The origin of target golf design?

[Anthony Gray]

  Where did it start appearing and why?

  Anthony

[Ally Mcintosh]

As a direct result of poor soil sites, better maintenance and better equipment... would be my guess...

Sometime just after WW-II when golf design was being reinvented?

[michael damico]

would one suggest that elements of strategic design are, in a sense, target golf, just well disguised?

[Garland Bayley]

My understanding is that the very first courses in the U.S. were criticized by the Scots, et. al., for being target golf. To much water too soft greens, etc. That is part of the reason NGLA is so important.

[Dave Givnish]

If we are talking about the type of target golf that is prevalent in Arizona, that came about in the early 1980's.  Water regulations at that time put a limit on the number of about 90 acres that could be irrigated on a course and practice area.  Desert Highlands was one of the first name courses that came online under those rules. 

Pinnacle Peak was built before the limits and it is a pleasant parkland course with virtually no forced carries.  Highlands, Troon, Boulders South, and Desert Mountain added a lot of washes to get wide fairways while staying under 90 acres.  I think that these courses can make golf a bit tough for a beginner or senior golfer.

[Clyde Johnston]

I think the protection of wetlands has something to do with target golf. That and real estate developers wanting the golf course to use the less desirable parts of the land where the designer has to deal with the wetlands.

Another thought I had was it's much harder to find large tracts of land close to populated areas that could support golf. When one generation dies off, the children sometimes divide up the inherited land into smaller chunks. Developers have to assemble several tracts of land to get enough acreage.

[Michael Whitaker]

I think the protection of wetlands has something to do with target golf. That and real estate developers wanting the golf course to use the less desirable parts of the land where the designer has to deal with the wetlands.

Another thought I had was it's much harder to find large tracts of land close to populated areas that could support golf. When one generation dies off, the children sometimes divide up the inherited land into smaller chunks. Developers have to assemble several tracts of land to get enough acreage.

That was my thought, Clyde... that the land made available to architects for a good number of development and resort courses was the bits and pieces left over after housing interests staked their claim. In order to play golf over these bits they had to be knitted together with a "target" style of golf. RiverTowne Country Club and the Harbor Course at Wild Dunes Resort are two good examples.