Issue 29 | Fall 2016 BY DESIGN Excellence in Golf Design from the American Society of Golf Course Architects Fostering innovation Also: Robert Trent Jones, Sr. • New ASGCA Associates • GPS Technologies • Bob Cupp With a singular focus on irrigation since 1933, thousands of courses around the world have discovered the superior performance of Rain Bird. Learn more at www.rainbird.com/golf. Weathering the storm with the Rain Bird® IC System™. That’s intelligent. Industry-leading technology means superior robustness to lightning. Rain Bird’s IC System brings generations of experience and innovation in surge protection and ground system design to every installation to minimize damage and disruption from the inevitable. You never know when lightning will strike, Integrated Control Module but with Rain Bird, you will be ready. R461-044900-6_2016_ICSystemPrint_SzA (Rain Bird Weathering the Storm IC Ad) Color: CMYK Process Size: L - 7” x 9.8125” T - 7.875” x 10.5” B - 9.125” x 11.3125” ISO 12647-7 Digital Control Strip 2009 3% A 100 60 100 70 30 100 60 100 70 30 100 60 100 70 30 100 40 40 100 40 100 40 70 40 70 40 40 40 70 40 40 70 40 70 40 40 3 10 25 50 75 90 100 B 100 100 60 100 100 70 70 30 30 100 100 60 100 100 70 70 30 30 100 100 60 100 100 70 70 30 30 100 40 100 40 40 100 10 40 40 20 70 70 70 70 40 70 40 40 0 0 0 0 3.1 2.2 2.2 10.2 7.4 7.4 25 19 19 50 40 40 75 66 66 100 100 100 80 70 70 100 FOREWORD Constant change CONTENTS began a recent note to my fellow ASGCA members with a quote from Digest 4 John F. Kennedy: “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the A round up of industry news, including I past or present are certain to miss the future.” a recent survey that reveals a significant Change is a constant in the golf industry, whether it be refining the rules, fall in water use on U.S. golf courses. rethinking our playing surfaces or reinventing the game. Continuing the theme of our Donald Ross Roundtable discussion at this year’s ASGCA Annual Meeting, our Bob Cupp 10 cover story for this issue of By Design sees us asking leading figures in the industry A remembrance of Bob Cupp, Past about those changing factors that are driving innovation in golf, and how they Pesident and Fellow of ASGCA. shape their organizations to succeed. Turn to p. 12 to find out what they said. Elsewhere in this issue, we reflect on the lives of two of ASGCA’s finest names. Innovation 12 Bob Cupp died in August and has been described by many as a ‘renaissance By Design asks golf industry leaders man’—not just a golfer and golf course architect, but also a fine craftsman, about the factors driving innovation, writer and musician (p. 10). And in the first in a new series of profiles of the and how they go about fostering ASGCA founding members, we consider the life and work of the legendary innovation in their businesses. Robert Trent Jones, Sr. (p. 18), who was instrumental in elevating the status of the profession of golf course architecture. GPS Technologies 18 We also hear more about two architects who are beginning their journey with the Patrick Burton, ASGCA Associate, on ASGCA. David Johnson and Todd Schoeder (p. 22) have built strong portfolios of GPS technologies in golf design. golf designs, and we are delighted to welcome them as ASGCA Associates. Robert Trent Jones, Sr. 20 I hope you enjoy the issue. As the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National approaches, we profile the life and work of Robert Trent Jones, Sr. New associates 24 By Design learns more about two new ASGCA Associate members, David Johnson and Todd Schoeder. Greg Martin Five to finish 28 President We pose our five questions to Greg American Society of Golf Course Architects Letsche, ASGCA, of Ernie Els Design. COVER Editor and Publisher: Toby Ingleton Design: Bruce Graham Editorial contributors: Patrick Burton, ASGCA Associate; Sean Dudley; Marc Whitney ASGCA Staff: Chad Ritterbusch; Therese Suslick; Mike Shefky; Aileen Smith; Marc Whitney Photography: Alex Ferro/Rio 2016; Dale Horchner; Dave Sansom; Gary Kellner/PGA of America; Getty Images; Marty Moore; NCGA/Joann Dost Photo: Gary Kellner/PGA ofAmerica Gary Photo: Kellner/PGA Subscribe to By Design at www.tudor-rose.co.uk/bydesign © 2016 American Society of Golf Course Architects. All rights reserved. www.asgca.org By Design is sponsored by: The 2016 Ryder Cup will be played at Hazeltine National, designed by ASGCA founding member Robert Trent Jones, Sr. Read more on page 18 03 A round-up of recent golf design DIGEST news in association with: U.S. golf courses using less water Photo: NCGA/Joann Dost NCGA/Joann Photo: ASGCA members have completed projects focused on reducing water use at courses throughout the United States, including (clockwise, from top left) Poppy Hills, Los Robles Greens, Photo: Marty Moore Photo: Charleston Springs and Birnham Wood olf course superintendents Turf. “The numbers show that golf southwest of the country, where year- used 21.8 per cent less water course superintendents across round play and turf growth is possible. G overall, and just 1.44 percent the country have reduced water “The golf course superintendent of all irrigated water in the U.S., consumption. There is always room profession is committed to science- to maintain their courses in 2013 for improvement, however; and I based technologies and environmental compared with usage in 2005. think we will see even less water stewardship,” said Rhett Evans, This is according to survey data from being used and fewer acres being CEO of GCSAA. “We hope that this the Golf Course Superintendents irrigated in the years ahead.” national study will demonstrate Association of America (GCSAA), Other findings include a 33 per our commitment to efficient water which collected results from nearly cent increase in recycled water use, management and inspire the industry 2,000 golf course superintendents. and greater water savings through to continue to lead in the future.” These were then analyzed by turf reduction and technologies such scientists at PACE Turf and the as computer-controlled targeted Golf & Water: Case Studies in National Golf Foundation. irrigation systems and sensors that Water Stewardship is available “This study shows us that the measure soil moisture. as a free download at golf industry has been addressing The study also found that water www.asgca.org/free-publications. water issues for some time and usage was at its lowest in the Print copies of the book are available is realizing positive results,” said northeastern part of the U.S. The for purchase at Amazon.com, see Wendy Gelernter, co-owner of PACE highest was in the southeast and http://tinyurl.com/zpxsbgb. 04 | By Design Interview U.S. golf courses using less water A team effort onstruction work at Rockwood Park Golf Course C in Fort Worth, Texas, is now in full swing. New tees, greens and bunkers have been added to the front nine, and now John Colligan, ASGCA, and his project team are switching their focus to the back nine. What have been the biggest challenges of the Rockwood project? The biggest challenge has been Mother Nature. The 1938 John Bredemus design was very flat with no subsurface drainage and there What do you believe is the most was over 20 inches of rain during interesting part of the project? the first part of the summer, along I feel that the most interesting part with temperatures which were much starts with the rerouting of the cooler than normal. The cooler course. My associate, Trey Kemp, has Fought leads water temperatures set back the turf farms created a routing which will hold its reductions at Ironwood CC which created a big demand when own against any course, public or the grass was ready to harvest. private, in the Dallas and Fort Worth area and beyond. Trey has reversed How have you met these challenges? the direction of several holes, and Our contractor, Heritage Links, has combined elements of par three and brought on more manpower and the four holes to create a new par five hole. City of Fort Worth has added more We located an aerial of the course funds for extra labor, an increased from the early 1940s that allowed us sprig rate and more sod. In addition, to document the original Bredemus the city has been flexible with the bunker style and inspired many of opening date in order to give the the quirky green shapes that we have superintendent, Bill Strum, more time added to the routing. We also created to get the course ready. It has been a some of the most interestingly subtle great team effort! green floors to be found anywhere. John Fought, ASGCA, is leading a water reduction project at Ironwood CC in Palm Desert, California. Courses in California are dealing with a drought and negotiating a number of state mandates. Ironwood CC is one of a number of courses in the state committed to removing areas of turf and surface water across the course. More than 10 acres will be removed this year, and around 40 acres of irrigated turf and surface water will be removed over three years on the club’s South Course. 05 ™ Chapter 1 TORO® INFINITY® SERIES GOLF SPRINKLERS Countless Benefits.