The Design Brief is back and this time I'm chatting with another member of The Society of Australian Golf Course Architects, Ryan Van Der Veen.

Ryan joins me to chat about his career, beginning with his time in golf course construction from a young age back in the USA where he was born. After getting his start using heavy machinery on weekends and school holidays, it was during his time studying at Purdue University where Ryan was given an opportunity to work with the late great Pete Dye with the reconstruction of their golf courses.

From this early association with Pete Dye, Ryan was offered an opportunity to work at a golf course Pete Dye was building that in time would become the revered Whistling Straits Golf Course!

Along with working with Pete Dye, Ryan spent a number years working as part of Greg Norman Golf Course Design team outside the USA including constructing the spectacular new Doonbeg in Ireland.

It would soon turn that Ryan was asked to work in Australia with the Norman design team at a new golf course being constructed outside Adelaide in South Australia, when things soon changed thanks to the GFC!

Ryan worked on a few other projects leading the Norman design and build team at some of our well known golf courses including Grange in Adelaide and Cathedral Lodge in Victoria, before life would soon see Ryan stay here in Australia and start his own golf course design business - Van Der Veen Designs.

Join us for a great yarn hearing some wonderful stories from Ryan of building and now designing some great golf courses.

You hit 'em clean and we'll keep 'em green!

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Send me an email to - [email protected]

People and places mentioned in this podcast:

Ryan Van Der Veen - Facebook

Ryan Van Der Veen - SAGCA Profile

sagca.com.au

Pete Dye - Wikipedia

Palmira Golf Club

Purdue University Golf Club

Whistling Straits Golf Course

Blackwolf Run

Barefoot Golf & Resort

Trump International Golf Links - Doonbeg

CopperClub The Dunes - Port Hughes

The Grange Golf Club

Eastern Golf Club

Cathedral Lodge & Golf Club - Greg Norman Golf Course Design

New South Wales Golf Club

The Huntley Development - Landscape Concept

Glenelg Golf Club

Dye Designs Group

Greg Norman Golf Course Design

Love Golf Design

Fazio Design