Building new holes, rebuilding bunkers, regrassing greens or adding a practice facility are among the largest projects a golf course takes on. Choosing the right team at the start does more to control cost and quality than anything that happens later. This guide explains who does what on a golf course project in the US and Canada, how to choose a golf course architect and a construction company, and what to ask before you sign. Firms are listed in our golf course construction and design section.
Who does what
Most projects involve three kinds of specialist. The architect designs the work and often oversees construction for the owner. The builder constructs it. Specialists such as agronomists, irrigation designers and drainage contractors advise on or deliver particular parts. On smaller jobs one firm may cover several roles, but the owner should always know who is responsible for design, who for build quality, and who signs off each stage.
| Role | What they do | Examples in the directory |
|---|---|---|
| Golf course architect | Master plans, hole and green design, construction documents, site visits during the build | Kipp Schulties Golf Design, Morgan Golf Design, Huxham Golf Design, Clayton, DeVries & Pont |
| Golf course builder | Shaping, drainage, irrigation installation, greens mix and grassing, bunker construction | Wadsworth, Landscapes Unlimited, Golf Creations, White Construction, KCM Construction |
| Regional renovation contractor | Bunker and green renovations, cultural practices, smaller projects | A.T.I. Golf Services, CreekBridge Construction, VM Golf Services |
| Practice facility designer | Driving ranges, short-game areas, feasibility studies | Golf Design Unlimited, MGC Developers |
| Bunker systems | Liners and bonded gravel systems installed during renovation | Better Billy Bunker, Sandtrapper, Durabunker |
| Irrigation supply | System components and design support | Keeling Company, MTI Distributing |
Choosing an architect
Bring an architect in early, before the board has fixed a budget or a builder. A good architect helps you decide what the project is for, whether that is restoring a classic design, fixing drainage, speeding up play, cutting maintenance costs or adding length. Look at completed work on courses like yours and speak to the clubs involved.
The American Society of Golf Course Architects has a find-a-member directory and publishes advice for owners on new courses and existing courses, including case studies. Membership is a useful check but not the only one. In Canada, many firms also belong to ASGCA, and some, such as Huxham Golf Design in Quebec, work internationally.
Choosing a builder
Golf course construction is specialist work, and mistakes in shaping, drainage or greens construction can take years to show. Look for builders with a portfolio of golf work similar in scale to yours, and visit a finished project. The Golf Course Builders Association of America represents the construction trade and is a starting point for finding experienced firms.
Builders vary in scope. Landscapes Unlimited combines golf construction with irrigation infrastructure and sports fields. Golf Creations has built courses since 1987 and installs Better Billy Bunker systems, as does KCM Construction in Ontario. Heritage Links works as the golf construction arm of the Lexicon group in Arkansas. For synthetic greens and short-game areas, compare artificial putting green installers.
Running the project
| Stage | Key outputs |
|---|---|
| Master plan | Agreed goals, phasing and budget range |
| Surveys and permits | Topographic, soils, drainage and environmental surveys; local, state or provincial permits where required |
| Construction documents | Plans, specifications and quantities |
| Bidding | Comparable bids from builders against the same documents |
| Construction | Shaping, drainage, irrigation, greens mix, grassing, with regular site visits |
| Grow-in and handover | Turf established, punch list complete, maintenance plan agreed |
Bid the work against written documents so quotes can be compared fairly, and agree in advance how change orders are priced. Weather drives golf construction schedules, so ask how the builder plans for rain delays and what happens if work stops. Agree who manages grow-in and what condition counts as complete.
Budgeting and phasing
Many courses cannot close for a full season, so architects often phase work over several years, for example rebuilding a set of bunkers or greens each fall. Phasing keeps revenue coming in but adds mobilization costs each time the builder returns, so ask your architect to compare a single closure with a phased plan. Build a contingency into the budget for rock, poor soils or drainage surprises, and agree how any unused contingency is handled. Members and golfers respond better when the plan, timeline and expected playing conditions are explained before work starts.
Questions to ask before you hire
- Which comparable projects have you completed in the last five years, and can we call those owners?
- Who will be on site every day, and who is responsible for quality?
- What is included in the price, and how are change orders and weather delays handled?
- Which specifications will you build greens, bunkers and drainage to?
- Who handles grow-in, and when does responsibility pass back to us?
- What insurance, bonding and warranties do you provide?
Compare golf course architects, construction and renovation contractors, bunker renovation and practice facility construction firms in the directory. The GCSAA Conference and Trade Show each January is a good place to meet several builders and bunker system suppliers in one visit.
Sources
- Firm information from their own websites, checked October 26, 2026: ksgolfdesign.com, morgangolfdesign.com, huxhamgolfdesign.com, cdpgolf.com, wadsworthgolf.com, landscapesunlimited.com, golfcreations.com, whitegolfconstruction.com, kcm-cg.com, atigolfservices.com, creekbridgeconstruction.com, vmgolfservices.com, golfdesignunlimited.com, mgcdevelopers.com, billybunker.com, sandtrapper.com, lexicon-inc.com.
- Architects: American Society of Golf Course Architects. Builders: Golf Course Builders Association of America.