How to Get Deeper in Golf Course Architecture in 3 Steps - Henry Shimp

A question I often encounter from those I play with or who listen to the podcast is “I’d love to diver deeper into golf course architecture, how do you recommend I go about that?” Fortunately, among many things in golf I struggle to be helpful with such as chipping, playing under pressure, or just generally playing better, GCA enrichment is a fairly straightforward and attainable path to improvement. So, here are my 3 thoughts on what anyone can do to get deeper in the game and take a step toward more enjoyment each and every time you tee it up through a greater understanding and appreciation of the course you are playing.

1.       Do a little reading, listening, and watching.

There are so many people doing great work out there in the architecture space these days that it is easier than ever to learn more about individual courses as well as the art overall. While I live by the mantra of “no free ads,” I will recommend a few people who do great work and not only showcase courses, but truly have a deep understanding of what they are putting out. 3 of my favorite outlets in the game are Geoff Shackelford and his blog. Andy Johnson’s work at Fried Egg Golf through writing, podcasting, and YouTube. And finally, the Cookie Jar Guys across the pond. We have spoken with all of these people on our platform so go check out our episodes with Andy, Geoff, and The Cookie Jar Guys.

      Now, a natural follow up would be “ok, so where do I start?” My reply to this would be start by seeing how these guys break down a course you have played or an architect you are familiar with so that there is context to the content. If you have never seen a place or played an architect’s courses, it’s hard to really understand writing or video on a course so start with something you already know and try to connect what you learn with what you have experienced.

2.       Learn, apply, notice:

So, once you have learned a bit more about an architect you like and know and maybe have read a thing or two about courses you have played, now comes the implementation. Start to notice more things about the strategy behind holes you play. “Where should I leave my ball?” “What does the architect want me to do with this shot?” “Why did the architect route this hole around this landform the way he or she did?” Take a deeper look at each hole and shot and try to figure out the reason behind something and if you agree with it. There SHOULD begin to be cases where you see something on a course and don’t agree with how it was designed or how the course has developed over time. (**IMPORTANT** knowing more about architecture and the courses you play is a great step in your golf journey to take; however, DO NOT become the guy or gal who starts telling people every opinion you have about why a hole is no good. Keep that to yourself and be ready to give em the low down only when asked. Back to the action…

Taking a slight step back, it is important to continue to iterate on these steps. As you begin to understand other courses better, apply your new learnings back to your home course or courses you are familiar with to go even deeper on them. After playing a new place, do some reading on the course history and compare and contrast your opinions of the course with what the architect or experts have to say about the place. (Another quick free shout for Ran Morrisett at Golfclubatlas.com, his writing style is really great and he has a massive free repository of courses on there) Basically, it’s about becoming a student of it all. The more you know, the more you’ll want to learn, and, significantly, this will all help you play better. Understanding how to play a hole puts you well ahead of the competition.

3.       Get. Out. In. The. Wild.

The last point I’ll toss out here is for you to go see new courses. Like anything else, you can’t just see the same thing over and over and continue to build the depth of your knowledge and understanding of the subject. Pick courses you want to play, places you want to travel, and things your want to experience and take to google flights to figure out where you can see next. You have this new tool kit of GCA knowledge ripe for use, it’s time to go get those tools dirty and apply the knowledge to other types of courses, conditions, architects, etc. to really start to understand the art of GCA at a higher level. People often ask me how I have built my knowledge of golf courses over time, and while I have made a commitment to doing the work to learn and enrich my knowledge of each place I play, a massive piece of it is I have been very lucky at my age to have played the number of really good courses in places all over the world that I have been able to. You can’t know the true ins and outs of links and sand belt golf until you’ve been. Just like you can’t know what it’s like to see a game at Fenway until, well, you’ve seen a game. See more games. Play more courses. Start small, build your knowledge like you build your body. Pushups first. Try out the bench press. Learn the technique to improve, and pretty soon you’ll be benching 3 plates.

There’s a whole world of opportunity out there, and I’m excited to see more of you dip your toe in the water and inevitably jump in headfirst in due time. But before you do, one final p.s. sort of recommendation…

4.       Learn what a budget is and how to create one.

Like sitting at the poker table, it’s easy to set a lot of money on fire when the GCA bug bites. Your wife needs a date night here and there, and your kids deserve to go to college. Don’t lose sight of those things when you learn who Alister Mackenzie is and that your buddy has an uncle who once met a guy who also had an uncle who’s best friend has a sister who married a who’s brother is a member at CPC and is down to host a few people every so often…

Cheers,

HS