short course Archives - THE GOLF PARK

Before The Golf Park Company: 1999 – 2019

Scott McCartney — Sat, 02 Oct 2021 01:31:44 +0000

A CAREER OF DESIGN & BUILDS

It was an “Aha!” moment, the first time I saw a synthetic turf golf green. I was living in Las Vegas as a 20 year old working for a golf tournament organization company. A golf course where I was working had a teaching area with fake turf for a golf green and fringe, and it was beautiful. Within a month my friend Shaun and I were back home in BC building one for my parents in their side yard in exchange for room and board. We built them a golf green that would bring years of fun memories to our home, and that’s how my first company Precision Greens was born.

Working other jobs that would supplement our income, we were able to build 4 greens the following year and 14 greens the year after that. When we hit the 30 project total the following year, we were in heaven and could afford to work solely at building greens. It was so much fun – designing and building every project with our own two hands.

Slowly, what was a golf green only company began to turn into a synthetic grass company, meaning we installed fake lawns as well as golf greens. The lawn side of things really took off, becoming 80% of our installations. As our company grew, golf greens continued to occupy my interest more than anything. I had the privilege to work with Vancouver’s preeminent landscape architects, designers, and developers. I worked with passionate homeowners, celebrities, iconic sports personalities all the way through to Canada’s best golf course architects.

The following is a look at some memorable installations. Notice the progression as time goes on…

My first golf green in 2001 (below). My knowledge of green speed and slope were limited as my Dad putts one off the green. It took all summer to make because we built the brick border ourselves. Scanned from Mom’s printed 6×4 photo – thanks Mom!

It wasn’t long before realizing fringe and rough, made with contrasting heights and complementing colours, makes for a perfect finish. Finding a way to create the perfect radius was also a huge breakthrough.

Earning a reputation for quality work awarded us installations in several Senior Living complexes in BC – a perfect low-impact activity.

My first real “Dream Project” was at TAKaya Golf Centre in North Vancouver in 2008. Two 3500 square foot golf greens (two different technologies – one for holding shots and the other for putting true). Also built an 18 hole minigolf. Hearing the laughter that was coming from the minigolf after it opened is what it’s all about. Thank you to Ernie George for putting your trust in us!

My second great “Dream Project” was in 2009 at a private residence, and one of Canada’s most incredible gardens, in Mission, B.C. Designing and building this 9 hole par 3 course brought me to life and inspired me the whole way through. To this day the course looks and plays wonderfully.

It was a joy to design Islandview Golf Centres World-Class Putting Course.

Eaglequest Coquitlam needed a team to resurface their putting course so we decided to take it on.

2010 to 2018 went by so fast with hundreds of golf projects to keep me busy and feeling creative.

Condominium rooftop golf amenities weren’t uncommon

There were very few “grass only” jobs that I truly admired but, being a part of some of the most impressive residential landscapes in the Country made me appreciate my job. This Paul Sangha design is inspirational.

Below is one of a few residential putting courses that I designed and built. A little 6 hole beauty

I started to become more confident. There was an art to everything I was doing and I started to feel more and more like the person qualified to bring these projects to life.

(Below) Common space golf amenities were becoming more accepted and became a draw for the sale of condos in Vancouver.

I did a few full landscape designs along the way that I can be proud of.

I helped design and bring this golf project to life for Ron Rule Landscape Architects. A project in the beautiful equestrian community of Southlands in Vancouver.

This Client’s inspiration was the Par 3 -12th hole at Augusta. Ray’s Creek in the foreground with pine trees and azaleas growing on the slope behind the green.

One of many Rob Spytz designed landscapes – this one in stunning Deep Cove.

Ocean front paradise. A new employee from Ontario almost lost his mind when a seal came up for a rest on the sea wall.

An incredible 3500 square foot golf green designed by famed Canadian Golf Course Architect Doug Carrick. Walking the property with Mr. Carrick and discussing the project was one of my greatest learning opportunities.

6 tee boxes were placed around the property from 45-105 yards in distance.

It was a dream location and ,at the time, was the largest golf green I had built to date.

I had built a few professional tee lines along the way

The iconic Red Barn and golf out in the Country

Construction of my first ever hand-built sod wall bunker – possibly the happiest I have ever been working! See Sod Wall Blog for more pictures and details. Same Red Barn site

A big one out in Chilliwack for Algra Bros. Construction and another Rob Spytz Landscape.

A breakthrough project at Sam Walker Park in North Vancouver, BC. Dave Turner, retired Parks Manager designs a golf green for public use. Hopefully this is the first of many “Golf Parks” to come. See Advocating for Golf in Parks, Golfs many Municipal Benefits, and Sam Walker Park – a breakthrough in golf for more on how we can bring golf to everyone!

Dave Turner, Green Designer and Park Section Manager with North Vancouver Mayor, at the time, Darrell Mussatto

This 3000 square foot golf green was inspirational. Nothing less than a World-Class landscape to be apart of.

A 6000 square foot masterpiece with tee boxes all over the property. Inspiration for synthetic “Short Courses” in otherwise hard to grow areas.

Working with professional machine operators – what a difference! Thanks to Mike at MJM.

A 5000 square foot golf green overlooking the beautiful Fraser Valley in Abbotsford. Fire season unfortunately or you would see Mt Baker hanging out in the background.

Below is an 18 hole minigolf/putting course that I designed and built in Lac La Ronge, Saskatchewan. It was great to go back to the Province I was born and do something special. Lac La Ronge Indian Band will be finishing the course off with art displays and features representing their rich culture and heritage.

These massive boulders were originally sitting just off site. I was dying to have something to work around so the Band had them moved into place for me.

It took me a while to finally get the routing down into one that I felt had an “energy and flow” to it. Flat project areas with no real obstacles are likely the most challenging terrain to be creative on.

In the Boreal Rainforest

My Crew. Three of the greatest men I have ever met. Left is me, Roland Ionson, Mike Knutson and his son Scotty.

My own backyard was my little “retirement project” after selling my half of Precision Greens to my old business partner. No crew but plenty of time. It made me relive and appreciate the attention to detail required for a perfect installation – it took everything I had to produce this project, but I am very proud of it. And my daughters are happy about their new “dance stage”. I am particularly proud of the memorial bench for my parents, without whom, my life of building golf greens would have never been possible – Thank You Mom and Dad.

Waiting for gardens to grow and spill over onto the golf green.

R+D on Synthetic Turf Sod Wall Bunker!

Sweet Night Golf Vibes!

Original Sketch Design

Working Design

I learned a lot in those 18 years. I kept learning through the last project I completed and will continue to learn moving forward. Since selling Precision Greens I have spent much time doing research and development projects such as the synthetic turf sod wall bunker on my personal golf green. I have experimented building a Tee Line for a local driving range and have researched proper maintenance protocols on a project that is 13 years old – a 9 hole Par 3 course in Mission called Shiloh Hill (mentioned above).

Most of my reading is in the field of Golf Course Design. There are principles I have adopted in my learning, even since completing my own project in 2020. Now I look forward to using my knowledge and creativity to bring new and unique Golf Projects to Canada and the World. I feel like it is just the beginning.

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Queen Elizabeth Park Pitch n’ Putt

Scott McCartney — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 17:34:01 +0000

A WALK IN THE PARK

I had an opportunity to play Queen Elizabeth Pitch n’ Putt today for the first time and it gave me that giddy, butterfly, excited feeling like when you’re a kid going somewhere fun. Basically, I was a kid again today. There is something about the modest little kiosks at these pitch n’ putts, the ones where you pay through the window and kink your neck to see what kind of chocolate bars and snacks they have on offer behind the counter, that brings up this feeling, for me.

That excitement seemed to sustain itself throughout the round today. One reason might be that I hadn’t played in a while and had a new “swing theory” to test out. The other was that I played as a single and this meant I could hit a couple balls off the tee and practice my chipping as I went along. Oh, and I was catching a Canadians baseball game afterward with an old friend. Oh, and I drove Norabel (my old convertible Chrysler LeBaron) to the course today. Oh, and it was a perfect 25° day. Happiness was tee’d up high today my friend.

I birdied the first hole with both balls. Nice start! I played the first round with a new used putter I bought off a friend (usually a mistake). It didn’t take long before I ran into a beginner foursome, which is totally great to see. I am a low handicap golfer playing as a single so I know to be as patient as I need to be and let time just do its thing out there. A nice couple caught me on the the 5^th tee. They were originally from Germany and mentioned “back home” they make you pass a test before they let you onto the course. You need to understand etiquette and take a lesson before trying the game. My initial thought was that this would be a huge barrier to entry for new golfers, but then I recalled an entirely amazing program posted on the window of the kiosk. Fraserview Academy has a “Get Golf Ready – Par 3 League” program they are running from August to mid-October that covers skill development in interested golfers, and it’s only $30!! Why wouldn’t ya?! What an offer!! Probably best that learning the ins and outs of the game be a voluntary endeavor.

There was a lot I admired about the course today. It was in the middle of a beautiful park setting surrounded by other activities like disc golf, tennis, walking and riding bikes. The course meandered brilliantly in every direction and utilized strategic interest from the effect of being on a significant hillside. The fairways were dried out so you could anticipate fun bounces or could try playing the “ground game” (with the ball hit low to run along the ground), and the fully grown trees were a brilliant place to plant your gaze or grab some shade.

I thought the course was fantastic. It had a good mix of yardages, the greens were in good condition and the teeing areas were level with mostly new mats. The thing I think I loved most about the course today though were the dry fairways. I love, love, love the philosophy of not watering when it’s not required. The days of Augusta National Golf Course being the benchmark for how a golf course should be kept are long gone. In the modern game we all know that water conservation is sexy and that golden brown fairways contrast spectacularly with the deep green of the trees, bushes, and the golf greens. I personally love the textural complement of taller fescue grasses grown into places that balls don’t often go. The tall wispy grass moves in the wind and adds a third grass height to the playing area. Fun.

I played over my head today, I think. I got on a run and had it under par but blew it coming home. I needed to birdie the 18^th hole but when I got there it was closed! I failed to read the sign or acknowledge the discount they gave me for this little inconvenience. But I still needed a birdie to finish even par and had only played 17 holes so I pleaded my case to Natalia in the kiosk. Instead of shutting me down, she surveyed the area, saw nobody was on the first hole and told me “If you’re quick you can play the first hole one more time”. Natalia, you are the greatest! The birdie roll took a peek inside the cup but in the end the golf Gods just teased me and the ball stayed out.

Some of you may ask, “how did you keep a score whilst playing two balls?” True, this is somewhat unofficial, but I always played and kept score with the first shot on each hole. I also missed 4 putts within 3 feet which makes me kind of wonder if my friend has a return policy on this putter…

Either way, it was a day of magic at Queen Elizabeth Park. I’m stoked to do an official tour of the pitch n putt courses through Metro Vancouver. There are a few beauties out there and a couple more that I haven’t played yet. I’ve been around golf most of my life and I see the game trending this way, toward the smaller game – less time, less money and much less intimidating than the larger, more recognized game. I want to understand it better. I want to make golf a game that everyone can enjoy. So thank you QE and Vancouver Parks for getting me started on my pitch n putt quest!

More to follow…

Lastly, I have to mention I am stoked to see The First Tee program running in Vancouver. Golf Canada and others are working hard to launch this program in Canada and I’m proud to say I took the NCCP (National Coaching Certification Program) through Golf Canada and the PGA of BC to become a Certified Community Golf Coach. So, any local courses running The First Tee Program please let me know if you need a volunteer because I would love to help out!!

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