The Greenprint

In this Toro Partnership episode of The Greenprint, Leighton talks to Darren Moore, Director of Agronomy at Stonehill in Thailand, about the challenges of maintaining one of Asia's most ambitious new golf courses. Designed by Kyle Phillips and opened in 2022, Stonehill was built on what was originally flat rice-field land and has been transformed into a dramatic golf landscape designed to be playe...

In this episode of The Greenprint, Leighton Walker first catches up with Harry Cloke from Shorehill Golf, one of the show's partners, to discuss how golfer data can help inform golf-course renovation, redesign, maintenance and strategy. Harry explains how Shorehill tracks golfer movements and playing patterns to provide clubs, architects and agronomists with clear evidence on traffic, bunker usage...

In this episode of The Greenprint, Leighton Walker is joined by Mark Mungeam of Mungeam Golf Design, and current President of the ASGCA, to explore a career spanning almost four decades in golf course architecture, and his particular passion for improving public and municipal golf courses. From his early days working in golf course construction to spending 20 years with Cornish & Silva and eventua...

In this episode of The Process by The Greenprint , Leighton Walker and Thad Layton are joined by legendary golf course architect Bill Coore , whose work with Ben Crenshaw has helped define a modern approach to golf course architecture rooted in natural landforms, strategic interest and a deep respect for the character of a site. Bill reflects on what golf course architecture means to him, describi...

In this European Institute of Golf Course Architects (EIGCA) episode of The Greenprint, Leighton Walker is joined by Gary Johnston of European Golf Design and Tim Lobb of Lobb + Partners to explore the opportunities and challenges of developing golf in emerging markets. Drawing on decades of experience across destinations including Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Kazakhstan, the Caribbean, Albania and the...

In this episode of The Process by The Greenprint , Leighton Walker and Thad Layton are joined by internationally renowned golf course architect Brian Curley , whose career has taken him from growing up in Pebble Beach to designing and overseeing some of the largest golf developments ever undertaken around the world. Brian reflects on the moment he discovered golf course architecture as a professio...

In the latest edition of On The Tee , Leighton Walker is once again joined by Golf Course Architecture magazine editor Toby Ingleton to explore some of the most interesting projects and talking points currently shaping the world of golf course architecture. The conversation begins in Ireland, where Toby reflects on recent visits to two of the country's most significant renovation projects. At Ball...

Guests: Brad Burgess (Sports Turf Solutions) & Ryan McKuhen (Blade Runner Farms) In the second episode of our mini-series exploring the evolution of golf course turfgrasses, Leighton Walker shifts the focus from cool-season species to the exciting world of warm-season grasses. Joined by Brad Burgess, founder of Sports Turf Solutions, and Ryan McKuhen, President of Blade Runner Farms, the conversat...

Leighton steps away from the usual interview format for a short update on The Greenprint , reflecting on how the podcast has evolved since launch and sharing the vision for where it's heading next. From its origins as a personal learning journey into golf course architecture and agronomy, the show has grown into a global platform featuring guests from five continents and a diverse mix of architect...

In this episode of The Process by The Greenprint , Leighton Walker and Thad Layton are joined by renowned Australian golf course architect Mike Clayton for a wide-ranging discussion on the principles he feels underpin great golf course architecture. Drawing on decades as both a tour professional and architect, Mike explains why the best courses ask golfers interesting questions rather than simply...

In this episode of The Process by The Greenprint , golf course architect and shaper Brett Hochstein joins hosts Leighton Walker and Thad Layton for a deep conversation on golf architecture, shaping philosophy, and the importance of reading the land. Brett reflects on discovering golf architecture at just four years old and shares how his early shaping work alongside architects like Tom Doak helped...

It's an agronomy based episode of  The Greenprint , and Leighton Walker is joined by Scott Roberts, Course Manager at Hindhead Golf Club in the UK, alongside Mark Shaw and Will Bowden from PGG Wrightson Seeds in New Zealand. Together they explore the fascinating world of cool-season turfgrasses, uncovering the science, research and long-term planning that underpin the playing surfaces golfers ofte...

In this episode of The Process by The Greenprint , Leighton and Thad sit down with legendary golf course architect Bruce Charlton of Robert Trent Jones II to explore the design philosophies and creative process he has developed over more than 40 years in the industry. Bruce reflects on his early fascination with golf course design - including sketching golf holes during church services, and explai...

On this episode of The Process , we sit down with the thoughtful and highly respected golf course architect and shaper Riley Johns . Riley's path through the game is a rare one — having worked alongside both Bill Coore and Tom Doak , he has been shaped by two of the most influential modern design philosophies in golf. Those experiences, combined with years of hands-on shaping work around the world...

A very collaborative episode at the recent EIGCA Annual Meeting in Utrecht, where we joined our partner Toro to record a wide-ranging and insightful conversation with a fantastic group of guests, including: Andy Brown from Toro Toby Ingleton of Golf Course Architecture Magazine Golf course architects: Jeff Lynch of Re:Golf James Edwards of EDI Bruce Charlton of RTJ2. The discussion which was not a...

Dana Fry joins The Process by The Greenprint for a deep dive into his design philosophy, influences, and the journey that shaped him into one of golf architecture's leading figures. From his early days learning the craft, through his time working under Tom Fazio, and alongside influential figures like Andy Banfield and Mike Strantz, Dana shares an honest account of how he evolved from shaper to de...

We catch up with Jasper Miners of Evalu18 and Top 100 Golf Courses. Jasper has a deep passion for golf course architecture, and he's become widely respected for helping clubs uncover and understand their history. This work plays a crucial role in guiding future course design, ensuring that any renovations or restorations retain the original spirit and integrity of the course. We dive into his curr...

Leighton and Thad sit down with the inimitable David McLay Kidd of DMK designs to unpack the process behind his remarkable career designing some of golf's most iconic courses. They explore how David evolved his approach early on—taking on the role of general contractor on many of his projects to gain greater control over execution—and how that decision has shaped the consistency and quality of his...

On the Tee is our round-up of golf course projects taking shape across the globe, from new openings to developments under construction and recently announced designs. In this episode, we're joined by Toby Ingleton of Golf Course Architecture for our own take on a "Florida Swing," focusing on a cluster of exciting projects in the region and beyond. We begin with Apogee's Summit Course in Florida, d...

In Episode 2 of The Process we sit down with Tom Mackenzie of Mackenzie & Ebert to explore the philosophy and thinking behind his approach to golf course design. Strategy sits at the heart of Tom's work, with a clear focus on creating the best possible playing conditions while offering engaging strategic choices for as many golfers as possible. Strategy can take many forms, and in the episode Tom...

On this  Toro Partnership episode, we visit the stunning Lofoten Links in Norway and speak to Jerry Mulvihill (Superintendent) and Tekla Kvachadze Jerry and   Tekla share how they manage turf in one of the world's most remote and visually striking locations, dealing with short growing seasons, harsh weather, limited access to resources, and the unique challenges of midnight sun and polar night.  T...

We're excited to bring you The Process by The Greenprint , a new sub-series that digs deep into how golf course architects think, work, and create. Hosted by Leighton Walker and joined by Thad Layton of Thad Layton Design, the series explores the processes that shape great golf design. In this first full episode, we sit down with Nick Mills , a Melbourne-born golf course designer whose introductio...

Following the successful launch of  The Greenprint , the podcast dedicated to golf course design, sustainability and agronomy has announced a new sub-series titled  "The Process by The Greenprint."  The series will focus exclusively on golf course architecture, offering an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at how architects think, work and create. The new sub-series will feature and be co-hosted by...

Episode 24 of The Greenprint is produced in partnership with Toro and takes the form of a wide-ranging panel discussion, recorded at BTME, on how modern machinery and technology are reshaping golf course design. The episode brings together three leading architects—Tim Lobb of Lobb & Partners, Caspar Grauballe of By Caspar, and Paul Kimber of Kimber Glen International—alongside industry expert Andy...

This episode takes a deep, topic-led look at golf course design for the slower swing speed player. We use this term deliberately, because swing speed is what really determines distance and ball flight, and a large proportion of the golfing population fits into this category. Slower swing speed players can be young or old, male or female, beginners or lifelong golfers. It is also worth remembering...