Golf Architecture going forward

[Don Mahaffey]

With so few golf architects doing new course work, almost every practicing golf architect is now focused on renovations. How can they not be if generating revenue is required? How many new golf courses will be built in the next five years vs how many renovations will be done? The ratio has to be somewhere in the range of 250 to 1, maybe 500 to 1 in favor of renovation work.

Did any architect grow up dreaming about "fixing up" an existing course? I don't think so.

How will that change the profession? One way I think it has already changed is the focus with modern architects seems to be all about what is flawed on existing courses and how they can be fixed, often more from a technical point of view vs from an artistic POV.

I know there will be some renovations where a new course is built on the old's footprint, but it seems the vast majority of work is about making courses function better. As if the focus is more on improving conditions. That may be overstated a bit, but there is no doubt in my mind that in most cases the modern architect is a renovation man and any new work is probably treated like a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Do you agree? How will it change the profession?

[JESII]

I have no idea whether to agree or not, but if you're correct that the focus will be centered around making courses function better (as opposed to an architect striving to make their mark) I'm all for it.

In SE PA we seem to have plenty of courses...if they could function better the golfers win.

[Mike_Young]

Don,
Good question.
IMHO I think renovations will start to slow down soon since so many places that could do it were in the process or have completed such.  I think that the pool of courses that would actually consider using an architect instead of the superintendent and a local grading contractor is less than 2500 courses in the USA.  I'm not sure it is or ever was a profession but I think in the future it will be an artisan field and the design/build concept will be what goes forward.  The present phenomenon  of  renovations is just that and as it finally slows more will get out of the business.  I sense that for most there is not even enough renovation work to remain in the business if a spouse was not working or if they had not been in it long enough to make it thru.  It's all smoke and mirrors but that will get old.  Like you say, personally, I have never had an interest in working on something someone else had created .  I've done a few renovations but just never had the desire to get in the market or go after more.   I would rather mow greens and aggravate guys in the grill until my next new project started.  Happy New Year...