Interviews

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Richard Humphreys
/ Categories: News

Agustin Pizá revisits ‘pit’ concept for private community layout in Mexico

Golf course architect Agustin Pizá has unveiled conceptual designs for The Pit 2, a multi-purpose golf facility planned for the private community of Mazaua, in Valle de Bravo, Mexico.

The complex will be available to residents of the 40 properties in the community, and their friends and families.

At the centre of Pizá’s design is a sprawling green with seven distinct areas for hole locations, surrounded by various types of bunker, including waste areas and pots. The concept is for players to drop their ball wherever they like and aim for any of the pins.

This project follows the success of Pizá’s original Golf Lounge project, also known as The Pit, which he completed for a private client in 2020. Speaking to GCA about the idea, Pizá said: “I just try not to do anything normal!”

“The Pit and Pit 2 are designed for good players, as well as non-golfers,” Pizá told GCA. “You can find all sorts of shots. You can practice long putts, different approaches, bump-and-runs, trickle-down shots, bunker shots of varying difficulty, pitches below your feet… you have all this opportunity to really practice and challenge yourself.”

Pizá says the layout can undergo an 'Austin Powers’ transformation, “where you bring out the disco ball, the fire pit and the surround sound system,” which he points out is the same as Jay-Z has. “There’ll be two subwoofers going into the ground, so it’s going to be jumping… a full-on theatre.”

“During the day, you’ll have the kids out there,” continued Pizá. “There’s rolling hills, big sandboxes so the kids can play and enjoy a proper golf course. It’s part of growing the game. I don’t want them having an eight-hour class at The Pit, I want them rolling around in the grass, making sandcastles in the bunkers, that’s how I want to grow the game. Then we flip the switch, and now, if you’re with your family, you’re roasting marshmallows over the pit, there’s music and warm lights.

“We’ve designed this as a work of art. We’re designing a grass sculpture that plays as a golf course, or vice versa.”

Both Pit projects were designed with playability, functionality and sustainability in mind. “We are incredibly proud of our commitment to sustainability,” said Pizá. “It is something we strive for on all projects.

Pizá already has Pit 3 and Pit 4 on the drawing board. “I have to admit embarking on these multi-purpose projects was a risk,” he said. “They are never-before-seen concepts and designs. We all were nervous. As a kid growing up in the eighties, I am thrilled they are not a ‘one-hit-wonder’.”

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  • Pit 2
    Piza Golf

    Agustin Pizá has designed The Pit 2 for a private community in Mexico

  • Pit 2
    Piza Golf

    Players can practice all types of fairway, rough and bunker shots, with plenty of pins available

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Piza Golf
Richard Humphreys

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