Google Earth is a free software package which allows users to very satellite images from around the world.
Prior to Google Earth our industry used to have to rely on expensive aerial photographs to get such images. Often our clients were not in a position for such an expense and they were rarely available.
Now with modern technology and this incredible software we can view existing golf courses from around the world and also look at new territories for potential golf courses. Within our office we subscribe to Google Earth Pro, which has a cost to it, but it give us more flexibility and allows us to export images to CAD and scale them up for manipulation for future design exercises.
Having the digital image in scale gives us great power to measure various elements and really educate ourselves on the golf course that we are studying or review design elements that we might have read in books but never seen in real life. For instance – i wonder how far that bunker is to carry on a certain hole? Or i wonder what the positioning of those bunkers at Cypress Point look like in plan? I have never been to Cypress Point before unfortunately but now with Google Earth I could educate myself on the layout and strategic value of individual holes.
When we start work on a new course design one of the first things we do is look to Google Earth and see what is what. So much can be seen from the satellite image including natural drainage patterns for the terrain and significant landscape formations.
Our industry owes alot to Google Earth in my view. It is a great tool to present our designs but also it is a great tool to educate ourselves to produce better golfing facilities.
I wonder what is next for the future. If they can work out a way to put existing contours on Google Earth then that would be incredible.
Lets see what happens with that.
Thoughts of Tim Lobb – 23 March 2011.
Written on March 23rd, 2011 by Tim and stored in Philosophy, Tim Lobb
Tim Lobb of Thomson Perrett & Lobb will be in attendance at the KPMG Golf Business Forum in Dubai, April 17-19.
http://www.golfbusinesscommunity.com/golf-business-forum-home
Thomson Perrett & Lobb has undertaken many projects in the Middle East and would be delighted to meet with other delegates during the conference to discuss our experiences.
Please contact Tim Lobb on tlobb@tpl.eu.com
Written on March 21st, 2011 by Tim and stored in Our projects, Tim Lobb, Travels
PRESS RELEASE
TPL will ‘break ground’ in the spring to construct new golf academy at Moscow’s Olympic Stadium
Innovative 9-hole course will be part of the huge Luzhniki Olympic Complex, Russia, Europe’s largest sports centre
(London, United Kingdom – March 14, 2011) Thomson Perrett & Lobb, the golf course design practice founded by five-times Open Champion Peter Thomson with partners Ross Perrett and Tim Lobb, has announced work will commence on the new golf academy at Moscow’s Luzhniki Olympic Complex in the spring.
The golf academy will feature an innovative 9-hole par-3 golf course design, with six of the holes sharing two large splash-shaped greens, a driving range and a practice putting area plus a spacious clubhouse with indoor golf simulators.
The Academy sits in the shadows of the famous Luzhniki stadium
TPL principal Tim Lobb said: “To be working on a project that will add another dimension to an already huge sporting complex, and at a venue that could also host some of the games during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, is hugely exciting.
“We’ve concentrated on creating a golf facility that will be fun for all the family, and enable the people of Moscow to experience and learn to play golf in a relaxed environment that everyone can enjoy.”
The golf academy is an important development for both Russia and its capital city. It is the closest golf facility to the city centre and further enhances the Luzhniki Complex, which played host to the Olympics in 1980, already boasts facilities for more than 40 different sports and attracts five million visits per year.
“TPL has an excellent understanding of designing golf experiences that appeal to players in new markets, and I’m confident we will create an academy that compliments existing sporting facilities on site and showcases golf to this emerging market,” added Tim.
Dimitry Aleshin, Deputy Director of Development and Commercial Affairs of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex, said: “TPL’s design will create a welcome addition to the sporting facilities at the Luzhniki Complex. As Moscow’s first city centre golf academy I’m certain it will be well received and encourage more people to take up the sport.”
For further information about the Luzhniki Olympic Complex project and other TPL projects around the world, visit the company’s website at www.tpl.eu.com
ENDS
Press release issued on behalf of Thomson Perrett & Lobb by Landmark Media International Ltd
Media contact
John McKenzie
Landmark Media
Tel: 01780 752790
Email: john@landmark-media.com
Written on March 15th, 2011 by Tim and stored in Our projects, Press Releases, Tim Lobb
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Written on March 8th, 2011 by Tim and stored in Tim Lobb
Andrew Goosen (Senior Design Associate – Africa) will be attending the 2011 GCM (Golf Club Management) Conference held at The Country Club Johannesburg in Woodmead, Johannesburg on the 24th February.
Andrew Goosen in front of Thomson Perrett & Lobb's Cape Town office
The topic of the seminar is: THE SA GOLF INDUSTRY 2011 AND BEYOND -The current state of the game and solutions that relate to the viability of golf clubs as they exist in the future.
The conference is an all day affair with key note speakers from across the industry.
www.compleatgolfer.co.za/page/gcm
With this being TPL’s first official function in Africa we trust that it will act as a good introduction of our commitment to the region
Andrew will be in Johannesburg from Wednesday 23rd February to Friday 25th February and can be contacted on cell: +27 (0)71 915 7151 or agoosen@tpl.eu.com if you would like to meet up with him.
Written on February 21st, 2011 by Tim and stored in Andrew Goosen
Andrew Goosen attended the SA Public Sector Invitational held at Pearl Valley Golf Estate on the 9th February, invited by Con Strydom, Associate Director of ARUP Cape Town.
Andrew Goosen TPL, Con Strydom ARUP, and Craig Todd
The golf day was a prelim event to the opening of the SA parliament and an opportunity for private and public sectors to rub shoulders.
The very successful day was closed by an address given by the SA Minister for Sport, Mr Fikile Mbalula, in which he stressed the important role sport can play in enhancing peoples lives and how golf in particular needs to break its stigma of being an elitist game and be made more accessible to all South Africans.
TPL endorse this need for change in the game as not only can the game reach into poorer communities, but it will play a significant role in the longevity of the game.
Andrew Goosen heads up our new Cape Town office. We look forward to a long and rewarding experience in Africa. Andrew can be contacted on agoosen@tpl.eu.com or tel: +27 (0) 21 812 2646 (office)
Written on February 10th, 2011 by Tim and stored in Andrew Goosen, Golf News, Top Courses
Last week we spent a few days onsite at Royal Jersey GC and Wimbledon Park GC. We are consulting at both Clubs and helping to strengthen the strategic value for each of these different golfing experiences. Royal Jersey GC being a predominantly Links experience while Wimbledon Park GC is set amongst a Capability Brown landscape and very much a Parkland setting.
Bunkering plays an important part in assessing the strategic value of a golf course and we have started some preliminary re-building works at both courses.
The great thing is that bunkers come in all shapes and sizes as seen with our two examples below. However the importance of correct bunker placement is always at the core of all strategic appraisals for any golf course.
Rebuilding revetted bunkers at Royal Jersey GC
At Royal Jersey we are keeping with the traditional Links styled bunker and going with the revetted face. The above is the rebuilt greenside bunker on hole 5.
More of a freestyled bunker form at Wimbledon Park GC
The prototype bunker above is being constructed to the left of the 4th green at Wimbledon Park GC. We are trialling The Blinder Bunker Liner in the base and look forward to seeing a positive reaction.
The two different bunker examples above are great demonstration of how bunkers should be fit for their purpose and suit their environment and maintenance budgets as opposed to the a golf course architects ego.
To be continued.
Written on February 7th, 2011 by Tim and stored in Our projects, Tim Lobb, Travels
Late last year TPL were appointed to undertake a bunker and strategy analysis at Wimbledon Park Golf Club.
For more information see:
http://www.tpl.eu.com/wimbledon/
Some of the works have started to the greens surrounds of holes 4 + 10. We are trying to create more interest and improve strategy through the use of mounding and drop off’s.
Pictures below are taken from site visit 27 January, 2011.
Front left greenside bunker to be re-positioned on hole 4 as part of these works
The 4th hole is a long par 4 play right next to the Wimbledon Centre Court (Tennis)
Drop off's and mounding to back of 4th green to improve strategy and create interest
We have been working closely with Course Manager David Langheim and Club officials so far through the design development and look forward to getting into the bulk of the works next winter.
Mounding formed to back of 10th green to add interest and improve playability
Design work is ongoing with this project and we look forward to keeping you updated with this project.
Written on January 27th, 2011 by Tim and stored in Andrew Goosen, Our projects, Tim Lobb
Click on above link for developments at our New Giza project in Cairo.
Written on December 28th, 2010 by Tim and stored in Our projects, Press Releases, Tim Lobb
PRESS RELEASE
Thomson Perrett & Lobb to open new African office
(London, England – December 15th, 2010) Thomson Perrett & Lobb, the golf course architecture practice founded by five times Open Champion Peter Thomson with partners Ross Perrett and Tim Lobb, is to expand its international business by opening a Cape Town office to service Africa.
The new business will be managed by Andrew Goosen who previously worked in the UK practice for four years, but has now moved back to his native South Africa in the newly promoted role of Senior Design Associate.
Commenting on this important step in the development of the TPL business, Principal, Tim Lobb, said: “We have been monitoring the development of golf in this region for some time and the creation of our new African office, coupled with the continent’s growing profile as a golf destination, is a logical progression which will allow us to closely manage both new and existing work going forwards.
“Andrew has already played a significant role in our Egyptian projects, New Giza and El Ein Bay, and we are confident our business interests in Africa, and those of our clients, will be in safe hands with the opening of this new office.”
Andrew added: “I have thoroughly enjoyed working alongside Tim Lobb in the UK, but the lure of returning to my native South Africa is very exciting. There has been noticeable growth and significant investment in the golf and tourism industry in Africa, and the prospects for the sport are very strong.”
Andrew Goosen in front of TPL's Cape Town office
As part of Andrew’s role, he will also be overseeing a new TPL project in Zambia, which will see the design and construction of an exciting new golf course that forms part of a hunting lodge development spread across 50,000 acres of land.
This expansion also rekindles great memories for the company’s five-time Open Champion, Peter Thomson, who had many head-to-head sporting encounters with the great South African golfer, Bobby Locke. The pair became great friends and toured the former Rhodesia and other parts of Africa, playing a series of exhibition matches during the 1950s and 60s.
TPL’s growth in the region coincides with the announcement that South Africa has been named ‘Africa, Indian Ocean and Gulf States Golf Destination of the Year 2011’ by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO).
For further information and videos about Thomson Perrett & Lobb, visit the company’s website at www.tpl.eu.com
ENDS
Press release issued on behalf of Thomson Perrett & Lobb by Landmark Media International Limited. www.landmark-media.com
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