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"Richard Mandell's recently released "Principles of Golf Architecture" is one of the most consequential books by a modern golf course architect. The writing is clever, concise and candid. Images are practical. A must-read for anybody seeking to learn more about golf courses."
-Guy Cipriano | Editor-In-Chief for Golf Course Industry Magazine.
"It takes something genuinely original and really well written to add something worthy to the database. In his fourth book, Richard Mandell uses his frank, candid, and forthright voice to cover what he regards as the eight elements and 35 principles of course design. And the result is thoroughly absorbing."
-Tony Dear | Links Magazine
"[Principles of Golf Architecture] is a thoughtful treatise. Mandell's writing is sure, the innumerable colorful course photos used to explain his points are as welcome as they are instructive. It all works. Just like a Mandell course. This is a perfect book for those who want to understand more about the game they love and the courses they play."
-Jim Davis | Golf Heritage Society
"10 Best Golf Books Written in 2022"
"The absolute ultimate 2022 golf holiday gift guide"
Principles of Golf Architecture
In the Principles of Golf Architecture, golf architect Richard Mandell defines the Elements and Principles of Design in general terms and then relates these concepts to the art and science of golf architecture. Utilizing a multitude of course photos, sketches, and drawings to supplement the text, Mandell weaves together design theory, historical perspective, operational considerations, and construction practices to describe the details of the golf course design process as concisely as possible.
Mandell tackles the often ambiguous Elements of Line, Form, Shape, and Texture, among others, and describes their application to the design of golf courses from golf course routing to details such as putting green surface design. In addition, he breaks down universal Principles of Design such as Balance, Emphasis, Rhythm, and Variety, and their impact on golf architecture. Mandell brings his own principles to the process as well, such as Challenge, Chance, Mystery, Quirk, Randomness, and Subtlety.
The Elements of Design
CHAPTER 1: ELEMENT OF LINE
CHAPTER 2: ELEMENT OF SPACE
CHAPTER 3: ELEMENT OF SHAPE
CHAPTER 4: ELEMENT OF FORM
CHAPTER 5: ELEMENT OF TEXTURE
CHAPTER 6: ELEMENT OF COLOR
CHAPTER 7: ELEMENT OF SCALE
CHAPTER 8: ELEMENT OF NATURE
The Principles of Design
CHAPTER 9: PRINCIPLE OF BALANCE
CHAPTER 10: PRINCIPLE OF RHYTHM
CHAPTER 11: PRINCIPLE OF CONTRAST
CHAPTER 12: PRINCIPLE OF EMPHASIS
CHAPTER 13: PRINCIPLE OF MOVEMENT
CHAPTER 14: PRINCIPLE OF PROPORTION
CHAPTER 15: PRINCIPLE OF UNITY
CHAPTER 16: PRINCIPLE OF VARIETY
CHAPTER 17: PRINCIPLE OF RANDOMNESS
CHAPTER 18: PRINCIPLE OF INTENTION
CHAPTER 19: PRINCIPLE OF CHANCE
CHAPTER 20: PRINCIPLE OF PAR
CHAPTER 21: PRINCIPLE OF VISIBILITY
CHAPTER 22: PRINCIPLE OF PLAYABILITY
CHAPTER 23: PRINCIPLE OF DIFFICULTY
CHAPTER 24: PRINCIPLE OF FAIRNESS
CHAPTER 25: PRINCIPLE OF PENALTY
CHAPTER 26: PRINCIPLE OF CHALLENGE
CHAPTER 27: PRINCIPLE OF QUIRK
CHAPTER 28: PRINCIPLE OF MYSTERY
CHAPTER 29: PRINCIPLE OF ANGLES
CHAPTER 30: PRINCIPLE OF DIRECTION
CHAPTER 31: PRINCIPLE OF DEFINITION
CHAPTER 32: PRINCIPLE OF CONNECTION
CHAPTER 33: PRINCIPLE OF SUBTLETY
CHAPTER 34: PRINCIPLE OF SIMPLICITY
CHAPTER 35: PRINCIPLE OF CHARACTER
AFTERWORD: PRINCIPLE OF TRENDS
Featured chapter: Chapter 24: The Principle of Fairness
“Every golfer worthy of the name should have some acquaintance with the principles of golf course design, not only for the betterment of the game, but for his own selfish enjoyment. Let him know a good hole from a bad one and the reasons for a bunker here and another there, and he will be a long way towards pulling his score down to respectable limits. When he has taught himself to study a hole from the point of view of the man who laid it out, he will be much more likely to play it correctly”
-Bobby Jones
By Richard Mandell
Since Richard Mandell was fifteen years old, he has been captivated by the playing fields of the game of golf. Growing up surrounded by some of the greatest golf courses in the world, it was easy for him to fall under the spell. Winged Foot, National Golf Links of America, Bethpage Black and many others in New York shaped his early ideals and philosophies about the art of golf architecture.
Nestled among the courses throughout the Met Area, Rye Golf Club and its quirky routing, influenced by a myriad of rock outcroppings, laid the foundation for his love of golf architecture. As a youth, he and his friends would hike up the wooded dirt path from Chamberlain Street with three or four clubs to share among the eight of them. They would start on the fifth tee and, if they were lucky, get through holes six, seven, two, three, and four before scurrying back down the hill before getting caught.
Since those halcyon days of his youth, Richard Mandell, ASGCA, has gone on to design more than 75 golf course projects of varying shapes and sizes in fifteen states and China. His firm, Richard Mandell Golf Architecture, has earned 31 different awards and accolades in four different decades of practice. In addition to being a golf architect, he is a licensed landscape architect, certified arborist, and accomplished writer. Richard is also a member of the USGA Museum Committee. Principles of Golf Architecture is Mandell’s fourth book and he lives on the border of Pinehurst and Southern Pines, North Carolina, with his wife Mary and their sons, Thomas and Joshua.
