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ASGCA is the premier organization in the golf architecture profession.  Membership in the Society signifies the ultimate recognition of an architect’s work, and a place in history among names like Ross, Jones, Nicklaus and Dye.

Through ASGCA’s educational initiatives, special events, shared experiences and understanding, members also gain a collective knowledge that helps them to lead projects and realize greater success.

Are you an experienced golf course architect interested in joining ASGCA? Scroll down to learn more about qualifications and process, or start the application process right now.

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Top 10 Reasons to Join ASGCA

 

1. Industry Exposure
A great resource for those early in their careers, and also experienced pros, to make industry connections and gain exposure or job prospects
2. Shared Knowledge
Share and learn from others’ ideas, winning techniques and challenges.  Secure speaking opportunities to showcase your own experiences.
3. Leverage
Validate your hard work, expertise and talents by displaying the ASGCA initials behind your name, garnering a “foot up” in a competitive market.
4. Partnerships
Gain direct access to a vast array of leading Industry Partners reaping the benefit of their knowledge, resources and monetary assistance.
5. Collaboration
Meet like-minded architects, contractors, shapers, etc. from other regions and countries, then collaborate on projects and other initiatives together.
6. Camaraderie
Make life-long friends, both personal and professional, who share similar passions and interesting diversities.
7. Annual Meetings
Play at some of the finest private and public golf courses in the nation (and overseas) and gatherings with top architects to discuss the issues of the day.
8. Study Tours
Tour and play some of the most historic golf courses in the world on bi-annual trips with architects from Australia, Asia and Europe.
9. Free Admission
Gain free admission to professional and top amateur golf events in the US, annual conferences and other industry gatherings.
10. Plaid
Proudly where the Ross-tartan colors to industry events and become one of “those guys in the red, plaid jackets!”

Eligibility

A prospective member of the ASGCA must be a citizen of the United States, Canada or Mexico, a minimum 28 years of age, have no less than 8 years of practical experience in golf course architecture and be recognized by other ASGCA members as a competent professional golf course architect.

Process

To become a member of the ASGCA, one must complete a two-year application process proving by virtue of their knowledge of the game, training, experience, vision and inherent ability, to be qualified to design and prepare specifications for a course of functional and aesthetic perfection and carry the design from planning through construction. Applicants must also provide evidence of direct project experience that illustrates competency in the core facets of golf course architecture.

Peer Review & Sponsorship

ASGCA members are very involved in the review of each potential member’s application and submitted projects, including direct review of project plans, interviews with construction personnel and club management, and a walking or playing tour of the course with the applicant. Each applicant must also be sponsored by three ASGCA members. The sponsors are members who can personally vouch for the character, professional integrity and high level of applied architecture skill of the applicant.

Code of Ethics

In addition, all applicants must agree to abide by the ASGCA’s standards of professional practice and a stringent code of ethics. The code of ethics set standards for the golf course architect’s role in contract negotiations and their responsibilities to the client and each other.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of training do I need to become a golf course architect?

Golf course architects come from varying backgrounds, with training in landscape architecture, civil engineering, environmental studies, agronomy, golf course construction and professional golf, to name a few. The most common degree among golf course architects is landscape architecture. In addition to formal education, time spent “on the job” learning about golf course maintenance and golf course construction is important to learn the technical aspects of the profession. Today’s golf course architect will need to acquire a variety of knowledge, including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Landscape Architecture / Land Planning
  • Environmental Knowledge
  • Civil Engineering
  • Agronomy & Turf Management
  • Heavy Construction
  • Plans, Specifications & Graphic Production
  • Cost Estimating
  • Public Speaking

Those interested in the field should become associated with a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects to learn more about the various demands of the profession. For a list of members near you, visit our Find a Member section.

Which colleges offer a degree in golf course architecture?
No colleges in the United States currently offer a degree program in golf course architecture. Several landscape architecture and/or turf programs do offer some focused study in the basics of golf design, however. (For a list of accredited landscape architecture programs in the United States, visit the American Society of Landscape Architects)

The College of Art in Edinburgh, Scotland offers a graduate-level certificate in golf course architecture. For more information about that program, visit the European Institute of Golf Course Architects website.

How do I find work as a golf course architect?

Golf course architecture is an extremely competitive field. Many golf course architects get their start working as interns with established golf course architecture practices. ASGCA will occasionally publish contact information in the ASGCA Newsletter for those students looking either for internships or entry-level positions. Contact Aileen Smith at ASGCA for more information.

How do I get in touch with a particular golf course architect?

In the Find a Member section of this website, you may access contact information for all ASGCA members, including mailing address, phone number, e-mail address and website by typing in the name of the member. You may also search on location or area of expertise.

If you need answers beyond what is listed on the ASGCA website, please visit our contact form or call ASGCA at 262-786-5960.

Why do ASGCA members wear the red plaid jackets?
The red plaid jackets are made from a material known as the Ross tartan. This tartan was adopted by ASGCA in 1973 as a tribute to the group’s honorary first president, golf course architect Donald Ross. Scottish clans are typically identified by one or more distinctive tartan patterns; Ross hailed from Dornoch, Scotland.