City of Laredo Golf Course

The City of Laredo recently selected 5 design/build teams to interview for their planned municipal golf course. Here is the article. Unfortunately we were not selected as one of the finalists.

What was notable about this request for qualifications?
31 teams in total submitted
Each team included a golf course architect and builder - it is a turnkey project including infrastructure and clubhouse.
The initial meeting was standing room only - there were more architects and builders than at the Golf Industry Show.

Above is the aerial of the site on the Rio Grande. The property was donated to the city by a local developer. The water rights are essentially free. The city has $6.6 Million to spend on the project - and that was including the bottled water we were given during the site visit - they had no room for over-spending.

It is a very cool site with lots of features - big arroyos, arid vegetation and good materials to build a course.

When the city announced that the $6.6MM included the clubhouse and infrastructure, there was an audible groan from the attendees. Most, if not all, thought it was way too low.

Our team thought it was more than enough. If I write more about the proposal I'll describe how our team was formed -- I think we were the best team for the city.
I wasn't originally going to submit, because of the difficulty in winning a municipal project -- the team was too good to not submit.

Conceptual Golf Course Routing

This week I was hired to create a conceptual routing to help determine the feasibility of a golf course on this specific site. The goal was to have it quick and get a feel for what could fit. The above sketch is my first attempt.

The golf course takes up approximately 150 acres.
The lots cover 40 acres.
Commercial and electric easement occupy 15 acres, with an additional few acres for roads.

What I like about the routing:
The course plays along the creek for two spans at different times in the round.
It finishes with some really good holes along the creek.
A player can play 9 holes - or 5, or 12, or 15 holes and finish at the clubhouse.
The optional configurations are due to the triangulation in the lower portion and how the holes intertwine.

It is a very efficient use of the land - which is sandy and somewhat flat.

It would be relatively inexpensive to build and maintain.

What I'd try on my next attempt:
Having the holes play in different directions along the creek.
An internal clubhouse location so 16 & 18 aren't par 3s and returning nines.

Additional Golf Course Routing Resources:
Here is the evolution of the routing of Wolf Point Club
Here is an article I wrote about my routing processes

OLYMPIC GOLF COURSE for the MA$$ES

I am not a fan of the newly decided configuration of golf in the Olympics.

The IOC was not interested in golf unless the stars (Tiger) would be playing.

I would rather watch an amateur team match play event.

The following quotes are from a Golfweek published article
"There’s already discussion about building a facility, and that could lead to PGA Tour Golf Course Properties unveiling a TPC-branded layout in Rio, Golfweek has learned."

Their goes that objective position.

“It (the golf course) won’t be some white elephant that’ll never be used again” Ty Votaw

I do not see how that type of course would help grow the game in Brazil.

Expensive and not built by the local workforce.

“Nicklaus Design would be very interested in creating a Jack Nicklaus Olympic Golf Facility for Brazil”.
It seems odd to place anyone's name before the word that has defined sport for 2,785 years.

This doesn't smell like the best thing for the game either.

At top is my illustrative guess for what will be created for the Olympics.

And a quote from its designer:

"We decided to build five sets of tees so every nation in the world would be able to enjoy the new TPC Olympic venue. We also added a 6th tee to represent the future growth of the game in Antarctica."

I don't think 99% of the world will need the back four tees of any course that gets built.

I really like site visits

An adventure to some place new is always a great trip - as a job requirement it is one of the most enjoyable. I prefer a site plan or topographic map so I can visit with a preliminary routing sketch. If the land dictates something different - I can ignore the routing. Some elements turn out better than anticipated and some not as good. And I also look to see how well my ideas would work. I have heard a good number of stories of scares happening to architects on preliminary site visits - so I am a little cautious - but it is hardly uncharted territories. I have gotten pretty good at avoiding spiders....

I never know what I will find.

Sand to build with....

Building a golf course in sand, like the above image, would be about 100 times easier than on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Yes we had some sandy loam and did harvest sand for plating from the site, and I still dream to build a course in the sand. Why?
Easier to drain - I wouldn't need drainage on the site picture I posted yesterday - which is the same as above. Dig a hole and there is a bunker.
Shaping in sand would be like using a steak knife in melted butter vs. a plastic spork on a tough steak. It is that much of a struggle to shape clay - it can be done, but not easiliy and certainly not fast.
The site has already set itself up to drain and I think I could build the course without any earthwork - why the routing is so important.
I will get my chance one day, even if I have to buy the land myself.

Preliminary Golf Routing

Recently I had the opportunity to talk to someone about a new potential site - see above picture. It looks perfect to me. Unfortunately a few months later it looks like interest is waning - so if anyone else would be interested take a look at the following routing and give me a call - I may have a good partner for you.
(p.s. the routing was created without visiting - so very preliminary)

Interview

Another reason for my departure was an interview for a new golf course. Getting to know more about the clients and how I could meet their goals is for me the most important part. The client will have an impact at least as great as the land on the eventual quality of the golf course.

I also spent two days traversing the property. It is very fun exploring a new site picturing what a golf hole and course would look like draped across the land. I also feel a bit like an explorer looking out for snakes, spiders, steep drops, hopping barb wire fences and keeping away from hunters while trying to not get lost in the woods. I think my time was very well spent -- it takes a lot of interviews and prospects for a project to emerge through the other side. I liked this one.

New Project Site Visit

One of my next stops was to meet with a new client at an existing golf course. The plans are for some modest changes and the addition of a nine hole par 3 youth golf course. I’m very much looking forward to the project.

The existing course is a little steep in spots. If it isn’t immediately apparent from the above picture, it is highly recommended to not leave your shot short on this par 3.

I’ll be back down to my Texas project this week and will have some greener pictures soon.

Banner Image

The above image is a favorite picture that I had taken during a site visit in New Mexico. I’ve tried to find a suitable image from the project I’ll mostly be talking about, but so far no luck. I’ll keep trying.