Thad Layton ASGCA is a seasoned Golf Course Architect specializing in hand-crafted golf courses. With over a decade at the helm of Arnold Palmer Design Company, Thad has a deep well of expertise designing and building extraordinary golf experiences worldwide. From routing centerlines to shaping the finished product, Thad’s passion for the game and dedication to the craft shine through in every step of the process.
MY STORY
I’ve always loved the game. The resonance of a crisply-struck iron, the long afternoon shadows transforming the golf landscape, and the varied terrain that makes each course a singular creation had me hooked from an early age.
In the summer, my dad would drop me at the local muni at first light and collect me at day’s end working on 3-footers under the lights. While playing my modest home course, a bare bones track featuring a grand total of 2 bunkers, I’d re-imagine how I‘d change the layout. And on the rare occasions when I found myself indoors, I’d likely be sketching up ideas for golf holes.
This nascent seed of interest in golf course design soon germinated by reading books like Anatomy of a Golf Course and The Spirit of St. Andrews and later caught fire with trips further afield to play increasingly better courses. At thirteen, I knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.
PHILOSOPHY
Early on in my budding design career I’d toil away at the drafting board scratching out the most detailed set of plans possible, believing the future of golf course design resided firmly between the four corners of my drafting board. It wasn’t until I encountered courses like St. Andrews and Sand Hills that I changed my mind about the design process and permanently pivoted toward the design-build model. This shift has made all the difference.
At its highest level, golf design is as inseparable from construction as a sculptor is from their clay. While plans have their place, construction drawings can become a stumbling block if clutched too tightly. The skilled architect leverages plans as a means to an end, knowing when to put paper aside to clearly see the opportunities as they arise in the field. That’s where the magic lies and how I work.