BY DAVID WESTIN, Columnist, The Augusta Chronicle
Published Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Prestwick 12 is a golf course concept whose time has come - or, more accurately, come back.
The idea behind Prestwick 12 is to build golf courses that form six-hole loops, some equaling 12 holes and others 18, depending on the wishes of the course owner.
That way, time and affordability, two of the main drawbacks to playing golf in the modern age, would be lessened. The estimated time to play one of Prestwick 12s 6-hole loops is one hour, 15 minutes.
Prestwick 12, Inc., co-developers Mark Brown and Terry LaGree got their inspiration from Scotland's Prestwick Golf Club, which had 12 holes when it opened. It later went to 18 holes and played host to the first 12 British Opens, starting in 1860, and 24 Opens in all.
The 12-hole course hasn't totally disappeared in Scotland. The Isle of Arran's Shiskine Golf Club, located not far from Prestwick, started as a nine-hole course and is now 12 holes. Great Britain's Golf World magazine named Shiskine to its 2005 list of "Best 100 Courses in the World."
Now all Prestwick 12 codevelopers Brown and LaGree have to do is find someone to buy into the concept on these shores.
No Prestwick 12 courses are under construction, but talks are under way with developers in Columbia and Ohio, according to Reid Nelson of Reid Nelson Promotions.
Prestwick 12 courses will follow traditional design philosophies, which challenge the skilled golfer but aren't penal, making the experience fun for beginners.
"One of the biggest problems with new construction currently is that the overwhelming majority of courses being built are high-end facilities that attract already avid golfers," Brown said in a statement. "These high-end courses are expensive to build, thus expensive to play."
Prestwick 12 courses will stake out their territory on the other side of the design fence.
"By working with the existing features of each site, using cost-effective design, construction and management techniques, Prestwick 12 golf courses cost less to build and operate," Brown said. "The end result is significantly reduced green fees - making the game more affordable for players, while maintaining return-on-the-investment ratios for course owners."
Also, to attract and keep new golfers interested and improving, Prestwick 12 courses will feature state-of-the-art practice and instruction centers.
In keeping with the Scottish concept of golf, Prestwick 12 courses will be designed for easy walking, with greens and tees located near each other.
That's an idea that will never go out of style. Here's hoping the Prestwick 12 concept catches on.
