How to become golf course architect?

[colin1870]

I know that you need to major in landscape architecture. But, that's about all I know. How does one go about designing a course? Do you think being a landscape architect would be a good career, and not just one that wants to design courses?

[WUTiger]

Once upon a time, Francis Marion University (SC) has a golf architecture degree, but not for many years. No US colleges currently offer a full degree in golf course architecture. But, degrees in landscape architecture are a good start.

Also, degrees in civil engineering, agriculture and biology would also contain skills useful to building golf courses. To build a golf course, you need many more skill sets than one individual reasonably could master on his or her own.

Here on the US scene, the ASCGA offers advice on entering the profession: http://www.asgca.org/frequently-asked-questions/165

The Edinburgh College of  Art  - Scotland of course! - offers a master's degree in golf course architecture. http://www.eca.ed.ac.uk/

There's an ASCGA-like association in Europe: http://www.eigca.org/BecomeGCAAdvice.ink

[MSchott]

There's a limited market for GCA's. Construction of new courses is very slow, and the market is saturated. If you really want to be in the business, get a degree in landscape architecture and get a job as an apprentice with an established architect.

[colin1870]

Thanks everyone.I found a great link that kind of explains the basics of the job... https://books.google.com/books?id=iwJMU0UR1iQC&pg;=PA29&lpg;=PA29&dq;=apprentice+jobs+under+golf+course+designers&source;=bl&ots;=XA5ZTVNrbR&sig;=N8ksdP9HHLZSh1eXih4FN7R6AnY&hl;=en&sa;=X&ei;=2lSgVbGfHY7JogTfv4KoAQ&ved;=0CDQQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q;=apprentice%20jobs%20under%20golf%20course%20designers&f;=false

[sawyerg419]

degrees in landscape architecture shoule be the start right

[sawyerg419]

Thanks for sharing

Thanks everyone.I found a great link that kind of explains the basics of the job...

https://books.google.com/books?id=iwJMU0UR1iQC&pg;=PA29&lpg;=PA29&dq;=apprentice+jobs+under+golf+course+designers&source;=bl&ots;=XA5ZTVNrbR&sig;=N8ksdP9HHLZSh1eXih4FN7R6AnY&hl;=en&sa;=X&ei;=2lSgVbGfHY7JogTfv4KoAQ&ved;=0CDQQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q;=apprentice%20jobs%20under%20golf%20course%20designers&f;=false

thanks for sharing

[WUTiger]

People often overlook the market for helping out with golf course refurbishing. Granted, this is not as sexy as going in and building a new creation. Many courses, however, would benefit from rebuilding greens and bunkers that settled out funny.

When upscale courses get sold and transformed to public access, the new owners often do selective refurbishing to make them more playable, such as cut down a couple of landing area trees to open the holes, or fill in bunkers that no one ever lands in (saves maintenance).

[Coronagolfman]

On 7/10/2015 at 8:02 AM, MSchott said:

There's a limited market for GCA's. Construction of new courses is very slow, and the market is saturated. If you really want to be in the business, get a degree in landscape architecture and get a job as an apprentice with an established architect.

I agree with MSchott - your best bet at getting in the business is to find a way to get involved with someone in the business.

Landscape architecture seems like it might be the right degree to pursue - but if you could perhaps get some experience working at a local course with the maintenance staff while you are working on the degree it might put you in a better position to present an interesting resume to a design firm.

Unless you are born into the family of a course designer (Jones, Nicklaus, Dye, Fazio) then the road will be a tough one.