BY DESIGN Excellence in Golf Design from the American Society of Golf Course Architects BRIAN COSTELLO, ASGCA The new ASGCA President speaks about his career in golf course design and plans for his year at the helm ROAD WORKS We asked ASGCA members if they would redesign the Road hole at St Andrews ISSUE 68 // WINTER 2024 ALSO: // Hazeltine National // Annual Meeting // New ASGCA members
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FOREWORD By Design is sponsored by: Virtual reality One of the many honors that comes with the role of ASGCA President is to introduce each issue of By Design. I’ve enjoyed reading the insights of ASGCA Past President Mike Benkusky over the last four issues, and thank him for all the great work he has done for the Society as he passes the baton on to me. I was happy to begin my duties as ASGCA President in my home city of San Francisco, at our recent Annual Meeting. The images on page 24 will give you a small flavor of that meeting, and I was also flattered to share with By Design some stories about my earliest experiences of golf in the city. Turn to page 18 to read more. One of the most striking aspects of each of our annual meetings is just how creative ASGCA members can be. For example, we heard from both Chad Goetz, ASGCA, and Agustin Piza, ASGCA, about the golf holes they have designed for virtual play in the upcoming TGL Golf League, which begins in January. I can’t wait to see how the pro teams take on their designs – which were free of the usual constraints relating to cost, land, permits, accessibility and more that golf course architects face when we know our holes will actually need to be built! This issue of By Design sees ASGCA members taking on another task that is unlikely to become reality: blowing up the Road hole at St Andrews and starting over. It was inspired by Robert MacIntyre’s fiery response to losing three shots to par on the hole over the weekend of the recent Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. The article on page 12 made me smile, several times, and I hope it does for you too. Brian Costello President, ASGCA
4 18 Golden ticket New ASGCA President Brian Costello speaks with By Design about his golf upbringing in the Golden State and the influence of Golden Age design on his own work. CONTENTS 6 Digest The issue’s Digest section features news of the renovation of Sharon Heights in California by Todd Eckenrode, ASGCA. We also report on projects in Minnesota and Florida. 12 Road works Robert MacIntyre called for the Road hole at St Andrews to be ‘blown up’ after losing three shots to it on the weekend of the 2024 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. If it was, what could go there instead? By Design asked ASGCA members to make some suggestions.
5 26 Sketchbook Chad Goetz, ASGCA, shares sketches of the eighth hole at the Country Club of the North in Xenia, Ohio. On the cover The Road hole on the Old course at St Andrews, photographed by Kevin Murray. Turn to page 12 to read more. 24 California meeting A selection of images from the 2024 ASGCA Annual Meeting, held in San Francisco. ISSUE 68 // WINTER 2024 Editor and Publisher Toby Ingleton Editorial contributors Richard Humphreys Design Bruce Graham, Libby Sidebotham, Dhanika Vansia ASGCA Staff Jeff Brauer, Hunki Yun, Chad Ritterbusch, Mike Shefky, Marc Whitney, Ann Woelfel Subscribe to By Design at www.tudor-rose.co.uk/bydesign © 2024 American Society of Golf Course Architects. All rights reserved. www.asgca.org
6 Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, has revealed long-range plans to add new facilities, including a short course, putting green, golf performance center, villas and an enhanced club entrance. Last year, the club agreed to a long-term partnership with Love Golf Design to reimagine the championship course for the 2029 Ryder Cup. The design firm is part of Hazeltine’s new ‘Vision 2040,’ which includes a new 10-hole parthree course and 32,000-square-foot putting green. Ground was broken on the short course in June 2024; the completed layout will include five double greens and 18 bunkers, with minimal rough and no defined tee boxes or water hazards. “Our inspiration was Dr MacKenzie’s design of an approach and putt course for Augusta National,” said Scot Sherman, ASGCA, of Love Golf Design. “Although the design was never built, the idea was to create an 18hole short course using nine double greens. This layout gave us the thought to create something similar on Hazeltine’s site. Since the club also had a desire to include villas adjacent to the short course, we believed this unique routing would New short course to open at Hazeltine in summer 2025 DIGEST A visualisation of Love Golf Design’s planned short course for Hazeltine National
7 The ASGCA has added seven new members to its ranks: Daniel Smith, Matt Schiffer, Chase Webb, Logan Thompson, Tim Lobb, Ron Cutlip and Joe Jemsek. Smith works for Better Billy Bunker and is also a golf course architect at Golf Links Inc; Schiffer is the founder of Greengrass Golf Design and has worked freelance with other architects on projects; Webb is a senior golf course designer at Beau Welling Design; Thompson is a lead designer at McDonald Design Group; Lobb is the founder of the golf course design firm Lobb + Partners; Cutlip is the founder of Cutlip Golf Design; and Jemsek, who has worked on over 100 projects for Jemsek Golf Design. “Thank you for this honor and I look forward to being an active member,” said Lobb on joining the Society Find the full list of ASGCA members at asgca.org/architects ASGCA welcomes seven new members Image: Harris Kalinka be a draw for members and guests to spend time there. “As the club looks toward masterplanning on their championship course, we are also using the short course as a testing ground for agronomic, infrastructure and design concepts that may be used on the ‘big course’ in the future. Our partnership with Hazeltine is a long one, and we look forward to seeing how our collective ideas continue to evolve.” The undulating putting green will be 130 yards in length, and located between the short course and new villas. It will also have low-profile lighting for evening play. The golf performance center, which will open in winter 2025, comprises a 9,000-square-foot facility with seven simulators and a 1,600-square-foot putting area. Patio seating will overlook the short golf course. Hazeltine club president Dan Mulheran said: “This plan clearly aligns with our mission and core tenets and is a tremendous accomplishment for our membership and partners. Through Vision 2040, we aim to cement Hazeltine as the premier championship private golf facility in the country.”
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9 DIGEST ASGCA Past President Bill Amick: Long calling for short An interview with Bill Amick, ASGCA Fellow, from the latest issue of Golf Course Architecture magazine provides an insight into his career and philosophies. Amick has long championed the merits of shorter and more accessible golf courses. His perspective was shaped by designing a nine-hole course in Florida that became popular with families. He saw this as evidence that “large, long, demanding courses” shouldn’t be the only golfing option. Amick also believes there is scope for golf courses to be built on a much smaller footprint, and played using limited-distance balls, like those developed by Pointfive Golf. He likens the concept to softball’s evolution from baseball, or pickleball’s relationship to tennis, and believes such formats could make golf more inclusive and sustainable. While acknowledging the enduring appeal of traditional championship courses, Amick notes the growing popularity of shorter layouts, par-three courses, and designs accommodating a wider range of players. He is optimistic that these trends will continue, fostering a more diverse golf community. “Many large, demanding courses will remain popular,” he says, “but I believe kinder, easier courses are justified and will continue to grow in popularity.” Read the full interview with ASGCA Past President Bill Amick in the October 2024 issue of Golf Course Architecture.
10 In the latest podcast from Golf Course Industry’s “Tartan Talks” series, Cynthia Dye McGarey, ASGCA, shares stories of what it was like growing up in one of the most famous golf design families, how she found her way into the design business and her approach to projects. “Given my landscaping background, my approach is to make it a good setting for the golf course,” said Dye McGarey. “I focus on enhancing what is naturally, or what could naturally be there, and how the golf course fits into it. Then there’s creating memorable holes and making sure it is playable. Uncle Pete was always on to me about playability.” While her family has been influential on her career, Dye McGarey has long been inspired by golf course architecture from the Golden Age. “George Thomas’ book is my bible,” she says. “I have lent it to so many young people who want to be golf course architects and I always say, ‘read this first.’” Listen to the full “Tartan Talk” at golfcourseindustry.com. “Uncle Pete was always on to me about playability” Cynthia Dye McGarey, ASGCA • Garrett Wasson, ASGCA, reveals how he went from being a Division I baseball player to launching a career as a golf course architect. • Keith Cutten, ASGCA, talks about some surreal sites, a book and forming a business partnership with two of his mentors. Here are links to other recent “Tartan Talks”, now featuring over 100 episodes: Webbs Reserve Golf Club in Punta Gorda, Florida, has opened a new 18-hole golf course by Nicklaus Design for public play. The club is the centrepiece of the new Webbs Reserve at Babcock Ranch community, currently under development by Lennar. The Nicklaus Design team, led by designer Chris Cochran, ASGCA, laid out the 7,034-yard course across the coastal plains and wetlands of the south Florida community. The course has water in play on every hole, courtesy of the site’s 20 lakes. “The course offers a great mix of challenging holes that test your skills and more forgiving ones that let you relax and enjoy the game,” said Andrew McGrath, the club’s head golf professional. “Every hole is thoughtfully designed, with opportunities to play strategically or take some bold shots, depending on your style.” Webbs Reserve opens for play in southwest Florida DIGEST Photo: Troon
11 Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club in Menlo Park, California, has reopened following a $23 million renovation by Todd Eckenrode, ASGCA, which has included the renovation of all tees, fairways, bunkers and greens. “It’s incredibly fun and engaging to play,” said Eckenrode. “The new widths allow strategic elements to be unveiled and variety in play is paramount. We have designed what is essentially a completely new golf course and experience for the members.” A significant tree management program has been executed to help improve playing conditions and allow for more sunlight to reach fairways and greens. The program has also included reforesting native California Oak and Sycamore trees as well as establishing natural meadows and seasonal creeks. In addition, a new state-of-theart irrigation system has been installed, new drought-tolerant grass has been seeded throughout the course and more than 20 acres of turf has been replaced with landscaping to showcase the natural beauty of the golf course’s setting. Search ASGCA on the below channels for more posts: @ASGCA @ASGCA is proud to serve as a Presenting Partner in the @GCSAAConference and Trade Show. The Sustainability Showcase will return in San Diego in February, including reps from @GCSAA, @GCBAA and @USGA @Golf Course Architecture The Keep at McLemore Resort is open for preview play. Richard Humphreys reports on the Bill Bergin-Rees Jones layout that is destined to catch the eye. SOCIAL UPDATE Photo: Channing Benjamin Photography @LinksGems A few new shots from Erin Hills. The combination of the vast emerald fairways, the endless stretches of tall brown fescue, the rolling undulations of the hills and the ethereal look of the morning fog wafting across the landscape is truly enchanting. Sharon Heights reopens following transformation by Eckenrode
12 Road works Robert MacIntyre called for the Road hole at St Andrews to be ‘blown up’ after losing three shots to it on the weekend of the 2024 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. If it was, what could go there instead? We asked ASGCA members to make some suggestions. ROAD HOLE It didn’t take long for Scottish golfer Robert MacIntyre to somewhat retract his call for the Road hole at St Andrews to be blown up. “You got both barrels,” he said via social media. “Sorry 17th hole. All heat of the moment… nothing personal.” But by that time, it was too late. The wheels were in motion. We had already put the call out to ASGCA members to redesign the most famous hole on the most famous course in golf. We waited. We waited some more. “There are not many worse holes in world golf,” MacIntyre had said. Surely someone would be happy to redesign it? Finally, a response. “There are an almost unlimited number of golf holes that could be improved with some type of modification – the Road hole is not one of them,” said Thad Layton, ASGCA. This was shaping up to be one of the shortest articles in 20 years of By Design. More responses trickled in, but it wasn’t getting any better. “The depth of character, uniqueness and history of the Old
Photo: Kevin Murray course is something to be celebrated and preserved,” said ASGCA Past President Doug Carrick. Jeff Lawrence, ASGCA, replied: “The notion that a hole is ‘outdated’ simply because it doesn’t conform to modern norms or is more challenging for current players can overlook the essence of what made those holes great in the first place.” Shawn Smith, ASGCA, refused too: “The strategy is simple with an angled green protected by one small bunker and the road on the backside. It dictates that the approach comes from the right side of the fairway. Getting there requires a blind tee shot over the hotel with out-ofbounds right creating a mental conundrum that makes it difficult to commit to the proper line.” It was clear we were going to have to call in some favors. We persisted, persuaded, and eventually received some proposals. All were provided reluctantly. And not all took it seriously. Turn the page for a quartet of Road hole redesigns. 13
14 Kevin Norby, ASGCA Few holes strike fear in the hearts of golfers like the Road, historically one of the most difficult on the Open rota. It starts with one of the strangest and most intimidating tee shots in golf, over the Old Course Hotel to a completely blind landing area. Although the tee shot is unnerving and challenging, the fairway, which is shared by the second hole, is generous at over 40 yards wide. The real challenge comes at the approach with a very small green set diagonally to the line of play. Any mishit or overly aggressive approach shots that stray over the green will end up on the road or potentially up against the adjacent stone wall. Then to add insult to injury, a small and very deep bunker is located just in front of the green and is contoured to gather any balls that come up short or spin back off the green. The result is that the margin between success and disaster on the approach is very small. To change the hole significantly to make the hole more playable or ‘fairer’ would be considered by most to be sacrilege – me included. However, golf courses and golf holes are ever-changing and constantly evolving and the Road hole is no different. In 1910, it played as a par five at 458 yards. Some 50 years later the hole was played at 464 yards as a par four. In 2005 a new back tee at 495 yards was added and in 2015, in preparation for the Open, the bunker complex was reshaped and reconstructed to gather more balls. The changes I might suggest would simply involve modifying the putting surface, enlarging the green slightly or widening and realigning the fairway. In my opinion, calls from golfers to ‘fix’ the Road hole are misguided. It may be quirky and one of the toughest holes in golf, but a complete blow-up would only serve to soften the course at a time when some might argue that the Old is no longer the best tournament course to test the best golfers in the world. One might even argue that the eighteenth should be modernized to better challenge those golfers. ROAD HOLE “ To change the hole significantly to make the hole more playable or ‘fairer’ would be considered by most to be sacrilege”
15 Richard Mandell, ASGCA Apparently, MacIntyre wants a hole where he is able to “hit a golf shot into and not one where you just...try to get up and down.” Well, just because it says par four on the card doesn’t mean you are always entitled to two shots and two putts. When Allan Robertson designed that green, the concept of par wasn’t on his radar. Sure, I’ll be glad to take the bait on a blow up. But I’ll limit myself to redesigning the features within that land. As one who creates hazards that challenge rather than strictly penalize, a large dune along the line of play would be the perfect challenge to cut the corner. Now, I could take the traditional route and place it in the landing area of the hole, clearly visible from the tees and make the golfer physically carry it. But everyone does that. Since I’m a big fan of ‘the principle of mystery,’ it’s more fun to build a sizable feature blocking the view from the tee. Now for the green: I’m stuck with a macadam road to the right and can’t go much to the left because of the first green. But there’s no reason that road can’t act as a hazard. I’m going to run the long axis of the green along the road, and if I build it up along that side, approaches can use it as a backstop. But the green needs something on the left to challenge a back pin placement. A pot bunker would be an intriguing hazard. It would be historically appropriate, considering most man-made bunkers on the Old course are revetted pots, and challenge those who overshoot a front pin placement. I know, it’s pretty similar to what is already there. That’s because what’s already there is great. But Robert, I’ll give you something. Let’s start with six tees so golfers can all have the same iron into the green rather than the same yardage. We’ll keep them low and freeform, so they mimic the other landforms rather than forcing straight lines like the existing tee boxes. I’ll widen the fairway to the right between the landing area and the green to help the higher handicappers. I can take or leave the left fairway bunkers because they only penalize poor shots. But because the Old course is the ultimate in historic relevance, let’s keep them. A few concessions for playability are fine, but blow it up? Not a good move in my book. “ I know it’s pretty similar to what is already there. That’s because what’s already there is great”
16 Nathan Crace, ASGCA For the record, I do not agree that any major changes are warranted. That said, I’ve always enjoyed all things hypothetical. When the railroad line used to end near the seventeenth hole, coal sheds were built in that location so the steam-powered locomotives could restock. The blind shot disappeared for a while when the railroad station ceased operations, then was restored around the time the hotel was originally built. So, if we agree that the green is the hole’s primary defense, the blind tee shot is part of the history and charm of the hole, and lengthening the hole to keep up with technology may have been detrimental, I thought, why not go in the opposite direction and make the hole shorter, yet more strategic from the tee? I therefore submit a proposal to shorten the hole by 100 yards. Assuming you have now climbed back into your chair, I would do this in conjunction with some additional bunkering and a considerably wider fairway – utilizing the area to the right to give more options than ‘hit driver as hard as you can.’ The existing Scholar’s and Progressing bunkers guarding the left side of the fairway remain, but I have added seven bunkers scattered around 265 yards from the championship tee to level with the front of the green (but out to the left to create an alleyway to the left of the green). At the 275-yard mark, the fairway would be three times the width it currently is to allow for these multiple routes to the green. The as-yet unnamed bunkers would obviously resemble the bunkering throughout St Andrews, and the small bunker in the right side of the expanded fairway would mimic the Road bunker and swallow up any wayward shot that comes to rest within 20 feet of it. The green remains unchanged, but the player now has three different angles from different distances to play to the green and the long hitter has the option to make a bold play and thread the needle to get the ball down into the approach short left of the green. The question, however, is, given the usual pin placements, would that second shot be more difficult than playing a full wedge from farther back? Lastly, while leaving the blind tee shot from the back tee may not allow the player to see all the new bunkers, part of the fun of links courses is finding things in one round and avoiding them the next. And as you move up the tees, you’re not forced over the outbuildings and the new fairway and bunkers come into view. Let the critical social media posts commence! ROAD HOLE “ Part of the fun of links courses is finding things in one round and avoiding them the next”
17 ASGCA Past President Forrest Richardson This approach to the Road hole leaves everything in place. No remodeling of tees, bunkers, fairway or green is necessary. By adding 48 bed-and-breakfast rooms among four new three-story buildings, a new dimension to strategy comes into focus. A drive placed left is still an option, but the bailout becomes a bit more complex. The drive hit right from the tee brings a new vertical hazard into the equation, although the Road bunker is still less an issue. Designed in the Scottish Baronial style, these new immovable obstructions are all part of the course – no relief. Architectural features will include ballistic-glazed windows and dentproof detailing. Guests will access their rooms from Old Station Road and can enjoy the entertainment from their windows as players negotiate one of the most famous holes in golf. Each building of the new hospitality operation will be named after a beloved St Andrews legend: Allan Robertson, considered the ‘architect’ of the Road hole; Walter Woods, St Andrews’ iconic greenkeeper for 20 years; Alan McGregor, who helped to shape the Links Trust into its contemporary model; and Gordon McKie, who has left his mark on the modern links through preservation. I admit being entertained by the idea – and its associated revenue estimated at more than £8 million per year – but gladly feel the Road hole can be left alone for another 175 years. • “ Architectural features will include ballistic-glazed windows and dentproof detailing”
18 INTERVIEW During his youth, Brian Costello could often be found tagging along as his father played golf at the public Cypress course in Colma, just south of San Francisco. He recalls spending much of the time jumping into bunkers, usually followed by a swift rebuke from his father and an early lesson on how to use a rake. All that is left of Colma now is a driving range – the first nine made way for a cemetery in the 1980s and the remaining holes were closed about 25 years later. But the course piqued an interest in golf that would eventually become a career for Costello. By Design sat down with the new ASGCA President to talk about how he got into golf course design, his career and what he hopes to achieve in his tenure. How did your interest in golf and course design develop? That experience with my dad planted the seed, and I continued to play golf. My mom would drop me and some of my buddies off at the Fleming nine-hole course next to Harding Park and we would try to squeeze in as much golf as we could. As I got a little more proficient, my dad would take me on the weekends to play golf at Lincoln Park in the city, as well as Sharp Park in Pacifica which would turn out to be my first exposure to a course designed by the legendary Alister MacKenzie. During the summers, I caddied at San Francisco Golf Club and when the course was closed on Mondays, I would get dropped off early in the morning and play as many holes of golf as I could before it got dark. Looking back, the exposure to this highly strategic AW Tillinghast masterpiece definitely made me a better golfer, and certainly influenced my fondness for the classics from the Golden Age. I ended up playing golf for four years at Riordan High School in San Francisco, which allowed me to experience great golf courses like Olympic, Lake Merced, Cal Club and Peninsula. One common denominator with all these courses, both public and private, is that they were built a long time ago; their scorecards, plaques and merchandise all bear dates of establishment in the 1920s and 30s. At what point did you think about making golf course architecture a career, and what was your first big break into the industry? During my last year at UC Davis, I was playing golf with one of my classmates and we were talking about our plans after graduation. I mentioned that I was heading back to San Francisco to join a landscape architecture firm, and he said that he was going to be a golf course architect. I literally stopped in my tracks and asked ‘what did you say? A golf course architect?’ Because, in my experience growing up on the San Francisco peninsula, there were no new golf courses being built. They were all built! New ASGCA President Brian Costello speaks with By Design about his golf upbringing in the Golden State and the influence of Golden Age design on his own work. “ Sharp Park would turn out to be my first exposure to a course by Alister MacKenzie” Golden ticket
19 Photo: crdit To cut a long story short, he went on to work for Mike Poellot, Brad Benz and Mark Rathert, while I joined Hargreaves Associates, a landscape architecture and land planning firm. We stayed in touch over the years and played golf a few times. About five years later he called and asked if I wanted to come down and interview with them, because they were really busy. I had just received a raise and title change and we were working on some interesting projects, so I turned him down at first. “Just come down and let’s grab lunch,” he said. I did, and met Mike and Mark. The more they talked, the more intrigued I became that somehow these paths were converging; my love for the game of golf, education, life and work experiences. I started in April 1989 and that’s where I first met Kevin Ramsey. About a Photo: ASGCA
20 year later, Bob Moore and Mark Hollinger joined. It has been a creative and wonderfully satisfying journey across the globe ever since. You’ve worked all around the world. Can you share some of your experiences of working in particularly memorable locations? I have been fortunate to have worked in many places from the mountains of Korea to the beaches of Brazil, and they all have been memorable. But my first exposure to international golf was during the golf boom in Japan in the late 1980s. Most of the courses that we were designing at the time were for high-end private golf clubs. It was a very competitive market, and golfers would spend a full day, at least, at the course. So they placed a high priority on the overall player experience, starting from arrival all the way through to departure. The attention to detail in the clubhouse extended out to the course. A tee complex was an opportunity to create a Zen-like garden with a meandering creek. The bunkering in the fairways and at green complexes was dramatic, strategic and in full view. Nasu Chifuriko Country Club was particularly memorable. About an hour and a half north of Tokyo, the course is near the base of Mount Nasu, a dramatic volcanic range that spews smoke and steam on a regular basis. The landscape featured beautiful pines, deciduous hardwoods and native azaleas – a little reminiscent of a certain golf course located in Georgia. After working in Japan for a while, I got to design my first course in Korea – on the island of Jeju, about an hour’s flight south of Seoul. The site for Black Stone Golf & Resort was somewhat similar to landscapes I’d seen in Ireland and Scotland, INTERVIEW “ Black Stone was somewhat similar to landscapes I’d seen in Ireland and Scotland” Costello has worked at some memorable locations, such as Black Stone Golf & Resort on the island of Jeju in Korea
21 with its rolling topography and wind-sculpted trees and vegetation, yet it possessed some truly unique characteristics and dramatic off-site views. The property was a mix of native forests, lava outcrops and open pasturelands that had been cleared over the centuries, plus a rock quarry. Stacked stone walls were everywhere and, on a few occasions, we came across really thick walls that the site crew said were fortifications from long ago. We also had some fantastic views towards Halla Mountain, a majestic dormant volcano to the north-east, and the Yellow Sea to the west. Several very prominent volcanic side vent hills also surrounded the property. It turned out that the mapping provided to us did not reveal the treasure trove of unique landforms and environments that we were constantly discovering on our numerous, extensive trips across the site. Over the course of many months, we found lava tubes, small cave-like grottoes, cliff faces, fivemeter-tall rocky outcrops and dry creek troughs and hollows. The creative challenge was to link these remarkable landforms and varied environments into a cohesive storyline, with each nine starting and returning to the clubhouse. At the start of construction, we were already on our fifth routing. The process of refinement based on new reveals continued throughout clearing and shaping phases. Ultimately, we created 27 holes that lead players on a trail of discovery through the truly amazing wonders of the site. From tee to green, every single hole provides a “stage setting” of natural features from foreground to backdrop. Who have been the major influences on your career, both in terms of classic architects whose work you admire and people you have worked with? Without a doubt, it is those that had a hand in local courses around my home. That includes Tillinghast, MacKenzie and Hunter, and others like Bendelow, Watson, Whiting, Fowler, Fleming and Neville. My education, if you will, was in the field lab, playing their courses. I enjoyed layouts that encouraged and rewarded strategic lines of play, and that looked the most natural, where the land shaped the golf experience and not the other way around. So, I The renovation of Palo Alto Hills was recognized by Golf Digest as one of the best transformations of 2022 Photo: Tom Breazeale Photo: Marc Howard
22 discovered, somewhat after the fact, that I really had an affinity towards the Golden Age architects. It wasn’t until early in my career, for example, that I read about Tillinghast and MacKenzie’s design principles, and then it really started to make sense and fall into place for me. What does the ASGCA mean to you, and what will your priorities be as President? When I first became a member of the ASGCA in 2001, I was extremely proud. It was a significant achievement in my career to be a part of, and accepted by, the very best in the profession. I earned it. I knew that the privilege of being able to add ASGCA after my name had value. Having those letters and the logo on your work, business card, letterhead and social media presence have value. As time went on, and I consumed more of the Society’s output and attended the Annual Meetings, it became clear to me that there was a collective strength in the membership of the ASGCA. Having the opportunity to meet others and share stories, to be a part of the education and networking was priceless. We have a great Executive Committee and Board of Governors, folks that have a sincere interest in continuing to contribute towards the strength of our organization, continuing to collaborate with our partners and sponsors and continuing to work together towards the sustainability and long-term growth of the game. We are working towards announcing some of these efforts in the coming months as we coalesce around important issues that have an impact on us and the golf design industry. We have been blessed with the leadership that Chad Ritterbusch has provided over these past 20 years as our Executive Director. His steady hand, grace and dignity has served us well and has left us in a very strong position going forward. The passing of the baton to Hunki Yun provides us with an opportunity to utilize his talents and past experience to build on the strength of the ASGCA, to take us to new heights for the benefit of both our members and our partners in the golf industry. • INTERVIEW Costello’s career has taken him around the world. On recent site visits with the project team at Fazenda da Grama in Brazil discussing upcoming improvements and, right, in the Philippines, scoping out land for a new course Photo: JMP Golf Design Group
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24 ASGCA ANNUAL MEETING The ASGCA’s 78th Annual Meeting was held in California, the home state of new ASGCA President Brian Costello, in November. Attendees discussed a range of topics impacting golf design, heard from guest speakers, and visited The Olympic Club and Meadow Club. • A selection of images from the 2024 ASGCA Annual Meeting, held in San Francisco. California meeting Brian Costello became the new ASGCA President at the Society’s 78th Annual Meeting Attendees had the chance to play golf at Olympic Club and Meadow Club ASGCA Past President Robert Trent Jones, Jr. received the 2024 ASGCA Donald Ross Award
25 Immediate Past President Mike Benkusky has started a new tradition of gifting plaques to clubs that host golf during Annual Meetings The meeting in California was Hunki Yun's first as ASGCA Executive Director Education sessions covered California golf, USGA course ratings and slopes, designing par 3.5 holes and more
26 The par-five eighth hole at the Country Club of the North in Xenia, Ohio, was renovated this summer by Nicklaus Design. Previously, the hole had a large bunker to the right, a smaller one on the left just over a creek and a small bunker back-left of the green. “Part of the brief was to reduce the overall bunker area, so we shortened the large right bunker to create more room to bail out and then reduced and shifted the bunker on the left towards the green to challenge long hitters playing for the green in two,” said Chad Goetz, ASGCA, of Nicklaus Design. The back-left bunker has also been reduced. “Eliminating the first half of the right bunker opened more options around the green complex,” said Goetz. “The original short-left bunker saw little play and moving it forward made it a more strategic feature. These two design changes really helped to make the hole more strategic and playable.” • SKETCHBOOK Country Club of the North Chad Goetz, ASGCA
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ASGCA Leadership Partners Supporting Education in the Golf Course Industry ASGCA thanks the following companies for their continued support of golf course development and renovation – helping ASGCA members do their jobs better, for the good of the game. // MAJOR LEVEL PARTNERS // MERIT LEVEL PARTNERS // SPONSORS
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