Today we had 8 superintendents from Hamburg with the Barenburg seed supplier visit the site. We discussed the construction methods, materials used, looked at a couple holes, greens and then on their way they went.
They were astonished at the lack of grading stakes. We are designing in the field, as so many of the great courses were built. There are stakes as guides when we need them, but the great thing here is we have maximum flexibility to pursue the best solutions as we build. What's better than an architect in a bulldozer, shaping and refining ideas as he goes?
Plans are restrictive documents that offer little to no flexibility. We work with maximum flexibility, always thinking about the work ahead and completed. That's why I only work on one project at a time. With more projects you're hoping someone else gets it right.
I firmly believe the worst thing for a developer is to end up with what was planned on paper. Such courses look artificial, and that is the problem with a lot of modern architecture. It's not a labor of love, but a project to get finished. The result: repetition and safe (boring) designs abound.
Our method, allowing maximum flexibility is faster because we aren't building and waiting for an architect to edit the design every week, month or quarter. I'll write more about this in the future, but here... when we're happy, we know it, and move on. That's speed and excellence combined.
To the Hamburg guys, please say “Hi” to Norbert at Falkenstein for me.
Tony Ristola
agolfarchitect.com
+1 (909) 581 0080
Tony Ristola
- www.tonyristola.com
- A rarity in golf course architecture: Working with the builders, crafting the details of my designs in the field on a daily basis.
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Short Project History; The Good and Bad
This blog reveals a snippet of the daily challenge of building a special golf course. The only value in something like this for future investors and golf architecture aficionados is to tell the truth; warts and all.
Before arriving at Sand Valley the project was being constructed according to the "detailed plans" of another golf architect using a "golf course construction company" that had built a number of courses. They broke ground in June 2006. After 10-months the builder had proceeded to rape 14-holes and was fired.
I have been brought in to fix the problem, using locals to build the course. In the process all plans except the general routing scheme have been abandoned. The current course is being designed in the field, seizing every opportunity to improve the course as we go. That's the value of time. You can see the project from all angles, in all conditions, you have time to think about the problems and come up with the best solutions, and then refine them with the guys doing the building... in real-time. This is how many of the great courses were constructed. It only makes sense. More time, more input, more communication produces the best possible result.
That's why Sand Valley, though it had a rough start (using the "Typical Method") should have a fantastic finish.
Before arriving at Sand Valley the project was being constructed according to the "detailed plans" of another golf architect using a "golf course construction company" that had built a number of courses. They broke ground in June 2006. After 10-months the builder had proceeded to rape 14-holes and was fired.
I have been brought in to fix the problem, using locals to build the course. In the process all plans except the general routing scheme have been abandoned. The current course is being designed in the field, seizing every opportunity to improve the course as we go. That's the value of time. You can see the project from all angles, in all conditions, you have time to think about the problems and come up with the best solutions, and then refine them with the guys doing the building... in real-time. This is how many of the great courses were constructed. It only makes sense. More time, more input, more communication produces the best possible result.
That's why Sand Valley, though it had a rough start (using the "Typical Method") should have a fantastic finish.
