Christmas Design Fun...

[Andy Levett]

Brian,
Thanks for the fun. Are you going to post your opinions on the designs?

[Mark_Fine]

Some very interesting ideas.  Wish I had time to post one myself.  

A question/observation for those of you who participated in this exercise - We often critize architects who don't design "in the field".  Does doing something like this give you a better appreciation of how an architect can just get a course map or routing of an existing golf course and start changing things while sitting at their computer?  They don't have to visit and/or research the site?  Heck, you guys came up with some very cool ideas and didn't even have a topo map to work with.  

I remember speaking with a friend many years ago about how someday, most golf courses would be designed on a CAD system and posted for sale on the Internet.  This little exercise reminded me of that conversation.  

[Norbert P]

I remember speaking with a friend many years ago about how someday, most golf courses would be designed on a CAD system and posted for sale on the Internet.  This little exercise reminded me of that conversation.  

Mark, let's hope it doesn't come to that.  I can't speak for anybody else here but this was purely a fun exercise for me. Obviously there are many important choices to take into account besides trimming trees and plopping down bunkers.  Like where to put the porta-potties.  

  Happy New Year

  Resolution?
Golf more ! in 2004 !

[Brian Phillips]

Some very interesting ideas.  Wish I had time to post one myself.  

A question/observation for those of you who participated in this exercise - We often critize architects who don't design "in the field".  Does doing something like this give you a better appreciation of how an architect can just get a course map or routing of an existing golf course and start changing things while sitting at their computer?  They don't have to visit and/or research the site?  Heck, you guys came up with some very cool ideas and didn't even have a topo map to work with.  

I remember speaking with a friend many years ago about how someday, most golf courses would be designed on a CAD system and posted for sale on the Internet.  This little exercise reminded me of that conversation.  

Mark,

It is interesting to hear that take on it.  This little exercise probably is a good example of why you should not just design on computer.

In a number of places that people have placed bunkers they will not drain because there is so much rock there and would require a lot of fill to make them look good....this is an extra cost.

It is pretty easy to design on the computer or on paper and yes all of them came up with good designs but the only one that really designed using the exisiting style was Andy Levetts design.  Similar bunkering as well as similar number of bunkers as well.

Brian

[Tommy_Naccarato]

I say bring on the next hole!

[Mark_Fine]

Brian,
Don't get me wrong, I think the concept is fun and a neat little exercise.  I was just pointing out how easy it is to sit in your chair and design golf holes on a computer.  Unfortunately, a lot of "redesigned" holes that get built actually look like some of the examples shown here.  The problem is that even though they are cool holes, they often don't fit in with the existing architecture.  
I saw a classic course not too long ago where an architect came in and did their own thing.  Not sure they even knew or cared it was a famous architect's design that they were tampering with.  The holes they changed look totally out of character with the rest of the golf course.  It was as if they were designed on a computer