Principles of Golf Architecture

The Principles of Golf Architecture intends to describe the details of the golf course design process as concisely as possible, first by defining both the Elements and Principles of Design in general terms and then relating these concepts to the art and science of golf architecture.

Richard Mandell tackles the often ambiguous elements of Line, Form, Shape, and Texture, among others, and describes their application to the design of golf courses, from layout to details such as putting green design. In addition, he breaks down the universal principles of design such as Balance, Emphasis, Rhythm, and Variety and their utilization in golf architecture. Mandell brings his own principles to the process as well, such as Challenge, Chance, Mystery, Quirk, Randomness, and Subtlety.

Utilizing a multitude of course photos, sketches, and drawings to supplement the text, Mandell weaves together design theory, historical perspective, operational considerations, and construction practices to provide the reader with his perspective of what it takes to design and build a course from the golf architect's drawing table to fruition. Principles of Golf Architecture is a compendium of Mandell's forty years of experience, sharing his own thought process and design approach with the reader every step of the way.

Since Richard Mandell was fifteen years old, he has been captivated by the playing

fields of the game of golf. Growing up surrounded by some of the greatest golf

courses in the world, it was easy for him to fall under the spell. Winged Foot, National

Golf Links of America, Bethpage Black and many others in New York shaped his

early ideals and philosophies about the art of golf architecture.

Since those halcyon days of his youth, Richard Mandell, ASGCA, has gone on to

design more than 75 golf course projects of varying shapes and sizes in fifteen states

and China. His firm, Richard Mandell Golf Architecture, has earned 31 different

awards and accolades in four different decades of practice. In addition to being a

golf architect, he is a licensed landscape architect, certified arborist, and accomplished

writer. Richard is also a member of the USGA Museum Committee.

Principles of Golf Architecture is Mandell's fourth book. He has also written

numerous articles on golf architecture for magazines such as Golf Illustrated, Golf

Course Architecture Magazine, Golf Digest India, and Links Magazine and has

contributed chapters to four additional books on the subject: Volumes I and II of

Golf Architecture (A Worldwide Perspective), Links to St. Andrews, and Favourite

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07

Simply put, scale compares the size of an object in relation to ourselves

and the world around us. Scale doesn't determine what is attractive or not but it will

elicit feelings of comfort or burden. The result is one's observation that an object

is either "in scale" or "out of scale" with its surroundings.

How one describes what is in scale or out of scale is a

subjective response based on personal feelings. In essence,

objects that are considered in scale just look or feel right.

When a reference is made to someone who has a "good

eye," the inference is that the person, among other traits,

can recognize objects which are in scale with each other

and/or their surroundings. It's much easier to describe how

something is out of scale. When an object is out of scale

with the objects near it, that object is too big or too small in

relation to the size of those objects. The object doesn't fit

our established frame of reference.

There are three generally-accepted terms for

denoting the Element of Scale: Human Scale, Monumental

Scale, and Shock Scale. All three scale types utilize the human

form for distinction. Human Scale is used to design things

for the physical and cognitive characteristics of humans. In

other words, things are designed - whether they are spaces,

vehicles, tools, or computers - so they can be understood and

utilized at a level that relates to the limitations of a person.

Human Scale balances the size of a space or object

with the size of the user/viewer, allowing the user to feel

comfortable more than anything else. Human Scale allows

the users to feel themselves in agreeable proportion to what

they see and hear so they share a sense of being related

to the environment in a pleasing way. When comfort and

assurance are desirable traits in a design process, Human

Scale must be made evident.

Scale - The size of an object relative to the size of the space

in which it is located or other objects within that space.

The Element of Scale

Human Scale

(Courtesy: Patrick Gainer)

Monumental Scale

(Courtesy: Patrick Gainer)

Shock Scale

(Courtesy: Patrick Gainer)

Holes By Design: The Architect's Choice. His 2007 book, Pinehurst Home of

American Golf (The Evolution of a Legend) won the 2008 International Network of

Golf Book of the Year and was a finalist for the USGA Herbert Warren Wind Award

as well as a ForeWord Magazine Sports Book Award 2007 Finalist.