DONALD STEEL
There is no doubt Donald Steel stands among the very
best in European golf design.
So much so that 4 of his courses have
hosted European Tour Events in the last 18
months. These being Forest
of Arden, Vila Sol, Barseback, & Gardagolf (Italy) Among
his latest
projects is the new “Carnegie Links” course at Skibo Castle.
A preference for the natural, traditional look has always guided
the working hand of
Donald Steel and Company. Classical golf
values underpin their faith. Golf course
architecture obeys no
rules. Architects
have a free hand. Courses come in all shapes
and sizes, bound
neither by dimensional restrictions nor standardised fashion.
Good
architecture
relies on the virtues that cannot be taught - intuitive thought,
imagination, an eye for land and a knowledge of the game.
However, there are a few rules of thumb that most accept as the
fount of inspiration.
They form the gospel of links golf that
extols the virtues of improvisation, invention
and ingenuity in
shot making.
It also believes that the golf course should be part of
its surroundings,
blending as imperceptibly as possible with the landscape. Only
as a
last resort should the landscape be transformed to accommodate
the
golf course.
Good courses protect the environment, bad designs
disfigure it. A good course
should make the best use of the terrain,
wending its way through varied features
and routed so as to provide
balance
in its make-up. It highlights the importance of
the proper angling,
shaping and contouring of greens - the centrepiece of every hole
on every course. Clever variations of level add to the interest
and appearance.
Golf course architecture is a creative endeavour. It should
be the art of the possible.
Making courses impossible is easy.
Spectacular
holes undoubtedly lift any course but enjoyment is the watchword
and golfers find little enjoyment in losing balls attempting
long carries
over water or in knee high rough. Too much modern architecture
is the
slave to colour, irrigation, power and the lob wedge.
It conforms
to a sterile formula
that is a betrayal of the belief that
there should be more than one way of approaching
any shot.
Freedom of choice in shot making is one of the joys of the
game not least around
greens. Fast running courses are a more
potent
force than those watered to death.
Here, green keeping policies
play a vital
role in a course's presentation but climate
as well as the
terrain dictate the type of course and hence the way it plays.
Modern golf course architecture's greatest achievement is in building
courses in places and countries where, hitherto, it would have
been out
of
the question.
They are breathtaking feats of engineering but
they are expensive.
A golf course architect's main responsibility is to make the very best of the land he
is given within the budget available.
However, value for money is always important
particularly
if the popularity
of the game is to be spread along the lines of Scotland
where
it is
the national sport.
His ethos of minimal earthworks and blending the design into
the natural landscape
has borne fruition in the rolling
landscape of Gower
where the natural contours enhance
the challenge and the
layout looks to have matured for 50 yrs.
His role in assessing and varying Open venue layouts on behalf of
the R&A is
testament enough to his status in golf architecture.
Golfing Holidays & Golf
Breaks at the Gower - Wales <click
Here> |
