les furber presentation

$ 100,000 Ideas for Golf Course Improvements

Les Furber, ASGCA

Golf Design Services, Ltd.

www.lesfurberdesign.com

If I had $100,000 to spend on Golf Course improvements…what should I do?

Hire a Golf Course Architect for a Day!

If I had $100,000 to spend on Golf Course improvements…what else could I do?

Hire a Golf Course Architect for 10 Years!

If I had $100,000 to spend on Golf Course improvements…what should I

do? What are some options for

improvements or renovations? What gives us the most bang

for the buck? How do we avoid “changes”

for the sake of change? How do we decide if the

money is well spent?

Critical Analysis & Golf Course Audit Identify the strengths and

weaknesses of the golf course experience

Address safety to players and adjacent property

Look for ways to enhance or maintain the aesthetics of the golf course

Does speed of play affect operations or revenue?

When do features of the golf course need to be replaced for agronomical or physical reasons?

Survey Stakeholders & Gather Information

Management concerns and needs for efficient operation

Membership surveys and opinions need to considered

Consider ideas of public players and tournament groups

Differentiate between “wants” and actual “needs”

Master Plan or Golf Course Improvement Plan

Presents objectives and recommendations with spreadsheet costs on a hole by hole basis

Can be adopted as a Master Plan and only modified by vote

Serves as blueprint for future projects/tasks and can assign priority to items

Master Plan provides continuity of design changes to future management teams

Biggest Bang for your Buck? Bunker Enhancements

Numbers of bunkers & strategic placement provide challenge and defend par of the course

Consistent bunkers contribute more than other hazards to the aesthetics, artistic eye appeal,and playability of the game

Location of bunkers can set up angles of risk-and- reward to your targets

Address Design Weaknesses of a Golf Hole

Correct issues of dangerous “blind” golf shots, OB or risk to players

Is the golf hole too easy, too hard or is it unfair?

Do features of the golf hole suffer from flooding, poor drainage, winter kill, or excessive shade problems around greens?

Can you make the golf hole more rewarding by changing tee locations/angles, tee & green surfaces or fairway side slopes?

How about creating a “quality conversation” golf hole for a $100,000? Is it possible?

Turf Grass Replacement Programs Grow your own turf grass

nursery for greens, tees, and fairways

Replace green, tee and fairway surfaces with sod rather than seeding

Grow a fescue nursery for placement of turf grass on high bunker faces

Enhance the Aesthetics of the Golf Course

Remove high traffic wear areas around cart paths and maintenance access areas to the features which can be unsightly or ground under repair

Use hard landscaping materials for delineation and ease of maintenance

Create special interest landscape features in out of play areas

Plant evergreen trees in foreground views of golf holes for year-round color

Go Green & Brown! Consider undertaking steps for

Audubon Certification Establish more naturalized out of

play areas to reduce mowing, water usage, and chemical applications

Consider the idea of playing parts of the golf course as environmentally sensitive and non-maintained areas

Use interpretive signage and marketing opportunities to promote your golf course as a environmentally user-friendly facility

Recommendations START WITH A PLAN! Know where you are at now and

define where you want the golf course to be 5, 10, 20 years from now

FOLLOW THE PLAN Enjoy the process – changes and

renovations can be challenging and controversial, but can also be source of excitement and optimism if key personnel are engaged in producing a better overall golf experience for the players

$100,000 can make a difference!!!!

Resources

National Golf Course Owners Association – ngcoa.ca; ngcoa.org American Society of Golf Course Architects - asgca.org

Royal Canadian Golf Association – rcga.org

United States Golf Association - usga.org

R & A – randa.org

Golf Course Superintendents Association(s) – golfsupers.com; gcsaa.org

Golf Course Builders Association of America – gcbaa.org

National Golf Foundation – ngf.org

Questions ?

Les Furber, ASGCA

Golf Design Services, Ltd.

www.lesfurberdesign.com