How Technology Is Shaping Modern Golf Course Design

Recorded during BTME 2026, The GreenPrint podcast brought together EIGCA members and industry partners to explore one of the questions facing golf course architecture today. The discussion reflected the EIGCA’s leadership role in shaping informed, forward-looking debate on how technology, machinery and innovation are influencing the design, construction and long-term management of golf courses.

Interviewed by Leighton Walker, the discussion featured EIGCA Past Presidents Caspar Grauballe and Tim Lobb, with current Vice President Paul Kimber, alongside Andy Brown from Toro, an EIGCA Gold Partner. What followed was a wide-ranging and thoughtful conversation that moved well beyond gadgets and machinery, into philosophy, sustainability, playability and the future of the profession.

From horse and cart to GPS and drones

One of the clearest themes to emerge was perspective. While today’s tools – GPS-guided earthworks, drones, LiDAR surveys and digital modelling – feel revolutionary, architects have always used the best tools available to improve sites.

Modern technology has increased precision and efficiency, particularly in bulk earthworks. With GPS-enabled machinery allowing shaping to be carried out accurately and quickly, freeing architects to focus more time on fine detailing and on-site creativity, rather than moving soil.

Crucially, panel members agreed that technology hasn’t fundamentally changed what architects aim to achieve – finding the best routing, understanding the land, and creating golf that feels natural – but it has changed how confidently and accurately those ideas can be delivered, often across continents.

Designing with maintenance in mind

From the machinery side, Andy Brown offered a vital counterbalance: design ambition must be matched with long-term maintainability.

Every extra mowing height, contour or bunker detail has implications for labour, safety and cost. While modern equipment can do more than ever before, those capabilities come at a price – and if a course becomes too expensive or complex to maintain, it will inevitably be altered from the original design.

Now architects and course managers have a closer, earlier collaboration than before. What was once a handover at the end of construction is now a partnership from the earliest design stages – a shift all panel members welcomed.

Precision, playability and firmer golf

Advances in mowing, irrigation and turf technology have had a profound effect on how golf courses play.

Better control of moisture, improved grass species, and more accurate mowing allow courses to present firmer, faster and more consistent surfaces. This, the panel agreed, benefits not just elite golf but everyday play:

• Firmer conditions reward good shots and thoughtful strategy
• Short-grass run-offs introduce creativity without penalising average golfers
• Precision becomes more important than raw distance

Technology, in this sense, is helping golf rediscover values long associated with classic courses – while using fewer resources.

Bunkers, short grass and smarter hazards

Bunkers received their own scrutiny. Once the default strategic tool, they are now recognised as among the most expensive and labour-intensive features to maintain.

Many architects reduce the number of bunkers, replacing them with short-grass contours that still challenge skilled players but offer options to others. Technology has supported this shift by making close-cut turf around greens safer and more practical to maintain, while also improving presentation.

The result? Golf courses that are often more playable, more strategic and more sustainable – even with fewer bunkers.

Autonomous mowing, AI and what comes next

Looking ahead, the panel was united in seeing the next decade as transformational.

Autonomous mowing, electric machinery, sensors and AI-driven decision-making are already moving from concept to reality. Turf moisture mapping, predictive disease modelling and smarter irrigation promise significant gains in consistency, water use and environmental performance.

Yet the discussion also acknowledged a critical truth: technology alone is not the answer. Education, integration and people remain central. Greenkeepers’ skills, judgement and experience are more important than ever as systems become more sophisticated.

As one panellist noted, much of the technology already exists – the real challenge is bringing it together in ways that are accessible, affordable and genuinely useful.

A shared responsibility

What made this conversation particularly powerful was its sense of shared purpose. Architects, manufacturers, greenkeepers and club leaders all influence how golf evolves.

Technology is not changing golf course architecture in isolation – it is reshaping the relationships, responsibilities and decisions that define the modern game.

From firmer surfaces and smarter hazards to autonomous maintenance and climate resilience, the message from BTME 2026 was clear:

the future of golf design will be shaped not just by innovation, but by how thoughtfully we use it.

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Listen to the full episode of The Greenprint Podcast for the complete discussion and deeper insights from all contributors.

Other episodes, featuring EIGCA members are:

• Kari Haug and Giulia Ferroni take a focused, topic-led look at golf course design for players with slower swing speeds, recognising that swing speed, rather than age, gender, or experience, is the key factor influencing distance and ball flight for a large proportion of golfers. Kari and Giulia explore how course design can better serve this majority, moving beyond forward tees to consider hazard placement, realistic carry distances, and the design of green complexes that remain engaging for stronger players while accessible to all. Drawing on research and practical experience, the conversation highlights how thoughtful design can improve inclusivity, enjoyment, and long-term playability across the golfing spectrum. Listen here (21st January 2026). Read summary post here.
• Paul Jansen discusses the development of his career in golf course architecture, beginning with his early experience in the profession, including a formative period with Faldo Design. He goes on to describe two collaborative initiatives developed with Nick Faldo, focused on rethinking practice environments through high-quality short courses, short-game areas, and advanced putting facilities. Paul explains how these projects respond to growing demand for realistic, well-crafted practice spaces that emphasise detail, strategy, and true playability. The conversation also turns to the Ponta do Pargo project in Madeira, where Paul reflects on the challenges and opportunities of working with a dramatic coastal landscape, the long-term vision for the site, and the progress toward its planned opening in 2027. Listen here (4th December 2025)
• Caspar Grauballe, outgoing President, and his successor, Gary Johnston, reflect on a period of transition for the Institute following the recent Annual Meeting in the north of Scotland, which also marked EIGCA’s 25th anniversary. Their conversation explores the Institute’s role in championing the profession, the growing importance of sustainability highlighted at Dornoch, the enduring significance of Royal Dornoch itself, and how the role of the golf course architect continues to evolve, drawing on insights from their own current work. Listen here (15th June 2025). Read summary post here.
• Tim Lobb reflects on the path that led him from his formative years in Melbourne to key professional experiences with European Golf Design and Thompson, Perrett and Lobb, before establishing his own studio. He discusses how these stages shaped an approach to design that responds to the landscape, rather than trying to dominate it. Listen here (11th May 2025).