Golf Course Architecture

The firm’s founder, Jamie Dawson, undertakes all of ELD’s golf related design and supervision to ensure a quality experienced service. His passion is creating superb golf courses or golf holes, and seeing them constructed, then enjoyed.

Jamie’s designs are based on diverse experiences gained from projects, playing or inspecting a range of courses. His approach is a flexible site specific design style that can be integrated into wonderful parkland courses, such as Royal Canberra Golf Club (which he has enjoyed for 30 years), to the design subtleties and drama of links style courses.

Since 1986, Jamie has undertaken over 150 successful golf course projects, including design of new championship courses, entire Course Master Plans, course remodelling, practice facilities, safety audits / solutions and vegetation works. This diverse experience includes a range of clubs from some of Australia’s premier Clubs to private/public courses, including: The Australian, Royal Canberra, Kingston Heath, Gungahlin Lakes, Federal, Oatlands, Cumberland, Warringah, Yowani, Pambula-Merimbula, Horton Park and Coffs Harbour.

Jamie is adept at new course development from master planning and feasibility studies through to detailed design / documentation / supervision. His experience includes concepts for large integrated golf resort/estate projects throughout Australia and Asia.

In general, Jamie’s philosophy on golf course design includes:
– quality golf course design to attract players, purchasers and profile;
– blending risk and reward for thoughtful strategic play with challenge yet fairness to ensure enjoyment and interest for all levels of golfers;
– utilizing bunkering as strategic guides and visual highlights;
– flexible design that integrates the best aspects and the natural environment to maximise the unique character of each site;
– creating rolling mounding seamlessly blending with the natural landform;
– incorporating safety management solutions;
– integrating available water resources and drainage solutions to ensure good course condition, maintainability and maximum playing time;
– ensuring the course excites and satisfies to demand repeat play by members and return visits by guests;
– successfully siting any housing to offer excellent views with reasonable privacy and safety;
– aesthetically pleasing courses, including core clubhouse, resort and entry settings; and
– a realistic client focussed approach.

Jamie was Honorary Secretary/Treasurer of the Society of Australian Golf Course Architects in 2002/2003.

Our golf course services include:

  • New course design
  • Re-modelling
  • Safety audits
  • Landscape design
  • Golf resort
  • Vegetation management
  • Water management
  • Costing and feasibility studies
  • Construction supervision and management