The European Institute of Golf Course Architects (EIGCA) is dedicating November to professional learning, with a four-week programme of online Learning Live sessions exploring some of the key issues shaping the future of golf course design.
The programme brings together golf course architects, industry specialists and partners to share practical experience, explore new ideas and consider how lessons from current projects can inform future developments.
The four sessions will cover a broad range of subjects, beginning with Behind the Brief: From Brief to Construction, examining how architects translate client ambitions into buildable designs and respond when site conditions, materials and construction requirements challenge the original vision. Case studies include Adare Manor, preparations for the 2027 Ryder Cup, alongside projects in Egypt and Woodhall Spa.
The second session, Golf for More People: Playability, Enjoyment and Compact Courses, will consider how thoughtful design and smaller formats can make golf more accessible and enjoyable for a wider range of players. Contributions will include Ken Moodie's work on compact courses and James Edwards' experience with The Copse at Goodwood.
Looking beyond the traditional golf course, Beyond the Course: Community, Perception and Value will explore how golf facilities can serve wider communities and contribute to the recreational landscape. Case studies from Sigló in Iceland and Bentwoud in the Netherlands will demonstrate how golf can sit alongside other activities, including walking, cycling and public recreation.
The programme concludes with What Comes Next: Materials, Technology and Changing Practice, looking at emerging developments in construction, technology, maintenance, resource management and sustainability, and how these might influence the decisions architects make on future projects.
Throughout the programme, the emphasis is on practical knowledge rather than theory alone, with contributors encouraged to share the decisions they faced, the alternatives considered, the solutions adopted and the lessons learned.
By bringing together members and industry partners, EIGCA's Learning Live initiative provides an opportunity to encourage collaboration, challenge established thinking and support the continued development of golf course architecture.
Four weeks, four important conversations and plenty of ideas to take into future projects.
