Par for the course

    When asking Brian Huntley his philosophy of golf course design, you need look no further than the name of his company: Golf Sense, Inc.
    "Make it look hard, but play easy," is how the 47-year-old Green resident describes the philosophy he has used in designing 21 new courses and renovating 54 others over the past 18 years.
    "Golfers, in my opinion, want to have a thrill," Huntley said. "If the course looks boring or uninteresting, they perceive it that way.    "But if it looks interesting and exciting and you can put in a few tricks to make it play easier than it appears, than golfers are satisfied with what you've done. No one wants to be beaten up."
    Huntley, a Canton Central Catholic High School and Ohio State University graduate, got his start in golf course design with the famed Arthur Hills and Associates firm. He ventured out on his own in 1992.
    Over the past 18 years, he has designed some of the Stark County area's top courses, including the Quarry Golf Club in Canton and the Sanctuary in North Canton. He also has done renovations on such courses at Edgewood Golf Course, Tam O'Shanter and Shady Hollow Country Club.
    His philosophy is simple, and stems back to his days at Arthur Hills: Work with Mother Nature.
    "We don't want to move large amounts of earth. You try to work with Mother Nature without manipulating the property too severely," Huntley said.
    There can be challenges. On example is his work at Maumee Bay near Toledo, a links style course. He started with a 200-acre piece of land with one foot of elevation.
    "We basically created everything. It's fun and challenging when you have a clean slate like that, but the problem is, you have about 700 different directions you can go," Huntley said. "But when you're working with places like the Quarry or the Sanctuary, you have set corridors already established. You have houses or hills that you just can't move.
    "A site void of any characteristics can be more challenging. The more a course can blend into the surroundings, the better."
    Huntley admits golf has changed a lot over the past 20 to 30 years, and not just for players. Upscale courses now are available to everyday players so they no longer have to look for pristine conditions previously available only at private clubs.
    Then, there is high technology equipment. Jack Nicklaus advocated the use of the Kamen limited flight golf ball a decade ago, and Huntley wishes the United States Golf Association would have supported it.
    "You can have just as much fun with a maximum drive of 240 yards rather than 300," Huntley said. "You could have designed a course over 110 acres instead of 190, and play faster with less ground to cover. The USGA waited too long to pull back on technology in my opinion.
    "I've played with 1920 golf balls and five or six clubs and had a ton of fun."
    That has also caused a lull in new course design. Huntley says most of the new design in overseas in such countries as Russia, China and the Middle East. Only five or six new courses were built in the United States last year, most on Indian reservations.
    "Something new will cost $250,000 to $300,000 per hole. With cart paths and irrigation, it's about $4.5 to $5 million," Huntley said, not including clubhouses, parking lots or other amenities.
    That's why most of his work is now in renovations. "Instead of building new, you can buy some existing clubs for between $2 and $3 million," Huntley said. "So, why build new?"
    Huntley would like to see golf more affordable, but it would take a reality check from players.
    "Overseas, they see nothing wrong with brown fairways several months a year," Huntley said. "We have to educate players, and say we can play with a little less technology and have as much fun. We don't need to have maintenance where it is right now. Brown fairways are all right in July and August in Ohio.
    "It's a shame a family can't go play golf because it isn't affordable. We have to take a step back."

Huntley on design
Golf Sense Inc. President Brian Huntley has some basic items he wants in courses he designs, including:

• Trying to limit bunkerrs to between 30 and 40 where the norm used to be 60 to 75. "I like to create more chipping areas," Huntley said. "For the better players, bunkers have become so easy that they almost prefer to be in them rather than a chipping area. More chipping area makes it a challenge for both types of players."
• Four par-5 holes, with a least one that a player can almost always reach in two shots, one that is almost impossible to reach and two that are "iffy" for players.
• Mixing up par-3 holes, making players mix clubs. "No. 6 at the Quarry (130 yards at its maximum, 80 at its shortest) is a difficult hole," Huntley said. "But I also like one long par-3."
• At least one par-4 that is reachable off the tee. "A better player won't go for it unless they can make it three out of four times," Huntley said. "But it you design it with severe bunkers, water or out-of-bound possibilities, they don't go for it. I like to tempt them."

Huntley at a glance
COMPANY Golf Sense Inc. based in Green, golf course architects.
EDUCATION Central Catholic High School graduate. Graduated with bachelor of science degree in landscape architecture from Ohio State.
EMPLOYMENT Worked for Arthur Hills and Associates golf course architects from 1986 through June of 1992 before forming his own company. Was project manager for 23 courses.
STARK COUNTY COURSE DESIGNS New courses include Raintree Country Club, Spring Valley Country Club, The Sanctuary Golf Club and The Quarry Golf Club. Renovations include Shady Hollow Country Club, Great Trails, Tam O'Shanter, Alliance Country Club, Congress Lake Club and Edgewood. He has designed 15 new courses in Ohio alone.