Ten years from now in golf course architecture?

[Mark_Fine]

If this site still exists ten or fifteen years from now, what will everyone be talking about that is much different from today?
Will it be about the first course to make it into Golfweek's Top 100 list with "always firm and consistent" synthetic greens?  Will it be about the resurgance of par three designs?  Will it be about the new fairway grasses that rarely need watering and only have to be mowed once a month?  Will it be about the dying art of using bunkers as hazards?  Will it be discussion on the trend toward 12 hole courses with two loops of six holes?  Any thoughts?

[Dave_Miller]

Mark:

At this point the only thing I can think of is that Patrick and Tom will be in the nursing home dictating, to the keepers of their keyboards, the latest in Architectural analysis

Only kidding I need some time to think about this one.

Best
Dave

[Tom Doak]

Mark,

I don't think it will be any of your "revolutionary" predictions.  I think most people will be talking about the same courses we talk about now ... and hopefully ten or twenty new ones which have passed muster.

[Tim Weiman]

Mark Fine:

I agree with the sentiment Tom Doak expressed. Take another look at Simpson's "Attack and Defense" and you may well conclude we aren't discussing anything new here at GolfClubAtlas.

[henrye]

I agree with the first part of what Mr. Doak has said in that we will be discussing the same courses that we are today.  I think what will change, is that with all the "high quality" golf course developments of recent and in the near future, most of us will have a greater selection of strong golf courses locally.  This phenomenon will make it harder for courses and resorts to attract visitors from afar, out of state or country.  So I disagree with Mr. Doak's assertions that we will also be talking about 10 or 20 new ones because there will be hundreds upon hundreds that will past the muster test.  There will be a Dye, Fazio, Nicklaus, Doak, etc. within 50 miles of every metropolitan area exceeding 1 million people (nice thought, I know).

What attracts us to golf destinations today are typically resort amenities, tradition/history, climate.  In future I think we will be attracted to the same great courses that we are today, and some resorts that have great non-golf amenities.  Great Ocean, mountain, dessert courses will be everywhere and will likely attract green fees of a little over $100, where as Pebble, Pinehurst #2, TOC and Muirfield will cost us $1,000 a piece.

[Justin Timberlake]

"The only time I want to talk to a woman when I'm naked is if I'm on top of her or she's on top of me."

[Tony Ristola]

If nothing is done to stop the ball being launched a country mile, the talk will be how many courses changed due to technology; the new breed of championship course, the new set of unreachable par-5's...starting at 725 yards...etc., etc. How much has become obsolete in the last 10 years.  

[Stephen Lang]

Dave Schmidt

Frankly, I like the idea of a course designed as three 6 hole loops, especially for a public course that is going to get a lot of beginners and kids.  6 holes is perfect.  Great idea.  I've never seen one.  Has anyone else?

David Ogrin's Highmeadow Ranch in Magnolia, TX, north of Houston, west of the Woodlands has 3 - 6 hole loops.  Quite nice, but still needs some growing in.  Teh Club Professionals were there last weekend.

check out stats at
http://www.staga.org/c-dir/highmeadow.html

[Dave_Miller]

In Today's Boston Globe, Bob Ryan-Globe Sportwwriter, writes:

"There are certain sports beliefs that never seem to go away:

Basketball referees stink.

No football coach in the world knows how to call plays better than some guy up in section 301.

Hockey players will pick the most inopportune times to commit dumb penalties that put some macho code ahead of what's best for the team.

Baseball is a sport of the past.

Come back in the year 2102 and I suspect we still will be discussing all of those topics."

After giving considerable thught to this thread I have come to the same conclusion as Mr. Ryan.  While he has said 100 years and we are dealing with 10 years reaching this conclusion is even easier.

In 10 years Tom Paul and Pat Mucci will still be going at it on almost any issue.

Tom Fazio will still be generally scorned on this site.

Scott Burroughs will still be doing AOTD's.

Redesign vs restoration arguments will still be going strong.

We will still be lamenting the technology changes.

Tiger will still be winning Majors and we will castigate the USGA for making the courses for his game.

The Doak scale will still have credibility.

the Classic architects will still be revered and the others villified.

Hopefully the White Faces of Merion will have been restored so we will really be right back where we started.

I think you get the picture.  I don't see the general themes changing only the elements of such.

Fairways and Greens,

Dave