Today we visit with Ken Gibson of Ken Gibson Golf Design. Ken, who is a young designer who learned the craft at Arthur Hills Design and has been involved in over a dozen design assignments while at Hills, is indicative of the new breed of designers that includes Coore/Crenshaw, Tom Doak, Gil Hanse, and others that are taking a minimalist approach towards architecture and stepping back to the true “Golden Age” of golf design. Pay close attention to his philosphy, passion, and outlook on the game and you’ll get a real good idea of the future of golf design. You can get more info on Ken and his firm at his website at http://www.kengibsongolf.com.
As always, a tip of the hat for our musical interludes from Jake Trout and the Flounders, the lyrical rockers of the links and Billy Mac, Golf’s Troubador. You can find both Jake and The Flounders and Billy Mac on iTunes.
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Very interesting discussion. You’ve nailed the issues on the head. We need to develop golf courses that are less expensive to play, which means that have to be built for less money. This is especially relevant in new markets such as China. Inexpensive golf helps grow demand for the game, improves the image of the game from a passtime for the super rich to an enjoyable leasure activity for all society. It also allows for much more environmentally sensitive construction.As a scot, that is the sort of game that I grew up with. As to the idea of having short loops, that’s absolutely correct. In fact, in Sweden you can even earn your first handicap on 6 hole courses. Golf can be cheap and fast!
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