Master Planning of Existing Golf Courses

Master Planning of Existing Golf Courses:

A Conservative Approach is Usually the Best

This conservative approach, when applied to master planning of existing golf courses might be better described as "studiously reactive," meaning that you have to closely study what is already there before prescribing any changes.

This is due to to the fact that it is desirable, from a cost and operations viewpoint to utilise existing play zones wherever possible, in master planning of existing golf courses. Even if a golf hole requires replacement of turf, irrigation, drainage and the hole winds up playing in the reverse direction, there is usually large savings to be made from logistics alone, in the physical upgrading and remodelling stages.

It is for reasons like this that master planning of existing golf courses, and their subsequent upgrading and remodelling -when well done- is possibly the most delicate and sophisticated form of the "Layout Puzzle" of Master Planning.

The primary question in the architect's mind might be -

"what elements of this golf course can be retained, in bringing the layout to a top class standard?"

This is a tough question to answer because some negative elements of an existing course can often be made into assets by redefining the way they are utilised.

This conservative approach often means that an acceptable solution for each golf hole has to be achieved through the use of a collection of several techniques and methods. This is quite different to the planning of a new course, where one proactively locates the golf holes to avoid problematic detailed design and future maintenance issues.

The Need for Innovative design Solutions

In master planning of existing golf courses, and their subsequent upgrading and remodelling, we are often attempting to correct and mitigate out-of-date site issues. To do this, the options are:

A) to simply turn the site upside down and start again from scratch (like a new course), or
B) to look for the essence of each issue, and correct it with the following methods:

- Adjusting the line of play and sometimes creating totally new lines of play

- Re-shaping selected areas of the play zones

- Adding, removing or changing landscape that is close to the line of play

- Rebuilding some tees, greens, bunkers and sections of fairways in slightly different or in brand new locations and configurations

Greens Replacement

Master planning, upgrading and remodelling projects often come about by the need to replace greens, which usually become difficult to maintain at a high level at age 20 or 30 years.

The cost to replace 18 greens on a golf course site is a fairly fixed cost, so if you have to do it, it is usually prudent to undertake a planning exercise to make sure the greens are rebuilt in locations and configurations that will improve the golf course for the long term.

Golf Hole Spacings

Because of the myriad of issues that surround any existing golf course, the final solutions usually result in the overall layout of the golf holes being not quite as evenly spaced as they might be with a new course. After all, the idea is to do whatever is necessary to bring the course to top standard, not to simply move golf holes around.

Note the master plan below. Most holes are evenly spaced, but some fairly large green spaces indicate instances where a better and more efficient result was achieved by utilising some existing play zones instead of clearing new ones.

Master Plan of Existing, and subsequently upgraded golf course

Another issue related to the master planning of existing golf courses is where the architect is confronted by very ugly, unnatural or engineered structures that are present on site. If it were a new course, you would simply change it with earthworks, but in upgrading and remodelling, a broad-brush approach often cannot be used because of cost or political reasons.

The Value of a Quality Golf Course Architect

It is in finding innovative solutions to seemingly impossible situations that a good architect really earns his fee. Most existing golf courses will have issues, either big or small where experience and innovative design talent are the only things that can save the day.

Because of this fact alone, it is well worth hiring an architect who is specifically experienced and talented in master planning of existing golf courses and the subsequent detailed design for their physical upgrading and remodelling. It is likely that the amount of his fee will be saved many times over in long term efficiency of operations.

Existing green site before remodelling

Same green site after remodelling Design by Nigel B Douglas

Although this type of master planning of existing golf courses and subsequent remodelling is difficult to achieve, it can be very rewarding. Most golfers do not believe it is possible to transform any old golf course into a top class facility, and when they finally see it for themselves, their pleasant surprise is very uplifting.

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