Mike:
The process was pretty simple. I consider Brian a very good friend and I respect his work immensely. His use of angles and strategy is wonderful. I think his courses are highly underrated.
Brian also doesn’t over-inflate his role. One of the first times I met him, we were on a course under construction and I asked him why he chose to put a Punchbowl green in a particular location. He turned to me and said, “Big Guy, I know I’m supposed to make this process sound mysterious and I know I’m not supposed to say this, but sometimes a golf hole is already in the ground.”
A very enlightening moment since so many designers want you to believe they are converting lead to gold.
We had the same type of humorous conversation on Arawana’s third the first time we walked it together. “Alright, this hole is done.”
We spend a lot of time talking about golf courses (his and others) and he’s given me a lot of insight into the design side of the business. He’s also one of the few architects that I’ve met – Gil Hanse is another – who readily gives praise to other architects. I find that a very telling attribute of him as a person. While he may be brash, he doesn’t have the deep-seeded insecurity of so many in your business.
Brian has allowed me to give input during the design process and that will continue during construction. It was important for me to find someone who let me do that. It was also important to work with someone who had no problem in telling me my ideas are horse poopy and who also lets me question his decisions without taking it as some sort of personal attack.
In a perfect world, if Arawana does get built (anyone have $4 million laying around), I’d like other architects to stop in during construction and give their opinions. I know that Gil and Ron Forse have ongoing projects in New England; Tim Gerrish and Mark Mungeam are close by and I would hope they could make it to Middletown; you as well and any others who can find their way to Exit 12 off of Route 9.