Dave Axland: From the ground up

After working as an assistant superintendent at Corpus Christi CC in South Texas, Dave Axland set out to gain some experience in golf course construction. He found it at nearby Kings Crossing GC, where he met Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw, and Dan Proctor. It was a project that laid the foundations for 40 years as a shaper and architect.

Axland says that Coore has had a profound influence on his own design philosophy. “He and Ben instilled the importance of staying open-minded throughout the design process,” he says. “Their leadership promotes a level of creative freedom within the team, allowing designs to evolve with time. Each step within the design process, once it is played out in the field, makes for better decisions for the next step. Sometimes these decisions are easy to make, other times it takes a process like clearing or a bit more time to identify the best use of a golfing corridor. Variety is always the goal and trying to get the most out of the site.

“The relationship between associate and architect is a tight one and all efforts are valuable to the final product. If the associate charged with getting a concept from a thought to an actual tangible result ends up producing something different than anticipated, that work can either be further developed or adjusted in a way whereby the effort is always contributing towards the goal of finding the best fit for that ground. Work is always given a hard look with an open mind. This respect for individual creativity has fostered a loyal team dynamic at C&C. Teammates have a sense of ownership. Bill’s advice to ‘know when you have something’ also underscores the importance of recognising when to stop pushing a design. Sometimes the ‘24-hour rule’ was invoked. Work was simply let alone for a day after a first look.”

Axland also formed a lasting partnership with Dan Proctor, dating back to the late 1980s, when Proctor secured their first design job. They would travel on the weekend to play at affordable courses, which reinforced their design ideas.

“The work we saw for these smaller communities was the thing that gave us confidence that we could become a golf course design/build team,” says Axland. “After witnessing several newer courses costing upwards of five million dollars, we grew convinced that we could offer better value to these communities.”

The Axland-Proctor partnership is best known for Wild Horse, a highly acclaimed public course in Nebraska. But their first design/build job was at Delaware Springs in Burnet, Texas. “The site was excellent, and we were determined to avoid the earthmoving assaults that so many courses had suffered,” says Axland. “Our philosophy was to create a course that would lay gently on the land, moving just enough dirt to carve out fun and challenging features while respecting the natural topography of the beautiful Hill Country region.

“In our designs, we paid careful attention to the green complexes. Whenever it made sense, we allowed the greens to follow the natural grades of the land, which not only enhanced surface drainage – an essential consideration given our limited budget for extensive subsurface drainage – but also added an element of challenge for golfers. The greens at Delaware Springs encouraged strategic play; it was a course where players did not necessarily have to rely on a direct line through the air to reach the hole. Ground golf was just as viable an option – and perhaps having less money led to better golf.

“I recall a humorous story from Bill... he had met someone who had recently played Delaware Springs, and, with a serious tone, enquired if Bill knew the designers. When Bill confirmed he did, the individual asked, ‘do you think they got the plans backwards?’ This story became a favourite of Bill’s, highlighting the very essence of our design philosophy – greens should inspire thought, not confusion.”

Axland recalls a similar experience when working on a C&C course in Hawaii: “I vividly remember some greens at Kapalua being labelled as ‘goofy golf’ by certain professionals! The eighteenth is both artistic and functional, embodying the idea that a green can, and should, lie naturally on the ground, complementing its surroundings. Bill and Ben made something that would feel like the fairway – a long, undulating surface with interesting contours inviting players to engage with the terrain.”

That philosophy – of working with the land rather than imposing upon it – was further reinforced at Friars Head. There, Axland learned how to navigate a site with significant variety.

“The project taught me valuable lessons about utilising contours creatively, such as: how interesting contour can be created by accident by placing soils with the finish being a simple raking; that ridges and hills can be a simple byproduct of digging a bunker pit and throwing the dirt sideways without dozer refinement; or, that a ridge can be the result of the cleaning a field of rocks from 120 years ago,” he says. “The experience at Friars Head illuminated how to appreciate the uniqueness of a site while determining which elements to keep or edit.

“Also, when I worked on Sand Hills in Nebraska, I gained an insight into the challenges of creating a course that not only respects but enhances a site’s natural beauty. It was a stark reminder of how critical it is to maximise a site’s potential while being mindful of its unique features. After Sand Hills, and to this day, I think the most difficult thing is to take a site which is that good and make a golf course equal to, or better than, its potential.”

Axland deeply values the various partnerships and collaborations he has had during his career, which has also included architects such as Rodney Cole and Tim Liddy. “Collaboration elevates the quality of a project,” he says. “When surrounded by talented individuals who can both contribute ideas and accept feedback, the work improves significantly. Our combined strengths minimise weaknesses and lead to more innovative outcomes, which is a testament to the power of teamwork.”

One of his longest-running partnerships, spanning over 30 years, has been with Rod Whitman. Their collaboration began when Axland travelled to Canada to assist with the third nine at Wolf Creek and the Blackhawk course. Over the two decades they spent as part of the C&C team, their paths often crossed, yet a formal partnership never materialised. That was until the Cabot Links project in Nova Scotia, Canada, came along.

“This was the first time that all three of us [WAC principals Rod, Dave and Keith Cutten] were on the same job,” says Axland. “Rod is an incredible talent, whether routing golf holes or developing features – he might be the most underrated architect in the business and would have it no other way. I was also impressed by Keith’s leadership and ability to develop interesting features with minimal inputs. Our partnership was solidified when Rod invited me to co-design the par-three course there, The Nest. As we continued to collaborate, it became evident that forming WAC would allow us to channel our shared vision and complementing strengths into a successful design firm.”

One of the firm’s first newbuilds was the Shorty’s course at the Bandon Dunes resort.

“The layout was built in-house with a team that we have known since the construction of Bandon Trails,” says Axland. “One of the first Bandon employees was Ken Nice. He, along with local construction legend Tony Russell and the Bandon maintenance staff, were key for success and enjoying the job. Mike and Chris Keiser asked that we develop par-three holes in the 75- to 140-yard range. The idea was that you could grab three clubs and get around with great fun and the sense of adventure.”

Currently, Axland is assisting Whitman at Cabot Revelstoke in British Columbia, with 2025 expected to be a major year for construction. He, Whitman and Cutten are also working at Hillsdale in Montreal.

“The Hillsdale property has two distinct types of terrain: one end being lower and rolling, with heavier soils, whereas the other half is on higher ground with sandy soils,” says Axland. “The entire property has some wonderful contour, trees and other natural features. Last year we focused on the lower ground. That decision should help us tremendously this year as we will be working on the higher, well drained, sandy soils.

“With three partners active in shaping, we at WAC approach design by designating certain holes to one of us and rough-in a basic concept. Once the foundations have been laid, we allow time for each of us to layer ideas onto that initial concept. Through a process of design refinement, we ensure that ideas that might be different from any preconceived notion are allowed time to live or die, and yet still fall within the overall feel of what we are trying to accomplish. This avoids repetition and allows new looks and feels to emerge throughout the property.”

Perhaps the biggest assignment to date for WAC has been to create 36 holes in Florida for Friar’s Head developer Ken Bakst. The Ranch has now reached a stage where it demands more of the three partners’ time.

“Being able to rely on my partners, and our skilled team, to share the workload has been key to our recent efforts,” says Axland. “That was one of the main drivers when we decided to form WAC.”

And with jobs such as The Ranch, Cabot Revelstoke and Hillsdale, the future looks bright for Axland and his WAC partners.

“I feel incredibly fortunate to have pursued a profession where age fosters growth rather than a decline in capability,” says Axland. “While many friends in other industries are contemplating retirement, I am excited about the potential to continue contributing for years to come. With a young and talented partner like Keith, who brings energy and enthusiasm to our team, we can share the workload, enabling us to achieve more, collectively.

“The synergy among the three of us is remarkable; we complement one another and aspire to develop this firm while enjoying the journey and making a positive impact. I have immense respect for those who can envision and create exceptional golf courses, and I eagerly anticipate what lies ahead for us at WAC.”

This article first appeared in the April 2025 issue of Golf Course Architecture. For a printed subscription or free digital edition, please visit our subscriptions page. 

Richard HumphreysRichard Humphreys

Other posts by Richard Humphreys

Contact author