Restoration "fad"

[corey miller]

When I became involved in learning more about architecture the term "restoration" was just beginning to become popular though admittedly many of the plans were far from restorative.

Twenty years later I do think we are better honoring the term.  That said, much of what qualifies as "restoration" nowadays could be accomplished with a knowledgeable empowered Superintendent and greens committee.

Are there any course that have been fighting the tide all these years?  Are there any/many "Top 100" type courses that have not improved in the new century?

I am hard pressed to think of any....Bethpage ?

Any places that stand out?

[Thomas Dai]

Any links that has introduced fairway irrigation and/or become overly manicured.
atb

[Ian Mackenzie]

Hmm...dont think it's a fad.

Most restorations I read about, and the one that I personally was involved with, share many of the same core features:

1. Reclaim green sizes that have been slowly shrunk by mowing practices.
2. Tree "remediation". Or, as we framed it: "Trophy tree preservation". (Also known as "weeding your garden"..;-)
3. Mowing line modifications.
4. Bunkers, bunker sand and drainage (bunkers do break down over time)
5. Irrigation enhancements (these systems do degrade over time.)
6. Of course, you can also build new greens or re-grass, too.


Yes, I think much of this can be handled "in-house".
BUT...given what is at stake, it is often wise to retain a GCA for many reasons. If your super can do it, then great.

It's analogous to living in an old house, which we do (1908).
In our house, we have to: put on a new roof, replace some windows, tuck point the brick, paint wood trim, replace HVAC, etc.

Old houses in our (north side of Chicago) neighborhood are getting 1) torn down and replaced by new construction and 2) getting "gut rehabbed" on a regular basis.

So are golf courses.

Some restorations are more intense and significant than others depending on how they been kept up over the past few decades.


Plus, at the more exclusive private clubs, there is a "restovation" quasi-arms race. The game has growth issues, so new courses are few and far between and a bifurcation is occurring. Low-end private courses are struggling, turning public or dying. High end courses are spending moneyand restoring their courses to maintain relevancy to new members. Plus, they are upgrading (gulp) club house facilities to attrct the elusive millennial member. (Could riff on that but I will stifle myself.)

[Mark_Fine]

Corey,
The reason I and many others are so busy these days is because of this:


"That said, much of what qualifies as "restoration" nowadays could be accomplished with a knowledgeable empowered Superintendent and greens committee."

Be clear, a good Superintendent and a caring and committed greens committee is critical to a successful project but it is usually because of such individuals that "restoration" is needed in the first place.  All courses "age" but most are purposely changed (with all good intentions) but not always for the better.

Mark

[Jeff_Brauer]

It's a trend, not a fad.  If it was a fad, it would have ended by now. 


In fact, I think its a mature trend, which makes it something other than a trend.  The establishment, maybe? Or just an established trend?  Maybe just the norm.


Except that, I haven't seen a big movement to restore courses from the 1950's on quite yet, and many, if not most are due for renovations.  Is restoration something only for the Golden Age?  Why not others?

[V_Halyard]

It's a trend, not a fad.  If it was a fad, it would have ended by now. 


In fact, I think its a mature trend, which makes it something other than a trend.  The establishment, maybe? Or just an established trend?  Maybe just the norm.

Except that, I haven't seen a big movement to restore courses from the 1950's on quite yet, and many, if not most are due for renovations.  Is restoration something only for the Golden Age?  Why not others?

Great point Jeff. Hopefully, the quality restoration trend continues. Our golden age restoration delivered reinvigoration. There are benefits to be gained from the thoughtful restoration/reinvigoration of courses regardless of era. We had a sleeping gem and woke it up. A number of communities have seen quality of life and economic development benefits from thoughtful Muni restorations.

It's not a reach to assume this group pulls for golden age courses to survive and thrive. On a case by case basis, if the benefits can be justified to the community of a Muni, or the membership of a private, the era of the course's original construction should be immaterial.

[Peter Pallotta]

All good answers, better than mine:

I like V's term 're-invigoration' best: probably the most appropriate one from what I can tell, since even a pure and meticulous 'restoration' -- while returning the *design* to its original state -- still won't have the course *playing* as it did in the golden age.

It's the 'renovations' that would worry me, if I had a stake in the game -- the worry being the underlying & seemingly unquestioned assumption that *today's* changes and architects and committee members are more enlightened and forward-thinking and good for the game than *yesterday's* were.

Is there any reason to believe/be so certain of that (especially given the pride, vanities and time-bound limitations that all flesh is prone to)?

[Kyle Harris]

That said, much of what qualifies as "restoration" nowadays could be accomplished with a knowledgeable empowered Superintendent and greens committee.

Despite the answer I give in my forthcoming Feature Interview, this is most emphatically *not* the case.


The best restorations will arise from an outside set of eyes looking in conflicting somewhat with those inside eyes. Talented people on both sides are what make it happen.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

It all depends if in house works on all situations. There is one 36 hole semi-private club in the PHX area that did it but I tend to agree with kyle and Ian:

Yes, I think much of this can be handled "in-house".
BUT...given what is at stake, it is often wise to retain a GCA for many reasons. If your super can do it, then great. It's analogous to living in an old house, which we do (1908).
In our house, we have to: put on a new roof, replace some windows, tuck point the brick, paint wood trim, replace HVAC, etc.
Old houses in our (north side of Chicago) neighborhood are getting 1) torn down and replaced by new construction and 2) getting "gut rehabbed" on a regular basis.
So are golf courses.Some restorations are more intense and significant than others depending on how they been kept up over the past few decades.

[Jeff Schley]

I think golf courses like anything else, the "survival of the fittest" applies from the Darwin evolutionary theory. The "fittest" have survived and the less fit haven't.  This trend continues until you have natural selection.  What "fittest" means varies with time dynamically changing, i.e. economic climate, historical architect, membership, demographics of locality, upkeep, etc.

Those courses which meet the demand of golfers both public and private will survive through the trying times economically, which I think seems to be a primary driver. The advent of putting a course surrounded by housing has come and largely gone in terms of new courses and subdivisions being built.

As there aren't many new courses being built restoration of the "fittest" must be undertaken to preserve the treasure. I think of a fad as a data point and at minimum three data points make up a trend.  I think we certainly have a trend here over the last 5-10 years where the lion share of work is in restorations.  Nothing wrong with that as the circumstances from 2008 onward have dictated a tightening of the belt and inefficiencies in the system get identified and taken out.

I think this is a great opportunity to pivot golf somewhat and think, as many do, that 9 hole courses will increase in popularity. The young and old can enjoy the game more and getting a hook into the youth through 9 hole courses will be key. We shall see what happens.

For those trying to make a living as golf course architects it certainly is a much tougher business and competitive no doubt. Although you may not be able to build new courses and have your name on as the course architect, the renovation space I think is exciting to bring back to life what was once there by a historic architect.  Albeit less lucrative and perhaps less attractive, keep it up as this is needed by the industry for us to continue to enjoy historic courses.

[Rick Lane]

Corey,
The reason I and many others are so busy these days is because of this:


"That said, much of what qualifies as "restoration" nowadays could be accomplished with a knowledgeable empowered Superintendent and greens committee."

Be clear, a good Superintendent and a caring and committed greens committee is critical to a successful project but it is usually because of such individuals that "restoration" is needed in the first place.  All courses "age" but most are purposely changed (with all good intentions) but not always for the better.

Mark

This hits the nail on the head in my experience.  The golden age courses generally got overplanted with trees in the 40s-50s....that maybe was a fad!  But it was greens committees doing what they were sure was right at the time.    Add to that the (old?) practice of Greens Chair being able to add bunkers because he/she had the power to do so, to "leave their mark".   At my old course, a very smart person in 1995 said "enough!"; The greens committee is not in charge of "architecture" anymore and we hired an outside Archie to build a plan, and help us restore the course using old aerials etc.   We did/do the work in house, but only under the supervision/guidance/direction of the Archie, which continues to this day.  Works well. 

[corey miller]

I would not totally blame the members and members committees for all the negatives that occurred over the years.


I have a hard time believing that members told Superintendents to shrink greens. 


That said, I do understand the need for some in the business to play dumb.

[Tom_Doak]

The best restorations will arise from an outside set of eyes looking in conflicting somewhat with those inside eyes. Talented people on both sides are what make it happen.

Amen to that. 


If I didn't point out a few things on each consulting visit that the members hadn't noticed before, I would not be adding any value to the project.  But in fact, I often say things that are unexpected, especially if the green committee leaves me alone long enough to observe the course myself.