Success

Success in the new Millennium

Golf and its traditions have stood alone in the face of the high technological world in which we live. Golf course architects have strived to maintain the legacy and heritage of the game and continue to find ways to wed these traditions with the digitized, electronic, fast-paced, modern world. Through these traditions we have proven time and time again that factors such as value, quality, tradition and excellent service will never be forced to give way to the technologies of the 21st century. Preserving the environment is the most important challenge we will face in the new millennium, but with intelligence and caring, nature and man can not only coexist, but also flourish. As we work into the 21st century, people will wonder what will drive success for golf course owners and managers. The answer is simple, and the same as it was 50, 100 and 150 years ago. Value, enjoyment of the game and the total golf experience are still the reasons golfers keep the game alive and flourishing. This has been the cornerstone of my design philosophy since day one.

At the end of the day, the design of a golf course will always be the determining factor in the success of the development. It has always been recognized and incorporated in the philosophy of the Ron Garl Design Team that golfers and home buyers are savvy and sophisticated in their buying habits. It is up to the course designer to uphold the quality of the course to that of the housing, and create a desirable community and neighborhood.

A critical ingredient to any development’s success is the course conditioning and the service given to the customer. The architect can help the course conditioning by taking maintenance into consideration in his design and through his experience help formulate the design of key service areas. This is a forte of the Ron Garl Design Team. It has always been the philosophy of the Garl Team to respect the site’s natural beauty and surrounding environment in providing a challenging and strategic course that is always rewarding and enjoyable to play. The Garl Team has broken new ground in our constant research to anticipate the needs of all golfers in the future. By the year 2012, 80 million Americans will be age 50 or over. In an effort to anticipate the desires of the golfers in the future, the Ron Garl Design Team joined with Senior Golfer Magazine to do the largest survey of senior golfers ever taken. Backed by data from over 4,000 replies, we learned how far senior men and women hit each club in their bag. We also were able to compute how long and how short par threes and par fives should be. We also learned about the psyche of the golfer in such matters as their preference of hitting over water or sand and just how long the carryover each should be. Thus, we were able to compile a unique and important database that will serve as future guidelines when considering proper designs for the active adult.

We also conducted a similar survey with Golfweek, polling female golfers of varied ages and handicaps on their likes and dislikes with regard to particular golf course features, strategy and the distance they expect co hit each club. In an effort to provide a complete golf facility where the golfer can improve his skills and thus enjoy the game even more, we have designed state of the art Mega-Practice and Learning Facilities. It has been proven that these facilities increase green fees and repeat play in public facilities and create a stronger member loyalty in private clubs. Providing great courses that are memorable, enjoyable and successful is always our goal. It is equally as important to us to accomplish this by out-thinking and not out-spending our competitors. Moreover when the Ron Garl Design Team has completed a project, we like to think we have not only created a facility that addresses just the needs of the golfers, but one that golfers love.