Our Design Philosophy

Strategic quality or 'shot value', deals primarily with the basic centerlines of the golf course and the series, or rhythm, of types of shots required; draws, fades, etc., all tuned to the effects of the wind and slope of the land. Various elements are used to alter, restrict, reward or 'shape' the shots played on each hole. Golf design elements include bunkers, water hazards, trees, slopes, types of turf and more, but the form, or nature, of the elements is irrelevant to the tactical value (their form falls in the aesthetic category). The issue here is the sequence, variety and sophistication of the demands made on all players. A different set of rules is used for each of the set of tees because of the abilities (or lack thereof) of the users. The strategic demands diminish in degrees as the player moves through the forward tee placements.

Strategic quality also considers the directions and turns and lengths of the holes, as do the green sizes, uphill shots and downhill shots. The par threes and par fives, if possible, should play in differing directions of the compass to provide added variety created by wind conditions.

The goal is to have four, each distinctly different, par threes and par fives and ten creative par fours (for a typical par 72 golf course), offering the premium strategic idea for the position the hole occupies in the geographic scheme of the property.

Strategic sophistication includes a balance of demands including green openings, green sizes, etc. The greens may open left, right or the approach might be straight in. A long approach shot should be to a large, flat-ish green to make it easier if the player gets to the green, as reaching the green in regulation is the primary challenge. A short iron approach into the green may see a large putting surface with contouring and small pin placements, requiring an accurate shot to the proper area for birdie. There is also the use of small greens for shorter approach shots. The use of serpentine putting surfaces can vary the length of the hole by a club or more simply by moving the flagstick. The best locations for such greens are normally placed into or with the winds as the pin areas become critical to the player's strategic attack.

The most common element in truly great golf holes is known as ‘challenge and reward’. It is essentially when a golf hole provides an option for the player to execute a difficult shot that yields a substantial reward, whether it be less club, a better angle for the subsequent shot, a better lie or all three. This feature is most prevalent on par fours, which is probably why, classically, there are ten of them for eighteen holes. Challenge and reward on par threes is based on pin position and the player's courage or degree of desperation at that moment.

From the back tee, it is necessary for the player to shape the shot based on the hazard and the pin placement, whereas, from the forward tee, the angle to the pin requires only that the ball be mostly airborne, as the angle to the pin is more direct. Strategic quality on par fives is considerably more difficult to establish, particularly from the forward tees. Par fives play quite differently from the more forward tee locations. Good players consider par fives as birdie opportunities because of their ability to hit the ball a long way, whereas high handicappers tend to regard par fives as simply a “longer space to make more mistakes”.

Hazards

James Balfour, a member of St. Andrews from 1844 to 1894 (and eventual Prime Minister of England) wrote a short but impassioned treatise on the nature of the game and the elements responsible for its charm and challenge. His prime conclusion was that hazards are the essence of the game. This does not imply that difficulty is necessary. Balfour’s scholarly description was that any fine course should provide a satisfying experience for all types of players. This is best explained in his definition of a good golf shot. “The most exciting golf is one in which the player is challenged to negotiate a hazard, and if successful, will gain some sort of reward. Sometimes this is manifested in a better angle for the next shot, less distance to the target, or a better stance from which to play, or possibly all three. The severity of or complete absence of hazards is the two most common downfalls of any course. The hazards must be placed such that they are achievable for all players based on their starting point on the hole. It is also paramount that the hazard provides commensurate gain or punishment based on the hazard’s position in the grand scheme of the course.”

Unfortunately, the use of hazards is largely misunderstood.  In many ways they are, as James Balfour said, the essence of the game. The addition of a bunker should not be an arbitrary whim on the designer’s part. It has an effect on the game of all the players, and a properly placed hazard has the severest effect on the better players while allowing substantial leeway from the forward tee placements. The placement of a hazard, in many cases, affects not one, but two shots - and perhaps even a third (on some of the better par fives). Better players view courses in this light. The easiest thing in golf course design is to make a hole difficult. It can be barbiturate, to which many designers fall victim. True quality design is creating a fair situation for all players that contains interest, excitement and variety. The use of both sand and grass bunkers. Both have the same general shape but, obviously, one has a sand floor and the other grass. The grass version is more pronounced than a secondary hazard (see below) and has subsequently a more direct effect on the score. By definition, a bunker is a hole in the ground. The wall of the depression on the greenside varies in depth depending on the tactical requirement. The floors of bunkers behind the greens should be lower than the putting surface, requiring the player to lob the ball out of the bunker rather than scoot it out across the green - possibly into another bunker. As a proven result, bunkers set below a putting surface actually play faster.

Secondary Hazards

The secondary hazard is not as severe as water or sand bunkers in that there is no penalty or special skill required for escaping the situation for the average player. Secondary hazards hinder the better players because the resultant awkward stance makes it more difficult to execute the delicate shots necessary to preserve par. Mid to high handicappers are not as acutely affected. This is because they find their ball in the grass and only have to contend with a slightly uncomfortable stance.

Ultimately, the strategic goal is diversity; a variety of lengths, turns and slopes. It is the creation of a series of individual holes that are not repetitive in their demand, and above all else, fair. If the strategies of those holes are sound, the players will remember each and every one of them.