Michael J. Benkusky: Proprietor, Michael J. Benkusky, Inc. – Golf Course Structure & President, American Society of Golf Course Architects
Background:
Started enjoying golf at a younger age and fell in love with the sport. He earned his Bachelor of Panorama Structure from Iowa State College, the place he additionally performed on the golf group, enjoying the College’s Perry Maxwell designed Veenker Memorial Golf Course.
Throughout his summers he labored on the grounds crew at Cedar Rapids Nation Membership, the one Donald Ross designed golf course in Iowa.
He has been within the design enterprise for 35 years, beginning his personal agency in 2005. Presently serves as President of the American Society of Golf Course Architects.
The Benkusky Story:
I grew up strolling distance from a nine-hole membership in Marion, Iowa. My dad and mom have been golfers and taught me the sport on the age of 5. I spent my summers enjoying golf and taking classes from our golf professional. After my dad and mom attended the US Open at Medinah in 1975, my ardour for golf course structure grew by studying the match program about how the professionals ought to play the course. I began to attract out my very own fictional designs, and even had academics write in my yearbook that they by no means had a scholar that may doodle golf holes.
I researched that almost all golf course architects had Panorama Structure levels, so I enrolled within the LA program at Iowa State. I used to be the one scholar at school that may attempt to incorporate the design of a golf gap/course into each challenge. Whereas working at Cedar Rapids CC, the Membership employed Bob Lohmann to finish a Grasp Plan for the course. I met Bob there and he provided me a summer season internship whereas in school. I then went to work there for seventeen years following commencement.
I started my very own agency with the objective of making, preserving, and enhancing golf programs and their environments. Golf design is about becoming a enjoying floor onto a chunk of land and having it match naturally onto the location. Every website is completely different, every course is completely different, and every shopper is completely different. I get my ardour by all the time seeing how a golf course could be higher. It doesn’t matter if it’s your native mother and pop course, or a prime 100,
I simply see the perfect in every part. You may name me a “glass half full” man.
Spending my time on the course or behind the drafting desk by no means looks like a day of labor, and enjoying golf all the time drives my ardour. I by no means cease studying and being a 26-year member of the ASGCA, it’s nice understanding I can be taught extra from among the greatest architects on the planet.
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You get up within the morning — what’s the driving ardour?
It’s all the time straightforward to rise up within the morning and be motivated once you love your job. I’m probably one of many few individuals who sit up for Monday morning.
Engaged on numerous tasks with completely different objectives and options is what makes golf design particular and retains on a regular basis completely different. That’s sufficient motivation for me.
Only in the near past you have been elected president of ASGCA. How important an accomplishment is that and what can be your particular focus whereas in workplace?
It’s an enormous accomplishment simply understanding your friends belief you with the accountability as President to signify our group. My objective is to proceed to strengthen the camaraderie of the Society.
We now have many members, together with myself, who’re teaming up with one another on tasks and group of younger members which might be studying from one another. Collectively we are able to all proceed to prove nice designs.
The ASGCA just lately gathered for its annual assembly in Milwaukee. What was the principle dialogue matter and what sport plan do you see the ASGCA doing with reference to it?
The fantastic thing about the ASGCA Annual Assembly is that we take the time to discover each the breadth and depth of assorted subjects. In different phrases, there’s not “one concern” that we deal with.
For instance, in Milwaukee we explored every part from tempo of play to designing touchdown areas and placing programs, the Chicago Faculty of Golf Course Design to monetary planning, and have been joined by officers from USGA in addition to our different business companions.
The prospect for ASGCA members – who actually compete for jobs with one another on the opposite 360 days of the 12 months – to come back collectively and share experiences and opinions to be taught from one another in the end advantages our shoppers.
There was a serious uptick when it comes to individuals enjoying extra golf rounds throughout and instantly after the worldwide pandemic. Issues appeared to have cooled down a bit since then. How do you view the way forward for golf within the USA and internationally and what can architects do to encourage such involvement going ahead?
I don’t know if I might say issues have cooled down. I work with a shopper at a 20-year-old course, and he simply had his second-best April in its historical past, and our April climate was so-so. I really feel we’re in a great spot for a lot of extra years.
One space that has drawn my focus is evaluating course yardages that handle the brand new golfers which might be coming into the sport to maintain them engaged within the sport.
What counsel would you give to somebody curious about changing into concerned in golf course structure?
It’s simpler to get into the occupation at present than it was 10 years in the past. A few of our members are on the lookout for younger expertise to assist out which incorporates are affiliation with the Wadsworth Scholarship program.
That program helps college students that wish to get into the occupation and most of the previous winners are working within the discipline at present. We even have our Tartan Program that gives architects which have entered the occupation alternatives to be taught from our seasoned members. I inform individuals to maintain reaching out to others or contact the ASGCA.
The golf ball debate has heated up with each the USGA and R&A placing ahead a proposal that may basically bifurcate the sport with ball utilization cut up between these on the leisure degree and people on the elite competitors degree. What’s your stance on this matter?
I’m nonetheless to see how this all unfolds. Among the finest issues about golf is the flexibility to seek out gear that fits your sport. With Trackman know-how and PGA professionals’ potential to show, golfers can get higher, and the golf ball is one a part of the equation.
However, to me, if the golf ball rollbacked 10%, you may regulate to a unique yardage and proceed to hit the identical membership within the inexperienced. The flexibleness of golf will all the time preserve it fascinating.
As a follow-up the PGA Tour and PGA of America haven’t said help for the initiative and if each teams not undertake what has been provided by the 2 governing our bodies will that trigger a serious cut up going ahead?
I can see a problem come up if the USGA and R&A impose the completely different ball of their sanctioned tournaments. If that occurs, it might be as much as the gamers to resolve what route is greatest for them.
Will probably be a disgrace if the perfect gamers resolve to not play in a match due to the golf ball.
The problem of water utilization is rising annually. It seems probably public officeholders might want to impose stricter pointers in how water is used. What function can architects play on this debate?
We’re already enjoying a task by minimizing irrigated turf areas and mixing these areas into our designs. Working with irrigation consultants and grass specialists, we’re creating areas which might be enticing, playable, and environmentally pleasant for the superintendent.
For those who might change one factor in golf unilaterally — what would it not be and why?
It is perhaps good to get rid of the golf cart and make golf strolling just for these that may. Once you stroll a course, you get a unique sense of enjoyment from the sport.
At our assembly in Milwaukee, we performed Erin Hills, which is strolling solely, and I believe all our members had an fulfilling day. And take into consideration all of the cart paths we are able to get rid of to enhance the look of the course.
You’ve acquired one spherical of golf to play — what course do you choose and who’re three different individuals enjoying with you – whether or not alive or lifeless?
This may occasionally sound humorous coming from an architect that has been within the enterprise for 35 years, however I’ve but to play the Old Course at St. Andrews.
It might be nice to play with previous champions there like Jack, Seve, and Tiger. Add my Dad and the group can be additional particular.
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