Paul Reeves - Director - Pacific Coast Design
- Diploma of Turf Management
- Diploma of Business
- Member & Secretary / Treasurer of Society of AustralianGolf Course Architects
- Over 35 years experience in the Golf Industry
- Has worked in design, construction maintenance and management areas of the industry
EFFICIENT GOLF DESIGN
Efficient and sustainable projects must commence with that objective in mind
Definitions
- Efficient
- Achieving the maximum result with the minimum wasted effort or expense
- Sustainable
- The ability to continue a defined behaviour indefinitely
- Economically
- Environmentally
- Socially
Does the designer understand the clients objectives ?
- What does the client want from the project and / or golf course
- What has to be achieved for financial sustainability of the project
- What obligations does the project need to conform with
- Do the math and make a budget, check that it all stacks up
Site Master Planning
- Plan the site with economic return / sustainability in mind
- Plan with the balance of golf v non golf uses in mind
- Identify and use the land with best economic return for right purpose
- Understand and design for natural site hydrology
- Think of the environmental consequences of the design elements
Avoid preconceived styles and work with the site
- Let the natural form of the land create the style (i.e. parkland, links, heathland)
- What natural site phenomena needs to incorporated into the design
- Design the course with its' sustainability in mind
- Target Market
- Construction costs
- Maintenance costs
- Longeveity
Signature design V Professional Golf Architect
- How does a "name" meet your marketing strategy
- Does the target market know "the name"
- Make your project its' own signature
- What happens when the same "signature" opens another course in town or dies ?
Length - Championship V Membership
- Does the project need + 7,200 yards when 6,800 yards test 95% of golfers
- Each metre of golf use min 75m2, to add 400 yards = 6.6 acres (minimum)
- Average length of top 20 world courses is 6978 (par 71)
- Reduced length is:
- Reduced golf land use
- Reduced construction and maintenance costs
Some ideas for efficient design
- How much earth do we really need to move?
- Can we programme the construction seasonally?
- Can surface shape be used for drainage ?
- Does the course need to be sand-capped?
- How much of the course needs to be irrigated?
- Does every hazard need to be a bunker?
- How much of the course requires hand work?
- Does the course need to be +7,000 yards ?
- Does the course require full cart paths?
- What local products are available ?
- Do we need to plant large / advanced trees ?
A final thought
Efficiency and sustainability in design and construction does not mean compromising standards, it means being smart and not wasting money, land, labour and other resources