Digital Edition: Issue 82, October 2025

The global journal of golf design and development I SSUE 82 OCTOBER 2025

1 WELCOME ADAM LAWRENCE Strength in numbers Golf design has, for a long time, been perceived in the public eye as a profession followed by lone geniuses. The golf industry’s marketing model is largely to blame here: as far back as Robert Trent Jones Sr’s ads suggesting that developers should give their course a signature, course architects have tried to market their names as a guarantee that a course will be something special. Even before that, when the media talked about a new course, it was the lead architect who they named. Occasionally when Bernard Darwin was writing about a new course by his friend Harry Colt, he might mention Hugh Alison or John Morrison, or even Claude Harris, their regular contractor. But mostly it was Colt, Colt, Colt. And who, until recently, had heard of Walter Hatch or JB McGovern; the name that sold was that of Donald Ross. Even when he had only a small involvement in a project. But the truth is that it takes a village, and quite a large one at that, to build a golf course. Behind the ‘name’ is usually a team of associates, specialists and general helpers; all play a vital role in bringing the project to fruition. And increasingly, some architects are choosing to collaborate with people from other design firms on projects: nobody has a monopoly on wisdom, and at times a fresh pair of eyes sees something that the first pair has not. Is golf design going to come to be regarded as a primarily collaborative profession? Probably not: the boom in interest in the subject in recent years remains principally focused on ‘lead names’. But as our main feature in this issue of GCA demonstrates, teamwork is more often than not an essential element in the formula for great golf courses.

The keystone of the company is to deliver golf courses based on Paul McGinley’s design philosophy which is founded on the classic strategic mode of H. S. Colt and Donald Ross. “I believe in designing golf courses that give a deeper understanding of the traditions of the game and that will build a relationship with you as it’s custodians.” PAUL MCGINLEY PRINCIPAL DESIGNER paulmcginleydesign.com joe@golfmcginley.com Dublin, D11 KP73 Ireland Design • Renovation • Restoration Founded 2005

3 Follow Golf Course Architecture: PEFC Certi ed This product is from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources www.pefc.org PEFC/16-33-576 Published by Tudor Rose Tudor House, 6 Friar Lane Leicester LE1 5RA Tel: +44 116 222 9900 www.tudor-rose.co.uk ISSN 1745-3585 (print) ISSN 2754-9828 (online) Printed in Great Britain by Micropress Printers. © 2025 Tudor Rose Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be stored or transmitted or reproduced in any form or by any means, including whether by photocopying, scanning, downloading onto computer or otherwise without the prior written permission from Tudor Rose Holdings Ltd. Views expressed in Golf Course Architecture are not necessarily those of the publishers. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply official endorsement of the products or services concerned. While every care has been taken to ensure accuracy of content, no responsibility can be taken for any errors and/or omissions. Readers should take appropriate professional advice before acting on any issue raised herein. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject advertising material and editorial contributions. The publisher assumes no liability for the return of unsolicited art, photography or manuscripts. It is assumed that any images taken from sources which are widely distributed, such as on the Web, are in the public domain. It is recognised though that since such images tend to be passed freely between sources it is not always possible to track the original source. If copyrighted material has ended up being treated as public domain due to the original source not being identified please contact the publisher, Tudor Rose. Golf Course Architecture (ISSN No: 1745-3585) is published quarterly by Tudor Rose, and distributed in the USA by Asendia USA, 701 Ashland Ave, Folcroft PA. Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is pending at Philadelphia, PA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Golf Course Architecture, 701 Ashland Ave, Folcroft, PA. 19032. Golf Course Architecture is published with the support and guidance of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, the European Institute of Golf Course Architects, and GEO Foundation. Contributing Editor Adam Lawrence News Editor Richard Humphreys Editorial team Alice Chambers, Rebecca Gibson, Laura Hyde, Alex Smith Contributors Brad Klein, Julian Mooney, Forrest Richardson Design Bruce Graham, Libby Sidebotham, Dhanika Vansia Publisher Toby Ingleton Publication & Sales Manager Benedict Pask Production Manager Stuart Fairbrother Website Development Chris Jackson Circulation Sophia Brinkley Subscribe www.golfcoursearchitecture.net/ subscribe Photography Adare Manor, Atlas Turf International, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Jeff Bertch, Brandon Johnson Golf Course Design, CDP, Coore & Crenshaw, Brian Curley, European Golf Design, Golframes, Golfplan, Greg Norman Golf Course Design, Blais Herman, International Design Group, Jim Kidd, Larry Lambrecht, Jeff Lawrence, Jason Livy, Lobb + Partners, Mario Madau, Rob McCallum, Kevin Murray, NCR Country Club, Kevin Norby, Qiddiya Investment Group, Quitno Golf Designs, Renaissance Golf Design, RTJ II, Sandals Emerald Bay Golf Club, Sanford Ferris Golf Design, Seminole Golf Club, Jacob Sjöman, Sports Turf Solutions, Tralee Golf Club, Trump Turnberry, Tufts Archive, Turfgrass

ask most golf course architects and you will discover they started at an early age www.forrestrichardsongolf.com | +1 602 906 1818 Forrest Richardson began designing and building golf courses in the backyard of his childhood home. The joy of realizing your dreams doesn’t happen all that often. Forrest is fortunate.Today, his courses are full of fun, environmentally fitting and always thought-provoking. In a world where golf has embraced minimalism to the point of sameness, he dares to build something new.Traditional values are paired with innovative solutions. In his own words: “The puzzle should make you think, smile — and want to come back.” FORREST RICHARDSON GOLF COURSE ARCHITECTS the hills at promontory | doug burke photo the links at las palomas | keith alstrin photo arizona grand | lana tucker photo c 2025 frgca

6 CONTENTS TEE BOX 8 Our roundup of news from around the world kicks off with the new Faldo Design course that will open in 2026 near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. INSIGHTS 30 Julian Mooney of Turfgrass discusses how early engagement between architects and agronomists helps to deliver courses that are tournament-ready. 34 Forrest Richardson tells the story of how an unexpected phone call led to the development of a golf art business. ON SITE 60 A new nine-hole course just outside Helsinki, Finland, trumpets itself as an attempt to be the world’s best par-three layout. Adam Lawrence visits Rock Golf to find out more. Cover photography courtesy of Jacob Sjöman FEATURE 38 Can collaboration work in golf course design? Adam Lawrence canvases the opinions of golf course architects including Tom Doak, Phillip Spogard, Kevin Ramsey and Jeremy Slessor.

INTERVIEW 50 Alongside Ben Crenshaw, his partner of 40 years, Bill Coore has built more great golf courses than almost any present-day architect. Adam Lawrence spoke to Bill about his first projects, his partnership with Ben, and his design philosophy. ON SITE 66 Brad Klein reports on a major project that will ensure the sustainability of the storied Seminole layout as well as recapture Donald Ross’s original design intent. 72 The Garden nine at The Wisley in Surrey has been refreshed by Bruce Charlton of Robert Trent Jones II and contractor MJ Abbott. Toby Ingleton reports on the team effort. REPORTS 84 Turkey’s golf scene is set to have another option, with the new Dalaman course opening on the country’s southwest coast in 2026. 89 The nine-hole Williston Municipal course in North Dakota is being expanded to 18 as part of a city redevelopment project. HOLING OUT 92 Jeff Lawrence has created 18 holes with just six teeing areas and four greens for a private client’s backyard. 78 We visit Trump Turnberry in Scotland to see the latest changes to the Ailsa course. 7

TEE BOX Faldo layout in Saudi Arabia to open in 2026 New course at the foot of Tuwaiq Mountains will be the first at the Qiddiya City development near Riyadh. 8

9 A new 18-hole golf course by Sir Nick Faldo’s design team will open in Qiddiya City, Saudi Arabia, in 2026. Qiddiya City, one of the world’s largest city developments, is 22 miles southwest of Riyadh. It is designed to boost tourism and centres on sport, culture and entertainment. The Faldo layout has been built in a dramatic location, directly below the 200-metre cliffs of the kingdom’s Tuwaiq Mountains. “We had a design workshop with the client team and the masterplanners to kick off the routing process,” said Andrew Haggar, lead golf course architect at Faldo Design. “Prior to that, following a visit from Sir Nick to the existing site and on his suggestion, we pushed the proposed golf course site further east so that it was properly situated in the amphitheatre of the cliffs, which meant that they would become a dominant backdrop and a very real part of the golf course experience and strategy.” The Faldo team routed a course that would take advantage of the cliffs while also incorporating the significant network of wadis (dry riverbeds) on the site. “We wanted to achieve returning sixes and returning nines,” said Haggar. “We achieved both and, at the same time, set up the possibility for three six-hole loops, all from the clubhouse. The clubhouse location needed a 360-degree area around it because, together with the 18-hole course, we had to have the practice range and short course in close proximity as well.” The clubhouse, academy and practice facilities designed by Pattersons are expected to open in 2028. “The Qiddiya City public course is not only a championship venue,” said Gareth Williams, consulting golf course architect at Faldo Design. “It is also a place for player development. Those new to the game can pass through a range of facilities – from practice tees and greens, through to short and longer academy holes, before stepping foot on the championship course.” Haggar added: “Fortunately, we had the room to do this and without topographical restrictions. The doubleended range fits perfectly into a corner with the cliffs wrapping around it on two sides. We feel that we’ve extracted the maximum possible visual impact with the routing of both courses.” The championship course has been built by Saudi Salco Contracting Company partnering with Flagstick Golf Course Construction Management, under the supervision of Jasara Program Management Company, and has been grassed with Platinum TE paspalum, supplied by Atlas Turf Arabia. Platinum TE paspalum was chosen for its heat, salt and drought tolerance, which makes it an ideal selection for the Middle East climate. “We were all agreed that we wanted to push as far as we could into the corner where the third hole sits,” said Haggar. “This would take the golfer as close to the base of the cliffs as possible and give a real sense of scale. It’s a wonderfully natural corner of the site and holes one and two also take advantage of their location close to the cliffs. There is a magnificent rock buttress that sits to Photo: Qiddiya Investment Company

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TEE BOX 11 the north, and we were keen to line the eighteenth hole up on that if it was at all possible. As we worked on the routing it became clear that it was going to be possible and so we have this extra dimension added to the final hole. “All the holes are ‘Qiddiya City holes’ because we spent a long time during the design process absorbing the unique qualities of the site and thinking about how we could respond to them with the design of the course. The detailing of the artificial turf revetting in the bunkers, for example, picks up on the layering of the rock strata seen on the cliffs. The shaping of the large angular mounds you see scattered around the site, which all orientate in the same direction, takes its lead from the shape of sections of the clifftop profile. “The eighteenth leaves you in no doubt about the magnificence of the setting and, coupled with that, has one of the major wadis coming into play on the tee shot,” continued Haggar. “Hole three, which is a long par three, really takes the golfer into that natural corner of the site and gives them a real sense of just how big and imposing the cliffs are. The hole is a strong carry over a significant wadi to a green that sits as close as possible to the edge of that wadi. It’s a very simple hole; it was almost just a matter of laying the tees and the green in there. Nature has taken care of the rest. It’s beautiful to look at but scary to play, all at the same time.” The architect also highlights the 419-yard par-four seventeenth as a risk-reward hole with its split fairway. The direct route to the green involves a carry over a natural waste area to a narrow fairway. The hole can also be played as a right-to-left dogleg around a collection of ‘fairly nasty’ central bunkers. This easier, but longer, route will mean approach shots will need to avoid a deep bunker that covers the right side of the green and wraps around the back. “This bunker could come into play for everyone, as a tricky back-right pin position on a green, which is perched up, comes under its protection as well,” said Haggar. The Faldo Design team was tasked with creating a course that is playable for the average player but also capable of hosting professional tournaments. “Fairways and greens are generous to cater for the average player and there is a good range of tees to play from,” said Haggar. “For the pros, it will be about finding the best place on the fairway to play to for their next shot, and that’s where the detail in the shaping of the fairways comes in. Similarly, the size of the greens allows for some nice movement and sets up a variety of pin positions, meaning there are easier ones for the average player and harder ones that can be used for tournaments. We want to see the course running hard and fast for tournaments whereas the set up for general play doesn’t have to be as tough. There’s a good amount of room around the course for spectators and everything else that goes with staging a tournament, and we’ve already designed in some key areas for spectator stands and hospitality.” A visualisation of the clubhouse at Qiddiya, designed by New Zealand-based firm Pattersons. Its roof forms a ‘grass meadow in the sky’ and could accommodate 10,000 spectators during a tournament, providing 360-degree views of the course Image: Qiddiya Investment Company

12 The Els Club Vilamoura in Portugal has opened for play with a new golf course by Ernie Els Design. The club, owned by investment management company Arrow Global, is the Algarve region’s first private golf club. The new layout has been built on the site of the former Victoria golf course, an Arnold Palmer design that hosted the Portugal Masters on the DP World Tour between 2007 and 2022. It closed in 2023 shortly after Arrow Global acquired five golf courses and three hotels in the resort of Vilamoura. The project began in December 2023 with contractor ProGolf clearing existing infrastructure and turf. Work has included new greens, bunkers, tees; reshaping playing surfaces; sandcapping; regrassing; new irrigation; and new drainage. “People might recognise the setting here, but they won’t recognise this golf course,” said Els. “It’s completely new. Greg [Letsche, Els’ senior design associate] decided very early on that we were going to reverse the back nine routings and create some new golf holes. “There are a lot of great holes on this golf course, a lot of memorable holes that are going to make golfers want to come back again and again. One standout hole is the par-five eleventh, which measures 560 yards from the tips. It looks incredible and strategically I’d say it’s got that perfect balance of risk and reward, with water down the left on your tee shot and a stream nestled against the right-hand side of the green complex. Wind also comes into play here. It’s a great hole.” The course has been grassed with Tahoma 31 bermuda, which was selected ‘ Tournament-ready’ Els Club Vilamoura opens in Portugal TEE BOX

13 Photo: Jacob Sjoman Photo: RTJ II RTJ II to transform Iceland’s Oddur club Robert Trent Jones II Golf Course Architects will reconfigure the 18-hole Oddur Golf Club near Reykjavik, Iceland, into a 27-hole facility. “This project grew out of the club’s ambition to evolve into one of Iceland’s premier destinations,” said Bruce Charlton, president of RTJ II. Mike Gorman, senior project architect at RTJ II, said: “The new holes sit on land that is ideally suited for golf. We’ll be moving very little earth, instead, we’ll be working carefully with the extraordinary lava rock formations that Mother Nature has given us. We’ve spent considerable time walking the site to identify the best holes, how they connect and to establish a routing that flows naturally, with very short green-to-tee connections. It will be golf that feels discovered rather than constructed. “The 11 new holes occupy dramatic and natural land. One part weaves through a lava canyon, offering both strategic interest and striking visuals. Another sits at the base of a lava-formed mountain, where the natural topography provides ideal golf ground. With minimal land movement, the holes will retain their rugged quality, playing into bowls and along ledges, ridges and all sorts of interesting terrain.” Sandy was on the classic links of Nairn, in the Highlands of Scotland, in the last issue. Originally laid out in the 1880s by Andrew Simpson, Nairn is often misattributed to his more famous namesake Archie. Old Tom Morris worked on the course only a few years later, as did James Braid. From 2018, Nairn was significantly renovated by Tom Mackenzie. We had a large number of correct answers, so congratulations to Czech golfer Jiri Humi, who was drawn from the hat and will receive a golf shirt. A more modern spot, in a less traditional golfing market, for Sandy this issue. For a chance to receive a GCA golf shirt, email the name of the course to gopher@golfcoursearchitecture.net for its excellent cold, shade and wear tolerance, low water use, early spring green up, late dormancy and turf quality. Tepeservi produced and distributed the Tahoma 31 bermuda, while Semillas Fitó has collaborated with both companies to promote and implement this variety. The course features Toro’s Lynx LSM system and Infinity sprinklers. Two Smart Hub units help to ensure efficient water management across the property. Read more about the course, including insight from ProGolf’s Benjamim Silva, on the GCA website. GOPHER WATCH

14 TEE BOX THE BIG PICTURE The short par-four sixteenth at Tandridge Golf Club in Surrey, England, photographed by Jason Livy. The greenside bunkers on the Harry Colt course have been renovated by Tim Lobb, principal of Lobb + Partners, and contractor 18 Golf Construction, as part of a longterm masterplan Lobb created in 2019. He is aiming to bring back the Colt design and philosophy to the course, while also ensuring that the layout meets the standards of modern construction and playability. “We did not seek to totally redesign the strategy or bunkering, but more to create a consistent playing test for golfers,” said Lobb. “Some of our most striking work can be typified on hole six, where we blended some smaller cross bunkers into a larger diagonal bunker, moved distant greenside bunkers closer to the green edge and removed awkward steps leading away from a green. “The golf course at Tandridge has evolved many times over the years and heavily reduced the number of bunkers from the original design. We felt it was important to retain the high visual presence of the bunkering as has been present on the site in recent years. Trying to retain the vintage look with modern construction techniques was the driving force behind our methodology.” Scott Weale, course manager at Tandridge, adds: “We’ve already seen a marked improvement in consistency and playability. Members and guests are experiencing better, more reliable conditions, and the club is benefiting from a more sustainable, longterm approach to course care.” The second phase of work will focus on fairway bunkers and is scheduled to begin in October 2025 and reopen by May 2026.

Soluptatis ea ilignie nducid modi odi dolum vendem esciant harumenetUptatia vidit etur, optatem porion et queitius erundae rsperum quostrum que audigenisci si recus Photo: Jason Livy 15

The Art and Science of Golf Course Architecture Nara Binh Tien Golf Club – Vietnam USA +1-707-526-7190 • golfplan@golfplan.com • www.golfplan.com Golfplan

17 Sanford Ferris returns Willie Park Jr bunkers to CC New Bedford Sanford Ferris Golf Design has led a golf course restoration at the Country Club of New Bedford in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. “The course had not been updated in many years,” said architect David Ferris. “Greens had shrunk and did not drain well, bunkers lacked drainage and shape, some fairways did not drain properly. It was time to restore the 1923 Willie Park Jr course and integrate modern features.” Following visits to several Willie Park courses and studying historic aerials, Sanford Ferris developed a masterplan that was then approved by the club in February 2025. Contractor NMP Golf Construction completed work in an eight-week timeframe, which included XGD drainage on all greens and installing a HDPE twowire irrigation system and central control computer from Toro for areas around greens, bunkers and tees. NMP’s senior manager Darryl Bartlett, a member at the club, oversaw work and ensured the project remained on time despite delays caused by the weather. “We brought back many of the original Willie Park bunkers and relocated bunkers to modern standards,” said John Sanford. “Many bunkers were hidden so leading edges were lowered, and sand was flashed to improve visibility and aesthetics. We installed Better Billy Bunker liners with recessed drain lines for optimal drainage and longevity. All bunkers were finished with links-grade performance sand for consistent playability. “Two fairway bunkers were added to the fifth hole to enhance the dogleg and improve the tee shot strategy.” The project also included green expansions back to their original size and shape, with a blend of native poa and bentgrass sod used to match existing playing surfaces. “Some contours were softened for modern green speeds,” said Ferris. Other work includes the complete reconstruction of the drainage system and feature contouring on the fourteenth hole for improved playability; installing two-inch slit drains on all approaches to enhance surface performance; select tree clearing to improve airflow and sunlight penetration; and the restoration of the short-game area’s chipping and putting greens. TEE BOX Photo: Sanford Ferris Golf Design

18 Photo: Rob McCallum TEE BOX Olde Eight grassed and ready to open Olde Eight Golf Club, formerly known as The Links at Stoney Point, in Greenwood, South Carolina, is set to reopen in November 2025 following a renovation by Drew Rogers. The architect is preserving the original Tom Jackson routing but has completely redesigned every hole to deliver a new golfing experience. Rogers has worked alongside Total Turf Golf Services, Leibold Irrigation, Mazzella Partnership, Tahoma 31 and Better Billy Bunker. Olde Eight’s founding partners are Ashley and Shane LeBaron, Mitch Kovitz and Matt Green, and former professional golfer David Duval is involved as an investor. Rogers, Shane LaBaron and Nick Mazzella discussed the project in the Summer 2025 issue of By Design magazine, with LaBaron saying: “It was vital for us to produce something out here with Drew that would create a memory where the holes talk to each other. I want you to play this once and it sticks. I want everyone to be able to tell a story of all 18 holes.” The course is growing in and according to Chris Jordan, director of greens and grounds at Olde Eight, it is well set for the reopening date of 7 November. “We have Tahoma 31 everywhere except the greens which are sprigged with TifEagle,” said Jordan, who has grown and managed Tahoma 31 before, at the Tom Fazio-designed North course at Berkeley Hall in Bluffton, South Carolina. “I like how tight you can mow it. If you want to take your tees or your collars down to a quarter of an inch, you can. Tahoma 31 has a lot of body to it – it’s a full upright-feeling grass. “Some of the grasses that make good playing surfaces at fairway height don’t do well in the rough at two inches. Tahoma 31 keeps enough body as an upright grass in the rough and I can mow it at a quarter to three inches if I need to, and it will still do what I want. The flexibility in the height of cut allows us to use it in different areas on the course, too.”

19 Photos: Rob McCallum Photo: Sports Turf Solutions Chhun On Golf Resort in Cambodia is set to open the Palms course, designed by Curley-Wagner Golf Design, joining the Lakes layout that opened in 2024. “We decided on Lynkz Zoysia from Sports Turf Solutions,” said Fabrice Ho, general manager at Chhun On, on the choice of grass. “The results with the Lynkz greens are simply amazing. In the last five months, we’ve done almost nothing to them. yet they are already performing exceptionally well. “Mowed at three millimetres (mm) with a triplex, they easily reach a Stimpmeter of 10.5 with an incredible roll. We can’t wait to see the results at 2.5mm. The smaller leaf means almost no grain, combined with a dark green colour and a smooth, consistent surface. We truly can’t wait to host our guests on these greens.” Grassing has comprised of about 40 acres of sprigs and 40 acres of sod. The large slopes around tees, bunkers, greens and drain basins were sodded, and the flatter areas sprigged. The overseeded Tahoma 31 dormant sod was laid in January 2025. “On tees where people are going to take divots, it will grow back quickly,” said Jordan. “If you do get damage, either from traffic or mechanical injury in the growing season, it will fill in rapidly, which is big. “It over-winters well and wakes up and survives the transition back into spring. It’s not like we did the bulk of work in the winter, but if you can put the sod down, you can lock in your bunkers and greens and you can loop everything just to hold it in place so that if we had a big rain event in March, it’s not just a bunch of dormant grass that can just be washed away, you’ve got something there holding it up.” By spring 2025, investors and prospective members saw how the golf course was growing in. “In April, the azaleas were blooming, and all the green surrounds were a dark, beautiful green and striped up,” said Jordan. “It has got people pretty excited about the opening of Olde Eight.” The April 2025 issue of Golf Course Architecture featured a Q&A with Drew Rogers about the project. Tees, fairways and rough have been grassed with Tahoma 31 Photo: Brian Curley Cambodia resort prepares to open second course

Transforming vision into world-class conditions www.turfgrass.golf

21 TEE BOX Q&A with Chris Campbell “ Tournament setup is designed primarily with fan engagement in mind” Chris Campbell of Greg Norman Golf Course Design discusses the firm’s design approach to courses that host professional tournaments. Greg Norman Golf Course Design (GNGCD) has been appointed by Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico, North Adelaide Golf Course in Australia and Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta in Mexico to oversee comprehensive renovations ahead of the venues hosting tournaments in 2026. Other tournament courses that GNGCD has worked at includes El Camaleón Golf Course at Mayakoba, Mexico; Sandals Emerald Bay in The Bahamas; Tiburón Golf Club in Florida; TPC San Antonio in Texas; and The Grange Golf Club in Adelaide, Australia. GCA spoke with Chris Campbell, senior vice president of GNGCD, about how the design firm approaches projects where the course needs to be designed or revamped to host a professional tournament. How do you satisfy a brief to design or renovate a course fit for tournament golf? Having Greg make the initial assessment of the course is obviously invaluable given his years of tournament experience, so his input is typically the impetus of our design with overall length and playability always being front of mind. But spatial requirements are Photo: Greg Norman Golf Course Design GNGCD has been appointed to renovate the golf course at Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta in Mexico

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23 equally as important and also need to be addressed in the initial stages. Hospitality, media facilities, parking, fan experience areas and spectator flow can all have a huge impact on course setup for tournament play. It all comes down to how well all these things can be combined, which starts with effective planning and input from all the stakeholders in the event. We also put a lot of emphasis on creating risk-reward options and a good balance of opportunities for both aggressive and more conservative players. If we can create a level field for all styles of play so that a particular one doesn’t dominate, then we’ve accomplished our goal. What design strategies do you focus on for these projects? Driveable par fours are fan favourites for tournament play and the seventeenth at TPC San Antonio is almost always a pivotal hole down the stretch at the Valero Texas Open. We are also making significant changes at Chapultepec for next year’s LIV Golf tournament where the eighteenth hole in the tournament rotation is a par three over water in a stadium setting. The golf hole and tournament setup is designed primarily with fan engagement in mind, so it will certainly be one of the most memorable of the competition. How challenging is it to create an architecturally interesting golf course given modern hitting distances and technology, and how has the firm’s approach evolved? It’s extremely challenging when you have a property with constraints, but if you focus on creating multiple angles of play with differing elements of defence, you can find a way to challenge the longer hitters without making it too tough for the rest of the field. The golf ball rollback will definitely affect where we are with tournament design today and I think most designers would agree that it can’t happen soon enough. We now have to factor in carry distances of well over 300 yards into the design of any tournament course and in some cases, we’ve had to significantly adjust our scope due to land and construction costs. The good news is that the rollback will have minimal effect on the average golfer, so we won’t have to change much from that perspective. The GCA website features more insight from Campbell on the Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta project. Photo: Mario Madau Greg Norman’s firm has consulted at various tournament venues, including Sandals Emerald Bay in The Bahamas and, top, El Camaleón Golf Course in Mexico Photo: Sandals Emerald Bay Golf Club TEE BOX

www.bycaspar.com caspar@bycaspar.com +45 2614 3434 Currently serving as President of the European Institute of Golf Course Architects, Caspar Grauballe is one of Europe’s most respected golf designers. Sustainable Economical Unique Trump International Golf Links Location: Aberdeen, Scotland Project: New 18-hole links course (as lead designer for Martin Hawtree) Golf design that inspires By Caspar creates golf courses that are memorable and thought-provoking and will keep golfers coming back for more

25 TEE BOX Nagle Design Works is leading a renovation of NCR Country Club’s North course in Dayton, Ohio. Architect Dick Wilson designed both the North and South courses in 1954, with the South becoming more renowned for hosting multiple major championships. The North has remained largely untouched since opening and had now reached a point where a renovation was needed – greens had shrunk, it was overcrowded with trees, and bunkers no longer influenced play as Wilson intended. “The North is a museum piece,” said architect Jim Nagle. “Our intent is to adjust for today’s maintenance standards and play.” Nagle has worked from aerial photography from the 1950s and 1960s, supplemented by 3D laser scans from GreenScan 3D and other imagery, to identify the original edges and contours of Wilson’s greens. “The scans suggested where the original surfaces likely were, and I then scaled the 1956 aerial to today’s course and overlaid it in the computer,” said Nagle. “That gave us another layer of detail and helps to confirm, as accurately as possible where the greens originally were.” A programme of green expansion is underway, revealing lost edges and restoring Wilson’s irregular putting surfaces. “There’s a reinstatement of a lot of strategies and approach angles, because the swales and ridges are becoming more prominent,” said Nagle. “If you’re coming from the wrong angle, it’ll be harder to get to some of the new or restored hole locations.” Many of Wilson’s bunkers had become no longer relevant in the modern game and were small. Nagle’s plan repositions and expands sand traps and, in several cases, adding the paired, or ‘duet’ style that Wilson used. “Our work will bring a greater variety in bunkers,” said Nagle. “And, as you look across that landscape, the amount of sand that you see will be varied, which provides a certain aesthetic and something more memorable.” Read more about North course project on the GCA website, including insight about work on tees, fairways and trees. The North course at NCR Country Club FROM THE ARCHIVE Image: NCR Country Club

26 Fall Line, a new private club in Georgia’s Sandhills, near the city of Butler, has unveiled its 18-hole East and West courses, as well as its 10-hole short layout – all designed by Ogilvy Cocking Mead (OCM). OCM helped select a site that has consistent undulations, big dunes, long views off the property, pine trees, heathland-like vegetation and sand. “I remember a great black-andwhite photo of Harry Colt building Swinley Forest, and they’re blowing up tree stumps with dynamite, but there are these copses of pine trees and long grades,” said architect Mike Cocking, in an interview with Leighton Walker on The Greenprint podcast. “Parts of our East course look exactly like that. You have no idea you’re in Georgia – we could be in southwest London.” Originally, OCM started out by developing an 18-hole concept for the owners of the 1,500-acre site, before the plan became 27, 35 and then 36. “Parts of the site felt like the old black-and-whites of Sunningdale and Swinley, but there were parts that felt more Sandbelt-like, bigger in scale and similar to Pine Valley,” said Cocking. “The heathland course [East] was intimate while the West was a little more open, with big broad contours. With our routings, the East lent itself to a shorter course – it’s 6,600 yards – whereas the West is a fair bit longer.” OCM went to London for a refresher of heathland layouts and to provide the superintendent and shapers with some exposure to those courses. “I don’t think we would have built the course quite as we did if we hadn’t had done that,” said Cocking. “The greens are fairly simple – a lot of them are at grade, a bit like you’d see at Walton Heath, but the bunkering style is very much inspired by irregular bunkers you see in old pictures of St George’s Hill. They’re more rolled in.” The East has grown in and opened for limited play in October 2023, while the West and short courses are on track to open fully early next year, following soft openings in October 2024. OCM inspired by London heathland and Melbourne Sandbelt for new Fall Line club in Georgia TEE BOX Photo: Jeff Bertch

27 Quitno and Wadsworth turn attention to Lakeside nine at Cantigny Todd Quitno and Wadsworth Golf Course Construction have completed work on the Hillside nine at Cantigny Golf Club in Wheaton, Illinois, and have now started renovating the Lakeside nine. The project includes updating irrigation systems, regrassing fairways, resurfacing cart paths, a tree management programme, and renovations to tees, bunkers and greens. “It was an opportune time to update the entire facility and make improvements that would bring the course into the modern era – infrastructurally – and complement the great historic and environmental aspects of the greater Cantigny campus, as well as add some new interest to the golf course,” said Quitno. “The biggest change on the Hillside – and entire project – is by far the green complexes. While most stayed in their same general position, the shapes and contours were altered considerably.” Read more about the Hillside and Lakeside projects on the GCA website. Brandon Johnson to redesign practice facility at The Landings The Landings Golf and Athletic Club in Savannah, Georgia, has approved a masterplan from Brandon Johnson Golf Course Design to redesign the practice facility near the club’s Marshwood and Magnolia courses. “The existing Marshwood/Magnolia practice facility, while on a small, narrow footprint, still has unused space and untapped potential for improvement,” said Johnson. “Our goal is to unlock the potential hidden in the unused spaces of a very small footprint.” Johnson’s plan aims to transform part of the existing driving range into a three-green short-game area, with bunkers of various depths and styles. The masterplan also includes an expanded and realigned teeing area, and the introduction of targets grassed with synthetic turf. The main body of the range will be recontoured and bunkers added, including in the 210 to 300-yard range, to test people’s drives. Photo: Quitno Golf Designs Image: Brandon Johnson Golf Course Design

TEE BOX 29 Brian Schneider of Renaissance Golf Design has been appointed to oversee a redesign of the golf course at San Diego Country Club (SDCC) in California. William Watson laid out the original course in 1921 and it has been renovated multiple times over the ensuing century. “The club is long overdue an update to critical infrastructure and in need of addressing some ‘big picture’ items across the property,” said Schneider. “Once I was appointed, I was encouraged to look beyond simply improving the existing layout and consider the potential of the property if significant changes could be made. The goal was to find the very best golf course.” Over the years, the course has had holes rerouted, and features like greens and bunkers have been redesigned. “Very little of the original design remains intact,” said Schneider. “That said, the native topography of the site is still very much as Mother Nature created it and that contour is pretty extraordinary. There is great variety in the scale and turbulence of the land movement, with certain portions of the property being very reminiscent of lovely linksland. My mission was to utilise the topography as well as possible and to allow the golfer to directly interact with those native features in impactful and compelling ways. “The result is a new routing that maintains the existing corridors on roughly half the holes with the other half being entirely new. The course will get all new greens, bunkers and tees and we hope to relocate both the existing irrigation pond and the golf course maintenance facility, which currently occupies prime real estate in the eastern centre of the site. We’ll also be updating the irrigation system, improving subsurface drainage and regrassing the entire site.” Construction will be executed in one phase and is expected to begin in autumn 2026 with the course anticipated to reopen in late 2027. Read more insight from Schneider about the project on the GCA website. San Diego Country Club COURSE BLUEPRINT Image: Renaissance Golf Design The existing driving range and holes four and five will be transformed into a revamped shortgame area The new eighteenth will play in a west-east direction and will be constructed on parts of the old fourth hole and use the old ninth green Hole eight will largely be laid out over the same footprint of the old seventeenth, but with triple the amount of bunkers Schneider will make use of unused land on the western edge of the property to create a new parfour third

30 Every successful championship golf venue begins with a clear design vision. Our role at Turfgrass is to help the golf course architect bring that vision to life under tournament conditions, collaboratively and with full respect for the design. We bring global expertise to the planning of both development and redevelopment projects at venues aspiring to host tournament golf, but we always operate in support of the design, ensuring the architect’s strategy performs technically, ecologically and operationally on the ground. From design concept to tournament week, our philosophy is simple: architectled, agronomist supported. Over the past two decades, we have worked on numerous major championship venues on both sides of the Atlantic for both the men’s and women’s game. Alongside architects and owners, we also support governing bodies, acting as an extension of the rules team when it comes to venue selection, setup and tournament delivery. Our involvement usually begins at an early stage, so that architectural intent is aligned with the realities of a site’s soils, microclimate, construction logistics and available maintenance resources. We develop agronomy specifications, rootzone profiles, grassing plans, irrigation strategies and grow-in programmes that correspond directly to how the architect intends the course to play and evolve. We add the most value in the unseen layers that make championship golf reliable. This includes advanced soil engineering, ensuring drainage systems are designed to perform during peak rainfall periods, and tree management plans that coexist with turf while protecting broadcast sightlines. Working with the architect, we review teeing ground sizes and hole location flexibility so that strategy is upheld, maintenance is practical, and setup provides options for the various environmental conditions. Tournament infrastructure is considered with the same understanding. We help identify optimum spaces and viewpoints for grandstands, hospitality and spectator mounding, and model Early engagement between architect and agronomists helps to deliver courses that are tournament-ready. A clear vision for championship conditions JULIAN MOONEY INSIGHT

31 Photo: Adare Manor Adare Manor in Ireland, which will host the 2027 Ryder Cup, demonstrates the value of early integration between architect and agronomist the movement of tournament traffic so that spectators circulate safely and efficiently without impacting play. We assist in planning cart path networks, their routing, widths and capacity to support both day-to-day operations and tournament week. Modern championships also rely on dependable agronomic infrastructure, so we integrate sub-surface and aboveground monitoring technology to inform watering, disease management and conditioning. We assist in the coordination of a discreet ‘spine’ that tournament golf requires, including fibre-optic cabling for scoring and broadcast, three-phase power, and water and sewerage pipework to key spectator zones throughout the course. By considering these points during the development planning stage, we reduce construction disruption, protect the architecture and streamline tournament delivery. During construction and growin, we monitor tolerances, rootzone placements and irrigation performance to ensure playing surfaces are firm, consistent and resilient. As tournament week approaches, we work with key governing body stakeholders, the architect and superintendent to integrate course setup and infrastructure to the host venue with the goal of protecting and uphold the integrity of the architect’s vision and ensuring the best possible championship preparation. This approach has allowed us to support some of the most important events in world golf. Our association with the Solheim Cup stretches back to preparations for the 2007 event at Halmstad in Sweden and continues today with our reappointment as agronomists for the 2026 edition at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands. That will be the sixth consecutive European Solheim Cup in which Turfgrass has played a central role, following further events at Killeen Castle, St. Leon-Rot, Gleneagles and Finca Cortesin. The Solheim Cup demands more than pristine surfaces. It requires consistency throughout the golf corridor, in an environment where conditions stand up to scrutiny from players, officials,

33 sponsors and spectators. We take that responsibility seriously, and it has been a privilege to work alongside some of Europe’s finest courses and architects to deliver those conditions. While tournament preparation is a hallmark of our service portfolio, Turfgrass is equally engaged in longterm architectural collaborations. Perhaps the most high-profile example is Adare Manor in Ireland, host of the 2027 Ryder Cup. Working with Tom Marzolf of Fazio Design, we advised on every agronomic aspect of the project, from rootzone, sandcapping and grass species selection to SubAir technology, as well as overseeing the grow-in. Our involvement has continued well beyond the course’s reopening in 2018, ensuring Adare remains in peak condition as Ryder Cup preparations intensify. Adare shows how meticulous planning, design, construction and agronomy can produce a course ready for championship golf. It demonstrates the value of early integration between architect and agronomist, where every element of the design is supported by the technical systems that allow it to thrive in tournament conditions. In the southwest of Ireland, Tralee Golf Club shows how natural links terrain and a regimented long-term links golf agronomy programme can lead a golf course to tournament standard. Designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay in the 1980s, Tralee is set to host the 2026 Arnold Palmer Cup. We have supported the club with renovation specifications, sustainability initiatives and agronomic planning, helping to ensure the natural drama of the links is matched by best-in-class playability. Tralee is one of those rare properties where natural linksland meets agronomic evolution, and being selected to host the Palmer Cup is a tribute to the club’s progress and commitment. These projects demonstrate how agronomy bridges design vision and championship reality. As expectations for tournament conditioning continue to rise, and climate pressure intensifies, the role of agronomy in golf course development has never been more important. Early and ongoing collaboration between architect and agronomist ensures not only that courses can host the world’s biggest events, but that they remain true to their design intent for years to come. In recent years, the Turfgrass team has expanded its development and tournament expertise with the additions of Adam Moeller (formerly of the USGA) and Brad Owen (formerly of Augusta National), reinforcing our position in this sector of the market. When a course steps onto the world stage, nothing can be left to chance. Every surface and detail must perform exactly as intended. At Turfgrass, we see our role as ensuring that, when the spotlight falls, the architect’s vision is realised at the very highest level. Julian Mooney is the director of agronomy at Turfgrass. At Tralee in Ireland, Turfgrass is handling the course’s agronomic evolution. Right, Julian Mooney and Adam Moeller provide instruction around setup to Ignacio Soto of Finca Corestin for the 2023 Solheim Cup Photo: Tralee Golf Club Photo: Turfgrass CHAMPIONSHIP PREPARATION

34 The call came out of the blue. “Hello, I’m Margaret Cummins with John Wiley and Sons Publishers. We heard from one of our authors that you might be willing to write a book on golf course routing.” Dead silence. I took it for a prank call, or some sort of self-publishing book scheme. Turns out it was bona fide. Golf architect Bill Amick, a longtime friend and mentor of sorts, had recommended me for the assignment. The year was 2001. The temptation was to hang up. At the time, my career was still in its early stages, following years of work alongside Jack Snyder. I really didn’t think it was real. But I went on to write Routing the Golf Course – The Art & Science That Forms the Golf Journey, a book now out of print, despite having one of the highest print runs of any golf architecture title. As part of that project, I decided to dedicate an entire chapter to the routing of Cypress Point Club, a course I had never played, but had studied from a distance throughout the years. Knowing that the routing was special in many aspects, I began reading through books to rekindle my knowledge of Cypress. Then came another important telephone conversation. Jim Langley, the head pro at Cypress since 1971, was gracious to accept my call and listen to the simple request I had in mind. The request was straightforward: permission to walk the course and ‘take it all in’ – with the intent of rendering a hand-drawn plan to accompany the chapter on Cypress. Langley was happy to oblige. The request was run up the flagpole at Cypress. Within a few months, I made the trek, spending two days walking, taking notes and marking up a dog-eared aerial photo I had procured through a California archive of agricultural aerials. Langley had probably heard every angle imaginable to gain access to play Cypress. But playing wasn’t at the forefront for me – I had a book to finish! The outcome was a three-by-fivefoot, hand-inked plan of Cypress Point. Countless hours went into hand rendering the dunes and native areas, with every detail carefully inked. My painstaking stippling highlighted the contour indications of dunes and forested land that forms Cypress Point. A labour of love The story of how an unexpected phone call led to the development of a golf art business. FORREST RICHARDSON INSIGHT

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