Planning Checklist
Landscape & Ecosystems
- Conceptualize a golf facility that will create a unique sense of place, an authentic local distinctiveness, and a strong feel that the development (particularly the golf course) is at one with its natural setting
- Place a high quality, naturalized and ecologically-rich landscape at the heart of your desired product
- Make sure you have a strong baseline understanding of the site - undertake streamlined and effective studies in ecology, landscape character, hydrology and geomorphology to ensure that the existing natural assets of the site, and its potential, are fully understood
- Allow the size of the property and its landscape, terrain, vegetation, and climate to inform the best fit for the development
- Avoid premature decisions on artificial conceptualizations which may be alien to the landscape and detrimental to natural ecosystems (e.g. predefined design styles, predefined marketing tags such as links, forest, wetlands, heathland etc)
- Avoid premature decisions on golf course length, and number of holes to be built. Attempting to squeeze a preconceived 36 holes of "Championship" golf into a small or tightly-constrained site may immediately create a multitude of challenges to project cost, feasibility and quality
- Evaluate the positive and negative landscape and ecosystem impacts of alternative concepts
- Master-plan the development around, rather than through or over, the most valuable and interesting existing landscape and ecological features
- Target the 'hard' elements of built development (clubhouse, car parks, maintenance facilities, pump houses, irrigation tanks etc) to the most ecologically and visually degraded parts of the site
- Pay particular attention to considering the visual impact of conspicuous components of the development - (eg avoid positioning clubhouses in locations such as skylines if they would be visible from sensitive external viewpoints, or large numbers of sensitive viewers). Good design will enable balanced solutions which at the same time afford attractive views across the site and beyond
- Mitigate the individual and cumulative visual impact of built development components by focussing on reducing height and density, and screening and integrating with naturalized landscaping.
On the Ground: Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, Sicily, Italy.
Designed by Kyle Phillips Golf Course Design.
Water
- Carry-out a thorough initial analysis of the site within the context of the watershed, using broad-scale hydrological assessments to provide the basis for informed decision making
- Understand the nature and quantity of water resources available to the project. Try to predict future changes in water policy for the locality and how they may impinge upon irrigation supplies, and the need to transition to alternative water sources
- Identify zones of hydrological and watershed significance (e.g. ponds and wetlands, open water courses, marshy grasslands etc). Retain these by incorporating into master-plans and site layouts in order to protect naturally functioning drainage systems and reducing the scope and scale of hard engineering solutions
- Think long and hard about the suitability of open water features for the site – bear in mind that open water features in arid, desert and most dune-system environments are highly artificial, and carry heavy financial and environmental costs during construction and life cycle maintenance
- On sites that are suitable for the creation of new water features (e.g. floodplains, alluvial fans, areas where groundwater is close to the surface), plan wetland and open water complexes for maximum scale and connectivity. Take the opportunity to create valuable new wetland and water ecosystems
- Adopt a ‘natural systems engineering’ approach for drainage and storm water layouts - placing an emphasis on soakaways, swales, open ditches, wetlands and attenuation ponds over intensive piped systems. On many sites sustainable drainage techniques are cheaper to install and maintain, and dovetail readily with golf design elements to increase the character, visual interest and strategy of the course
- Masterplan development impacts away from existing natural and semi-natural zones of hydrological interest and focus hard components of development in already disturbed or degraded areas , or areas which offer less potential
- Conceptualize a golf course with a grassing plan that is the most drought and disease tolerant, has the smallest possible turfgrass footprint, and the smallest possible area of required irrigation application
- Adopt a landscape planting strategy that is based entirely on native species of trees and shrubs, and in areas of water shortage, on the the most drought tolerant species and varieties
- Have a specialist explore all possible options for use of lower quality (non potable) forms of water;
- Incorporate opportunities (space) in the masterplan for on-site rainwater and wastewater collection, treatment and re-distribution
- Look carefully at the energy / water relationship and explore water treatment and supply technologies that have the best dual efficiencies (e.g. biogas from treated sewage effluent, sea water air conditioning, renewably powered desalination units etc.)
On the Ground: Boavista Golf, Algarve, Portugal.
Designed by Swan Golf Designs.
Energy & Resources
- Conceptualize a project that will be, or is close to being, a net energy exporter - make this the starting point for your energy outlook - that you anticipate either being entirely self sufficient in energy, or in exporting surplus energy back to the grid system. With the right package of building location, passive building design, integration of muti-packaged renewables, use of the latest in technology and appliances, and staff/customer education, this goal is attainable in the majority of contexts
- Understand the current energy infrastructure for your project, including the types of energies and fuels available, their origins, transport distances, potential issues of longevity and security, and distribution systems and infrastructure. This will ensure no unexpected surprises and also that you future-proof your development from supply failures and price increases
- Predict the likely total energy demand profile of the development, and match this against potential on-site and grid renewable and non-renewable supplies
- Have an energy specialist explore the potential for the integration of renewables into the development supply
- Appoint an experienced building architect with the drive to design passive or low energy buildings;
- Evaluate the potential energy flows to and from the project site, including all on-site and external suppliers, storers, and consumers (eg waste heat from local industry, excess heat generated on site, aquifer/ground water heat transfer, Deep Water Air Conditioning)
- Consider energy implications of layout decisions eg ensure that the Maintenance Facility is centrally located relative to the golf course or golf courses
- Plan ‘walkable’ and sheltered/shaded resort layouts which avoid the need for vehicle journeys
- Optimise the location of buildings to benefit from microclimates - for natural heating, cooling and lighting, and utilise the best combination of natural assets including shelter, shade, exposure, aspect, and insolation
- Seek to masterplan the irrigation system towards a gravity-fed process, to reduce the energy costs of pumping during construction and operation
- Look carefully at the energy / water relationship and explore water treatment and supply technologies that have the best dual efficiencies (e.g. biogas from treated sewage effluent, deep water air conditioning, renewably powered desalination units etc.)
Products & Supply Chains
- Conceptualize a project in which the maximum possible proportion of suppliers, contractors, products and materials are locally sourced (i.e. within 50 miles)
- Conceptualise a project where all opportunities to promote social and environmental responsibility are driven through the supply chain via a central procurement policy and schedule of expected supplier and contractor best practices
- Conceptualise a project where all possible use of recycled materials has been integrated (e.g. stone, sand, soils, rootzone, aggregates, wood, mulches, plastics, steel and other metals, etc.)
- Encourage all members of the core project team to seek opportunities to deliver a programme of ethical and environmental procurement - to be ambassadors and pioneers in finding local, fair trade and recycled materials
- Masterplan the site to leave enough space and suitable locations for the ongoing storage and handling of recycled materials (e.g. back of clubhouse, restaurant and maintenance facility bays for storing and composting grass clippings, leaves, food waste and paper, plastics, glass etc.)
Environmental Quality
- Conceptualize a project that will enhance the overall environmental quality of the existing site, and which will protect and wherever possible enhance the quality of soil, air and water
- As far as possible, avoid developing on or close to hydrologically sensitive parts of the site, where risks to groundwater quality might be heightened
- Protect the best quality areas of soil and allocate to 'softer' aspects of development such as fairways and patches between holes
- Retain enough green space, vegetation patches and functioning ecosystems within the development to ensure natural processes benefit water, soil and air quality. For example, large woodland patches improve local air quality, help to create a cooling effect and retain moisture. Similarly, grassland and dwarf shrub vegetation can counter soil erosion and desertification, and wetlands are vital in water purification and oxygenation
- Understand the project site's surroundings - for example the sensitivity and connectivity of adjacent wetlands, water courses and aquifers. This is critical in understanding the potential risks the project may pose to wider environmental quality, should for example spillages or sedimentation occur. It also reinforces the value of locating the elements of potentially highest impact and risk away from the most interesting and connected hydrological areas
On the Ground: Berliner Golf Club, Gatow, Germany.
Designed by Rainer Preissmann.
People & Communities
- Envision a golf development which is unequivocally valued by local people as a social, economic and environmental asset
- Develop a project concept which will drive as many benefits to local people as it possibly can;
- Set out with the intention of engaging, listening to and striving to meet the needs and aspirations of local people
- Make it a determined part of your legacy to leave a golf facility which continues to multiply meaningful benefits to local people for decades to come
- Undertake a socio-economic evaluation of the project - to explore practical ways in which local people and communities can derive benefit (golf recreation, health and fitness, social interaction, alternative passive recreation on the land-holding, jobs in construction and operations, education, health provision, safeguarded rights of access, cultural heritage interpretation and protection etc.)
- Consult with local authorities to dovetail with local infrastructure plans, and to explore opportunities for joint public / private investment, with developer / common good returns
- Masterplan for other users - local people and communities - not just investors and golfers, and other target consumers
- Engage with government at national and local levels to identify how the project might catalyse other economic benefits
- Hold early and proactive meetings with local government and communities to share project information, to understand feeling and to explore shared objectives and resolve any potential aspects of conflict
- Communicate plans and opportunities to local businesses to ensure they understand your predicted needs and are thus best positioned to respond quickly and effectively in providing goods and services
- Strive to conceptualise a project that sits harmoniously alongside others in the region - creating real growth by adding to golf facility provision, rather than duplicating existing products and creating direct competition
On the Ground: Heythrop Park, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom.
Designed by Mackenzie & Ebert.
