I wrote this years ago, and took a few minutes to shorten it this morning to illustrate the importance of finding the clubhouse site early in the process. It might be slightly disjointed as a result, but its good enough for golfclubatlas, I hope:
A masterful routing provides for important elements of golf – like returning nines for the hungry, the tired, and the golfers yearning to go home.
There are really no set rules for routing a golf course, save one. It takes a lot of work! In fact, if a routing works out too well too soon, I make a careful hole count and am sure there aren’t 17 or 19 holes!
I often prepare twenty or more preliminary routings. I used to label them starting with the letter A, but often ran out of letters at Z, so now I use a numbering scheme. These show only centerlines, although I begin considering feature possibilities now, at least in the back of my mind.
It helps to route a few schemes, put them away for a week and then come back to it with a fresh mind, just to make sure I have covered every possibility. It’s amazing how that break will stop me from getting in a rut. It is important to do many routings.
I usually walk the property first - and last - but work off topos in the middle. There are just some things better worked out on paper, and some best left to the field (generally, "big picture" items on map, "little details" in the field. I prepare routings back at the office, and then walk the property again, when I have something specific to look at. Every time I walk the property, new features of the land strike me very different ways, much like in the paper phase. I learn something every time I walk a potential golf property.
I like “sincere” routings, which I define as one that, if I choose, would no earthmoving to craft into a fine golf course. I also like good safety (Job 1!) and usually take sections of property and divide them by corridor distance (usually 225-300 feet apart) just to see how many holes I can fit in an area. In the Heartland of America, with its 40 acre/1320 ft square sections We have a choice of 4 holes at 292 feet apart, or six holes at a too tight 170 feet apart. Even holes usually work best in getting back to where you came in a section of property.
The primary goal of any routing plan is to find the 18 most natural golf holes. That said, I suspect many amateur architects (including, oddly, Tour Pros) don't focus enough on a "functional routing", which account for practical matters such as clubhouse, maintenance area, irrigation lake location, so an early priority is usually locating a few potential places for the clubhouse. The “footprint” also determines in large measure construction costs, future operational costs, safety, convenience, profitability, in addition to playability.
The clubhouse area must provide adequate room for Holes 1, 9, 10 and 18 to return close by. But, it must also – ideally without taking out mature forest - account for nearby parking, cart storage and staging, a tournament pavilion, scoreboard, and “general milling about” during inevitable rain delays and/or shotgun tournaments. It’s not an inconsequential task to find such a site, as it uses at least 3 acres, with 4 to 6 preferred, and some elaborate clubhouses often taking more land. Add in about 10 acres for the practice range nearby, preferably in a N-S orientation for sun, and also into the wind for ideal practice, and it’s an important decision in setting up course circulation and convenience for users.
It should have good visual control of Holes 1, 9, 10, 18 and the cart staging area. Room for future expansion is a plus.
Certain details can affect profitability. If the 9th and 18th greens require passing the clubhouse, it provides an additional “purchasing opportunity” and saves building at least one restroom. If a public course wants walk in range traffic, the range should be right off the main parking to make it as easily accessible as possible, since many "rangers" won't walk in a clubhouse or across a golf course to get to their destination.
Some other factors include distance to existing or proposed homes, except planned club condos, and governmental jurisdictions, to get lower taxes or utility rates, better fire or police protection, and the ability to sell alcohol (cannot be too close to church or school)
A good clubhouse location gives easy, clear and direct accessibility from the main highway, or from a main development loop road. All other factors being equal, a course west of town usually has its clubhouse as far east as possible, for example, to make it as convenient as possible.
For early/late hole sun orientation, a clubhouse located near “12 noon” on the site is generally preferred. It sets up the starting and finishing holes in a north/south direction, avoiding bad sun angles on opening and closing holes. As the clubhouse moves clockwise around the site, it becomes progressively less desirable.
Usually, one or two sites fit those criteria, and quick test routings see which one has the most overall potential to do the above and offer the best golf holes.
Also, when it comes to the golf holes, while the mantra is "find the green sites" I tend to route them as golfers play them, from tee to green. On most site, its pretty important to see what holes might be had near the perimeters, since you need to use all the land. Most sites also contain a funky corner or two we need to figure out first.