[Mac Plumart]

What is the single most relevant aspect affecting golf course design?

[Mike_Young]

The ability to function economically is first and foremost as a whole.  there will always be outliers but as an industry( to use the word loosely) it has to survive on it's own and not be confused with subsidizing by the RE industry or a municipality.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Drainage.

[Michael George]

I was going to say money before Mike beat me to it.

As H.S. Colt said - "the real test of a course:  is it going to live?"  

In these times, this is a pretty appropriate quote.

Mark - my guess is that Pete Dye agrees with you.  Didn't he say that 90% of golf course architecture is drainage?

[Mark Bourgeois]

And aren't nearly all "great" courses built on sand? Weren't the first courses built on linksland and then on heath? That's drainage at work, too (at least in part) -- not to mention money. Those courses are cheaper to build and to maintain.

[Shaun Feidt]

I know from a maintenance standpoint drainage is definatley key.  One of my prof's in college had a famous quote among students.  When asked what was the most important aspects of managing a golf course, his answer was always "Drainage, drainage, and more drainage."

[Mac Plumart]

So, we need:

First, a sound business model before we can begin to build a course.

And then, as we build, we first and foremost, need to have a course that drains.

[Tom_Doak]

My old boss David Postlethwait (who worked for Pete Dye for many years) identified the three most important pieces of any project as "the land, the owner, and the money."

I thought that was funny as hell at the time, but in hindsight, he pretty much nailed it.  You can have two out of three and build a pretty good project, but it takes three out of three to build a great one.

[Mark Steffey]

the thing to me would be having the land.   buying it and paying the mtge is a tough nut to carry.

[David Minogue]

In my opinion it is the Team around the project. The client who is the cash behind the project, hopefully they have secured a good enough site to build on. The architect who knows what he is doing and can get as much as he can out of the property. The contractor who executes the project to the highest standards. Having a superintendent who is involved from the projects inception who can take the course from the grow in stage to suitable conditions for play.

[Don_Mahaffey]

My old boss David Postlethwait (who worked for Pete Dye for many years) identified the three most important pieces of any project as "the land, the owner, and the money."

I thought that was funny as hell at the time, but in hindsight, he pretty much nailed it.  You can have two out of three and build a pretty good project, but it takes three out of three to build a great one.

I'd never heard that before, but that is it? Funny how one can look at projects and pick which of the three is missing, and which projects had all three in place.

[Matthew Essig]

My old boss David Postlethwait (who worked for Pete Dye for many years) identified the three most important pieces of any project as "the land, the owner, and the money."

I thought that was funny as hell at the time, but in hindsight, he pretty much nailed it.  You can have two out of three and build a pretty good project, but it takes three out of three to build a great one.

I'd never heard that before, but that is it? Funny how one can look at projects and pick which of the three is missing, and which projects had all three in place.

It's funny how I was thinking about both of these after reading the original question!!!!!!! Great minds think alike???

P.S. Very creative thread name.... 

[Carl Rogers]

I think there are a number of pretty B-flat courses that have existed for a long time because there are no other golf alternatives within let's say 1.5 hour drive.

[Mac Plumart]

Seems like the team might be MOST important aspect.

Would you assemble your team before anything else?

[Chris Johnston]

Mac:

My answer:  F U N

CJ

[William_G]

the site is the most important factor, as that would determine your team

flat desert=Fazio/Wynn
ocean/sand=Doak/C&C/Keiser
parkland/forest=???

please correct me on my associations, thanks

FUN, FUN, FUN

[Matthew Petersen]

My old boss David Postlethwait (who worked for Pete Dye for many years) identified the three most important pieces of any project as "the land, the owner, and the money."

I thought that was funny as hell at the time, but in hindsight, he pretty much nailed it.  You can have two out of three and build a pretty good project, but it takes three out of three to build a great one.

Could be a fun exercise to look at some of the best examples of places that only have two of the three. (I suppose some that lacked money or an owner may be NLE). One that lacked land would seem to be Shadow Creek. Is there a better course on a less likely piece of land?

[PCCraig]

What is the single most relevant aspect affecting golf course design?

The declining number of golfers.

[Wade Schueneman]

While it is certianly not the most important factor, I think location (particularly climate) is important.  I would much rather grow grass in Southampton than in Atlanta.  However, with advances in turfgrass technology perhaps this is of waning importance.  Also, a windy location seems to me to be a huge plus.  And of course, locating in Southampton also probably means good land (i.e. sandy soil and great views).

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