Feature Interview with Peter Matkovich is now posted....

[Bart Bradley]

Continuing with the series of architect interviews, the April addition of the Feature Interview focuses on South Africa's Peter Matkovich.  I had the remarkable pleasure of joining Peter for a round at Pinnacle Point in February.  I found Peter to be a very kind man and expert golfer, who was not afraid to share his opinions on golf course architecture.  His flare for the dramatic is obvious in the photos that accompany the interview.

Travelling more than 8000 miles, I certainly hoped to see something new and different.  Pinnacle Point surely fit the bill.  I found Peter's take on the importance of narrowness to be particularly thought provoking (see question #15).

Enjoy.

Bart

[Joel_Stewart]

If Pinnacle Point was in the US or Scotland, I'm sure the world would notice.

[Tom_Doak]

He wasn't very expansive on the subject of narrowness, Bart.

[Rob Rigg]

I wonder what "playing to a high standard" means in Peter's opinion when discussing for the ingredients of a good course designer?

Also, is it truly impossible to design a course that works for all caliber of golfers?

I would argue that many a links does just that.

[Pete Lavallee]

I was fortunate enough to play two of his courses on my recent ZA trip: Pinnacle Point and Steenburg. Both were built more or less in the classical parkland philosophy with hazards on both sides of the fairway and greens. However, this seemed like the wrong approach for an area of the World, the African Cape, that is too say the least, extremely windy. I have heard that Peter stated that Pacific Dunes fairways were too wide to test the better player. In my opinion the fairway bwidths at PD give golfers a chance in what is a very windy place.  Steenburg on a windy summer day was a brute; I had no desire for a replay the following day, instead choosing to visit the Botanical Gardens. I did think the classical links design philosophy at Humewood, of bunkering just one side of the fairway and green to play much better in the ever present wind. Although PP is a little more accomadating, the fynbos is not the place you want to be playing your second shot from.

[Bart Bradley]

He wasn't very expansive on the subject of narrowness, Bart.

Tom:

Ahhh...but in person, he was.  He expressed a dislike for width...even in a windy environment.  What other modern architect would even go on record stating that narrowness was something they really liked. 

To be fair, in this interview with Ran, he wasn't very expansive on any subject.

Bart

[Tom_Doak]

Bart:  I figured he must have said something more to you, though you were not very expansive, either.

Rob:  "Playing to a high standard" ALWAYS means "You've got to be as good a player as I am."  It is funny how competitive golfers always think you have to be able to beat them on the course or you're not qualified to do or say anything.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Finally, a legitimate challenger to the Pete Dye interview.

It's hard to comment on some of his comments without hearing him expand on them; it's like they're written to be taken out of context!

Too bad, because a number of his comments sound like red meat for the site.

For example:

Worst phrase is “course must be fun for everyone.” Get variation of holes and multiple tees. Have a good balance of holes, wide in certain landing areas, others narrow, risk and reward at different distances for different skill levels. All about variety and balance. One area you can challenge everyone is in your greens design. Everyone can putt. Hit it in the wrong section and you are seriously tested.

You cannot design a golf course for everyone. You’re ruined if you try to please everyone.

I suspect he is saying if you design for everyone you'll end up with a boring course because you will sacrifice "variety and balance."  It would be interesting to get his take on great courses that do appear to provide the greatest enjoyment for the greatest number.

That's it: I propose every interview going forward to include a question seeking the subject's opinion of TOC.

Then there's the comment about "too much landscaping and not enough golf" in today's design.  But then a few questions later he says Pinnacle Point was designed "to bring out views."

Mark

[Bob_Huntley]

Peter caddied for Gary Player a few times some years ago,  I daresay that's from where he gets his obtuseness.

Bob

[Rich Goodale]

Finally, a legitimate challenger to the Pete Dye interview.

Come on, Marco.  Matkovich (or at least his ghost writer) is to Dye as Tom Paul is to Ezra Pound.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Well, I do recall Pound being from PA. Are you saying TEP is a Nazi, too?

Re Stuart M, geez, it's like he got paid by the piece not by the word or the hour.

In the end though Dye deserves credit for being an interview minimalist when being an interview minimalist was uncool.  Pete Dye, pioneer.

Marco

[Padraig Dooley]

Here's a list of Peter Matkovich designs from his website.



Arabella Golf Club (Near Kleinmond, Western Cape, SA)
   
Borrowdale Brook (Zimbabwe)
   
Centurion Country Club (Centurion, Gauteng, SA)
   
Cotswold Downs (Hillcrest, KZN, SA)
   
De Zalze Golf Club (Stellenbosch, Western cape, SA)
   
Ebotse Golf & Country Estate (Benoni, Gauteng, SA)
   
Elements Private Golf Reserve (Near Bela Bela, Limpopo, SA)
   
Golf du Chateau (Mauritius)
   
Hermanus Golf Club (Hermanus, Western Cape, SA)

Kranspoort Golf Club (Mpumalanga, SA)
   
Leopard Park Golf Course (Mafikeng, North West, SA)
   
Leopard Rock (Zimbabwe)
   
Pinnacle Point Golf Club (Mossel Bay, Western Cape, SA)
   
Prince's Grant Golf Club (Near Stanger, KZN, SA)
   
San Lameer Country Club (Southbroom, KZN, SA)

Silver Lakes Country Club (Pretoria, Gauteng, SA)
   
Simbithi Country Club (Ballito, KZN, SA)
   
Steenberg Golf Club (Constantia, Cape Town, Western Cape, SA)
   
Umhlali Country Club (Ballito, KZN, SA)
     
Woodhill Country Club (Pretoria, Gauteng, SA)

Zebula Country Club (Near Bela Bela, Limpopo, SA)
   
The World of Golf - Practice Facility (Sandton, Gauteng, SA)
   
 
I've played a few of them Arabella, Centurion, Steenberg, Woodhill and used to practise at The World of Golf.

I don't recall them being overly narrow but wouldn't classify them as wide. San Lameer which I didn't play but drove by a few times has the reputation of being exceptionally narrow.

I just got the feeilng down there that golfers were seduced too much by conditoning, big name (ie Nicklaus and Player) and big money projects and that length, narrowness and difficulty were essential components of great golf courses. Most guys rated the Gary Player CC at Sun City as the best course which I thought was over rated and not great fun to play whereas I would look forward to playing Humewood every day of the week.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Bill

Did he explain how the routing was hurt, and how much of it was by housing versus environmental?

Mark