Perspectives on Course DesignPerspective of Golf Course Design

The greens on golf courses are originally one green; the greens at the Kobe Golf Club, which was established in 1903 for the first time in Japan, were sand greens made of hardened sand. Local rules were established to compensate for the defects of sand greens (4 holes in 1901, 9 holes in 1903: establishment of the Club, 18 holes completed in 1904). In 1906, the third course, Negishi Golf Club (9 holes) in Negishi Racecourse, Yokohama, was the first in Japan to use grass on its greens (the type of grass is unknown because the materials were destroyed by fire). 1930, Tokyo Golf Club Asaka Course was the first to use bentgrass on its greens, but it was closed in 1941. With the exception of the Asaka Course, golf courses in Japan were initially operated with Kouraiwan greens due to the weather conditions in Japan. However, due to an increase in the number of visitors and turfgrass protection, Japan's own Kourai Two-Green system was created. Furthermore, as the green conditions of golf courses in Europe and the United States became more widely known to golfers, evergreen greens of good quality were desired even in winter, and it was only after World War II that bent grass was adopted for the sub greens. However, bentgrass is susceptible to physiological disorders and disease outbreaks due to high temperatures and humidity in the summer. In 1961, the Three Hundred Club (300C) adopted Penclos Bent as its main green for the first time, and in 1962, the Penclos Bent was adopted as its main green for the first time at the Three Hundred Club (300C). was first used as the main green at the Three Hundred Club (300C) in 1961, and proved to have stable growth performance throughout the year. Since then, improvements in course management techniques have resulted in the use of bent greens for 9 to 10 months and kohlrai greens for a little more than 2 months. In the late 1970s, however, the U.S. began to use Penn Crossbent. However, in the late 1970's, the expectation and demand for even higher quality greens in the U.S. led to the improvement of bentgrass varieties. The result was the development of New Bentgrass, an upright turfgrass that maintains a low mowing height, grows well, and has high density and disease resistance. In addition to the development of new bentgrass varieties, improvements in green bedding structures (USGA system, etc.), development of watering facilities (automatic sprinkler systems), and improvements in turfgrass management techniques have led to the construction of many bentgrass green golf courses in Japan since the 1980s. As the fundamentals of course design have changed over time and turfgrass management technology has improved, new varieties of turfgrass for greens have emerged every year. It goes without saying that existing courses must evolve with the times.

There are three ways to remodel greens: closing the entire 18-hole course, closing 9 holes at a time and doing the remodeling twice, and constructing temporary greens without closing the course. In all cases, members and players will be inconvenienced, so careful planning and budgeting are required. It is important to establish a course remodeling committee, appoint a course architect, and clarify the purpose and scope of the remodeling project by obtaining input from the board of directors, committees, and members. The remodeling plan should be designed to improve course strategy, increase the enjoyment of play, enhance the beauty of the course, prevent hitting accidents, facilitate the progress of play, and reduce course management costs. It is also necessary for clubs to make efforts to have their members understand the purpose and effects of the remodeling and to obtain consensus among members. Above all, it is important to appoint an experienced course designer to facilitate these remodeling plans.

Course remodeling (green remodeling) is more difficult than building a new course. The remodeling designer must survey all holes to understand the original designer's design concept, and create a master plan listing the characteristics and problems of each hole, including course layout (routing), topography, geology, trees, orientation, and disaster prevention facilities. Next, a topographical survey map (elevation and level survey) including the current green and its surrounding area at a scale of 1:200 shall be prepared for the preparation of the remodeling plan drawing. The facilities to be shown on the drawing shall include the existing greens, colors, sprinkler locations, guard bunkers, grass bunkers, aprons (part of the fairways), landscaping ponds, mounds, walking paths, cart paths, control roads, water catch basins, water spigots, water sprinkler equipment boxes, OB stakes, net fencing, trees, and orientation, and their locations and elevations ( (elevation) shall be clearly indicated. The location, shape, and height of the new one green to be converted, the number and spacing of surrounding trees, and the location of mounds and bunkers should be included on this detailed topographical survey map. It is important to note that we will not adhere to the partial use of the old green. The size of the green per hole should be 550 to 700 square meters (the size of the green varies depending on the hole balance, elevation, and weather conditions). The location, shape, and area of guard bunkers, grass bunkers, and mounds should be changed according to the change in green area. Based on the basic plan drawing, basic plan description, area table, quantity table, and construction estimate, the course architect will explain the key points of the modification, budget, and construction period at the course committee meeting. Once the outline of the green modification plan has been decided, the content and method of the modification work must be decided according to the following procedure.

• 1.Selection of green turfgrass ...... will be decided after listening to the greenkeeper's opinion.
• 2.Decide on the method of turfgrass construction you have decided on: ...... seeding, putting up sod from a golf course nursery, or putting up sod that has been outsourced to a turfgrass growing company.
• 3.When temporary greens are constructed, the same method as in 2 is used to determine the turfgrass for the greens (an area of 200 to 250 square meters per site is economical).
• 4.Once the above work details are determined, a green modification design drawing (1:200 scale), green modification design description, specifications, area table, bill of quantities, bill of materials, a translation of the modification work cost, and a construction schedule shall be prepared and approved by the Course Modification Committee and the Board of Directors.
• 5.Bid to select a construction company. ...... site description, description of the work, construction specifications without money, and specifications.
• 6.The decision of the construction company ...... will be made after consultation between the client and the course designer.
• 7.Execution of the construction contract. ...... construction conditions, construction cost, construction duration, and process schedule.
• 8.On site, the construction company, client, and course designer meet to discuss safety construction. ...... Especially detailed discussions are necessary for construction work that is to be performed while business continues. After construction is completed, a completion inspection is conducted and the designer submits a completion inspection report to the client.
• 9.The Board of Directors and the Course Renovation Committee will approve the green modification, which will be completed and handed over to the Course Management Division.

Even before the completion inspection, it is recommended that the curing and management of the greens be done jointly with the Course Section.

June 2009. (In cooperation with Ikki Publishing Co.