The city of Seguin in Texas has hired architects Brian Ross, Nathan Crace and Todd Quitno to redesign Starcke Park Golf Course.
The eighteen-hole layout was originally designed by Texas golf course architect John Bredemus in 1939, on the site of a former pecan orchard above the Guadalupe River.
“Todd and I have been looking for a project where we could collaborate for a few years now,” said Crace. “When this RFP [request for proposal] came across my desk, I immediately called Todd and said, ‘We need to see if Brian wants to collaborate on this.’”
“I live in Austin,” said Ross. “So, I’m very familiar with the course and it’s a short drive from my office. Todd is great with the technical aspects of a renovation of this scope and how to make it work within a budget, and Nathan has over two decades of experience working with municipalities and public agencies. More importantly, we all share the same philosophy on design for a public course that sees the amount of play they see at Starcke Park, and we understand how to blend creativity in the design without increasing long-term maintenance costs.”
The three have known each other for years through their affiliation with the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA). Quitno and Crace are members of the ASGCA and Ross is a member of the ASGCA’s Tartan Program, which is for architects who aim to apply for ASGCA membership in the next few years.
“It felt like the perfect team for this project,” said Crace. “When I visited and spoke with officials and some golfers at the course, it was easy to see everyone was excited about the project and committed to its success. I can’t wait to get back to Seguin and get started.”
The city council approved the trio’s proposal in early March, with planning expected to continue through to autumn 2023. The three architects hope construction work begins in early 2025 with the course reopening in the autumn.
“I look forward to getting back to Seguin for the kick-off meeting so we can hit the ground running,” said Quitno. “I visited the site with Brian several weeks ago and the people we met during our short visit were so engaging and full of enthusiasm for the improvement programme, it was really inspiring. The site is great as well, with holes along the river and the heritage trees that frame many of the holes, it’s a really tranquil setting for a course that sits in the middle of a city.”