Feature Interview with Andy Staples

[Ran Morrissett]

 http://golfclubatlas.com/feature-interview/feature-interview-with-andy-staples/

Traveling with Joe Andriole is, shall we say, ‘interesting’. He is more of a ‘glass half empty’ guy compared to my disposition to see the good. Driving away from places, it’s hilarious to compare notes: it is like we played different courses. Having said that (!), when Joe calls and raves, I perk up. It doesn't happen often, mind you, but it did in July of last year as he sped away from Meadowbrook outside of Detroit. He was so entranced by the place that he even snapped a few photos on his iPhone, something he is hardly ever moved to do. 

Another tough judge, Tom Doak, had piqued my interest a few years prior with his glowing write-up of Sand Hollow in Volume 2 of The Confidential Guide. I knew that if both Joe and Tom find someone's work praiseworthy, he would be a winning Feature Interviewee. And that has proved true with this March interview with Andy Staples.

One thing I have never understood about many architects is how they claim to be inspired by a certain designer and then build something with no resemblance. Andy is the opposite - the 4th green at Huntercombe has been renowned in world golf for over 115 years and yet ... I have never seen anything that paid homage to it. That is, until Andy & crew built the 3rd green at Meadowbrook. They saw Huntercombe in September 2015 and built the 3rd green that winter. Rarely is a nothing hole transformed into one of distinction. A friend (I won't name names but let's just say he built my Scratch wedge  ) was so moved by what he saw that he joined Meadowbrook.

Andy relates his interactions with members in regard to some of the more pronounced features that he brought to Meadowbrook. 'This is what I feel we as golf course architects are meant to do: educate our clients about what makes good architecture and why the ground game means so much to the enjoyment of playing a course. It's clear that players can have more fun if they open their minds to design intention and that is something I love helping them discover.' With time and experience, the Meadowbrook members have cottoned to his newly-installed classic features. In contrast to the water-laden Bear Trap holes witnessed this past weekend, Meadowbrook with its ground game features appears to be a blast to play on a regular basis.

I have found a new kindred spirit in Andy when he writes, 'Overall I don't see the game as being in desperate need of growth. I would say we should make what we have better, and continue to provide better golf experiences in the markets that can support golf.' Many fine talking points emerge from this month's Feature Interview and I hope profiles on Sand Hollow and Meadowbrook will later materialize this year. Judging from Joe and Tom, they represent inspiring, 'get off your rump and go see them' kind of architecture.

Hope you enjoy this month's Interview.

Best,

[Mike Sweeney]

With "Distance Wars" going on some other threads, this interview might get lost.

That was one of the Top 5 interviews that I have read here over the years. Thanks Andy, and when your clients or you want to visit a cool Biarritz, let's head to New Haven for some golf and pizza.

[Adam Lawrence]

Andy is a great guy and a good friend. But I think he's also quite an important figure in the evolution of golf course design; he's one of a younger generation of architects who came out of the mainstream, not the Doak/Coore family tree, who has truly absorbed the lessons of the 'minimalist' movement. There are a good number of others -- Rob Collins would be one, as would Christian Althaus in Germany -- and they prove the transformational effect that 'minimalism' has had on the industry.

[Anthony Gholz]

Ran/Adam:


First: thanks for this interview with an excellent architect and a first class person.


Second: Andy is too modest regarding his accomplishment at Meadowbrook.  And, Adam, I don't think it qualifies as minimalist.


Mr. Staple's changes to MCC were seismic, not restorative or renovational (is that a word?).  His personality, in a selection process run by Brad K., won him the project, but he had to take it from there, almost individually, to educate, cajole, and push the entire team.  Happily Meadowbrook provided a reasonable budget and was open to a new way to see their wonderful property. 


Andy didn't restore a Park or change the existing course into an almost Park.  He created an new Golden Age course in the 21st Century that might have been done by Park if he had found the big and little scale features that Andy built, on day one in 1916.  And, of course, had a year and a half on site fussing the details. Andy found all the existing ridges, edges, hills, and other features, enhanced them, and moved the greens and tees to create the maximum affect using those features.  It is still a property that Meadowbrook members will remember as the same as their original site, but see every hole in a new way.  It is a spectacular NEW golf course with many features from the GA, some of which are recognizably Park's, but others of which are pure Staples.


Congrats to Andy, Brad, Jim Dales, and the Meadowbrook leaders on a wonderful NEW addition to a Detroit area filled with many excellent GA course designs, several of which have been improved recently by the younger generation of gca's.


Thanks again Ran for the entire interview series.
Anthony

[Jason Topp]

I need to go back to Sand Hollow.


 It had received very little acclaim at the time I played it 7-8 years ago.  I think I was the only person on the Links 9, which was a lot of fun on less dramatic land compared to the rest of the course.  I played 36 on the 18 hole course with a group of 16 people and had a terrific time but may have tempered my enthusiasm.


 I did not trust how much I enjoyed the course because no-one else was talking about it at the time.

[Kalen Braley]

I'm only 4 hours away, I need to get down there myself as well.

[BCowan]

I really enjoyed this piece.  Very tough to follow after Tony's wonderful post.  Tony and myself have enjoyed getting to see Meadowbrook transformed in the dirt on multiple occasions. It's been about a decade since the last time I played in the dirt and I really enjoyed watching in real time. 


Andy has become a wonderful friend and I really have enjoyed watching his great relationship with the Meadowbrook members and staff.  They have a really nice family unit there.  Andy has exceptional selling and communication skills which benefit him greatly.  He was able to get MCC members excited enough with their course to turn what could of been a small touch up renovation into a full out no grass left in place renovation.  He took great risk in doing very bold greens and design elements unknown to the Detroit area.


I'm really looking forward to making it out to Sand Hollow and to see some of Andy's future resto/reno work!  Great write up and looking forward to the Meadowbrook course profile write up! 


 

[Terry Lavin]

Nice.

[AStaples]

Mike S. - I'm in!


Ben and Tony - Appreciate the comments.  A few of the things I'll remember most about MCC are: 1) Everyone being excited when the group realized we could actually build some of the 'bold' features we saw on our visits, and 2) being surprised at the general reaction of how 'bold' the features were, given that I don't think we pushed any envelope regarding what has been built over the years. I've been accused having some rather sizable, shall we call them "stones," to build what we built.  I'm not sure about that, but I guess this is an indication of how the business has evolved through the years. These features make for fun golf, and I think many that have played the course agree.

[Tom_Doak]

being surprised at the general reaction of how 'bold' the features were, given that I don't think we pushed any envelope regarding what has been built over the years. I've been accused having some rather sizable, shall we call them "stones," to build what we built.  I'm not sure about that, but I guess this is an indication of how the business has evolved through the years.

This is exactly the attitude you need to have:  "this is nothing" compared to some of the stuff I've seen on great courses.


I'm just amazed how conservative / scared most architects tend to be.

[MCirba]

I had the pleasure of meeting Andy at the Golfweek Architectural Summit at Streamsong this past December.    Terrific interview, Ran...thanks for sharing, Andy.

Andy, the Cobb's Creek book I promised will be shipped to you shortly.   Speaking of big and bold, it makes a great paperweight at nearly 400 pages.