[Geoffrey_Walsh]

Quick question...

Do architects use computer simulations of potential new routings to get a sense of how a course will look/play before they actually create it?

[Brian Phillips]

When I was building a nine hole course last year for Jeremy Turner an architect in Norway I put his course onto a computer to show him and the client how the course would play.

They liked it.

[Jeremy Glenn. (Guest)]

Geoffrey,

We've been using various computer software both for drafting purposes and for earthmoving calculations.

But as far a simulations are concerned, we use them quite rarely, and certainly not for presentational purposes.  At most, we might use them to find out if we can see such-and-such a feature from a tee or landing area.  However, more than that and it's really "planning overkill."  Computers (and your imagination...) are great to help you plan the big picture, but for the detail of how a hole will look, it's much easier to finalize it in the field.  The site is always different than the map.

We use computers alot, and I am very much in favour of them (see the "In my Opinion" section (shameless plug  )), but they aren't a miracle tool.

[John_McMillan]

There are some factors related to the type of course and property that make simulators more valuable.

One project that I know of is being built on a flat site and is at a stage where they have a portion of the funding nailed down.  In this case, virtual images of the course may be used to help define what the finished course will look like (with earth moved and vegetation grown-in) and help as a marketing tool in attracting final funding.

[Geoffrey_Walsh]

Brian, Jeremy and John,

Thanks for the responses.  Given the rapid rate of technological advances over the past ten years, I assume that computers will play an even greater role in course design going forward.  What parts of the course design process do you think computers will become more involved in?

[Jeremy Glenn. (Guest)]

Geoffrey,

Easy answer to your second question:  Computer Simulations.

The reason we don't use them now is that they aren't good enough.  But they'll get better.

I can easily see the day where we can get courses to look photorealistic (like watching a movie), most importantly with easy-to-use functions.  Plug in the CAD data, click the mouse a couple 'o times, and voilą, Virtual Reality Presentation, complete with those hi-tech VR goggles.

[Richard Chamberlain]

Geoffrey

One of the boys posted a link to a site a few months ago.
It was a fella that built his own computer courses for the Links Golf Game.
I've been playing with computer visualisation for golf designers for the past 14 years and this stuff was without doubt the most realistic imagery I have ever seen.
Not only that did it look schmick but it was able to be played in the computer game.

At this stage the "artist" starts from a blank canvas and build up his design.
If a real golf course designer could load up his own contour data into the software package, we will really be onto something...and i'm sure that is a definite possibility sometime soon.

Cop this site.
http://www.geocities.com/mikescourses/

[Geoffrey_Walsh]

Bump (almost 5 years later).

Are we getting any closer to utilizing simulators in the design process to allow architects to virtually play a hole before it becomes a reality?

[Wayne Hewitt]

Geoffrey,

Check out my site at

www.hewisgolfdesign.com

This might answer your question  

[Geoffrey_Walsh]

Bump.

Fast forward 4 more years.  Are computer simulations used more to show a potential client how the course will play before construction?  Can you actually play the course in any of the simulations?  Are there other technological advances on the horizon that will significantly change how a course is routed, built or marketed?

[Brian Phillips]

Geoffrey,

We have just completed the Grading Plan for 18 holes to be used solely for the 3D flythru of the Angus course we are working on in Scotland.  We just have to tweak the final grading now with the computer engineers  and we will have the whole course done.  The client is going to use it to try to get it through planning permission and to help sell the product to potential developers and hotel chain.

It is becoming more and more the norm for clients to ask if we can produce this sort of thing.

[Richard_Cutler]

Brian,

I have a few questions if you don't mind.

Where about in Angus is the course? Also, would you be in a position to indicate a ballpark figure for a 3D flythru? Or what other options are available for presenting design ideas to a client? What have you found to work best at getting the message across?

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