Make Every Golf Hole as Strategic as Possible
ABOUT RICHARD
"Mandell's work turned an already well-kept layout into a stunning test of golf, one Ross first envisioned. Raleigh Country Club's range has been replaced by the best driving range in North Carolina."
-David Droschak | Triangle Golf Today
Featured Articles:
"Bobby Jones renovation designer draws inspiration from original architect"
Sarasota Observer | October 2022 Andrew Warfield
"This course has evolved and changed, and it has suffered because of all the trees that were added and it became a shade issue,” Mandell said. “That's a challenge to bring it back to the original course, but it's a great responsibility that will increase over time, and not just here. They aren't making any Ross courses anymore. Every architect is different, and every architect changes over time, too."
"Seven years later, Bobby Jones Golf Club is visibly taking shape"
Sarasota Observer | September 2022 Andrew Warfield
"Bobby Jones is Mandell’s 11th Donald Ross restoration. He takes personally the task of preserving the legacy of one of the world’s most renowned golf course architects.
'A lot of people aren't aware of Ross, so this is an opportunity to show people why people like me consider him one of the all-time greats,' he said. 'I feel almost like I'm a project manager for Ross in this case because I'm trying to implement all the information that we have.'"
"Landscapes lent to golf"
ASGCA By Design | Fall2022
"His core principle was focusing on what makes each site special. As a golf course architect, I follow that advice wherever possible. My process is to find the genius of the place and route holes to create something unique"
"Behind the Architectural Curtain"
Golf Today | September 2022 M. James Ward
"That is one reason why Quail Hollow is such a good venue for the best golfers in the world. That monumental scale provides added intimidation to the professional, something needed to protect par in major events against the best players in the world. Personally, I am more of a human scale feature designer as found in Golden-Age designs."
"On Course: Four Architects You'll Be Hearing More About"
Sports Illustrated | January 2022 Joe Passov
"He’s climbed to join the ranks of the most respected renovation and restoration artists, primarily for three simple reasons: 1, He has vast experience; 2, he does consistently good work; and 3, the work comes in on time and on budget."
"11 municipal courses that are getting the love they deserve"
Golf Digest | January 2022, Derek Duncan
"If there’s anyone currently as active in reviving municipal courses as Hanse and Wagner, it’s Pinehurst-based architect Richard Mandell."
"Seven Restored Golden Age Courses You Can Play"
Sports Illustrated | November 2021, Shaun Tolson
"Bacon Park is defined by sloped greens, undulating fairways, and strategic bunkering that requires golfers to think their way around the course. Such a philosophy — one focused on choices and strategy — aligns with Mandell’s own approach to course design, but he acknowledges that didn’t impact the project’s success."
"A year or two prior to Richard Mandell’s restoration of Bacon Park, the Pinehurst, N.C.-based architect tackled another Golden Age golf course restoration in St. Paul, Minn. In some ways liberating and in other ways more challenging, the restoration of Keller Golf Course came with far less historical information and reference material upon which to base the restorative work being done."
"How Restoring Golden Age Courses is Good for Future Designs"
Sports Illustrated | December 2021, Shaun Tolson
overall effectiveness.
"Richard Mandell, of Richard Mandell Golf Architecture, doubles down on the necessity for simple tools, even during the construction process, as those details can make a difference in a restoration’s overall effectiveness.
'A lot of architects and shapers get it wrong because you can see that certain mounds were built by machines,” he says. “To do it correctly you have to use smaller machines. It’s going to take you twice as long to do it, but you’re going to move to the level of detail that you need. Then you’ll need people with rakes, shaving six inches here or shoving a wheelbarrow of dirt there. When you restore, you have to use the right equipment to replicate what it looks like. Getting out there with rakes like it was done in the old days is a quaint notion, but those are the instruments that are needed to do it correctly.'"
"Restorative Powers: Are We in a Golden Age of Course Restorations?"
Sports Illustrated | November 2021, Shaun Tolson
"Richard Mandell, who has restored more than a half dozen Donald Ross courses across the country, always references the book Golf Has Never Failed Me. It’s a collection of articles and essays that Ross wrote about course design throughout his career. 'That’s my bible,’ Mandell says."
"What makes a signature hole?"
Sports Illustrated | February 2021, Ken Klavon
“We spend as much time on all the holes as we do on those that get the flashy publicity,” he said. “I feel a little bad for them and don’t like focusing on the flashiest holes, because I do know in the design of all the holes we do, all holes have great thought put into them.”
"BoardRoom Magazine Names Mandell Golf Course Architect of the Year"
The Pilot | January 2018, Laura Douglass
"Richard's work has won numerous awards over the years but this is his most prestigious recognition. "I am clearly honored by this and am proud to know that hard work and perseverance pays off in the long run," said Richard."
"The Art of Routing"
By Design | March 2020, Richard Humphreys
"Most golf enthusiasts will have found themselves, at some point, staring from their car window at a stretch of land by the roadside, and imagining the holes that could be laid out there. Richard Mandell, ASGCA, was so intrigued by the possibilities of one such site, that he went a big step further: exploring the land, getting full topographical data, conceiving a full design and creating a routing map and hole visualizations. Since the start of 2020, he has been releasing details of each hole of this concept course, The Sandhills Club, on social media. We spoke with him to find out more."
"The city of Edina in Minnesota has officially opened its new 18-hole Braemar Golf Course layout designed by Richard Mandell"
Golf Course Architecture Magazine | May 2019, Toby Ingleton
"The new course has significant width, creating multiple options of approach and forcing the golfers to make conscious decisions about their playing strategy.
On several holes Mandell has also employed central hazards, which emphasise the choices available. At the par-five fourth for example, golfers can choose a direct route to the left of a series of central bunkers, or take the safer but longer high route to the right."
"Keowee Key to reopen in August following major renovation"
Golf Course Architecture Magazine | May 2019, Richard Humphreys
"Mandell has been involved with Keowee since 2003. He rebuilt greens and bunkers in 2006 and in 2014 guided the club through a renovation business plan process and completed a tree management plan for the course.
The project includes new tee complexes, re-grassing of fairways and greens, rebuilding bunkers, fairway drainage and reshaping. Additional forward tees have added according to Mandell’s tee shot distance equity system."
"Tanglewood Championship Course: Set to Reopen October 20th"
Triad Golf Today | Fall 2018, Brad King
"The Championship Course's new bunker complexes passed with flying colors "There was no water in any of the bunkers. It was unbelievable" said longtime Tanglewood director of golf Mike Wilcox."
"Braemar Golf Course Makes National List for Design Excellence"
Sun Current | December 2018, Sun Newspapers/ APG Media of East Central Minnesota
"This is an impressive group of golf facilities, and I congratulate them and the architects they worked with on these projects,” said Jeff Blume, president of the golf course trade organization. “Each year, the Design Excellence Recognition Program illustrates the art and science of golf course architecture that leads to facilities better serving their communities and golfers. I have so much respect for what is shown in these projects."
"Bacon Park : Making Municipal Golf Great Again
Golf Georgia | December 2018, Derek Duncan
"There's no question the quality and fun factor of Bacon Park is light years beyond where it was three years ago. This is as close to an authentic Donald Ross design as you will find in any city. Along with a handful of other important municipal course renovations around the country Bacon Park is a huge win, a step in the right direction, not just for Savannah, but for public golf around the country."
"Architect Spotlight: Richard Mandell Stays Busy During Challenging Industry Times
Triad Golf Today | Fall 2018, Brad King
"One Could argue that Mandell's projects - which currently run the spectrum from municipal golf at iconic public facilities in three different states to private club golf in four states to facility for championship-winning college golfers and future golf professionals - actually touch many more golfers than some of the more well-publicized new courses or renovations."
"Transformation in Asheville, A Return to Ross’ Vision"
McConnell Golf The Magazine | Spring 2017, Matt McConnell
"FOR ALL OF 2016, THE COUNTRY CLUB OF ASHEVILLE’S Donald Ross golf course was closed due to extensive restoration by course architect Richard Mandell. He made many great improvements, such as new 007 Bentgrass on all 18 greens, a restored creek crossing on No. 10, a new practice facility, and rerouted cart paths, to name a few. For Mandell, the most exciting part of the project would be discovering and returning the forgotten work Ross had created in 1928...."
"Municipal Golf, A Public Service"
By Design, ASGCA | Issue 27, Spring 2016, Toby Ingleton
"For many, municipal courses are the lifeblood of golf. But what are the key factors that city administrators need to consider when providing facilities to their communities, and how are ASGCA members helping to deliver value? Toby Ingleton finds out more. There's a great sense of pride among the community that we have a really good golf course..."
"Renovated Keller Golf Course Recalls Original Design"
Minnesota Golfer | Spring 2014, Joseph Oberle
"While new course openings are no longer a springtime ritual in Minnesota, course re-openings are good news. In 2014, we have news of two courses that shut down for a time but will be ready for play again this season. One course, historic Keller Golf Course in St. Paul, opens after an 18-month hiatus for planned updates and course changes ... One of the unique aspects of golf is the ability of participants to play the game in the places where the greats have competed. Amateurs can't play baseball in Fenway Park or football at Lambeau Field..."
"Is the 18-Hole Golf Course Dead?"
Golf Digest India | Fall 2013, Richard Mandell
"The India golf industry has the opportunity to establish twelve hole golf courses as learning centers to grow the game affordably yet still be anchors for successful real estate developments. The industry also has a great opportunity to promote sustainable golf courses of any number of holes as the prototype in India by establishing baseline standards that are more than acceptable to golfers of all talent levels. "
21st Century Golf Architect
Virginia Golf Report | October 2013, Patrick K. Kane
"To many outsiders the profession of golf course architect might appear to be one of the coolest jobs in the golf industry. After all, aren't these the guys who fly first-class all over the world meeting with millionaire developers in exotic locations to design high profile courses?..."
"Striking Makeover at Army Navy"
Virginia Golfer Magazine | September/October 2011, Stephen Goodwin
"If you've entered Washington, D.C., on Interstate 395, you've driven right by the Arlington location of Army Navy Country Club. Not that you would have noticed. As you pass the Air Force Memorial, the highway crests a hill and provides a dramatic panorama of the nation's capital- the Pentagon, the Potomac, the Washington Monument, and the Capitol itself..."
"Back From the Brink, Now Better than Ever, Orangeburg CC Revived"
Palmetto Golfer | Fall 2011, Bob Gillespie
"Ask a Realtor the important factors in selling a home, and you'll hear this familiar mantra: "Location, location, location." In the town where I grew up, if not for that truism - and avid golfer named Frank Tourville - there would be no Orangeburg Country Club. In 1982, Tourville, who not long before had moved his polymer tubing manufacturing business, Zeus Inc., from New Jersey to South Carolina, was looking to buy a home, and also to join the club. In fact, the moves were hand-in-hand..."
Architect Richard Mandell, Digging it out of the Dirt
August 17, 2011, Stephen Goodwin
"On a hot August afternoon at the Army Navy CC in Fairfax, Virginia, Richard Mandell is doing what golf architects love to do; he is actually designing something. After all the planning, the meetings, the red tape, the renderings, and the rough shaping, he is out there in the sun with a marking gun, spraying paint on the dirt. Dressed in shorts, striped polo, and well-worn, ankle-high, leather boots, he's moving with energy and confidence, laying down a dashed orange line for the shaper to work with..."
"Golf Inc.'s 15 Most Influential Architects
Golf Inc. Magazine | Spring 2011, Robert J. Vasilak
"When was the last time you heard anyone in golf say, "Spare no expense" or "The sky's the limit" or "I gave him an unlimited budget, and he exceeded it?..."
"Richard Mandell: Championing Affordable Golf"
Golf Vacations Magazine | Volume 58, Shaun McGuckian
"You know one thing that might save golf?" asks Richard Mandell. "If 25 percent of us all went away. Writers, designers, golf courses, marketing. Everyone across the board. Lets all go find another profession and golf will right itself. That's harsh, but that's the answer..."
"Richard Mandell: Designer in Sync with Today's Issues"
The Brunswick Beacon | April 1, 2010, Elsa Bonstein
"One of the things I enjoy the most about writing this column is the chance to meet new people in the world of golf. Last fall I attended the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendent's Assosiation meeting in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and took the course "How To Do More With Less: Renovating and Construction," taught by Richard Mandell, a well-known golf course architect with offices in Pinehurst..."
"Practice Makes Perfect, and It's Good For Business, Too"
Carolinas Golf Magazine | Winter 2008 - 2009, Lee Pace
"Practice grounds, driving ranges, lesson tees - take your pick of nomenclature - were given superficial attention by clubs, developers, and architects for many decades ... CCNC [Country Club of North Carolina] retained architect Richard Mandell in late 2005 to expand its practice facility. The club took some land used for employee parking and some adjacent wooded acreage to enlarge the practice ground and add additional hitting turf..."
"Q and A with Richard Mandell, Golf Course Architect"
Carolinas Golf Magazine | Winter 2008 - 2009
"(Q): You started the Symposium on Affordable Golf to raise awareness and understanding of the challenges facing the golf industry. Why? (A): I've been in the business over 20 years now and early on I went to many conferences and heard people speak. The challenges that they addressed seemed to me not the correct challenges as to how to grow the game. No one ever really talked about costs - not necessarily how affordable it was for green fees, but mostly they did not talk about how expensive things cost to design, build, and maintain ..."
"Water World"
Virginia Golfer Magazine | July/August 2008 issue, Michael J. Stott
"It's a brave new world at The Water's Edge Country Club, the 1988 Buddy Loving landscape in Penhook, hard by Smith Mountain Lake. Sure, it's the same water world golfers knew and loved with the water visible on 14 holes and in play on eight, but portions on the layout and its vistas are vastly different..."
"The Ross rebirth: Raleigh Country Club turning heads in Triangle"
Triangle Golf Today | Winter 2006, David Droschak
"Raleigh - Hold your thumb and forefinger about an inch apart. That's how close Raleigh Country Club came to being this town's next condo development or sub-division. Three years ago, the club was in severe financial trouble, and the last design by famed architect Donald Ross had fallen into the hands of a development group with no real designs of keeping the golf course private, and maybe not at all..."
"Short Course Design, Minimalist Yet Classical Approach Drives Course Architect Richard Mandell's Design Theory"
Golf Range Magazine | July/August 2006, Jim Marks
"Richard Mandell thinks good design and good environmental practices go together. He cites as one example his use of 'no mow zones'. These areas add to the natural look of a course, provide wildlife habitat, and reduce maintenance costs. He pointed out that a par-4 hole framed by three large bunkers on both sides of the tee shot landing area might look good on a magazine cover. But that hole could be expensive to build and maintain, while not providing strategic choices for the golfer..."
"Course Critic, Creekside Golf & Country Club"
Golf Digest | Ron Witten
"One of the luxeries of my job is that I get to visit a lot of golf courses with thier respective architects. So I get to see the design through their eyes, so to speak. I get the background on what it took to create the course. I get to pick the architect's brain about the strategies of each hole, and I get insight about golf course architecture in general. Every time I tour a course with its designer, I learn something new..."