Routing the Golf Course: The Art & Science that Forms the Golf Journey [Hardcover]

Forrest L. Richardson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471434809 | ISBN-13: 978-0471434801 | Publication Date: June 15, 2002 | Edition: 1

Filled with advice, tips, strategies, and problem-solving techniques from some of the leading figures in golf architecture, Routing the Golf Course provides unique insight into the most essential phase of designing a golf course. Coverage includes material on all aspects of planning a golf course such as site evaluation; environmental conditions; programming; and financial, psychological, and strategic game considerations. This nuts-and-bolts information is balanced with anecdotal, real-life experiences from guest essayists such as land planner Gil Martinez, environmental psychologist Dr. Edward Sadalla, and golf course architect Arthur Jack Snyder. Also featured is an interview with longtime professional golfer and broadcaster Peter Oosterhuis, who also provides the foreword.

This book is divided into four key parts. "The Opening" begins with a brief history of routing, including the influence of St. Andrews, and continues with insightful examinations of the components that make up different courses. "Making the Turn" contains chapters on essential routing information such as the "rules" of routing, safety considerations, and methods for fitting holes together. "The Heart of the Course" explores the hands-on process of creating routing plans and is enhanced with words of wisdom from renowned golf course architects Pete Dye, Jay Morrish, Dr. Michael Hurdzon, and many others. In the final section, "The Finish," coverage includes the use of GIS in routing, presenting routing plans, and design changes that may lie ahead for golf courses. A unique look at the Cypress Point Club rounds out the reading.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"expecting good things from Forrest Richardson...he is already the biggest name in Golf Course Architecture." (Golf Digest, November 2002)

"Casual writing style that keeps the reader engaged, and he generously sprinkles anecdotes drawn from professional experiences throughout the book." (Landscape Architecture, May 2003)

From the Inside Flap

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, pioneers such as Allan Robertson and Old Tom Morris introduced a human touch to golfs playing board by purposefully laying out golf courses. Whereas fairways, hazards, and greens had until then been left to the forces of nature, these men began creating them out of the landscape. Courses were routed in ways other than "going out and coming in," as had been the trend in the earliest links layouts. The development of golf courses would be forever changed.

A consciousness of golf course design emerged, and with the opening in 1911 of the National Golf Links, designed by Charles Blair Macdonald, the science of golf architecture took another landmark step on an ever-evolving quest for the "ideal golf course." Routing the Golf Course continues this great tradition.

Filled with advice, tips, strategies, and problem-solving techniques from some of the leading figures in golf course architecture, Routing the Golf Course provides unique insight into the most essential phase of designing a golf course. Coverage includes material on all aspects of planning a golf course such as site evaluation; environmental conditions; programming; and financial, psychological, and strategic game considerations. This nuts-and-bolts information is balanced with anecdotal, real-life experiences from guest essayists such as land planner Gil Martinez, environmental psychologist Dr. Edward Sadalla, and golf course architect Arthur Jack Snyder. Also featured is an interview with longtime professional golfer and broadcaster Peter Oosterhuis, who also provides the Foreword.

This book is divided into four key parts. "The Opening" begins with a brief history of routing, including the influence of St. Andrews, and continues with insightful examinations of the components that make up different courses. "Making the Turn" contains chapters on essential routing information such as the "rules"of routing, safety considerations, and methods for fitting holes together. "The Heart of the Course" explores the hands-on process of creating routing plans and is enhanced with words of wisdom from renowned golf course architects Pete Dye, Jay Morrish, Dr. Michael Hurdzan, and many others. In the final section, "The Finish," coverage includes the use of GIS in routing, presenting routing plans, and design changes that may lie ahead for golf courses. A unique look at the Cypress Point Club rounds out the reading.

Routing the Golf Course is an invaluable book for landscape architects, golf course architects, land planners, civil engineers, golf course superintendents, course developers, and builders and owners, as well as golf enthusiasts and club historians.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 528 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (June 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471434809
• ISBN-13: 978-0471434801
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,277,358 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Need to Know, but Engaging Too, August 21, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Routing the Golf Course: The Art & Science that Forms the Golf Journey (Hardcover)

This book is at once engaging and informative. It's packed with practical advice and step-by-step instructions for planning a course - something that I haven't found in this kind of detail in any other book. And amidst the practical information are terrific stories about bad routings (a civil engineer who designed a dog-leg 180 yard par 3!), stories about how a routing preserved an archaeological treasure (The Moundbuilders Country Club), and stories about the author's own successes and failures. Interviews with Bob Graves, Dr. Michael Hurdzan, Pete Dye and a host of other golf course architects shed light on their routing experiences and highlight just how critical the routing phase is to the success of a course. Really well done.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A thinking mans golf book, November 11, 2002

By 

Bill Cooke (Double Bay, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Routing the Golf Course: The Art & Science that Forms the Golf Journey (Hardcover)

What a terrific book: I am a golf nut who just happens to live in Australia, and although I have never designed a course other than doodles, I have certainly pondered the nuance of the layout of some of the games great courses that I have had the honor to play: Cypress Point (the final chapter is all about this one gem) and Pebble Beach, The Old Course at St Andrews are all thoughtfully explored. I particularly liked the "templates" and I feel I have a much better understanding of the science of course design. Its a good read, and very thoughtfully done. I want to build a three hole "amen corner-of-the-world" course in my backyard now.

I would highly recommend it to anyone, but if you are actually having a course built, its a must read! And buy one for your course architect as well!

5.0 out of 5 stars A WONDERFUL VOLUME ON GOLF AND COURSE DESIGN FOR ALL GOLFERS, January 27, 2010

By 

D. McAllister "MRD" (Somewhere in the Field) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Routing the Golf Course: The Art & Science that Forms the Golf Journey (Hardcover)

Isn't it interesting to note how many armchair golf course designers there are out there? I know that I'm one and that is precisely why I picked up ROUTING THE COURSE: THE ART & SCIENCE THAT FORMS THE GOLF JOURNEY by Forrest Richardson. What I discovered was a well-written book that speaks to everyone interested in the game of golf. Not only does the book talk about what it takes to set up a world-class golf course routing, it also speaks to a plethora of subjects relating to golf and golfers.

For instance, who better to discuss the need for playing a golf course within your limits as a golfer than a golf course architect? Richardson does just that in verbiage that precedes the USGA's 2011 "Tee It Forward" campaign by nearly a decade. Richardson presents his thoughts about this subject from the standpoint of one who has walked the land to be used for the course AND then sets up teeing grounds to meet the needs of golfers at all levels. Wonderful stuff!

The book is set up as "holes" instead of chapters and leads the reader logically through the processes involved in routing a golf course from the games beginnings in pre-Columbian Scotland down to modern golf course layouts. The book's second chapter,"The Influence of St. Andrews," is indispensable, whether the reader approaches this volume from the standpoint of a design practitioner or a weekend hacker. Either way, the foundation set in this chapter invites golfing participants of all levels to peek into the connective tissue of the game that links today's courses with their noble ancestor on the east coast of Fife in Scotland.

And that's just one chapter! The rest of the book is equally interesting. I especially liked a couple of "holes" by guest contributors, Dr. Edward Sadalla (Hole 10: The Psychology of the Golf Journey) and golfer and golf commentator Peter Oosterhuis (Hole 12: What Makes a Great Golf Course - An interview with Peter Oosterhuis). Which raises a question: can a book on golf course routing contribute to the overall success of your golf game? These two chapters are ample evidence that it can!

An admission here: There were many parts of the book that were probably best appreciated by those who actually design golf courses. Absolutely. As it should be! But this was no deterrent to my thoroughly enjoying Richardson's important views of the game and the wonderfully individual fields that are integral to playing it.

THE (GOLFING) HORSEMAN