GOLF COURSE DESIGN AND MASTER PLANNING

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

 


Scroll to top

0918501776