Advancing the Art and Profession of Golf Course Architecture

I've decided that the best time of the year for me to focus on writing generally lines up with the academic year. Summer gets hectic with construction schedules, travel, family activities, and yes - for those of us residing in the Northeast, playing golf. During the next several months I will be focusing on more philosophical ideas that I hope will lead to the advancement of Golf Course Architecture as both an art and profession. My involvement with the State University of New York Department of Landscape Architecture in Syracuse always brings a few calls or e-mails from students (or occasionally their parents) asking about Golf Course Architecture as a profession. The undergraduate students ask about schooling, licensure, the job market, types of projects, how I got started, etc. as they try to determine a specific area of specialization or interest within the field - something nearly all contemporary Landscape Architects will eventually do. I have also worked with several graduate students and sat on their committees. Many of these students have a foundational background in design theory, and design history, and it often leads to interesting philosophical discussions in regards to golf design. Therefore, much of what I will discuss in the coming months will be directed towards this audience, as I know they are out there actively looking for this information. Other topics I will address include reflections from my golf design journal that I have been keeping since 1999.