FIELD WORK

Cal Poly Practice Facility at Dairy Creek

2025

In early 2025, I was invited by Cal Poly Golf head coach Philip Rowe to watch and possibly weigh in on their new practice facility project at Dairy Creek. When construction began in late summer, plans by architect and ex. pro golfer Tom Lehman were already in place. But they more of a general outline and the design would evolve in the field. My first work was conceptualizing ideas presented by the coaches and integrating them with the existing plans. This took the form of detailed overviews (see in Portfolio), field sketches, simple contour maps.

Once construction was underway, I would routinely visit the site to meet with the coaches and the shaper Corey Billings. As construction continued the plans greatly evolved and I was able to weigh in on many of the decisions made. Mostly considering the smaller upper green, where more work had to be done to get it to sit attractively onto the raised area. We did this by having the entire complex slope gently right to left to make it not seem like a push-up green. Seeding was finished as of early December and should be nearing completion early 2026.

  • Site pre-construction

  • Plans and rough shaping

  • Shaping upper green

  • Some bulldozer experience

  • Drainage

  • Greens mix and bunker sand

  • Finish shaper bunker viewed from across pond

  • Finished shaping and seeded

  • Aerial

DMK Summer Internship

2025

During my first year at Cal Poly I was reached out to by Caden Jensen about working as an intern for David McLay Kidd Golf Designs during the summer. After discussing with him and associate Nick Schaan, I confirmed to work at their ongoing project, Battle Run in Lincoln, NE.

Being my first time actually working on a major course construction project it is needless to say that I gained endless valuable experiences. Aside from doing general grunt work, I was taught how to operate a laser level, Trimble software, and more. With this technology I measured green contours, marked corridors for clearing/grading, collected drainage data, collected areas of bunkers and greens, and marked tees and landing zones. An all-encompassing use of this was the construction of a wash, which required measurements for positive flow, grading, and aesthetics to make it believable as a natural feature.

My overall most valuable takeaway from the internship though was gaining a better understanding of how the construction and in-field design process actually operate. From construction timeline, work environments, to design evolution in the field and why/how changes are made. Just overhearing and talking with Nick Schaan and David Kidd about design was incredibly valuable. I’m looking forward to seeing Battle Run be completed and to work with DMK again.

  • Walking routing and sketching based on plans

  • Grading prep

  • Rough shaping

  • Field Sketch

  • Lasering greens

  • Final shaping and drainage

  • Multitasking

  • Wash construction

Northwood Bunker Restoration Project

2024

My first hands-on project was spurred by personal interest in the history of Northwood Golf Club. When I learned that it was a Alister MacKenzie course and began to recognize features characteristic of his work, I was determined to find out what it would have been like in its relatively unknown original state. With some historic images from the Schaap family who runs the course, a few aerials, descriptions, and what remains on the ground I was able to come up with a pretty good idea of what the course would have been.

But once I had an idea of what the course once was, I began to think of how it could be restored. So I asked the Gaylord (GM) and Trevor Schaap if they had any interest to begin restoring some of the bunkering. They said they had for some time, so I made a presentation to the board and the restoration of one of the 6th hole’s fairway bunkers was approved. I was involved in all steps of the pre-construction and construction process which I learned from immensely. The project has ignited a deeper interest in the course’s history among the community and began the continuing long-term restoration effort.

  • Marking pre-excavation

  • Removing sod

  • Excavation and shaping

  • Drainage

  • Gravel and finish work

  • Complete

  • Maturing