GOLF COURSE DESIGN

A WINNING COMBINATION

Signature Quality/Non-Signature Price

There was a major golf course construction boom during much of the '90's. Since there is no licensing of golf course architects, many unqualified individuals jumped into the business, calling themselves "Golf Course Architects", or "Designers." Many of these so-called designers have had no formal training, and have little specific knowledge of the golf course design and construction process. Of course, even among qualified individuals, talent varies greatly. Additionally, with the current trend of "Signature" courses, as well as numerous magazine awards and best course lists, inflated design fees and construction costs are also commonplace. Many designers have become well known for their "award-winning" courses. Unfortunately, in many cases, the original owners no longer own the courses, because they were bankrupted for the glory or ego of the designer. Burns Golf Design considers it our job, as a professional design firm, to create value for our clients by consistently designing highly successful projects, within their reasonable construction budgets, rather than building overpriced monuments to ourselves that only make a profit for the second or third owner.

Burns Golf Design is headed by Steve Burns, a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects. Steve is a nationally certified Landscape Architect (CLARB #1087), registered in Illinois (#157.001219), Michigan (#3901001484), Florida (#986), South Carolina (#568), and Washington (#682 inactive), with a degree in Landscape Architecture from the Ohio State University (the most related degree available). Steve has been in golf course design for more than twenty-five years (since 1981). Seven of those years were with Fazio Golf Course Designers, Inc., generally regarded as the top firm in the world. During his employment with Fazio, Steve had major design responsibility for a number of highly respected Fazio designs. Steve's more recent design work, and attention to budgets, earned him both a 1999 and a 2000 "Board Room Magazine Excellence in Achievement Award." Steve is the only golf architect that won this award both years.

golf course photo

Burns Golf Design can design, for you, a "Signature" quality golf course at a generic price--we charge for the work produced, not the market value of a name. Our fees are roughly 10-20% of the typical "Signature" designer's fees. If you do desire a "Name" for marketing purposes, we have connections with most of the top name tour pros, who can act as "co-designers" for your course. You will find that the package of our firm, combined with a top tour pro, is still only 20-50% of many "Signature" designer's fees. In addition, because of our budget consciousness, and the fact that contractors generally charge more to build "Signature" courses, our typical course competes favorably with "Signature" courses costing two to three times as much. The quality of our courses is evidenced by their success and the recognition that they have received, despite their generally low construction and advertising budgets. In Wooster, Ohio, Hawks Nest Golf Club, which cost $2.9 million, opened their front nine in June of 1993, and their back nine May 1, 1994. Despite their short season, they played over 43,000 rounds in 1994. It is attracting play from throughout Ohio. The January '96 Golf Digest ranked Hawks Nest among the top 5 public-access courses in Ohio. The 2000-2001 edition of Golf Digest's Places to Play awarded Hawks Nest a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, placing it among North America's 201 best public-access courses. Only 16 courses, including legendary courses such as Pebble Beach and Pinehurst #2, achieved all 5 stars. Hawks Nest earned 4.5 stars again in the 2002-2003 edition. The North Central Business Journal selected the course as the fourth best in the region, the only public course on their list. With a construction cost of less than $2.5 million, Cobblestone Golf Course in Kendallville, Indiana, was selected 8th on Golf Digest's list of "The Top 10 Best New Affordable Public Courses of 1999." Cobblestone also earned 4.5 stars from Golf Digest's Places to Play. The private, $3.4 million, Meadow Course at Fox Meadow Golf & C.C. opened in May, 1996, in Medina, Ohio. Governor Voinovich toured the project with the developer, and privately told him that Fox Meadow is the finest project in the State. Had Fox Meadow received the two bonus points awarded for allowing walking, it would have been on Golf Digest's list of the "Top 10 Best New Private Courses of 1996." Fox Meadow is successfully selling lots in the $75-100,000+ price range, and single family homes from $350,000 to over $1 million. Some of their residents have moved from a nearby "Signature" project with a golf course that cost roughly three times as much as the Fox Meadow course. Club de Golf Malinalco, completed in December, 1992 is considered, by many, to be the best course in Mexico. Shortly after opening, the course was selected as the site for the 1993 Mexican PGA tournament. As of late 1993, more than half of the accompanying development's lots were sold. After the golf course opened, lot prices nearly quadrupled, to a range of $250,000 to more than $500,000 for roughly a one quarter acre lot.

Please give us a call for consultation and fee structure before beginning your golf course--we are confident we can provide the excellent golf course you are looking for and save you quite a bit of money in the process.