Logan Fazio

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Logan Fazio walks father Tom Fazio's walk.

The 43-year-old son of the famed golf course architect is the emerging new face of Fazio Design and making his way with an attention to detail.


https://www.firstcallgolf.com/features/feature/2022-02-10/next-gen-logan-fazio-walks-father-tom-fazios-walk

[Tom_Doak]

If you don't want to read the whole thing, here's a sample from the third paragraph:


Despite his enormous talents, Logan Fazio still takes a backseat to his famous father, the architect of close to one quarter of America’s top 200 golf layouts. Logan is OK with that role, especially since he humbly began digging in the mud on projects as an infant with his father just like his dad did as a curious teenager with uncle George Fazio back in the day.
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[David Kelly]

If you don't want to read the whole thing, here's a sample from the third paragraph:


Despite his enormous talents, Logan Fazio still takes a backseat to his famous father, the architect of close to one quarter of America’s top 200 golf layouts. Logan is OK with that role, especially since he humbly began digging in the mud on projects as an infant with his father just like his dad did as a curious teenager with uncle George Fazio back in the day.

Leaving aside the "enormous talents" comment, of which the author doesn't give us a scintilla of evidence, I'm impressed that Logan was doing as an infant what Tom was still doing as a teenager.

[Tom_Doak]

FWIW, when Tom Fazio was 18 or 19, I’m told he was the foreman at Waynesborough CC, and he was the one who had to tell the crew there was no $ to pay them one week.  That would explain his choice of clients over the years!


But his son probably couldn’t relate to that at all . . .

[Colin Christman]

I must say that I enjoy the George Fazio nine at my club (Tumble Brook CC), and I liked his courses at Hershey and Ridgefield. I guess I'm not that familiar with other George Fazio designs, but I'd be interested in exploring them.

[V. Kmetz]

I must say that I enjoy the George Fazio nine at my club (Tumble Brook CC), and I liked his courses at Hershey and Ridgefield. I guess I'm not that familiar with other George Fazio designs, but I'd be interested in exploring them.

Which Ridgefield is that...CT?

[Jim Sherma]

Must chime in with the fact that I am a George Fazio fan as well. I'm a member at Hershey CC and have played his course there over the last 10 years. Also have some familiarity through multiple plays at Moselem Springs GC and Downingtown CC. All three courses very readily reveal how well your striking the ball that day. The courses are very challenging and his greens tend to be crowned and readily shed less than good approach shots when they are allowed to get a little firm. If there is one major caveat to his courses I'd say that they are somewhat one dimensional in rewarding aerial play over anything around the ground.


There are some stories I've heard of George when he was working at Hershey and they do not reflect well on him as far as his professionalism went.

[Jim Sherma]

More on topic - I am interested to see how these large legacy organizations survive generational succession once the key artistic force is no longer at the helm. Given that many of these are based on one person's name it becomes much more difficult. Jones and Dye devolved to their kids' enterprises. Palmer design still exists, I assume, as a corporate entity selling their experience and expertise. Nicklaus design will be doing the same with a somewhat tougher sell since it is assumed that jack had a much bigger design role than Arnie ever did. I think it is instructive that Doak built a firm without his name at the top. Renaissance feels like it could continue on as an aesthetic and ideal as opposed to one man's vision.   

[archie_struthers]

 


George Fazio was quite a guy and "character" !  As many know he was instrumental in the development of Jupiter Hills in Florida.
My friend Tom McCarthy was an assistant for the winter there and one late afternoon here comes George on a cart. He saw Tommy and came scooting over. He goes c'mon guys I'm thinking of putting in a new back tee and need someone to hit a couple balls. He was 73 or 74 and we were in our early twenties (1983 ?)   


George walked us back to a bluff and told us to tee up driver and rip it.  Tom hit one perfect but he wasn't the longest hitter and George goes "cripes, I can do that you hit it Archie" .....I smashed one but it must have been forty yards right of where he wanted . He laughed and drove off saying I need better archers.  Quite an experience and definitely stoked my nascent interest in GCA.

[Tom_Doak]

More on topic - I am interested to see how these large legacy organizations survive generational succession once the key artistic force is no longer at the helm. Given that many of these are based on one person's name it becomes much more difficult. Jones and Dye devolved to their kids' enterprises. Palmer design still exists, I assume, as a corporate entity selling their experience and expertise. Nicklaus design will be doing the same with a somewhat tougher sell since it is assumed that jack had a much bigger design role than Arnie ever did. I think it is instructive that Doak built a firm without his name at the top. Renaissance feels like it could continue on as an aesthetic and ideal as opposed to one man's vision.

The only problem with Renaissance Golf Design lasting a long time is that most of my former associates are not that much younger than I am!   


The steadiest source of work for Palmer and Nicklaus's companies these days is renovating their old work -- their advantage is that there is a lot of that to do, and they can still insist on themselves doing the work to "keep their name on it".  But I don't know that those names sell anymore, except in developing countries where clients want to attach themselves to tradition of some sort.

[Colin Christman]

I must say that I enjoy the George Fazio nine at my club (Tumble Brook CC), and I liked his courses at Hershey and Ridgefield. I guess I'm not that familiar with other George Fazio designs, but I'd be interested in exploring them.

Which Ridgefield is that...CT?

Yes. Heavily tree-lined, but not much rough and wide enough most places that, having the whole corridor between the trees to work with, you have the space to play different lines. Good use of angles and sort of crowned greens. The property is rolling hills with a couple of ponds. Nothing too notable, but pretty and testing enough to be enjoyable.

[SL_Solow]

I am reminded of the first Mayor Daley who when asked about awarding contracts to firms controlled by one of his sons told the questioner to "kiss his mistletoe" and remarked that if a father couldn't help his son, who could.

[Joel_Stewart]

This isn't news or any type of scoop.  Tom handed over the company a while ago except for Augusta.  I believe Congaree was his last job and that opened in 2018.

[Colin Christman]

It feels like Tom Fazio, in addition to obviously having a great deal of success, developed a style pretty distinct from his uncle. Will be interesting to see the stylistic and aesthetic trajectory of Logan's career over time. He's obviously coming up under the tutelage of Tom, but also in a wholly different architectural paradigm, where different ideas are being embraced and winning praise.


He'd be far from the first person to follow in the footsteps of his father, but also far from the first to forge a different stylistic path.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Sort of OT, but in talking with some Fazio staff members, they indicated that their bunker style is going more towards the Augusta style, mostly because their clients are usually demanding a style that is easier to maintain on the outside banks, than the traditional finger bunkers with steep capes and bays, etc.


I lamented the simple, maintenance friendly bunker styles when I got into the profession in 1977, and I lament them now, but understood why bunker design has to morph into that for 80-90% (or more) of the courses in the US.

[SB]

The "pose and point" photo is a classic, but to me it isn't complete without either holding a set of drawings or having them on the hood of a truck.  I give it a B-.

[Bernie Bell]

It feels like Tom Fazio, in addition to obviously having a great deal of success, developed a style pretty distinct from his uncle. Will be interesting to see the stylistic and aesthetic trajectory of Logan's career over time. He's obviously coming up under the tutelage of Tom, but also in a wholly different architectural paradigm, where different ideas are being embraced and winning praise.


He'd be far from the first person to follow in the footsteps of his father, but also far from the first to forge a different stylistic path.

What can people who've played the son's courses say about his style?  I gather most or all are outside the US. 

Separately, I wonder who will be the next Emmanuel Goldstein for GCA.com once Tom Fazio is out of the picture.

[Kalen Braley]

The "pose and point" photo is a classic, but to me it isn't complete without either holding a set of drawings or having them on the hood of a truck.  I give it a B-.

I noticed same in the article, I figured they were just trying to recreate the one later in the article with Tom standing next to his Uncle.

But I'd demote it to a C- for lack of originality and the kid not getting his stance right. [size=78%] [/size]

[Jeff Schley]

The "pose and point" photo is a classic, but to me it isn't complete without either holding a set of drawings or having them on the hood of a truck.  I give it a B-.

I noticed same in the article, I figured they were just trying to recreate the one later in the article with Tom standing next to his Uncle.

But I'd demote it to a C- for lack of originality and the kid not getting his stance right.[size=78%] [/size]

That is funny!!!!
Here is Logan on the Fazio website with blueprints and Tom posing with a rolled up one. None on truck hoods!

[John Kavanaugh]

Give the kid a break. Family business is no picnic. Son “Dad, I’m no good at this.” Dad “No one is”.

[Tom_Doak]

The "pose and point" photo is a classic, but to me it isn't complete without either holding a set of drawings or having them on the hood of a truck.  I give it a B-.

Most photographers and editors have very little imagination in this matter - and to be fair, it’s hard to take a picture of me doing my real job, which is “thinking”.  But if you make the mistake of pointing at anything for any reason, the photographer is going to snap that picture, and the editor is going to use it - especially if you’ve avoided holding the rolled up set of plans.


The worst part is that with the internet, a photo is forever.  I never would have let the GOOF DIGEST photog sit me in the bucket of an excavator at Ballyneal, had I thought they’d use that picture for years afterward.

[Kyle Harris]

The "pose and point" photo is a classic, but to me it isn't complete without either holding a set of drawings or having them on the hood of a truck.  I give it a B-.

Most photographers and editors have very little imagination in this matter - and to be fair, it’s hard to take a picture of me doing my real job, which is “thinking”.  But if you make the mistake of pointing at anything for any reason, the photographer is going to snap that picture, and the editor is going to use it - especially if you’ve avoided holding the rolled up set of plans.


The worst part is that with the internet, a photo is forever.  I never would have let the GOOF DIGEST photog sit me in the bucket of an excavator at Ballyneal, had I thought they’d use that picture for years afterward.

I have the shovel from the Golf Magazine photo of you behind Blue #13 during construction in my garage.

[Kalen Braley]

The "pose and point" photo is a classic, but to me it isn't complete without either holding a set of drawings or having them on the hood of a truck.  I give it a B-.

Most photographers and editors have very little imagination in this matter - and to be fair, it’s hard to take a picture of me doing my real job, which is “thinking”.  But if you make the mistake of pointing at anything for any reason, the photographer is going to snap that picture, and the editor is going to use it - especially if you’ve avoided holding the rolled up set of plans.


The worst part is that with the internet, a photo is forever.  I never would have let the GOOF DIGEST photog sit me in the bucket of an excavator at Ballyneal, had I thought they’d use that picture for years afterward.

C'mon Tom,

You're telling me you wouldn't want to be captured in a pose like this to be splashed on the cover of some magazine?

[Tom_Doak]

Kalen,


I’ve got one of those somewhere.

[Tim Martin]

The "pose and point" photo is a classic, but to me it isn't complete without either holding a set of drawings or having them on the hood of a truck.  I give it a B-.

Most photographers and editors have very little imagination in this matter - and to be fair, it’s hard to take a picture of me doing my real job, which is “thinking”.  But if you make the mistake of pointing at anything for any reason, the photographer is going to snap that picture, and the editor is going to use it - especially if you’ve avoided holding the rolled up set of plans.


The worst part is that with the internet, a photo is forever.  I never would have let the GOOF DIGEST photog sit me in the bucket of an excavator at Ballyneal, had I thought they’d use that picture for years afterward.

C'mon Tom,

If you are going to pull the beard it helps to have a beard.