[Mike Hendren]

Jim Kennedy pointed out elsewhere that while the UK has 3 climate zones, the U. S. has 11.  Has this had an impact on the diversity of golf course architecture in America?  If so, how?

Mike

[Anthony Gray]

  I am curious to see the responses on this question Mike. As far as "style" of courses would they be more affected by soil or climate?

  Anthony

[Melvyn Morrow]

Guys

There is only one zone in Golf you either play the conditions or you do not.

Its simple, so please stop using excuses.

Melvyn

[David Kelly]

Guys

There is only one zone in Golf you either play the conditions or you do not.

Its simple, so please stop using excuses.

Melvyn

You're trying too hard Mel. 

[Dan Herrmann]

Of course it makes a difference.  I live in the transition zone (SE Pennsylvania), which is tough for golf.  We're far enough south you even can see bermuda grass once in a while, but far enough north that bentgrass does well on the greens - as long as it doesn't get to hot.

I think that the variety of climate zones along with the huge variety of geologic zones makes the USA a fantastic place for golf course diversity.  Heck - look at California by itself -they have everything from Pebble Beach to mountain golf near Reno to desert golf.  All different weather and different geology.

[Adrian_Stiff]

I think different climates = different grasses and yes that does = different architecture. Ground game golf is actually harder to achieve in a dryer climate. The Palm tree look to the Oak tree look is different. Desert situations are different again. Almost every climate zone has individual traits although basic golf course architecture is always there.

[Anthony Gray]

I think different climates = different grasses and yes that does = different architecture. Ground game golf is actually harder to achieve in a dryer climate. The Palm tree look to the Oak tree look is different. Desert situations are different again. Almost every climate zone has individual traits although basic golf course architecture is always there.

  Very interesting comment Adrain. Why is ground game golf harder to achieve in dryer climates?

  Thanks for your input,

  Anthony

[Rob Rigg]

Isn't it amazing how courses in different climate zones can be built in such a similar manner with modern agronomics?

There are lush target golf courses around the world, regardless of climate. In Dubai, in Florida, in Ireland, in Ontario, etc. etc. In the Bend, OR area there are many "lush" courses and then there is Tetherow where the ground game is actually an element because it is fescue based.

The grass that is used obviously has a big impact on the style of game that is created - but aside from certain seaside, high desert, or heathland areas, it seems like the desire to build "ground game" courses has been minimal to non-existent over the past 50 years.

ie) if you take the number of golf courses built over that time period (thousands), and determine whether a course is "target" or "ground" based, the number of ground based courses is probably less than 1%.

Hopefully this changes in the next 50 years - with places like Rustic Canyon and Wolf Point becoming the norm.

[Adrian_Stiff]

I think different climates = different grasses and yes that does = different architecture. Ground game golf is actually harder to achieve in a dryer climate. The Palm tree look to the Oak tree look is different. Desert situations are different again. Almost every climate zone has individual traits although basic golf course architecture is always there.

  Very interesting comment Adrain. Why is ground game golf harder to achieve in dryer climates?

  Thanks for your input,

  Anthony

Anthony- If we look at Phoenix for example, the grasses don't have the margins to be meagre with the water. The links courses that play firm and fast do so with fescues, links courses when they turn more inland have coarser meadow, rye type's that 'house' lots of water and that impacts the golf. I have never seen Bermuda's play fast although my USA experiences are limited to the wrong time of year, I would think there could be occasions when tight Bermuda could play like chewings fescue, but I doubt they could consistently play F&F, but stateside supers will be better answering this one.

[Tom_Doak]

Adrian:

I am not sure the "dry climate" is the culprit in making firm and fast hard to achieve in Arizona, it's the warm-season grasses.

Ballyneal and Sand Hills are both in a very dry climate (less than 15 inches of rain per year) and they get very firm and fast ... but they are still just barely cool enough that fescue will work there on the sandy soils.  Surprisingly enough, Gullane and Dornoch are also fairly dry climates -- I think 25 inches of rain per year as compared to 60+ on the west coast of Scotland or Ireland.

The only place I know of where they get bermudagrass dry and fast is in Melbourne, but it helps that it's dormant a lot of the year.

[Adrian_Stiff]

Tom- I should have typed hot rather than dryer it was a bit misleading, but yes its the grasses that restrict and the it can be the climate that decides the grass. I saw an approach at Champions, Houston that was dormant bermuda that looked as if it might behave like fescue, sounds similar to what you mentioned re Melbourne.

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