Issue 7 | Summer 2011 BY DESIGN Excellence in Golf Design from the American Society of Golf Course Architects Getting better Unlocking potential through course renovation Also: Alternative golf facilities • Construction technology • Tee locations • Golf’s true history FOREWORD he focus on alternative golf facilities that we started in the last issue of CONTENTS By Design and continue in this has demonstrated that the industry is Tassertively looking for new ways to grow the game. Golf’s increasing focus on enhanced practice areas, short courses, putting courses and the Digest 5 like is providing easier routes into the game for new players, and ways of How to work in China, a new project revitalizing participation among those who have given it up for reasons of in Rio, amazing plan to build a floating cost, difficulty or time. course in the Maldives, and more. The conclusive proof that the global golf industry is serious about embracing alternative facilities is found in the French federation’s successful Renovation 8 bid for the 2018 Ryder Cup, highlighted in this issue. The federation’s Upgrading your course is vital to commitment, as part of its bid, to build 100 new golf facilities, mostly in the stay competitive, but there are other form of six or nine hole urban golf courses, in advance of 2018, is perhaps reasons why clubs choose to renovate. the most impressive demonstration yet of belief in such facilities to grow the game. Despite France’s long history of golf and impressive selection of full- Alternative golf 12 scale courses, ranging from resorts aimed at tourists to exclusive clubs like The second part of our look at the the very grand Morfontaine, the game remains the preserve of a minority in new-style facilities that are changing the country; this initiative has the potential to transform French golf into a golf, especially for beginners. true peoples’ pastime. As I take over as ASGCA President from Erik Larsen, it is my aim to remind Hydraulic mulches 14 everyone in the golf business of the importance of smaller scale facilities, or New developments to help golf just as importantly perhaps, smaller facilities within bigger existing facilities. construction go quicker and smoother. Over seventy percent of US golf rounds are played on public courses with a median green fee of $28; we should not be shy of promoting this fact! Tee locations 16 Marc Whitney reports on the new ‘Tee it Forward’ initiative. Golf history 17 Author Philip Young gives his perspective on the true history of golf. Yours sincerely, Closing thoughts 18 Marc Whitney reviews how ASGCA members are adapting to change. Rick Phelps President American Society of Golf Course Architects COVER Editor: Adam Lawrence; News: Sam Ballard; Design: Paul Robinson; Bruce Graham; Publisher: Toby Ingleton; Editorial contributor: Philip Young; ASGCA Staff: Chad Ritterbusch; Therese Johnston; Mike Shefky; Aileen Smith; Marc Whitney; Photography: supplied by Palmares Golf Resort; Ryan Farrow, Schmidt-Curley; Troon Golf; Old Elm; Vasatorps; The Prairie Club; Profile Products. Subscribe to By Design at www.tudor-rose.co.uk/bydesign © 2011 American Society of Golf Course Architects. All rights reserved. www.asgca.org By Design is sponsored by: Palmares Golf Resort, Portugal, renovated by Robert Trent Jones Jr, ASGCA Past President and Mark Voss, ASGCA Associate. 03 DIGEST China | Adam Lawrence ‘Thirteen new China golf growth to continue courses’ for Morocco Thirteen new golf courses are hina’s golf market set to open in Morocco in the will continue to next three years, according to C grow, despite the country’s authorities. fears of a bubble and The country currently has 27 government disquiet about courses, but its Vision 2010 the game, according to one and Vision 2020 strategies of the country’s leading call for rapid expansion. golf figures. Figures released by the Speaking at the ASGCA Moroccan National Tourist annual meeting in Denver Schmidt-Curley Farrow, Ryan Photo: Office show that golf tourism in May, Ernie Wang, has increased by 40 percent publisher of Golf and in the last three years. Golfweek magazines in The office has named 2011 China said that 52 new as the Year of Golf in Agadir. golf facilities, equivalent to The city has already hosted 60 eighteen hole courses, Stone Forest, one of China’s many recent golfing additions two professional tournaments opened in the country this year, the European Tour’s during 2010, a 13.5 percent for golf, offered the best forest land will improve Hassan II Golf Trophy and increase in China’s golfing possibilities. “There are the prospects for golf. We the Lalla Meryem Cup on the stock. Wang told the over 100 cities with more need to make golf courses Ladies European Tour. meeting that, although than a million inhabitants on barren hills and desert the data is incomplete, in China, and over 400,000 lands. Land is expensive, ASGCA ‘Secrets’ he has evidence of 172 millionaires,” he said, so most courses have been book available golf projects under adding that, to succeed in built on sites leased for The tales about and stories construction in China, with the country, outsiders need between 40-70 years. This behind some of the world’s another 291 in planning. to commit themselves to drives short-termism. Don’t most memorable golf courses South China, he said, was China, rather than expecting expect to get naturally good are available in one place the main boom area. to make a short visit and sites. If they are available, from the American Society of For golf architects hoping immediately pick up work. they will be remote, with no Golf Course Architects. to work in China, Wang “China is overpopulated market for golf. You will be Secrets of the Great Golf said that the second and and short of water,” he said. supported and acclaimed for Course Architects includes third tier cities, which are “Making better use of water turning bad land into good Bill Coore, ASGCA currently underserved and protecting arable and and increasing its value.” confronted by naked, blowgun-wielding tribesmen in Indonesia and Pete Dye, Brazil Sam Ballard | ASGCA Fellow, who was not hired to build the second Rio resort wins planning consent nine at the first course he ever designed. Also, more A major new golf and leisure development is planned. Conceived in 2007, the project than one ASGCA member in Brazil has been granted planning permits. is located 16km from the ancient city of has been threatened with The developers behind the Rio de Petropolis. arrest without cause, all Janeiro International Golf Resort, UK firm Smyers said: “The plan is to commence while innocently designing International Golf & Resort Management detail design within the next month so golf courses. and the Rio-based company JCN, have been construction can start in September.” The Stories like these are only given the go-ahead to start construction. resort’s phased opening is expected to part of the moving and Set on a 1,100 hectare site, the resort start in early 2014. inspirational experiences will include a hotel, an eighteen hole golf Valued at 500m Brazilian reals (US$306m), of golf course architects course, designed by Nick Faldo’s company the developers say the resort will generate published in the book. The in association with Florida-based architect 2,000 direct and 4,000 indirect jobs and will book—co-authored by Steve Smyers, ASGCA, and a nine hole par increase the available accommodation in Rio Michael Patrick Shiels—is three course. Another eighteen hole course state in the run-up to the 2016 Olympics. available at www.asgca.org. 05 DIGEST ASGCA | Adam Lawrence New Vietnam course Amick honored by ASGCA Vietnamese developer Trung Nam Group has started lorida-based construction work on a new golf architect 400 hectare complex in Da FBill Amick was Nang, planned to include a honored with the golf course. The Golden Hills ASGCA’s Distinguished project is budgeted at $1.7 Service Award at the billion. organization’s recent annual meeting. Amick, a Swedish renovation past president of ASGCA, Amick (left) receives the Distinguished Service Award from ASGCA Past President Steve is just the fifth person in ASGCA Past President Erik Larsen Forrest has begun work on a the society’s history to major renovation of the Old receive this award. “ASGCA founder Bill Even today, we need more course at Vasatorps Golf Club Long at the forefront Diddel first hired me as smaller courses. They are in Helsingborg, Sweden. of promoting affordable his assistant and allowed easier to maintain, faster, Forrest previously designed the golf, 2011 is the 52nd me to design bunkers less expensive and easier club’s new Tournament course. year of Amick’s Daytona and tees,” Amick said. “I to play for beginners Beach-based architectural watched him and saw he and families. The idea PGA for Bellerive practice. During his career, designed a golf course for came home to me when Bellerive Country Club in St he has designed more than people who would actually I designed in Europe and Louis is to host the centennial 75 courses in the US and play it. He thought there watched people beginning PGA Championship in around the world. should be smaller courses. on these smaller courses.” 2018, plus the 2013 Senior PGA. The course, originally designed by ASGCA Maldives | Sam Ballard founder Robert Trent Jones Sr, was remodeled by his Troon plans Maldives floating course son, Rees, an ASGCA Past President, in 2005. Troon Golf has been appointed as technical to build a series of five floating islands that advisor to the proposed $500 million will incorporate a convention centre, hotels Kellogg upgrade floating golf course project in the Maldives.