May 24, 1993

Dear Jim,

Thank you for your letter of May 11. You have set out on what I think is a very good project. I am all for anything that promotes a better understanding of the game of golf and the courses on which it is played, and I am happy to offer you my thoughts on golf course design.

I really do not have a set philosophy when it comes to my design work, but there are several constants to my approach:

• I design layouts which challenge golfers to play intelligently rather than ones that test their muscles. Golf is a game of precision more than power.
• I avoid disrupting the natural setting as much as possible. I believe it is important to preserve the natural features of the land and not go against what Mother Nature has created. Therefore, I let the surroundings shape the holes I create. The golf holes should fit the terrain - I never try to force an idea onto a piece of land.
• The golf course should be aesthetically pleasing to those who play it and see it. I want people to enjoy the beauty of the golf course, because that is very much a part of the golf experience.
  
  Easy courses are fun occasionally, but I don't think they stand the "test of time" to be considered great courses. However, when I start to design a golf course, I don't intentionally try to make it as tough as I can. I simply aim to create a golf course that will be a demanding test of skill for the accomplished golfer playing from the back tees. But, at the same time, I want it to offer a challenging yet enjoyable experience for the average or beginning player who plays from the appropriate tees and thinks his way around the golf course.
  
  I always strive for excellence in my designs, but I try to avoid using design features that might be tagged as distinctive "trademarks." If the natural attributes of a hole suggest it, I might use a strategy similar to what I have employed elsewhere, but I will make it unique in appearance. Given all the elements that go into each course, there are many ways to change the look of a hole, such as by bringing water into play, by varying the size of the bunkers or the greens, by changing the width of the fairways, or by adding features such as trees or mounds or dunes.
  
  When I am given a piece of property and am asked to design a golf course on it, I take my most important cues from the person who hires me. I want to create a golf course that will fulfill the owner's needs, desires, and goals, and when the golf course is completed, I evaluate my success in terms of whether I have met those criteria. My job is to turn his vision into a golf course. If the owner is happy when I am finished, then I feel I have been successful.
  
  Jim, I hope this will be of help to you.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Jack Nicklaus
  
  
  
  
  My Design Philosophy by Desmond Muirhead
  The Best Advice by Hale Irwin