I strongly believe the only way out of this economy for myself and many other will mean going back. Back to what? Back to the basics of course. I am currently looking at a project and making sure I want to participate because the budget will be or needs to be very-very limited. I want to make sure that something of quality can still be produced without negatively effecting my companyīs market perception. Here are the currently realities and how I am looking at dealing with them and getting comfortable about moving forward.
1. Irrigation cost are through the roof and taking the biggest part of the budget for naturalist or minimalist architects. Here in Argentina itīs even a bigger issue because the government is committed to support local manufactures and therefore heavily taxes anything imported, up to an additional 80%. So a typical wall to wall system is gonna price around 2 million. No thank you, to make matters worst, they are trying to stop all imports and many here are beginning to fear, there wonīt be any golf balls in three more months. So I think we will recommend a single row system that starts one hundred yards from the tees. The area has good rainfall, similar to Oregon but dry in the summer. We should be able to establish non irrigated areas without a problem with sheep and hard fescues and let them thin out or brown out during the summer eight week season.
2. The project is associated with a ski resort. Meaning surrounding mountains and lots of streams. We are trying to locate a source of water near and with a higher elevation. Create a small pool in the stream and send the water to the irrigation system. No pumps, no electricity cost, less headaches. Good filtering system will be needed.
3. Soil looks good, not analyzed yet but my experience tells me loam-maybe even a little in the sandy loam zone. I would guess infiltration between one and two inches per hour. Use this soil and make push up greens with good movement to facilitate surface drainage, as was done in the past. No six hundred thousand dollar USGA greens!
4. Few sand bunkers and more grass bunker and grass depressions. Below the half to one meter loam you find gravel. Should facilitate in inexpensive drainage for all features and hazards.
5. Clearing of 50 meter corridors and expanding in the landing to seventy. No trucks, no lakes, minimum dirt movement. The property has good natural movement and some great natural features. Generate some dirt for the greens and surrounding in nearby areas, fix a few drainage problems and adios!
6. Fescue , wall to wall. This will never be a tournament course. We currently donīt have the pressure for ultra fast greens. The golfer will be more than happy with 9 on a stempmeter day to day.
7. Last but not least
Don has sold me, five gang and tractor for the fairways and a couple of nationals for the rough.
Conclusion, I think with the correct property quality golf can still be developed and at a reasonable price if we just go back in time and stick with the basics. Courses like this have to be accessible to a greater economical range of clientele, which can help the game expand not retract.