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Building a Golf Course

With the cost building even the most basic 18 hole course running easily over 2 million dollars from start to finish it's good idea to have an idea of what it encompasses.

The first step you should think about would be "is this the place I should build the course?" Meaning can the market handle another course, can the fees I charge make a profit, have any courses in the area not succeeded recently and why, can I afford to pay the employees that live in this area, are the land costs acceptable? Then once you've determined the area you also need to analyze the actual land before buying taking into consideration the soil, water, wildlife and natural drainage.

Then you're going to want to decide on who will be the architect of your golf course. When designing a course the architect is responsible for the handling of many areas of the design and should be proficient in many fields. They will need to know landscape architecture, civil engineering, Hydraulic Engineering, Agrostology, Heavy Construction, Plans, Specification and Cost Estimating.

The basics of Golf Course Architecture were set in play with the publishing of Golf Course Design: an Introduction by Geoffery Cornish and William Robinson in 1975. It outlined some of the fundamentals each course should have functionality, playability and maintenance. Three things your architect will need to take into consideration.

You'll need to make sure all permits are obtainable and that you have acquired them. You'll also want to discuss your plans for the course with locals to gauge their feeling about your design and if they would approve your land use if put to a vote.

With the kind of capital involved in building a course, financing the project will need to be a consideration. It always helps if you already have your own or investors money to use as down payment, t also helps if you or your backers have had experience with large successful projects before. Having an experienced developer and positive cash flow will help you get your funding.

Once you have chosen your area, selected an architect, obtained permits and received your financing it's finally time for the construction phase. The construction phase is more than just moving land from one place to another. All decisions made at this point can affect ever aspect of the courses appeal and playability. It's suggested that you hire a builder from the Golf Course Builders Association of America (GCBAA) a trade group whose members specialize in the building of golf courses. They will know the ever changing rules and regulations involved in the building of a course and also are familiar with any technological advancements that may improve on your original design.
Donald is an avid golfer at Eagle Creek an Orlando golf course and also enjoys playing other Orlando golf courses.

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