[Randy Thompson]

Nick,
I pretty much agree with Tim´s last paragraph, it will probably take you to 40 to get the formula put together. I would recommend the eight week turf management program for you at Stockbridge School of Argriculture at the University of Massachusetts. Some knowledge of turfgrass management is important but as your probably gathering from all the threads there is no cook book method. Construction knowledge is also improtant and I would look to spend some years doing that as previously suggested, shaping would be great as there are a lot of individuals involved in this field that are more qualified than the list of wanna be architects or people that call themselves architects.
 An important point that has not been discussed and helped my career is compition and select an area where that factor is less, remember supply and demand. I started working on a maintenance crew at 17 and worked my way through turf school at Stockbridge and Umass. New England was constructing one or two courses a year and the two year turf program at Stockbridge was graduating around 60 students per year. The only good jobs were in Long Island as an assistant but I decide to focus on areas that were booming and at that time it was Texas and Arizona. The only turf program in Texas at that time was Texas A&M and they were graduating 4 to 6 per year and with more than 30 new courses opening per year. So that where I sent my resume´s and landed a superintendents job right out of school but at a low level muncipal course. So I decided that is where I would rather be than a big name course in Long Island as an assistant, plus it fit me better with my, do it my way personality. By the time I was 26 I was Superintendent at a course with a PGA tour event, and also became certified, than went into construction and construction management and then went to South America to construct a course and saw the opportunities for the future and made this my home, which was easy to do because i always loved the life style. I knew, I still had a lot to learn but had sufficient contacts to go out on my own but was still under forty and decided to invest five more years working with and alongside a more qualified architect before flying solo.  The hot spots of the globe will always have packs of vlutures flying around and some will eat but if you are established in that area and have a design build philosphy with the experience backing that philosphy, you will have a good chance of eating too!

[Tim Nugent]

Tim:

To your last point, I would say that a lot of guys are prepared to design something great in their 30's, but they are unlikely to get many chances at it because all of the clients are in their 40s or 50s [or older], and are less likely to hit it off with a young architect than with someone their own age.

But, certainly, the more experience one has honing his craft, the more ready he is to get a great course on the ground when the opportunity does come.

Tom, you could take it a step further and say alot of great courses WERE done by guys in their 30's but their bosses got the credit.  The stars really have to lline up to get a project that has "all the right stuff" in your 30's.  It's too bad that the economy has/will cause a big portion of a whole generation of potential to be washed away.  But then, the recession of 73-74 took out a bunch from the 50's-60's and the one in the early 80's culled the remainders and set the stage for 20 yrs of growth ('85-'05).

[paul cowley]

Tim and TD, good posts.


I would suggest that one set not only one, but multiple goals...and work hard at each....and hope that Luck will find you.

Hard work and Luck is the key.

Luck won't notice if you don't put yourself out there.

[Michael Taylor]

Bump.

[Ian Andrew]

Nick,

I think what a lot of this should be telling you is if you aren’t willing to get your hands dirty along the way – don’t bother. Experience matters. There are too many people looking to become golf architects and very few spots available. You need to separate yourself from everyone else who also wants the same spot as you.

For your perspective, I had seven summers of related experience before I graduated the second time. This included nursery work like Paul (hardest work I ever did), heavy construction, landscape construction, summer as a site supervisor, working in a couple of landscape architecture offices, worked part time for a golf architect, and had a year long internship before I graduated. I graduated with multiple offers for work because I had lots of “construction” experience.

I did not work in golf course architecture right away, there was no spot available, but worked for a large firm and a small firm supervising work. I did stay in contact with Doug for five straight years before he hired me (that includes during school). What Jeff is trying to explain is to make sure people know you’re interested in them in particular.

Mike Nuzzo’s article is also worth reading – and Mike gets full points from me for creativity. You may have to “make” your own luck in this decade. I had a student once approach me about interning for free. I wouldn’t do that because I don’t agree with slave labour – but I’ll tell you right now if I had an intern position I would have hired him on the spot.

I’m currently receiving three resumes a week – have been for a while. I get emails all the time and write back to each one and offer specific advice. The competition is incredible right now.

So I'll cut to the chase. It’s really hard for me to respect anyone coming out of school that has not put in the effort to make them better prepared. Look at people's experience and patience in this thread. My attitude is: I worked my ass off every summer (occasionally working for less money for the experience), so why didn’t you?

As Tom alluded to we respect the willingness to do whatever it takes and the only way to make that clear is to work hard in the summer and after you graduate. The reality is I’ve already “talked” to the people that I would hire. Two have worked with people I respect a great deal and the other two I know very well. They all have lots of experience in construction.

[Jaeger Kovich]

I’m currently receiving three resumes a week – have been for a while. I get emails all the time and write back to each one and offer specific advice. The competition is incredible right now.

Ian - You happen to be one of the architects I haven't emailed... at least yet... but on behalf of all of us who are looking for these jobs, Thank you for writing back.

I have spent a lot of time writing to architects over the past year, and not everyone will write you back. It is always encouraging when you get an email back, especially one with specific advice. The answer inevitably is NO, but to see at least a little positive feedback in writing from one of the pros is always encouraging.... The best response I got was a phone call from one architect in Texas, but I think that had more to do with his lack of computer skills!

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