Green Design
Green design involves more then just the putting surface. It extends from the immediate surrounds all the way back to the approach. A proper design will set up the golfer with options, no matter how, or where, they are approaching the green. Proper green design will reward the golfer who challenges the trouble. Introducing bailout areas offer more options, but they also puts doubt in the mind of the golfer about where to hit the shot. They see the bailout area as a safer place and a place to ‘miss’ their shot. They take their focus off the target, and don’t hit the shot that they wanted. It is this lack of focus that separates the pros from the amateurs.
Siting the Green
Good green design starts with finding the proper green site. A good architect will review a piece of land and try to locate as many good green sites first and then develop the routing to the golf course. The architect should not pay any attention to how the course flows in terms of yardage and par unless absolutely necessary. It may not be desirable to have multiple holes of the same par playing in succession. However, this rule can always be broken if it leads to a great golf course. Cypress Point, which consistently ranks in the top 5 golf courses in the world, has consecutive par 5’s on the front nine and consecutive par 3’s on the back nine. This course seems to break all the “rules” of design. Yet, because the course works with the site, it is considered one of the best.
Putting Surfaces
Developing interesting putting surfaces is completed in the field, not on paper. Designers may start their green design with grading plans or green details, but this is done to provide a starting point for the contractor. Once initial construction has taken place, the architect should spend extra time working with the contractor. Adjusting grades by a few tenths of an inch make all the difference in creating an interesting green.
Green Surrounds
When developing a green complex, what surrounds the green is just as important as the putting surface. Whether it be a bunker complex, water hazard, mounding, or grass depression, these features add a great deal to the strategy of the golf hole.
If you are designing a new green, starting from scratch, you have the ability to combine putting surface design with the surrounds to create a seamless design. In a green remodel, many times we keep the existing green contours but look at updating the surrounds. This takes more care to blend the two together so the complex looks like is has always been there.
All golfers will rave about a course if it has good green complexes. It may be the difference that brings existing players back and new players to your course.