Which architect would you choose

[Forrest Richardson]

I think, in the end, people will hire the "biggest name" in golf course architecture:

F O R R E S T    R I C H A R D S O N

(17 letters)

[Mike Nuzzo]

Jim,

Thank you for responding to my comment - it is incorrect written as a generalization - I apologize.

I was reactively responding to a comment that I didn't think shared enought data - the costs of construction for the particular project - course and homes.

I'm curious as to the variance of your construction budgets.

I'm glad to hear of successful $6MM ones.

Cheers

[JWL]

Mike
Not a problem.   I just know that we, and that includes Jack, work very hard to give the best product for the least amount of $$ possible.   As you know, site characteristics are the major factors in determining cost figures for a job.   Obviously, rock vs sand, type situations being the extreme.
In nearly 25 years of working with Jack, I have never heard him mandate anything to an owner, for something like a stone wall, or bulkheading, or waterfall etc.   He often has strong ideas about a particular situation and what he believes will produce the best golf hole, and that may require some earthmovement.  But, the vast majority of the time Jack wants to move as little material as possible while achieving the best golf hole for that particular situation.
I have just heard Jack get a bad rap for exceeding budgets, and I just want the record to reflect that while he is not bashful to "create" when necessary, it is extremely important to Jack that cost be held to a minimum, while achieving the standard of course the owner hired him to produce. We, as a team, would like for Jack to be more assertive sometimes when it comes to things like planting budgets etc, that other designers have written in their contracts.   He refuses to put that kind of demand on an owner.   Jack is all about quality, in all phases of design.    
I am sure you understand to what I am referring.
There are many comparisons on cost on courses side by side that would accentuate what I am saying.    Pronghorn is a good example.
cheers

[TEPaul]

PaulC:

If I were going to do a really good golf and residential complex I would pick you no question. Why consider anyone else?

Few on here probably know that Paul C is capable and qualified (professionally) to not only design the golf course but do the entire land plan and design the houses too (he's a professional golf architect, a professional land planner and a professional building architect).

Serioiusly, guys, he's professionally qualified to do all that.

Now whether or not you could get him to do all that for the price of one or two is the next question but even if the price was for all three it would be Paul in a project like that for me.

And who really knows, he may even throw in an historic military fort (he's a top notch civil war military reinactor) and such for you as a bonus. All you'd have to supply is the ordnance and the ammo.

What the Hell, if you want your golf/residential/military  community to be self-sustaining in Ramen Noodles, Paul could even design a couple of Ramen Noodle fields right into a few holes on your course.

[Mike Nuzzo]

Jim,
Thank you.

So I'm clear, I didn't say or was I thinking over budget - but can see how that could be inferred.

In my (possibly naive) estimation I believe the premium housing dollars that are often attributed to the designer are more reflective of the dollars to build the house and the dollars to build the course - not the marketing value of the name.

I wish I could get Steven Levitt on the job.

Cheers

[Jim Thompson]

I think I might test the waters with Scott Witter, the only temptation being a piece of property that lent itself directly to KBM's special skills.  36, I'd ask Mikey "The Dove Bar Poster Child" DeVries for input on the second, mostly because his courses reveal more with each playing, although we would probably have a long talk about bunker styling

2 cents

[paul cowley]

Yes. I have asked my wife, and she says it should be Paul Cowley.

Forrest.....please convey to the lovely Miss Valerie that I am most honored by her suggestion.
 

[Tim Taylor]

Steve Smyers.

Tim

[Tommy Williamsen]

The Cliffs communities started with Tom Jackson, Ben Wright, and after their success moved on to Fazio and Nicklaus.   The first community (Glassy) was sold by the site not the course.  It is hard to do much better than they have done.  

http://www.cliffscommunities.com/golf/

[paul cowley]

Greg Tallman; " have you have begun grassing... seems another visit is in order."

You must of heard we are beginning to grass our 40 acre crop circle sod farm.....hey, whats the rush Amigo...there's always manana.
Visits are always welcome....I will be there next week.


TEPaul.....I should put you on the payroll....but you wouldn't take it anyway....its a true pleasure to meet a person that has no use for money as motivation. I look forward to manana.


Jeff Brauer...." If you don't think one gca can build two different course styles, go to Giants Ridge and play the Quarry and Legend, and/or trek up to Fortune Bay. If the site is different, most of us can do different designs.

Also, do you think Fazio's two courses at World Woods are different enough for one gca?"

Jeff...in no way was I suggesting that any one here or any qualified 'others' couldn't do two different styled courses.....but in the scenario that Patrick was suggesting in this thread, I would probably suggest to a client that he could get more exposure, or 'bang for the buck' by using two qualified architects.
I really only see the Nicklaus and Fazio organizations doing multiples on the same site with any level of success.

Besides....how much fun would it be to get you and me and that long named Richardson together on one site?