Getting to Know: Randy Heckenkemper, Golf Course Architect

The Territory Golf Club in Duncan, Okla.

American Golfer: When did you start playing golf?
Randy Heckenkemper: I started playing golf at age 10 and the first set of clubs I shared with one of my brothers.  Since he was older he got to choose which half he wanted, he picked the odd numbers and I got the even.  This is probably why my favorite club is still the eight iron.

Randy Heckenkemper

AG: How did you become a golf course designer?
RH: I always thought I wanted to design sports complexes, since I played all sports growing up.  At Oklahoma State University, I studied Landscape Architecture and Land Planning.  Upon graduating I was hired by a firm involved with Jack Nicklaus where I met and eventually learned so much from Jay Morrish and his partner Tom Weiskopf.

AG: Why did you choose a career in golf course design?
RH: I have always enjoyed the hands-on opportunity to work with the natural features of land and the climate impacting it to create a recreational amenity that so many people will enjoy for years to come.

AG: In your opinion, have any design trends hurt the game?
RH: In the era of design where each project thought they needed to outdo each other led to courses that were and still are too difficult for the average player to experience enough success and too costly to maintain so as to not be a sustainable economic success.  We have all learned from this, owners and architects, and together as an industry are headed in a much better direction for everyone’s benefit.

AG: How can we grow the game of golf?
RH: All of the growth initiatives being tried are worth exploring.  My favorite is the “Play it Forward” campaign.  I wish there was less pressure on playing forward tees so instead everyone starts forward until they can break 80 and then they can move back one tee.

AG: Do you have a specific design philosophy?
RH: I get to work on a wide range of project types that allows me to disguise my philosophies a little different each course.  When given a good piece of property I much prefer to work hard on which course routing best utilizes the existing features so as to minimize soil movement and shaping.  I like to create classic risk/reward by providing speed slots near fairway bunkers, backboards near pin locations to cause players to think how they want to attack a pin, subtle swales into putting greens that influence yet not unduly penalize slight off line approach shots, etc.  I also very much believe we can add features that normally only benefit average or high handicap players without lessening the challenge or experience for scratch players.

AG: Of all the holes you’ve designed, do you have a favorite (why)?
RH: #7 at The Territory Golf Club, Duncan, Oklahoma.  A short risk/reward par 5 that the green sits on top of a rock ledge.

AG: What’s your “dream foursome” (living or dead, golfer or non-golfer)?
RH: My friends.

AG: Is there a “bucket list” location in/on which to design?
RH: I have always wanted to design a course heavily forested with pine trees but not yet had the opportunity.

AG: What is the future of golf course design?
RH: I believe the next twenty-five years most golf design will be unique destination sites like Bandon Dunes or Streamsong, renovation of existing courses to limit turf acreage, ease playability and general greens/bunker upgrades on the many courses built in the 80’s and 90’s. Lastly, I feel that communities seeking “green” alternative to urban drainage problems may see the benefit of golf courses with drainageways integrated into the course, lessening the impact of full concrete channelization.  Our current project in Las Vegas provides for the unrestricted flow of the 100-year storm event while providing an enjoyable playing experience.  The course has only 87 acres of turf of which 52 acres comprise the 100-year flood limit and the remaining 35 acres are “golf only.”  Decomposed granite planting areas with desert pine trees comprise nearly 34 acres.  The reduced turf acreage along with granite areas conserve a significant amount of effluent irrigation water from the original design.  Additionally we used Seashore Paspalum Platinum TE which can handle the dissolved salts within the effluent water.  Our goal was to create a golf course that offers well-maintained turf at a reasonable budget. I think these types of environmental solutions will be key to golf design moving forward.

To learn more about Randy Heckenkemper, visit www.heckgolf.com.

Editor's Note: Some images from the Desert Rose / Las Vegas Wash project …

Hole No. 11 from the tee box

Hole No. 16 and the Vegas Wash

Rolling the No. 2 green

Sprigging the No. 2 green