Roads & Master Planning for Golf Course Communities
By Doug Carrick of Carrick Design, International award winning, golf course designers and master / land planners.

Roads are vital to create access and frontage throughout a golf course community. Roads also create a sense of community and identity for the various neighborhoods within the golf course community. Ideally, the hierarchy of road networks throughout the development is easy to understand and efficient in terms of overall length in relation to the lot frontage provided. A main collector spine or loop road through the golf course community is an effective way to create an easy to understand circulation system for all residents and visitors. Smaller loop roads and cul-de-sacs help to create privacy and individual identity for each of the neighborhoods. Double loaded roads maximize the relationship between construction and servicing costs versus the return from lots sales. Free flowing roads allow for a more random orientation of homes, which harmonizes more naturally with the flowing character of the golf holes. The number of golf / pedestrian road crossings is often determined by the degree to which the golf and residential areas are integrated. In most cases more golf /pedestrian road crossings are required in developments that have the greatest degree of golf course and residential integration. The fewer the number of golf / pedestrian road crossings, the faster and more pleasurable the golf experience will be. Potential liability and insurance premiums are also reduced with fewer golf / pedestrian road crossings.