies a spectacular setting on a mountaintop plateau

Goodwood: Down in the woods
Report | Richard Humphreys

Goodwood: Down in the woods

Golf At Goodwood has a new practice facility designed by James Edwards and built by MJ Abbott

Cedar Rapids: Blown away
Vaughn Halyard
On site | Adam Lawrence

Cedar Rapids: Blown away

After an acclaimed 2015 restoration by Ron Prichard, Iowa club thought it was set fair for the future. But Mother Nature had other ideas, says Adam Lawrence

North Ranch: Time for transformation
North Ranch CC
Report | Richard Humphreys

North Ranch: Time for transformation

Fifty years after it was originally laid out, the Ted Robinson layout has been re-envisioned by Jackson-Kahn Design and rebuilt by Landscapes Unlimited

Team building
Turfgrass
Interview | Richard Humphreys

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Birdie Act: An end to templates?
Kevin Murray
Feature | Adam Lawrence

Birdie Act: An end to templates?

Legislation before the US Congress would extend the copyright protection that currently exists for buildings architecture to golf course design. But would that preclude the construction of classic hole designs, asks Adam Lawrence?

The art of project management
Leeds Golf Design
Opinion | Giulia Ferroni

The art of project management

Giulia Ferroni of Leeds Golf Design spells out the intricacies of executing a masterplan and the skills required from a golf course architect

Gopher Watch Competition – October 2024
Gopher Watch, News | Mon 21 Oct, 2024

Gopher Watch Competition – October 2024

Which course has Sandy the gopher visited this month?

MOST
POPULAR

FEATURED
BUSINESSES