Greg Norman’s PGA West
in Palm Springs
Nicklaus. Norman. Palmer. Faldo. Most of us
know the names of these great golfers, and while they might be
years removed from making the A list of the game’s hotshots, their
monikers are emblazoned forever on an increasing number of golf
courses they’re designing for resorts around the world. While
course architects who never made a splash as professional players
i.e., Pete Dye and Tom Fazio still are in high demand, the
player-architects seem to be grabbing more and more glory. Which
gives rise to the question: Are player-built courses any better,
worse or otherwise different from architect-built ones?
Fazio himself allows that his player-competitors’ products
“are as good as any other golf course designer’s.”
Nevertheless, “all top design teams have their own personality
and forte,” according to Tim Schantz, executive vice president of
business development at Troon Golf, which manages more than 150
courses around the world. For example, Schantz notes that Fazio is
known for turning a very plain piece of land into an especially
varied landscape. On the other hand, a spokesperson at Greg Norman
Golf Course Design says Norman is at his best when the land can
speak for itself, “making the golf more collaborative with the
environment.”
Of course, much of the allure of a “name” comes down to
marketing. As Schantz says, “Statistics show that attaching a name
like Jack Nicklaus to a golf course will attract a certain
demographic.”