Impacts of Design and Course Maintenance on the Player

As previously discussed, the layout and routing of a golf course creates a tremendous impact on the formation of a player, but how does this all begin? Both professional golfers and course designers/architects get paid the big bucks to create the "blueprints" of a golf course. The production of a golf course is just as important as the construction and movement of a museum, as Rose alludes to when discussing discourse II. Due to the cost of producing and constructing many acres of land for a course, a lot rides on the thought processes and exact design behind courses. These decisions have major economic impacts because the successes of future profit depend on location, layout, enjoyment factors, which all depend on the members or number of eager outsiders longing to play on the course. "Golfers make tradeoffs between choice factors in choosing a golf course; it is a multiattribute decision where green fees, travel distance, and course design are among several factors considered simultaneously" (Won, 1). The course could possibly fail if they build it too long, thus players will shoot higher. Very easily, if this is the case, they will most likely become too frustrated to pay and play there again. Going the opposite way, if the course is made to cheaply, and not very well thought out, the players will not pay a reasonable amount to play there, or not play there at all.


Golf course designers also have ethical pressure to preserve the environment in which the course is built on and around. This is exceptionally important because, "The extent of each area owes much to the architect who designed the course and subsequent management, but the non-playing areas generally represent 25% and 40% of the total area of the course" (Grange). Although these non-playing areas make up a considerable amount, the architects must craft the course to preserve this environment. Issues such as water run off, fertilizers, and tempering with animals' habitats all must be taken into account before construction as well as during the lifetime of the course. "Golf course architects have worked for generations to ensure that in the process of designing fun, challenging courses, park space is preserved, the natural beauty of land enhanced, and the desires of homeowners met" (Whitney).

 

 

The setting of a course is absolutely crucial to the experience of the player. Mark Whitney states, "The beautiful setting is intrinsic to the very game of golf. Seldom does someone refer to the "beauty" of a basketball court or a bowling center, yet the word is used regularly in regard to golf. The lush, serene setting helps players relieve stress, clear their minds, and fully enjoy their leisure time" (Whitney). Assuming that the player is able to relieve stress by the setting alone of a golf course says a lot about the forces of discipline behind the space of a course. These spaces created by the golf course create a major impact within people's lives and happiness. Wells states, "When asked why they enjoyed the sport so much, urban golfers echoed the sentiments of other green-space advocates-they appreciated the opportunity to escape the stresses of city life and to exercise in a fresh air environment" (157).

 

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