Jupiter, Florida, United States: John Sanford has been elected President of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) at the organisation’s 71st Annual Meeting.
Sanford is a Landscape Architecture graduate of Louisiana State University. With more than 30 years’ experience in golf course design, Sanford has completed over 70 new designs and renovations in his career.
He spent five years practising landscape architecture before landing his first golf course design in 1986.
Sanford was lead golf course architect and project manager on Granite Links Golf Club, Quincy, Massachusetts, and Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, Bronx, New York, both involving public landfill-to-golf course transitions.
He has travelled the globe and worked in Japan, Vietnam, Egypt, Dominican Republic and throughout the United States.
“ASGCA is in a great place,” Sanford said, looking ahead to his presidential year. “We continue to raise our profile in the industry. ASGCA members are smart people who know their craft and benefit the golf industry in a number of ways. I want to help raise awareness for ASGCA and continue working with our partners to bring more value to our members, the golf industry and game as a whole.”
Since 2005, Sanford has also worked on a number of projects with Jack Nicklaus, ASGCA Fellow, and his design team, starting with Palm Hills Golf Club, Cairo, Egypt.
Sanford is currently working with Nicklaus on a redesign/repurpose of the course where Sanford learned to play golf, now called Banyan Cay Resort & Golf Club, West Palm Beach, Florida.
“From the very first course I designed, I have tried to emphasise interesting strategic design,” Sanford said. “I have always been intrigued by strategic shot-making. All of my courses have a distinct strategic quality.”
Sanford will serve as ASGCA President until April 2018.