How to Become a Golf Course Designer

Unless you are a world class, professional golfer with great name recognition, you need to complete a degree in landscape architecture in order to become a golf course designer. Completion of this degree at a school where the professors have completed some prestigious work is a plus. This degree prepares you to design beautiful and successful golf courses that stand the test of time.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Find a college that provides a landscape architecture degree. The College Board website lets you search by information such as location and type of degree to narrow your search and find the best school for you. Make sure the program is accredited by the American Society of Landscape Architects.
2. Contact your colleges of choice and obtain admission information. There may be admission fees, deadlines and additional paperwork to complete during this process.
3. Get an internship while in college, or work with a seasoned golf course designer as an apprentice after college. Either way results in some hands on experience in designing golf courses and gets your foot in the door, both are needed to move up the ladder.
4. Complete your college education and with your new degree in landscape architecture look for golf course design jobs. Many golf course design companies do not want to be contacted directly, but rather sent a resume with pictures of your work in college and elsewhere. Check each companies' guidelines and follow them.
5. Join the American Society of Golf Course Architects. In order to become a member in the ASGCA you must have eight years experience as a golf course designer and must be responsible for completing at least five designs.

Tips & Warnings

• When searching for your college, ask how long it takes to complete the program and if there is a specific focus within the department.
• When choosing your college, ask if the professors are practicing landscape architects and what kind of architecture or design work the students are doing.

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