As well as their role in designing new courses and assisting existing clubs in course renovation and alterations, golf course architects are also often involved giving consultancy advice on other aspects of golf course development.
In this context, David Williams Golf Design has been involved over the past few years in a number of varied and demanding projects, ranging from countrywide searches for possible golf course sites to assisting a national tax authority in the tax aspects of golf course maintenance.
Following a selection process, David Williams Golf Design was commissioned by Visit Wales (formerly Wales Tourist Board) and Ryder Cup Wales to provide an overview of potential golf development sites within Wales. The study is covering the whole of the country, and separating the search into potential sites for new links courses, new resort developments, and also short 9 hole par 3 possibilities.
In contrast to the countrywide search for the Wales project, on another project David Williams Golf Design was commissioned to identify a precise location for a proposed new 18 hole championship course and 5* resort on a 1500 acre site adjacent to an Open Championship venue in north-west England. The project has been commissioned by Wirral MBC which has identified a development opportunity adjacent to Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake.
David Williams Golf Design has also been approached by the Irish Inland Revenue to give assistance with regard to the question of depreciation on a leading Irish golf course. Following that exercise, which culminated in the Revenue’s success in the subsequent Appeal Hearing, the Office of the Revenue Commissioners has once again turned to David Williams Golf Design to assist them in a similar case, again involving one of Ireland’s top courses.
David Williams Golf Design also continued to assist Golf Development Wales in the provision of new and improved practice facilities on courses throughout the Principality, as well as undertaking individual consultancy work for existing clubs throughout the United Kingdom.
“It was the unanimous opinion of the Committee that the report combined a very high degree of professionalism coupled with a clarity of presentation, making it an ideal reference document relating to the course, and also represented extremely good value”
Lundin Golf Club, April 2007
Many of the renovation projects undertaken by the practice have originated from course reviews undertaken by David Williams Golf Design, the overall aim of the review being to produce a description of the course’s condition, strategy, layout and playability.
Following discussion with the Club and officers, the review can then be translated into a long-term plan. Increasingly many forward thinking clubs are realising that the proper way forward to advance their course is to obtain advice from independent qualified experienced golf architects and agronomists.
Find Out More About Course Reviews…
From north to south ….. and east to west!
David Williams Golf Design is well positioned to assist golf clubs throughout the country and, in recent years, have provided reviews at courses as far north as Lundin GC (Fife) and south at Basingstoke GC in Hampshire, as well as for Milford Haven GC on the south western extremity of Wales to Faversham GC (Kent) in the extreme south-east corner of England.
Overseas, course reviews have recently been completed at Golf Club de Pedrena in Northern Spain and Alger Golf Club, the only golf club in Algeria.
