04 my philosophy mwp

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MY PHILOSOPHY100% FROM DESIGN THROUGH CONSTRUCTION

A N D B E Y O N D

A superb property is not enough to deliver a great golf course.

Golf courses considered truly great (as opposed to those marketed asgreat) have had the architect deeply involved in the construction

process.

My method of 100% dedication, focus and continuity of effort from

design through construction is designed to make human strength

effective and human weakness irrelevant. Its a powerful, common

sense and historically proven approach.

Money has its limitations; while it may buy

quantity there is something beyond it and

that is quality.

Frank Lloyd Wright

DESIGN

The real challenge in crafting a golf course lies in detecting the subtle

discontinuities that may undermine its perfection, and finding the

opportunities to make it that much better.

Such challenges can only be answered during construction because no

architect has or ever will produce perfect plans, and the builder would

never construct the course as the architect envisioned when left alone

for days, weeks or months at a time.


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There is no technique or program for achieving perfection beyond a

sharp mind in touch with the situation on an all-day, everyday basis,

and a line of continuity from:

Site Inspection

Planning Construction

Post Construction

SITE INSPECTION

I spend as many days as necessary to thoroughly explore, make notes,

and photograph the property. These days or weeks of exploration and

analysis reveal a variety of conditions and intricacies (details), which are

lost on even the best topographic maps or aerial photos.

By comparison a Signature architect may have written into his

contract one site inspection (photo op) before construction. Some may

never see the property!

PLANNING

From the time invested exploring the property, collecting information,

and the mass of hours thinking about what I have seen and

experienced, I personally draw the plans. This is continuity from SiteInspection to Planning.

By comparison, most architects will have a team of designers in an

office a world away that have never seen the property, producing plans

for your project.

CONSTRUCTIONTHE MOST CRITICAL PHASE OF DESIGN

Site Inspection, Planning and Construction are separate parts of the

same job; they are not separate jobs. Construction is the most

expensive, permanent and critical design phase.

The scale and detail of a golf course prevents perfect plans from ever

being drawn. Opportunities are always overlooked or unforeseen

during planning, and are discovered during construction. Also,

opportunities never reveal themselves according to a schedule, so the

architect must be on-site to take advantage of them. If the architect is

not present the minute opportunities are revealed, they will most likely

be lost forever.


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Even though Site Inspection and Planning permit the property to be

observed for weeks, construction provides months of further

exploration and understanding, allowing for continual enhancement.

Because golf courses arent built using fixed angles, but leave much tothe personal interpretation of the builder and his men, ten different

companies or individuals left alone to interpret the architects plans will

produce ten variations of the architects intent.

Genius is 1% inspiration

and 99% perspiration.

Thomas Edison

Due to my all-day, everyday leadership, communicating the design

details face-to-face, and monitoring this work in real-time, I am able to

integrate every opportunity to improve the project. There is no more

efficient or better method of constructing a golf course. It results in

projects which are not just good enough, but the purest definition of

my vision.

This is continuity from Site Inspection to Planning, and Planning to

Construction. 100% commitment and continuity, but it does not stop

there. There is post construction service.

By contrast, most architects will visit infrequently during construction, if

at all. The industry standard of one site-visit per week, month or

quarter, 0 to 6% involvement during construction, is not enough to

communicate the design-intent to those crafting the course. This leaves

little time for delving into the critical detail excellence requires. It is like

driving a car by only looking into the rear view mirror.

How can someone expect great golf courses to emerge from such part-

time efforts?

POS T CONS T R UCT ION

I work with the superintendent to ensure the vegetative details are

clearly understood for the short and long term. If he is present during

construction this allows him to gain months of valuable insight.


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If there were a better way, Id use it.

In time, several days may be necessary to update a new golf course

superintendent regarding the design-intent. This Lifetime of Service

brings continuity from Site Inspection to Planning, Planning to

Construction and Construction to Maintenancefor the life of the

project.

I am able to offer this type of service because I design and construct only

one-golf-course-at-a-time...a total of 30 to 50 projects in my lifetime, an

effort unmatched in the history of golf course architecture.

Wonderful things happen when people talk face

to face. Deals are made. Decisions are made.

Obstacles are cast aside. Whatever the job, thejob gets done face to face.

Granville N. Toogood


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04 my philosophy mwp

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