We have been commissioned to design two new golf courses in Denmark – Lyngbygaard near Aarhus and Stensballegaard near Horsens. It has been two years since I first visited both sites (along with two other potential golf course sites). Over the past two years we have entertained discussion, with the owners, about nearly every aspect of golf course design and development. Also, during this time, the projects have successfully secured (national) permits.
Denmark is, too say it mildly, a very environmental conscious country. I perceive that environmental activists influence every land use activity. And, these environmentalists are generally adverse to golf courses. In Denmark, 2005 was a restless year for hopeful golf course developers. Early in 2005, the government recognized an unprecedented number of golf projects requesting entitlements. Concerned about the ramifications this may have on the golf market and the environment, the government organized a panel of experts to study this question and make recommendations. The intent was to normalize this looming development and market, as well as define measures to safeguard the environment. The findings of this panel were to be delivered in early 2006. This process took longer than initially anticipated, but the findings were eventually enacted and entitlement protocols are now in place.
In October 2006, Stensballegaard received its preliminary (national) construction approval – one of the first projects to be entitled following the 2005 embargo. It has yet to secure the local approval, which is considered consequential to the national permit.
In the future, I will be reporting on the evolution of these two projects. To stimulate your future interest, I will relate some interesting and early anecdotes.
At Stensballegaard, the authorities are resolute in their belief that the landscape should not change (visually). It is likely this conviction triggered these questions:
Can the flag poles be green, so they will blend into the landscape? (Interesting concept, hiding the golfer’s ultimate target. This may be worthy of more consideration. It could provide an answer to the troublesome technology problem we are facing!)
Can the sand bunkers blend with the landscape (i.e. be invisible)? (Another interesting concept – hiding the visual signals and hazards.)
At Lyngbygaard, a portion of the site is in close proximity to water source wells, which are located along a stream runs along the Northern boundary of the site. The authorities have asked that the putting surfaces should be constructed using an impermeable membrane underneath the green profile. This membrane would function as a barrier, so (potentially “tainted”) water draining from the green profile will not enter the ground water. Good idea, right? Of course, the logical question (which we asked) is: Where will the (tainted) water, collected by this membrane, be discharged? The answer from the authorities: The collected water will discharged directly into the stream. Good idea? You decide.
Lyngbygaard has been an established farm since the 1500’s, and curiously has been owned/run mostly by women (not the case today). The present owner’s grandmother purchased the farm during WWII. As the story was related to me, her husband, who was working on a nearby farm, had informed her that he would like to buy the farm, if it ever came up for sale. Not long after this, the man was killed in an "accident". It was the 1940's and the British were air dropping firearms and munitions to the Danish resistance (Denmark was occupied by Germany during this time.) On this occasion, one of the British packages went unnoticed by the Danes. It was later found by the Germans, who rigged the package to explode if tampered with. At some point, three Danes found the orphan package and lost their lives.
The widow of one of these resistance members bought the farm and it has been in the same family ever since. Today, Lyngbygaard is comprised of 600 hectares and produces grain and grass seed. The golf course marks the beginning of a new era for Lyngbygaard.
We (James Boorman and I) visited Lyngbygaard and Stensballegaard in early December to review the golf course staking. This review process allows us to confirm the locations (which we have designed on paper) with the actual points on the site. During this visit we adjust tee, fairway and green locations to establish the optimal routing of the golf course before starting construction document preparation.
The routing of a golf course is really the skeleton of the course. When accomplished correctly, the golf fits seemlessly into the landscape, as if it were always a part of nature.
We are now preparing the construction documents with the intent to begin construction in March or April 2007, which is normally when soil conditions are suitable for access by machinery.
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