Billy Fuller Golf Design 1694 Pine Ridge Drive Atlanta, GA 30324
Ph. 404-
The economic realities of golf are changing and many discussions are being held formally
and informally, as to where golf will fit into the future in America. Obviously
the industry experienced a period of exceptionally strong growth that was initiated
and sustained by the real estate / housing market. I believe we would all agree
that this led to a glut of golf courses in many regions that has been exacerbated
by the current economic downturn. This leads to the question, “What should new golf
be comprised of?” I believe the time is perfect to return to the core values of
Golden Era golf design. 
The Golden Era was the Renaissance Period for development of strategic golf design principles. First and foremost, the task was to find the right piece of land that offered ideal slopes and natural vegetation for the game. This in turn meant minimizing construction cost. Only a small fraction of golf courses are built with the notion of hosting a major Tour or USGA event.
We also know that even with the modern ball and clubs of today the average back tee player only hits the ball 240 to 270 yards. This leads me to believe the course yardage need not exceed 7,000 yards, and could be ample at 6,600. This would mean less up front land cost, less construction cost for line items such as irrigation and grassing. It also means reduced maintenance operations budgets into the future of such a course.
Finally, by choosing the right land and designing core golf, we bring back the “walking
game” that can be played in less time. Everyone has far more demand on leisure time
than ever before. We need to make golf less time consuming and less costly to play.
I believe that golf has a vital and vibrant future, that the best of days are still
ahead of us and that we can realize this future by returning to the core values of
Golden Era design concepts.