A different type of routing

[Don_Mahaffey]

Why are golf courses almost always routed with hole corridors that connect from green to tee? When did it become the norm to try and isolate all the golf holes from one another? Why do we do it? I know why it’s done on real estate courses as you create more course frontage.

Why don’t we see more golf courses that are more park like with adjacent holes. Less acreage and lower maintenance and construction cost could be a benefit of a park like routing.

Does our drive to create natural looking courses prevent this type of routing…do we need to always show our expertise at blending in the golf course to its natural surroundings? Is a golf course routed through a natural area with 18 independent corridors automatically better than if you had similar holes routed next to each other on a square 150 acre piece of land? Is it harder to get a course to flow seamlessly out into a native landscape or seamlessly inward into itself?

Maybe it will not have stunning natural vistas, but can’t we design courses that are beautiful on their own merits? Or do we always need a picturesque site to create an attractive golf course?

[John Moore II]

I suppose it depends on what you are trying to do. If you want the absolute best course possible on a given piece of land, assuming the land is more than the bare minimun required to build a course, then the best holes possible and the best routing may be a bit spaced out. Or it may not be spaced out. If you simply want an easy to walk, fun to play place for the public, then use the minimum land possible and still remain safe and put the greens and tees as nearly together as possible. Its an odd question though.
If given, say, 1000 acres and simply told to build the best course possible, as was done with Sand Hills, its possible the holes will be isolated from each other and with some slight walks between holes.

[Adrian_Stiff]

Don- I think a lot has to do with housing. In the UK we dont get the permissions for development around courses very often, consequently the design is often more old fashioned so we have adjacent holes and land with features that can be used for more than one hole. It kinda keeps the costs and the economics down, sometimes you can use an Oak tree strategically for two holes and use it as backdrop for another!!!!

[Melvyn Morrow]

Come to Scotland and enjoy a short walk between Greens & Tees. That’s the name of the game on most of our course. I believe that lessons can be still be learnt by studying our older courses and incorporated within your new projects - problem is who is paying? That's your real problem, the actual stumbling block.

You don’t need to go on an afternoon drives between holes, also you can still play 3-3.5 hours a round and that includes walking and enjoying the views.

Don’t blame the architects for the corridors, they have to work with what they have been given and in accordance with their client’s instructions.

Play golf the original way, the Scottish way, come to Scotland and you will also get a warm welcome and don’t forget that with each trip to Scotland you get another chance to visit, taste and buy a bottle or two of some of the most enjoyable Single Malts in the world.

PS Tain Golf Club is approx 1 mile from Glenmorangie Distillery, an easy walk for the accomplished (thirsty) golfer.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Don,
You are talking mainly modern stuff in the south, southeast and southwest??..because your post sounded like just about every course in New England.