Design work
The following are some projects that have been completed or are awaiting implementation in the field, which we plan to carry out with our own shaping work. Scroll away to see more:
William Land Golf Course—Sacramento, CA
We’ve recently completed a Master Plan for this special 9-hole public course in the heart of the state capital. As the centerpiece of charming William Land Park, the course is the oldest in all of Sacramento, hosting golfers since 1924. As part of its Centennial Celebration, our plan looks to solve critical infrastructure issues, reduce future water usage, and make small footprint/high impact design changes aimed at increasing strategy, variety, and fun. Stylistically, we seek to bring the course’s features—greens, bunkers, mounds, etc.—back to the Golden Age in a way that matches the eclectic charm of the surrounding neighborhood while standing apart from other California courses of its vintage. Overall, the Plan is a celebration of the course’s 100 years and a roadmap to setting it up to thrive for the next 100 years. Please take a look these conceptual images below.
While a big part of the Master Plan is solving infrastructure issues, the plan drawing highlights the fun stuff—new greens, new bunkers, wide fairways, new strategies and ways to play your shots.
An early page of the Master Plan book describes the interwoven nature of the golf course with the surrounding park and neighborhood
The one routing change on the course solves a flow issue at holes 6-7-8, which came about with the addition of the current 7th hole outside of the old 7th (current 8th) after the Park added the soccer fields and Fairytale town in the 1950s.
The opening tee shot taking on the greenside shortgrass mounds will provide many thrills (and anguish) as well as entertainment for those sitting at the picnic tables near the clubhouse.
The 2nd hole seeks to take advantage of a wide playing corridor and borrows a concept from the 4th hole at Elie in Scotland, which has a spine running the length of the fairway into the green. You will want to check the flag at the tee and then try to find whatever side of the ridge the hole is on. Otherwise it will be a tricky approach shot to have to cross over it at the green, whether trying to fly it or run it on.
The 5th green is a two tiered green with an offset twist, leaving some fun hole locations in the corners.
The fairway at the 5th is the flattest and plainest on the course, but it wouldn’t be after implementing the plan. The left half of the fairway remains flat and open, but the angle most days isn’t as good from that side. On the right, a cop and bunker can be carried to gain an advantage, but undulations beyond it could leave an awkward bounce or stance.
The par five 8th has the widest fairway on the course, compensating for a necessary drainage ditch to relieve winter saturation. It provides the choice to cut the corner and save distance—but be blind and have to take on fronting bunker and mounds—or play out right—and have a longer shot but clear path and view to the green.
An up close look at the middle of the Plan
The Golf Course at Wente Vineyards—Livermore, CA
This was a true “start to finish” project for this practice green and bunker at the Golf Course at Wente Vineyards. From an initial concept plan showcasing the idea to shaping it out with an excavator to the final finish rake strokes before sod went down, we were hands-on involved in this local project. It was fun and satisfying work trying to fit the puzzle pieces into a tight but dramatic space, and we had the freedom to try out a little bit different bunker style and greens contouring that played off the shapes of the distant hills.
Two stylistic options were offered with the edging—a smoother, more manicured edge like what exists out on the rest of the course, and something a bit more rugged and natural that plays more off the distant hills and native textures.
The final product
Shadowy contours along the edge
A side view from the driving range tee. We tiered the green for a few reasons. One, it better fit the flow of the land. Two, it helps keep shots contained. Three, it adds a little more interest and variety for the bunker shot, especially for such a tighter space.
The green and bunker all finished off and ready for grass
Alternate angle from above that shows some of the horizon contouring in comparison to the distant hills.
What the whole area looks like as you approach it coming up the cart path
Gleneagles Golf Course—San Francisco, CA
A few years ago we put together some conceptual drawings for what we might do to the bunkers at Gleneagles. At the time, it seemed there might be a few tricks we could have used to pull off a low-key renovation and reduction of the bunkers at the notoriously cash-strapped course. Alas, it has yet to come to be. Hopefully someday, as this is a special place in the world of public golf.
Sallandsche Golf Club—Diepenveen, Netherlands
This was a full bunker renovation of a village golf club in the east of Holland carried out with Dutch architect Frank Pont. With time constraints and typical soil difficulties, it is rare that one person can do all of the shaping, all of the finish work, and all of the edge cutting on a single project. With a nice sandy soil with a mix of organics though, that is the level of involvement we were able to have at Sallandsche. The details matter, and whenever given the opportunity to work on them ourselves, we take it.
The 17th hole, with its angled cross bunkers, was the first hole we worked on at Sallandsche.
The par 3 ninth hole at Sallandsche originally called for one large bunker on the right. An existing irrigation line prompted an idea though to split the bunker in two, which would then also add more profile and visual interest to the bunkering. Using principles gained from traveling to the Melbourne said belt, we were able to make it appear as 3 bunkers of different shapes and sizes.
The 16th hole has the 14th green sitting behind it. When working on those bunkers on 14, it was important not only to check how they looked from the 14th tee but also to check the view from the 16th fairway and green. It is always important to consider every visual angle.
The new bunker arrangement at the par 5 11th hole is set at an angle short of the green, which is one of the more interesting on the course, especially now that the old left greenside bunker is now a shortgrass hollow. The new right greenside bunker was cut into and existing landform built by a previous architect.
The second hole originally called for one bunker, but like the 9th hole, an irrigation line was in the way, which led us to split up the complex in two and save changing the line. Like 9, the decision also led to a more visually interesting bunker complex.
The angled bunkering on the par 5 7th hole guards the ideal angle of play, which is from the left.
The 10th hole at Sallandsche features a blowout that changes form as one walks past it and allows visibility of a far front right pin. This is an example of an idea discovered by accident while working in the field.
The long bunkering on the 8th hole at Sallandsche fits nicely with the subdued ground of the hole.
The 8th hole greenside bunkers is simple but one of my favorites for how it turned out.
Sierra View Country Club—Roseville, CA
At Sierra View, we were tasked with renovating the tees on holes 10 and 11, keeping them stylistically the same (rectangular in shape) but adding size and shifting them slightly to improve playing angles and visibility. With the forward tee on 10, we were able to make it become part of the fairway to help visually hide it from the other tees.
