architects on retainer?

[Patrick_Mucci]

TEPaul,

The process usually involves hiring an architect for the specific purpose of drafting a master plan, and there is where I feel clubs make a key mistake.

I like the retainer arrangement, and if that flows into the creation of a master plan, all the better.

[TEPaul]

Pat:

I hear you on a club asking for a master plan and maybe having it flow into an architect going too far to justify a fee or whatever.

But whether a retainer or a master plan the first order of business is for the club to have some idea about what they're trying to do and if that's restoration minded then I'm afraid you and I might always disagree. Some architects are just very "restoration minded" of particularly classic courses that are worthy of restoration and other architects just plain are not "restoration minded".

But at the very least any architect just might be better than green committees making endless architectural changes on their own. And even a master plan from any architect can likely prevent that because master plans are generally two sides of one coin--one side might be restoration but the other side should always be a master plan in place for the long term simply to prevent green committees from making architectural decisions and architectural changes on their own.

[Patrick_Mucci]

TEPaul,

The retainer method allows the architect to see the "will of the membership" more clearly, versus the want of the current green committee, Chairman or President.

It is a more lasting relationship, a film, rather than a frame, that allows the architect to clarify his mission over time.

If The last green committee brought in their man for a Master Plan, the current green committee might reject the plan, and bring in another architect for yet another plan.

Tom Doak's position brings continuity, tenure and stability to the process, usually resulting in a better product for the club.

However, some clubs want to alter their great architecture in the name of the most current fads.  Just look at all the disfiguring of great courses over the last 50 years.

[Tom Doak]

No, I'd rather not endorse some architects for consulting work, and indirectly trash all the others.  Many of the best have been interviewed on this forum at one time or another, but there are at least three who haven't.

As for how we do the retainer, a few years ago I charged some of the clubs we work for an up-front fee in January, to help with cash flow ... but then I felt like I had to make ten visits that spring and summer, and it wore me out.  So now we just wait for them to call, and charge them a daily rate for what we do ... whether it's a simple "don't do that," or a bit of construction.

However, it's difficult to be "on call" for that many patients, especially when we're pursuing exciting new-course work.

[mike_malone]

i would like to thank everyone for their thoughtful comments.it is very helpful.