Most renovations bring about a new look, but Middlesbrough Golf Club will still have a familiar feel to it once its renovation programme is completed.

The 18-hole layout was originally designed by celebrated golf course architect James Braid and now the club is looking to bring some of the Scot’s iconic design traits and styling back to the fore.

Work began at the club – which recently celebrated its centenary – this year and will continue into successive stages of renovation as part of a long-term development strategy.

The project will continue for several years – while the course is open – and is being carried out by Swan Golf Designs, a company with a reputation for adapting Braid courses to the modern world while remaining true to the original designer’s intents and plans.

And the practice is familiar with the course having carried out the course design audit for the current work as well as renovations to most of its bunkers and greens several years ago.

John Talbot, Middlesbrough Golf Club’s golf course manager, said: “We feel this is one of the north east’s premier courses and taking such a big commitment is just what we need to elevate its design quality and set the standard for all those around us.

“We’re sure the club will reap the rewards in the long run and investing in our future is vitally important, even in these difficult times.

“James Braid was a great golf course architect and it can only benefit the club to restore the course to what he envisaged it to be when he laid it out all those years ago.

“Working with such a professional outfit as Swan Golf Designs will ensure any disruption will be as minimal as possible with the course still open for play, and the work they’ve previous done at the club and their track record speaks for itself.”

Howard Swan, Swan Golf Designs’ principal architect, said: “It’s always an honour to work with a course designed by somebody with Braid’s pedigree.

“As a practice we’re passionate about making golf courses fit as naturally as possible within their surroundings so restoring the features on this great course is something we’re well equipped to do.”

Swan Golf Designs has worked on more than 300 golf projects over the last three decades, including assignments on five different continents.
The practice aims to provide a superior level of golf course through the personal service of its dedicated team of architects and is devoted to the principle of making courses fit seamlessly within their landscape while still being a masterpiece in their own right.

For more information visit www.swangolfdesigns.com.

ENDS

Written and issued by The Azalea Group on behalf of Swan Golf Designs.
For more information contact Lee Todd on 08700 330 550 or lee@theazaleagroup.com.

GCA member and leading golf course architect Howard Swan has been elected to the board of the Asian Golf Industry Federation after being voted in as treasurer. He will be the sole European representative.

The Federation aims to represent and co-ordinate efforts on behalf of all those working in golf and golf development in Asia and the appointment recognises Swan Golf Designs’ principal architect’s efforts at developing the game in the region.

The federation’s secretary, Mike Sebastian, said: “It is fantastic for us to have someone with Howard’s passion and energy for golf taking such a major role in the organisation.

“The effort he puts in to promoting the game around the world is phenomenal and being the only European voted on to the board just goes to show his standing and respect within the industry.”

Among the projects Swan Golf Designs has worked on in Asia during the last 10 years are the St Andrews International Golf Club, Zhengzhou. China, and the Karnataka Golf Association, Bangalore, India, which was named in the top five renovations at the Asia-Pacific Golf Development Summit 2008 following the practice’s work.

Swan also introduced to Asia the FIRSTGOLF initiative, which he co-founded, to Asia which aims to make golf readily available, sustainable and affordable for the next generation of players.

Swan said: “I am happy to be able to help Mike Sebastian and his team in Singapore and to have the chance to contribute to the development of the game at all levels, both as a professional architect, and, with Gill Wilson, in our FIRSTGOLF initiative.

“Asia remains a growing region in both economic and golfing spheres and the coordination of real professional effort among us all must augur well for its future.”

Swan Golf Designs has worked on more than 300 golf projects over the last three decades, including assignments on five different continents.

The practice aims to provide a superior level of golf course through the personal service of its dedicated team of architects and is devoted to the principle of making courses fit seamlessly within their landscape while still being a masterpiece in their own right.

For more information visit www.swangolfdesigns.com.

ENDS

Written and issued by The Azalea Group on behalf of Swan Golf Designs.

For more information contact Lee Todd on 08700 330 550 or lee@theazaleagroup.com.

Swan Golf Designs is in high demand with a host of top industry events requesting speakers from the practice.

The company’s reputation as a market-leading golf course design practice was further reinforced at the recent South African Golf Summit Fancourt where principal architect Howard Swan addressed delegates on the most practical and sustainable ways forward for golf course design in the economic downturn.

Hot on the heels of that Swan will be speaking at both the London Golf Conference (May 1-2) and the KPMG Golf Business Forum, Celtic Manor, Wales (May 4-6).

Swan said: “It’s an honour to be invited to so many events like these and stand alongside the likes of the PGA, European Tour and other industry figureheads.

“Attendees at Fancourt were extremely receptive to my speech and I’ve had some great feedback from people across the industry. Hopefully the next two events will go just as well.

“Conferences like these are vital to the industry so that we can all benefit from each other’s expertise. Anything that will help develop and grow the game of golf can only be a good thing and obviously Swan Golf Designs is keen to be involved.”

This is just the start of a busy year for Swan Golf Designs with members of the practice planning on attending and speaking at various events as far afield as New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur.

Swan Golf Designs has worked on more than 300 golf projects over the last three decades, including projects on five different continents.

The practice aims to give a superior level of golf course through the personal service provided by its dedicated team of architects and is devoted to the principle of making courses fit seamlessly within their landscape while still being a masterpiece in their own right.

For more information go to www.swangolfdesigns.com.

Written and issued by The Azalea Group on behalf of Swan Golf Designs.
For more information contact Lee Todd on 08700 330 550 or lee@theazaleagroup.com.

by GCA Chairman, Ian Bulleid

It is with sadness that I have to report the passing away of Bryan Griffiths, our former Chairman, at the age of 88.  We at the Golf Consultants Association have fond memories of Bryan, as will all his old friends within our industry.

Many will not know, as we didn’t until recently, that Bryan had been ill for some time following a broken hip a couple of years ago.

Bryan had two distinguished careers, first in the army where he served in the Royal Engineers all over the world for more than 30 years, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. 

It is his second career as a Golf Course Architect that, not surprisingly, he is remembered for within the industry.  Initially with John Harris, but more latterly by himself, he built over 50 golf courses throughout the world.

He found that the skill in reading topography honed during reconnaissance work for the Royal Engineers gave him a valuable insight when developing route plans for his courses.

He was one of the first architects to incorporate a suspended water table into his green designs, Telford Golf and Country Club being a good example.

Later in life he became passionate about the need for golf developments to be market-led and it was this belief in good business planning principals which lead him to rally a small group of industry professionals to form the GCA in 2000.

Howard Swan, one of the UK’s leading Architects and GCA member commented.  “I was fortunate enough to know him when he worked with John Harris in the sixties and seventies and he left with me a strong and interesting impression of a man of some energy and professional stature.”

As current Chairman of the Association I had the pleasure of working with Bryan for a number of years.  He always struck me as a man of integrity with a clear sense of duty.  He was very generous in sharing his thoughts and ideas to help colleagues within the Association and we all owe much to his drive and tenacity which helped carry us through the early years.

He will be missed by family and friends alike.

By Pete Richardson, Azalea 

Ripon City Golf Club is marking its centenary by employing Swan Golf Designs to redesign and possibly extend elements of the 18-hole golf course.

Founded in 1908 the course will undergo something of a transformation; new teeing areas, bunkers and greens are all possibilities as well as improvements to the course layout.

The plans have been drawn up by Swan Golf Designs, international golf course architects; respected for their responsible and natural approach to course design.

The project has now physically commenced with work on the bunkers around the sixth and fourteenth greens. Some additional landscaping will take place through the winter this will mainly be in the form of tree removal and thinning.

With the course positioned above the city of Ripon, Howard Swan and his team are certain to take the opportunity to creatively frame the views from the fairways as they have in other projects they have completed.

The project is expected to take up to 10 years to complete.

Issued by the Azalea Group on behalf of Swan Golf Designs.
For more information contact Steve Bailey:
Email – steve.bailey@theazaleagroup.com Telephone – 08700 330 55

By Pete Richardson, Azalea 

The championship course at the Karnataka Golf Association in Bangalore will be ready for play in November, after a two-year renovation project.

The original Peter Thomson course has been redesigned by renowned architect Howard Swan and his Swan Golf Designs team and rebuilt completely to the most modern of standards and performance expectations.

The 7100 yard par 72 layout will be unveiled with new greens, tees, bunkering, and irrigation system together with new grassing throughout.

Much attention has been given to the design of the fairways, raising them above the flood plain, and enlarging the course’s water features so that, even in the worst of the Southern Indian monsoons, the course recovers quickly for play.

Swan said: “We are delighted that the objective in raising the bar at KGA has been achieved and that the first nine holes of the course, opened after completion of the first stage of the renovation, are proving playable even in the most inclement of weather. We look forward to seeing the full 18 holes opening soon.

The course is long, yet reasonable and will set an exciting challenge for all standards of player – member and visitor alike – at this Premier Club.

“It is, after all, one of India’s best clubs and it now has a course to match that status.

“I believe it will be a benchmark for many more in the sub-continent”.

Issued by the Azalea Group on behalf of Swan Golf Designs.

For more information contact Steve Bailey:

Email – steve.bailey@theazaleagroup.com Telephone – 08700 330 55

By Pete Richardson, Azalea 

The major 10-year renovation of Workington Golf Course is nearing completion.

The redesign is the work of world-renowned international golf course architects Swan Golf Designs.

Workington Golf Course, originally designed by James Baird and situated in beautiful countryside on the edge of the Lake District required attention for it to meet modern standards when Fred Cashmore, Chairman of Greens, called for the assistance of Howard Swan and his team.

Eric Ellwood, Club Captain said: “We are delighted with the changes Swan Golf Designs has made. The alterations have undoubtedly enhanced the beauty of the course, and a sprinkling of interesting challenges have been added for our visitors.

“Swan Golf Designs’ dedicated team has enthusiastically set about remodelling the course with a view to giving golfers a wonderful golfing experience.”

Work on 17 of the 18 holes has already been finished and with only one hole awaiting transformation, the project is scheduled to be completed early in 2009.

Issued by the Azalea Group on behalf of Swan Golf Designs.
For more information contact Steve Bailey:
Email – steve.bailey@theazaleagroup.com Telephone – 08700 330 55