“What is the measure of success for an architect?”

[Niall C]

Mike

Very profound but the guy who designed it reputedly ended up dying broke. Maybe something to consider.

Niall

[Lou_Duran]

Can one great piece of work speak for an artist if a second opportunity never comes?

Most certainly.  The "one great piece of work" is the thing, particularly if it passes the test of time.  Far too many variables involved in designing and building a golf course for a no-talent to just get lucky.

It must be source of great pleasure seeing one's creation mature gracefully to serve its intended purposes well.  At the same time, having one's work mismanaged or altered badly- e.g. removal of key bunkers, flattening and/or reducing the size of some greens, planting of trees without thoughtful consideration of design intent- likely produces much grief.  Hopefully the impact of a few negatives don't overpower the more numerous positives.

[Jeff_Brauer]

As noted, there are several levels, from basic to Jedi Master.....in a few categories of Personal, Career, and Accomplishments.

Personal -

Basic - Good health. My blood pressure is the same as when I was 15, so I think I get some good medical benefits out of being a golf course architect, regardless of where I fit on the fame scale.

Intermediate - Stay married (I failed....) and have the kids not hate you for traveling so much (jury out)

Advanced - Stay passionate about it, never tire of it or travel.

Jedi Master - Attain some kind of zen happiness.  I am not there yet, but do appreciate what I do for a living and still passionate.


Career, as in you have to make some money at this -

Basic - Put food on table for your family for decades is basic level of success (and attained by many without ever starting their own firm).

Intermediate - Financial Well Being, such as home ownership and a decent retirement fund.

Advanced - Help put grand kids through college....or donate to charity

Jedi Master - Open own office, and get enough projects to keep it open, as its the only way in this profession to attain most goals we have  (taken for granted by so many for so long up to 2007)  


Professional Accomplishments -

Basic - Getting some awards and nice projects - We tend to forget it, but a Cypress Point used to be a "once in a lifetime" project.  TD has had a half dozen of those, skewing the standard a bit.

Intermediate - Designing some nice projects.  Having the feeling that every project, no matter how modest, is the best it could have been because you designed it.

Advanced - Meet your own career goals, which are different for all and may change over time.  As Ken Killian once asked me, "Are you doing more for golf building an award winning, big budget project, or by providing a very good low budget course way out in the country for folks who could otherwise never have had it so good (golfing wise)

Jedi Master - Some Fame

Jedi Master Advanced - An old Club Corp guy told me that he had never heard a bad thing about me in 30 years. (Obviously, he doesn't read golf club atlas!)  At some level, having a good reputation trumps all.

[Peter Pallotta]

It's interesting how JS Mill's essentially political and ethical concept of utilitarianism (e.g. maximizing total benefit, the greatest good for the greatest number, the needs of the many outweighing the needs of the few) has so deeply influenced our thinking about the value of our creative work/lives and the way we measure success.  I'm not arguing that this is bad/wrong; just that it's not necessarily the only or best way to judge.

If the Bible or the Bhagavad Gita had only been read by 5 people (instead of billions) over the centuries, would that lessen their  enormous value and intrinsic import?  Or, if a million golfers have gotten exercise and a decent round of golf on a modest course that's been around for a hundred years, is that course more valuable/succesful than a great course that's been around for 20 years and has provided ten thousand golfers with a breathtaking experience of magnificent golf and unforgettable taste of exemplary architecture?

The architect of one great course, or of ten good courses, or of a hundred average courses -- who is to say which of those architects has been more successful? It seems to me that this outward/utilitarian measuring stick of value and success almost ensure that very few who judge themselves that way will ever know genuine peace of mind or pride of accomplishment.

Peter

[Mike_Clayton]

Niall

Every architect here would take a vow of eternal poverty if they could leave MacKenzie's legacy - and the reverence in which he is now held.
At least I hope they would! He didn't life a bad life.

[Paul Jones]

To me, the measure of success for an architect is being able to build a good course or even great course on a terrible piece of land.  I think Pete Dye is one of the best with what he did with TPC Sawgrass, Whistling Straits, etc... and even TPC Louisiana (that is a good, not great one).

I remember Tom Doak stating that if an architect could not build a great course at Pacific Dunes, they are in the wrong business.  I am sure that is not stated exactly, just what I remember.

[Tom_Doak]

I remember Tom Doak stating that if an architect could not build a great course at Pacific Dunes, they are in the wrong business.  I am sure that is not stated exactly, just what I remember.

I believe I did say that.

I did not say how many architects I thought were in the right business. 

[Sean_A]

I think the bottom line is if the archie can take of whoever he needs to take care of and wake up on Monday morning eager to get on with work he has ticked the right boxes.  Everything else is gravy and if you have ever been to roast lunch at a UK golf club, y'all will know gravy is most often in short supply.  Those at the top end of the table get more than those at the bottom end.  Its much the same with life and GCAs are no exception.

Ciao 

[Rich Goodale]

Height

[Jeff_Brauer]

If it's weight, I might win!

[Tony_Muldoon]

Height

...and there's me thinking it was Depth.

[Peter Pallotta]

Actually that might be right.

During construction, the bunker that's wholly visible from the tee for the (tall) architect will appear half-obscured and lay-of-the-land to the (short) golfer during play, thereby adding a dimension of subtlety and naturalism to the design.

Similarly, the walk up to a proposed sky-line green will seem a bit onerous to the (fat) architect, but will be an easy and gentle rise to the (slim) golfer, thereby seeming to reflect an excellent and walkable routing that utilizes the sites natural features.

Give me a tall, fat architect I say -- it is they who will be most successful!!  (I know, I know - Ben Crenshaw. Granted, he's an outlier.)