Business Categories: Facility Design & Architecture

Business Member Profile

Although other firms profess these ideals, our record of performance at resort courses like Desert Willow in Palm Desert, California and Sand Barrens near Atlantic City; environmental demonstration projects like Widow’s Walk in Scituate, Massachusetts; the spectacular Devil’s Pulpit and Devil’s Paintbrush courses north of Toronto; Turner Hill and Shelter Harbor Golf Clubs in New England; and Calusa Pines and Naples National in Naples, Florida shows that we live them well. We are also very proud of our work at Troy Burne Golf Club in Hudson, Wisconsin home of the Nationwide Tour’s Scholarship America Tournament, and Erin Hills in Erin, Wisconsin that has been selected by the United States Golf Association to host the 2011 U.S. Amateur, and is under serious consideration for either the 2016 or 2017 U.S. Open.

It is our feeling that the best golf course architecture, not only fulfills the challenging and strategic expectations of the individual golfer, but also blends in with the natural assets of the land so as to create a memorable experience. It has always been our approach to respect environmental and ecological parameters and to design in harmony with them.

Products and Services

Our practice is to spend days on a site until we know its personality. We evaluate its strengths and weaknesses, temper, charm, limits and assets. This allows us to develop the site’s golfing potential to the maximum, while minimizing its limitations and long term maintenance problems; to create a golf course that is safe, fun to play, easy to care for, and can be built and sold for a reasonable price.

This is what most owners and users of golf courses want, and we enjoy a reputation for providing that. Not only does our attention to detail result in a better golf course, it also yields lower construction costs, as contractors see security in bidding our work, and meeting our expectations. We consistently build courses for well under the national cost average because of our design methods. We commonly have over sixty (60) pages of specifications for an 18-hole course. This allows us to be artistically expressive in our design, and gives the contractor a more accurate estimate of the volume of work expected from them.

We feel that the best golf course architecture, not only fulfills the expectations of the individual golfer, but also is totally descriptive to the contractor, sensitive to long-term maintenance and the environment, but is also an artistic endeavor. It means the fine blending of natural assets into the necessary artificiality of golf features and play patterns so that the golf course elicits both a physical and an emotional involvement. Our ultimate goal is to make golf a memorable, recreational experience.

We first determine the major activity or play areas on the course and then integrate them with natural or wildlife areas, to preserve when possible, animal corridors, existing vegetation and special geologic formations. When prudent, we specify native or ornamental grass plantings, and if funds permit we try to develop a long-range plan which provides for the most artistic placement of the greatest diversity of plant materials to provide a wide range of color, texture and height.

As a golf course architect, Dr. Hurdzan has accomplished a lot over the past 30 years. But in addition to that, some reviewers are heralding his 400-page book on Golf Course Architecture as “the modern bible of golf course design.” Links Magazine says, “Hurdzan takes you through the design process as no one ever has, the book is so complete, it is probably all you’ll ever need on this topic.” He is also the author of “GOLF GREENS History, Design, and Construction.” Dr. Hurdzan’s approach to the book was to look at the past 100 years of history and evolution of golf greens, how scientific investigations have influenced their construction, the intent of the golf course architect when designing a green, and how design and construction influence maintenance practices. He authored “Building a Practical Golf Facility: A Step-by-Step Guide to Realizing a Dream,” published by ASGCA and endorsed by the PGA and USGA. And he wrote all the stories for Hurdzan/Fry’s 385-page book, “Selected Golf Courses by Hurdzan/Fry: Photos and Essays Volume 1.”

Golf Digest calls Mike, “his field’s leader on environmental issues.” Michael Hurdzan has been named GOLF WORLD Magazine’s 1997 “Architect of the Year,” and Board Room magazine’s choice for the same award in 1999 and 2001.

Dr. Michael Hurdzan’s credentials are impressive. GOLF DIGEST architecture editor Ron Whitten says, “he has taken a place among the best in the world now.” But more than that, Michael Hurdzan offers what only a precious few golf course architects can offer, a considerable measure of genius, built upon immense technical knowledge and experience, coupled with an enduring love of the game.

Dana Fry has worked with Dr. Michael Hurdzan since 1988, and became a full partner in 1997. He is a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, and on its Board of Directors. Golfweek magazine selected Dana among the TOP FIVE in their 2001 “40 under 40” list of people in leadership positions within the golf industry who are likely to shape the business for years to come. Columbus Business First Newspaper has also honored him as one of its “40 under 40” Award winners for 2000. The Business First award honors those individuals who have excelled in their careers and their community involvement to make a positive, lasting impact upon the city of Columbus.

Fry studies his craft in the classical manner, by relentlessly surveying the best and worst of what his colleagues past and present have done. Very few people in the design business spend as much time looking at other people’s work. Dana’s ability to shape theland and hone artfully crafted bunkers is a talent and skill that has helped us become one of the most respected names in golf course architecture.

Our staff represents the very best blend of technology and artistry available. But the secret of our success in neither science nor creativity alone, it is those qualities combined with a passion for golf, golf courses, and people. Our clients are treated and consulted as co-designers and not just bill payers. Our staff has great skills, small egos, and we put a high value on personal relationships.

At HURDZAN/FRY we have a vision, and synergy that combines engineering and artistry with the soul of a golfer.

Key personnel

• Michael J. Hurdzan, Ph.D - Principal
• Dana Fry, ASGCA - Principal
• Christopher M. Hurdzan - Designer
• William Kerman, ASGCA - Designer
• Jason Straka, ASGCA - Designer

History

In the years following that inaugural design, Jack continued to mentor Mike through his completion of high school and a B.S. degree in Turfgrass Management from the Ohio State University. After earning an M.S. degree in Plant and Soil Science in 1969, and during his Ph.D. studies in Environmental Plant Physiology, Mike accepted Jack’s offer to become his partner in 1970. Over the next 15 years, the successful team of Kidwell and Hurdzan, Inc. would be involved in over 100 golf course projects across the Midwest (United States), the majority of which are still in operation today. In addition, both Jack and Mike would serve as President of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (1979 and 1984), would be recognized as Man of the Year by the Ohio Turfgrass Foundation (1982 and 1988) and would be inducted simultaneously into the Ohio Golf Hall of Fame (1997). They were truly a dynamic team.

Besides their mutual love of golf and golf course design, Jack and Mike shared a common bond through the military. Jack was a United States Army Lieutenant in the Philippine Islands during World War II and Mike was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army Chemical Corps in 1966. Mike continued his military career both on active and reserve duty for 27 years until retiring as a Colonel (O-6). During that time, Hurdzan became branch qualified not only in the Chemical Corps, but Infantry, Special Forces, Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations. Among his many honors and awards is the Legion of Merit, the sixth highest decoration awarded by United States military and only one of two decorations that can be worn around the neck (the other being the Medal of Honor). Even through his retirement, Mike remains an active supporter of his local chapter of the Special Forces Association.

When Jack retired in 1985, Mike sought to expand both the number and range of projects in which he was involved. During that expansion, Mike carefully and methodically recruited the talents of a diverse array of professionals, a tactic engrained from his command of a Special Forces “A” team in which he witnessed how a small team of soldiers who have diverse but complementary skills could accomplish incredible feats. Coupled with a stability which has seen only one of the founding members leave the company (due to retirement), and the most recent hire dating back to 1995, Mike is confident that he has created a new “A” team, albeit in golf course design.

In 1997, Mike made Dana Fry, his associate and former field designer for Tom Fazio, his partner and formed Hurdzan/Fry Environmental Golf Course Design, Inc. The combination of Mike’s technical expertise, Dana’s artistic abilities and the skills of their four fellow designers have led Mike to confidently state “Not since H.S. Colt worked with Alister MacKenzie and Hugh Alison has such intellect, talent and skill been assembled into one firm.”