The Bake-Off Comes To Architecture! Sand Valley Edition

Unlike other forms of big-commission architecture, it's rare for a golf course design project to ask those hoping to win the commission to present a detailed preliminary vision to get the job. In golf architecture that actually matters (non-housing developments), there's no more important component to the end product than the routing.

So it's fascinating to see Mike Keiser and his investors in Sand Valley asking for specific routings from the candidates, which will then be walked and voted on by the evaluation committee, reports Joe Passov at golf.com.

Speaking exclusively to Golf.com, Keiser explained that routings have been submitted by Tom Doak, David McLay Kidd and the team of Rod Whitman/Dave Axland. Following an evaluation of all three, a winner will emerge from the bake-off.

“We’re considering all three entries equally,” Keiser said. “On November 15, I’m going to walk the routings, along with a group of advisors. After we’re done, we’re going to blind rate them. We’ll know more after the weekend.”