The Future of Golf Course Architecture:
Sustainable Development Closes out the 6th Century of Golf
Golf course architecture (GCA) has come a long way since the mid to late 1400’s influence of the Scots on this ball, sticks, and hole game. It is now more than ever about building a venue for a game that is simultaneously fun, challenging, and stressfull on the mind and body to perform well. The fact that the present technology of the game’s tools is only matched by the tools and design perspective available to GCA professionals to create the next field of play, brings the future of GCA to a focus on sustaining its development smartly as it closes out its 6th century.
Sustainable development in GCA touches upon social, environmental, and economic issues. These must be integrated with the technological issues currently at hand but with a keen eye to the past and due consideration for the broader issues impacting future activities, like hazards lurking over the horizon.
Landbased Studies in GCA
Landbased studies are inextricably linked to maintaining historical perspectives within the future of GCA and thus directly related to enabling sustainable development. Study of green spaces used for golfing will have to broadly consider GCA’s effects on human wellbeing and mental health within and external to the game by its use of visual design arts and thus involvement in the community. The special role of plants/trees/and water in the field of play must be synergistic with larger environmental impacts.
Science, Technology, & Engineering in GCA
Science, technology and their integration by engineering has a direct linkage with sustainable development in GCA, from the most basic environmental perspective of drainage to managing the continuing use and conservation of natural and synthetic chemicals on a golf course and in construction practices. There are many quantitative and qualitative scientific based skills to be learned or experts to be consulted in the design and performance of cost effective GCA in the future
The Business of GCA
The business of GCA must be prepared to address the social hurdles of legislation and regulation in the future as never before encountered. In addition, the personal responsibility of GCA principals and task workers to perform professionally must now be seen within the larger context of social responsibility of the business in promoting and implementing sustainable development practices and policies. Life cycle analysis and supply chain management will be needed to assure that future golfing venues can be sustained per their original design, and that ethical decisions are made in the sectors of investment and banking which ultimately support GCA.
Communication of the Virtues and Spirit of GCA
Golfers have many choices in terms of golf course economics, preferred aesthetics, and timing in their pursuit of the golfing experience. The hospitality of area venues or larger tourism opportunities of an area will increasingly impact decisions relative to leisure businesses such as golf and communication of the greater virtues or the spirit embodied in an area’s development are thus a shared responsibility. As perspective grows and values are recognized intellectually, people identify and relate to GCA beyond their play. As memories and perceptions of GCA evolve into topical thoughts, they will be re-experienced on a range of courses, and the art and presentation of GCA will endure.