Based in Reykjavík, a convenient central location between Europe and North America, Edwin Roald has run an independent golf course design practice since 2002, designing or consulting in five countries. He is an Associate Member of the European Institute of Golf Course Architects, and a member of the Institute's Environment Committee.

Edwin Roald has published a website – www.why18holes.com – around one of his core beliefs, stating that the industry needs to abandon the principle that a 'full' round of golf consists of eighteen holes and get used to the thought that a golf course may have just any number of holes that suits its particular environment.

Roald feels that this will help reverse a trend that has seen the number of active golfers and rounds played go down in recent years. He believes that this new way of thinking could help many struggling golf clubs make quick and relatively easy changes to adapt to the needs of today's golfer, allow them to co-exist with other existing courses that wish to stick to their current model, open new dimensions in the design of new courses and give golf greater flexibility to work hand in hand with the environment.