Somewhere along the road, however, that
simplicity was lost. Between 1970 and 1990, new
golf course openings were stagnant, but in the late
1990’s, the sport experienced an unprecedented
growth. To meet this demand, developers across
the country began building golf courses by the
hundreds. The focus of these new courses was
simple: to build a course that would capitalize,
monetarily, on the growing demand for the sport.
Given that courses were opening literally every day,
architects and designers realized that they needed
something to differentiate them from the crowd.
Enter the term “Modern Golf Course Architecture”.
The courses needed to be long, challenging,
and dramatic. When advertising their course, they
needed pictures that would “wow” a potential client.
Big, cavernous bunkers, severly sloping greens,
thick rough and long carries became the norm.
Total yardage was at a premium- the longer the
better.
Perhaps the best example of modern golf
course architecture comes from the late Mike
Strantz, who designed a total of nine courses in his
career. Indeed, his courses were incredible, marked
Top: The 18th hole at Tobacco Road forces the average
by courses that spanned hundred of acres with
player to hit their tee shot 200 yards over a cavern.
breathtaking views, large elevation changes, and
Bottom: The 1st hole at Royal New Kent doesn’t leave
dramatic holes shaped around countless bunkers,
much room for error
hazards and waste areas.
One of his courses, Royal New Kent in Virginia, opened for play in 1997. Measuring
7,372 yards, the course demands blind tee shots on nearly half the holes. and an average
carry of over 200 yards from the middle tee. It features nearly 130 bunkers, many of which
are more than twenty feet deep and lined with thick fescue grass. The enormous, fast greens
have a host of severe swales and ridges, and some of which measure more than 100 yards in
depth. Upon opening, it received an incredible list of accolades, including “Best New Upscale
Course in the Nation”, and a tee sheet that could have been filled five times over.
Fast forward fifteen years later. It is no secret that golf is in decline and faces three
major hurdles: It is too hard, too expensive, and takes too long to play. Using Royal New
Kent as an example, the countless bunkers, hazards, and forced carries are far too difficult
for the average golfer., who would lose a minimum of 12 golf balls per round. The work
involved in maintaining these courses requires an small army, the cost of which is passed
down to the golfers. In construction alone, Royal New Kent, and its sister course Stonehouse,
cost a combined $27 million to build. And, with distances between holes that take five to ten
minutes to reach the next teeing ground, it’s no wonder why rounds of golf average over five
hours. In cart paths alone, the course measures seventeen miles!