Course Architects and Junior Golfers

Filed in archive Golf Wanderings on June 23, 2007

Team USA: Copa de las Americas
Courtesy: RCGA

There is an interesting post by my colleague, Robert Thompson on his fine blog, Going for the Green.

Robert recently came across a story in a Canadian newspaper regarding Tom McBroom, one of the finest golf course architects in the world.

Robert, an aficionado of course architecture (he counts another Canadian designer, Ian Andrew, as a close friend) takes umbrage to several points made in the story.

But there's one point made in the story that piqued my interest. The writer mentions that there are too many architects chasing too few golf course projects these days and they have to compete further with the likes of the name-brand PGA players who are dabbling in the business.

It begs a relevant question: what does a course architect do when the projects dry up? Sooner or later, there will be next to no new projects in North America and only architects with enormous profiles - or PGA stars in their roster - will get the jobs in far-flung corners of the globe where golf suddenly catches on (like China, currently, for example).

So what does a course architect do when the phone stops ringing? I suppose he or she can tweak courses - either their own or someone else's work but golf courses don't really run out steam like cars do. Automobiles are durable goods - they wear out and need replacing. Golf courses don't.

It's a risky profession these days with plenty of downside and not much upside.

On another note, an update on an international amateur tournament being played at Beacon Hall golf club in Toronto (a club so private you need a user name and password to get into their website).

It's the Copa de las Americas. A bi-annual tournament that features, this year, 16 teams from North and South America, the tournament is in its third iteration.

Canada is the defending champion from 2005 and is host nation for the first time.

The tournament is a four-round stroke play event. On day one, Wednesday, Argentina, inspired no doubt by the play of Angel Cabrera at Oakmont last Sunday, took the lead. Canada was down in fifth spot.

But on day two, the US moved into top spot and Canada tucked in behind, 10 shots back in second place.

It was in the blustery conditions on Friday's day two that the United States began to out-distance the field and at the end of play, they had a commanding leading heading into today's (Saturday) final round.

Canada slipped back to third with the swirling winds proving too much for the four young Canucks. Argentina slipped up into second, 10 shots ahead of the Canadian squad.

The US looks poised at the time of this writing to take their first Copa de las Americas but anything can happen.

The tournament, whose teams are comprised of four young golfers - two male, two female - is a wonderful opportunity for good amateur golfers to hone their games under the pressure of competition.

And because it's international competition, there is the chance of broadened knowledge and understanding and friendships made.

I'm all for it.