NEW DESIGN
My biggest goal is to create a unique golf course that fits into its landscape, inherent its native beauty and offers a great experience for the golfer.
I spend most time on-site, understanding and responding to the landscape, fitting the golf holes into the rhythm and flow of the land, instead of supporting unnecessary earthmoving.
While I am preparing plans and drawings, I believe that a reduced set of plans is enough. A site analysis, routing plan or perspective drawings are helpful to convey the message.
Shaping the courses' most prominent features myself gives me the flexibility and freedom to refine the design as I work. From the first idea and pencil stroke to the last hand raking, I am proud to spend so much time on-site.
RESTORATION
Classic golf courses often go with trends or opinions. If they are not carefully measured, a course can easily loose its unique character and strategy. Restoration will help get the course back to its former shine, by re-establishing playing angles and corridors, mowing lines and bunkering.
Researching the course's history and original architect often helps to find the approach and strategy of the existing holes, which might have been altered or slowly adapted through maintenance over a long period of time. On this basis it is possible to formulate and show a clear vision in a consulting report, that will point out which work needs to be done and a rough price estimate of the work, which all is presented to the relevant person. I am proud to work in-house with the superintendents and greenkeepers of the clubs, to keep the costs to a minimum.
SHAPING
Despite the heavy machinery, shaping is more art than science with the end goal to create something unique and beautiful that holds, engages the eye and challenges with strategy.
It is a skill and craftsmanship to adapt to different design philosophies and styles, while the main focus is to accommodate the seamless integration and tie-in to Mother Nature, the creation of interest, playability and efficiency in maintenance, the form and shape will always have to follow the function.
From the bulk bulldozer and excavator work to the fine contouring of a shovel and hand rake, every step in this creative process is taken to insure the best possible result and outcome.