When looking at a golf course review, there are two numbers that really tell the story on how well the player can expect to do on the course. Consider the two different types of golfers, one that shoots par for the course nearly every time they go out, regardless of the course or conditions, and the bogey golfer who typically scores 18 over par on every round played. Using these two groups, every hole on every course is given two numbers. One is the rating and one is the slope, which when included in the golf course review indicate the difficulty of the course for both groups.

The U.S. Golf Association has standardized the rating system that is included in the golf course review. The rating is the score that average par golfer can expect to shoot on the course. The slope is the difference between what the par golfer and bogey golfer can expect on the same course under similar conditions.

Course Design Plays Into Reviews Of All Courses

When looking at the golf course review the layout needs to be taken into consideration. Bogey golfers will have more trouble with tight fairways, but larger greens may be more forgiving. Better golfers will usually have little trouble with tight fairways, but smaller greens may give them some grief. It is helpful if the golfer’s handicap is included with what they write in a golf course review.

While it is nice to visit a golf course where the employees are exceptionally friendly and they offer great service, the condition of the golf equipment they provide is even more important to include in a golf course review. It will not matter how much they smile and thank you if the golfer has to walk back to the clubhouse because the golf cart broke down on the other side of the course.

Course conditions are usually included in independent comments in a golf course review, but again, consider the time of year the golfer played and the weather conditions at the time. All of these variables indicated in a golf course review can offer a better picture of what can be expected on the course when played.

There are some courses where the golf course design makes it an extreme pleasure to play the game while a few others are exceptionally challenging, making it nearly impossible to achieve a decent score. The easiest courses are made for the beginner golfers and those who may need a confidence boost while the tougher golf course design fits into the play of the more experienced golfer.

On most courses, the tee box has three or four different starting points for each hole, marked with different colored tee markers. Most of the tees closer to the flag shorten the golf course design to make it easier for the less experienced golfer to hit the green and score par for that hole. The longer tee shots may make it more difficult for the average golfer to get near the green within par for the hole, and are generally used for long ball strikers and the more experienced.

Working The Design Into The Lay Of The Land

While playing golf, many have noticed the hills, valleys, ravines and water hazards and in most instances these were pre-existing and simply used in the golf course design to make it more challenging. Another area that poses particular opportunities for golf course design is nearby roads and homes that existed prior to the course being constructed.

Good golf course design will also take into account drainage to rid the course of excess water and some designers are better at their job than others are. Those who prefer playing a course by specific designers can find this information in a golf course review that offers many of the specifics about a particular course. In addition to the designer, many aspects of how well the course plays and what the average golfer can expect on the course are included in this information and whether the course is worth the green fees being charged for individual play.

In some instances, public golf courses have been redeveloped into a golf course community as homes are built around the 18 holes of play. Depending on how long the course has been in existence, there may be a need to redesign a few of the holes in order to fit the homes onto the course, even if the new facility is not considered a golf course community.

Not everyone living in a house adjacent to a golf course community will be avid golfers. Many simply like the solitude of living in an area where new construction will be limited and the typically quiet play of the game will not be a distraction. However, there may be some rules about gathering up errant golf balls and selling them back to the golfers on the course.

Fees May Be Added For Course Maintenance

In many golf course communities green fees are included in the price of the home and community maintenance fees. In some of the more exclusive communities the crews that take care of the golf course landscaping also take care of the landscaping of the homes. Others may include an additional fee for course upkeep, maybe in the form of an annual maintenance cost and other may include green fees in this added expense.

Those living in a golf course community are often treated to a feeling of exclusivity, knowing that only the residents can play the course. The cost of the homes in the golf course community will usually be slightly higher than in the near by area, and the golf course design will also enter into the pricing structure of the homes.

One of the biggest challenges of living in a golf course community is not everyone will get along. Especially family members that show little respect for others in the community or on the golf course. Since each person is also a homeowner, it can be difficult to seek reparation of any damages caused as well as quelling disruptive behavior.

There are little things that players can do to help make even the least expensive course into one of the best golf courses they play. Nearly all courses have certain rules to help keep it in top condition including replacing divots and keeping carts on the cart path, especially during wet conditions. If you have ever walked around a course, you have probably seen the results of divots left behind and even the best golf course will begin to suffer if the players ignore the common sense rules established by the ownership.

The tee boxes are often some of the areas that take the most abuse by a few players who believe they have paid for the right to damage the grounds. When they begin to think that one little divot will not make a difference and walk away, they fail to realize that if a thousand people a week share that attitude, even the best golf course will begin to look pitted within a short time.

Keeping Courses In Top Condition Takes Times And Effort

The ownership and maintenance staff will help maintain the best golf course in top condition but it will also require cooperation from the players. Many public course somehow stay in top shape, even with the typically transient nature of the players. Those courses located in a golf course community however, stand a better chance of survival because the players have a degree of ownership in the property.

Some of the private courses and country clubs also have people assigned to track the players, often fining them if they damage the course without taking steps to correct the damage, helping them maintain their reputation for offering the best golf course in the local area. The advantage of those courses is that the cost of maintenance is covered by membership fees and they can better afford to maintain the best golf course possible.

There is a stigma often associated with a private golf course as most believe the cost to play these courses is to high. However, with many resorts the fees for a round of golf are usually included in the price of the resort. There are also vacation packages that include at least one round of golf on their private golf course and may include different resorts on different days, allowing for a variety of courses to be played over the course of the vacation.

Typically, the condition of the course and the level of challenge is higher at a private golf course, when compared to many of the public golf courses, since the amount of play is limited and there is less damage to the course. While a majority of courses offer the use of riding carts to use while playing, there are some that only allow walking on their course.

Gaining Access May Require Membership

In addition to resorts, there are some communities built around a private golf course and play is limited to only residents of the community. They may be allowed to bring a guest with them during certain times of the year, but their home ownership in the community allows them free membership at the private golf course. Many such courses are usually in top condition, in some instances they may not be the best golf course ever played, and its condition will largely be determined by the community’s management.

Country clubs are usually part of an overall activity center that may include a private golf course, tennis courts, swimming and dining facility. However, some previously public course have decided to sell memberships to help defray maintenance costs and only members can use their private golf course and other facilities. Overall, playing golf on a private golf course is faster with less people and can offer some of the best course conditions available to its membership.

Pretentiousness aside, a public golf course gets considerably more play than private courses, requiring more maintenance and requires a grounds crew that understands what foot traffic and an abundance of divots can do to the condition of the fairways. Some of the better crews working at a public golf course can maintain the links to a condition that rivals the country clubs and a private golf course, without the added expense of membership.

Memberships in private clubs can be pricey with the selling point being better course conditions and fewer people on the course, making play faster and less stressful than that on a public golf course. However, those that consider a public golf course their home turf, there is something stuffy about other courses that brag about having fewer people play on their grounds.

Cost Is Often Major Consideration Choosing Courses

Having the notation of being a public golf course does not always equate to being less expensive. While private courses play only to those holding a valid membership, the public golf course is available to everyone and if the course owner hopes to maintain it in an appropriate manner, they may have to charge more than other public courses in the area to pay for the better care and treatment of the facility.

Most golfers are willing to pay slightly more to play on a public golf course that is in good condition, where some food may be offered and the employees make them feel like a welcome addition to their daily work instead of an intrusion. Many of these courses, especially those near popular vacation areas often offer some of the best golf available.

At prices that may be higher than what many vacationers are used to paying, they gladly hand over the extra money to play on a well-maintained public golf course. Especially when they can go home and brag about their great game on a great golf course while on vacation.

While many tournaments pit players against one another, to the golfer on the golf course, it is not enough to have a better score than their competition. While cruising around the course, most rarely consider how well, or how bad, the other person is performing. Instead, they are competing against the golf course and not the other players in the contest. It is not until the end of the round that scores are tallied and then the friendly banter begins and the trash talk begins about beating them the next time.

It has also been said that the true measure of a person can be found on the golf course as their patience and integrity is often put to the test. How well a person reacts to difficult situations and well as those where decisions about doing the right thing are frequent on the golf course and others will be watching, albeit from a distance and often unknowingly.

Course Conditions Can Vary Greatly

Depending on the golf course being played, conditions such as the cut of the greens, the length of the fairway grass and the condition of the tee boxes can vary. While most people believe that private courses and country clubs will offer the best conditions, many times a public golf course will have superior conditions, surpassing some of the exclusive playing fields.

It takes more than a name to establish a well-known golf course and the people that own and operate the course can make it a pleasure to visit or a travesty. Remember though, that even if the owner of the course is not well liked, chances are they will only be seen when starting to play. From then on, golfers are alone on the golf course, meandering through the acreage and lost in their own competition.

It is also recommended that, while playing the same golf course repeatedly allows people to become better at the game, to truly become a better golfer it will pay to visit different golf courses to see how well different angles and views can be determined in unfamiliar territory.

Photo:  Ireland’s Eye beside Howth (Dublin) by Timi az en vaok.

Top Irish destinations for a golfing holiday are quite easy to locate.  The Irish may take the game of golf as seriously as their Scottish neighbors and Ireland has some great golf courses that both pro and amateur golf enthusiasts are always anxious to try out.

When referring to Ireland we generally are speaking of the southern part of the island of Ireland, with has been an independent republic since 1922, and has been known in the past as the Irish Free State.  It is also called Eire, but the official name as a part of the European Union is simply Ireland.  It consists of the 26 counties that separated from the United Kingdome during the partition of Ireland.  The countries in the north in the area known as Ulster or Northern Ireland are still a part of the United Kingdom. 

Ireland is called the emerald isle and celebrated as a beautiful and quite friendly country with a rich culture and history.  St. Patrick, the monk who brought Christianity to Ireland and according to legend drove the snakes from the island is celebrated as the Irish patron saint.  The people of Ireland are descended from the Celts, a people who once occupied all of what is today the United Kingdom, and in this way the Irish are closely related to the people of Scotland and Wales.  During the Middle Ages Ireland was frequently invaded and colonized by Vikings from Scandinavia and with intermingling there is a strong Viking influence present in Irish culture to this day, with the red hair often thought of as an Irish characteristic actually being a characteristic of the Vikings.  Of course is well known for the color green, making a golfer often think of golf.

Ireland went through a long history of wars during their unification with England, Scotland and Wales, and cultural disintegration during the potato famine causing large amounts of immigration to other countries, among them Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States, where Irish immigrants contributed to society and became famous.  During the early 20th century the twenty-six countries of the south achieved independence and while neighbors with the United Kingdom, Ireland is a separate and independent republic.

Golf in Ireland is considered by golf enthusiasts if not the greatest, then at least one of the greatest destinations in the world.  The seaside links in Ireland since the Victorian age have been hailed as outstanding courses, with the course at Lahinch considered one of the best.  During the time of Queen Victoria the golfing world considered Ireland a prime destination rivaling the resorts of other countries and often winning.  After the beginning of the 20th century golf in Ireland was less popular for a while, but after the Second World War golf travel to Ireland picked up quite a bit.  The popular links today include Portmarnock, Royal County Down and Ballybunion.  These golf courses are cared for by the members of the local golf clubs and are renowned for their hospitality and excellent play.  While at one time golf was a game for aristocrats, those who maintain the clubs today are the descendants of Irish tenant farmers, proving that golf is a sport for absolutely everyone, and that everyone enjoys a good game of golf.

In addition to the outstanding destinations mentioned above for Irish golf, there are fantastic golf courses in Ulster, or Northern Ireland, that part of Ireland that is politically a part of the United Kingdom.  Ulster consists of descendants of Irish natives, and both Scottish and English immigrants. Combining these three nationalities, all with a unique love of golf, has created an area where golf is one of the most popular sports of all. 

In Ulster one of the best courses is Royal Portrush, home of the Dunluce Links.  This is the site of the only British Open played in Ireland.  Portstewart, Ballycastle Castlerock, Ardglass, Royal County Down and the City of Deery Golf Course are all fine courses sure to please any golfer.

Whatever your level of play, whether you are an amateur or a pro, or aspiring pro, Ireland offers some of the finest golf experiences in the world and should be savored and enjoyed.

 

One of the steps you will need to take in order to become a golf course architect is to acquire the right education. This would include going to a school that has architect and building design classes, as well as a school that offers large scale landscaping classes, such as that for designing recreational resorts. Golf courses are one of the many options that provide money-making opportunities for those who desire to be an outdoors architect.

After you have taken the necessary coursework to receive whatever degree or certificate necessary, then you may need to become certified. If so, you will want to contact the state that you live in and acquire the needed license in order for you to be able to perform your services. In addition, you may have the opportunity to learn hands on how to create actually facilities during a golfing internship.

Once you have acquired all the needed credentials for becoming a golf course architect, you may need to then start finding small jobs to do, to gain the experience that you need for larger jobs, such as designing an entire golf course. You may start by designing single-family homes or by drawing up landscape yard designs. You may also need to work as an apprentice under another architect for a while as well.

After you have gained years of valuable experience in the indoor and outdoor design world, you will then be ready to consider other options. One of these options is to become a landscape architect that designs golfing establishments. This could include involve designing the indoor buildings located on the course (such as the bathrooms or rec area) or it could be the actual map of the course.

Designing a golf course requires quite a bit more strategy than designing small buildings downtown, or a single family house. The holes that are played in golf are usually spanned out over a large area, and you have quite a bit to consider. For instance, you may have large trees, creeks, rivers, and even cliffs to contend with. The trick is to find a large enough area that is easy enough to play on, but yet gives each golfer a challenge.

Designing a course in the right place takes quite a bit of time and skill. It also takes the consideration of other factors, such as the local economy of an area, and the impact that a golf course would have on an environment. Usually designing a course is quite a process, and it usually involves obtaining city, county, and even possibly state permission beforehand.

During the process, you also may find that people who live in the area that are opposed to the idea. This could stall the process in some ways as well. If this happens, you may want to negotiate a plan of action that could possibly allow you to still have your golf course in the area. The other option is to design smaller establishments as well, such as miniature golf courses, which are usually quite a bit smaller.

Another aspect for helping you during your career development as a golf course architect can include a variety of other miscellaneous factors as well. For instance, you can keep your self posted on the latest architect news by reading articles in golf course architect publications.

In addition, you can find sample plans to work from that you can use to help generate ideas that will help you create your new golf course plan to sell for a profit or to use in the process of developing a new golf course. Furthermore, you may want to do some market research, which would help you find out what the demand is in certain areas of the world for a golf course. You may even want to consider the possibility of learning how to plan alternative golf courses on turfs other than grass-such as the one designed in Greenland every year (although this one is largely constructed by nature).

Becoming a golf course architect has its joys and challenges, and it is a very lucrative opportunity for those looking for design work. Those who are serious about understanding the art of making golf courses will have what it takes to make it. Persistence in this career pays off.