Secrecy

[Steve_Roths]

Can anyone explain to me the need sometimes for such secrecy surrounding new projects?  I can understand enviormental concerns, but it seems like more and more projects are being built today without anyone knowing about them. I mean did anyone know anything about Sutton Bay before Tommy put up the pictures of it?  
 

[Brian_Gracely]

While we all like to think that golf courses are things to be viewed and enjoyed, they are also an asset to someone (public or private).  And just like any new product (cereal, automobile, software program, etc.), the owners probably don't want to expose their product until it is finalized out of concern that (a) media outlets (including potentially GCA.com) could create uneducated or negative buzz, (b) competitve projects might steal an original idea for a hole or clubhouse, etc., (c) people like to protect their privacy, (d) potential customer, investors, creditors, etc. might not have approved of early showings, etc....the list goes on and on.

Good things come to those who wait....

And Sutton Bay still has memberships available if interested.

[Matt_Ward]

Steve:

If you have a nose for news you can find out just about anything relating to new courses provided you know where to search.

Since most, if not all, new courses must receive some of governmental clearance (permits, variances, and the like) it is quite easy to secure some info on what is proposed. The information is a public record and is available upon request in most instances.

Clearly, some of the facilities may be built in out-of-the-way locations (e.g. Sutton Bay, to name just one) but in many ways the facilities themselves usually drop a "hint" that something is about to pop in order to generate some "buzz" on what is being contemplated.

[Tom_Doak]

Lots of our clients want to keep things quiet in the early stages of development, even into construction.  The more people there are watching, the more likely there will be someone to object and slow down the process.

Once the course is getting ready to play, I don't know of many who want to keep it a secret.  I guess there have been a few, and they have their own reasons.  There have also been some who are fanatics about "controlling the message" for marketing purposes ... some with great effect, and some which have been counterproductive.  All they have to do is piss off one important person, and there can be a big ripple effect.

The idea that someone else will steal an original idea is pretty silly; there aren't that many original ideas in golf architecture, are there?  That's more likely to happen with a book topic.

[Tyler Kearns]

Considering renovation/restoration projects, perhaps green committees desire a little bit of privacy to allow the architect the chance to present his/her case to a more open-minded membership, rather than face a wave of opposition that had been sweeping through the clubhouse for weeks, responding to ill-informed rumours.

Most people on this board probably have a course we call home, and regardless of its design integrity (or lack thereof), it holds a special place in our heart. Therefore, we can understand how difficult it can be for an architect to present well-intentioned alterations to a club.

At the end of the day, the membership still decides whether or not they would like to pursue the architect's plan, but at least they hear it from the architect's mouth, and not via the rumour mill.

Tyler Kearns