US Architects Trips to UK&I

[Niall C]

Jeff


Many congratulations on your trip. It looks as though they have organised a fairly full itinerary for you. Do you have any thoughts of your own on what you'd like to see or learn ?


I'm not doing down St Andrews but there might be other things that you're thinking of seeing and I'd be interested to hear more about that, and indeed what is in the official itinerary.


Niall

[Ira Fishman]

Congrats Jeffrey on the award and upcoming experience. Opportunties such as this will provide you and others in the future a special time which will impact the future projects all will complete in the future.
Please post your itinerary once set as I know many of us would like to cross paths with you, perhaps a GCA outing with you somewhere?

Seconded - and see my note in your inbox.


By coincidence, I happened to be reading Phil Young's biography of A.W. Tillinghast last night.  I knew that Tillie made several trips to Scotland between 1896 and 1901 -- basing himself mostly in St. Andrews, and playing golf with legends like Andrew Kirkaldy and Freddy Tait, and hanging out as much as he could with Old Tom Morris.  But I was surprised to see that after 1901, which was still well before he started building golf courses, he never went back.


But I can certainly understand.  It's good to take advantage whenever you have the time for it, because you never know whether you'll have another opportunity.

Did Tillinghast name the holes at Somerset Hills? I just noticed that several of them (in addition to number 2) are based on Scottish courses/holes.

[Tom_Doak]

Did Tillinghast name the holes at Somerset Hills? I just noticed that several of them (in addition to number 2) are based on Scottish courses/holes.

I don't recall seeing hole names on the scorecard, but it's been 6-7 years since I saw one.


Which of them are you referring to as based on Scottish holes?  I suppose the 7th fairway is sort of a hog's back [which has no particular role model that I know in Scotland], and the 13th has that deep swale through the green, but I have never really thought of those holes in that light.  I suppose it would make some sense, since Somerset Hills is relatively early in Tillie's career, but it's still ~15 years after he last spent time in Scotland.

[Ira Fishman]

Tom,


5--Nairn
11--Perfection


From England:


9--Westward Ho
10--Sunningdale


Ira

[Jeffrey Stein]

Jeff


Many congratulations on your trip. It looks as though they have organised a fairly full itinerary for you. Do you have any thoughts of your own on what you'd like to see or learn ?


I'm not doing down St Andrews but there might be other things that you're thinking of seeing and I'd be interested to hear more about that, and indeed what is in the official itinerary.


Niall

Niall,


Thanks to all for the congratulations and offers of support for my trip!  I'm finishing up a busy construction season here in the northeast, working straight through mid December.  Once I get through the holidays, I'll start getting dialed into my travel dates for 2023.


Beyond a focus at St. Andrews, I'd like to see more of the open rota courses (Carnoustie, Muirfield, Prestwick, Troon, Turnberry).  North Berwick, Western Gailes and of course Macrihanish are also both high on my list. If I can get going in Mid March I'll head up to the highlands to see Castle Stuart, Dornoch (2nd Visit), and Brora (would be 1st visit).


I'd love to meet as many of the course managers / green keepers as possible and pick their brain on turf and Scottish (golf) culture.  I think that will be a real highlight , to meet as many people as possible and learn about the history of each course.


Overall, the key to the whole trip will be to absorb and imprint as much of the natural architecture of the dunes land and translate it to the work I'm doing back in the States.  While not every project will translate perfectly (climate , soils ,etc..) at least I'll be bringing the Spirit of St. Andrews back with me!


P.s. I am open to other suggestions / can't miss golf courses which are not on the top lists.  These are just as important for me to see and learn from


Thanks!