Over 34 years of award-winnning golf course architecture
Passion Made Real
Paul Albanese has a passion for golf architecture, and that passion shines through in the award-winning golf designs he has created over 33 years. He prides himself on envisioning concepts and transforming creative ideas into a golf reality.
Below is a timeline of events of Paul’s career in golf, starting as a youngster in New Jersey, followed by him earning degrees from Cornell and Harvard University. He then started his golf design career in earnest and has been doing so ever since.
Roots in the Game
Picking up golf at age 8, Paul was a single-digit handicapper by 13. More importantly, he fell in love with the great courses of Northern New Jersey:
- Somerset Hills C.C. (A.W. Tillinghast)
- Baltusrol G.C. (A.W. Tillinghast)
- Plainfield C.C. (Donald Ross)
He started as a caddy at Fairmount Country Club, learning every nuance of the game on the ground and by caddying for many of the best golfers at Fairmont. Caddying for over a decade as a youngster enabled him to see firsthand how golfers of levels navigated the golf course, an invaluable lesson he has used throughout his career.
During the summer of 1988, Paul was the assistant superintendent at the Madison Golf Club in New Jersey. The experience showed him all apsects of what it takes to maintain a golf course, another invaluable experience that he took with him throughout his career as a golf architect…
Timeline of Paul’s Golf Life
1983-1986
The Early Days
- 1980s: Introduced at young age to some of the great Golden Age courses on East Coast, including
- Baltusrol
- Plainfield
- Somerset Hills
- 1982 – 86: Played on High School Golf team that won the New Jersey State Championship 4 years in a row.
1986-1990
Attended Cornell University; Earned a BS in Engineering
- 1986-1987: Started in all golf tournaments on Men’s Golf Team including Ivy League Championships at Bethpage Black.
- 1987-1988: Qualified to play in the ECAC Championships
- 1989-1990: Captain of Mens Golf Team
- 1990: Earned B.S in Engineering (Agricultural and Biological)
1990-1993
Attended Harvard University; Earned a Masters Degree in Landscape Architecture (MLA)
- 1990 – 1991: First year MLA student; learned the fundamentals of Landscape Architcture
- 1992 – 1993: Received a Penny White grant to study golf course architecture in Scotland
1993: Created independent studio thesis to explore the relationship of golf course design and public space - 1993: Structured curriculum to explicitly study the relationship between landscape architecture and golf course architecture
1992
Internship in golf course architecture
- 1992: Internship at Matthews & Associates
- 1992: Learned the basics of golf course architecture
- 1992: Used the “old school” drawing method of pen, ink and electric erasers to create drawings
- 1992: Afforded the opportunity to interview Bruce Matthews when he was 90 years old; gained great appreciation for how golf course design evolved in the State of Michigan.
1993 – 1996
Full time associate golf course architect with Matthews and Associates
- Jerry Matthews and his father Bruce have designed more golf courses in the State of Michigan than any other golf designer.
- Paul in charge of following design projects:
- 1995: Wyandotte Shores Golf Course, Wyandotte Michigan: Award-winning 9-hole golf course built on brownfield site along the Detroit River
- 1996: Hunters Ridges Golf Course (currently the Links at Hunters Ridge), Howell Michigan: Award-winning championship-level 18-hole golf course design
1997: Timberstone Golf Club, Iron Mountain, Michigan; Award-winning championship-level 18-hole golf course design
1996 – 2004
Owner golf course architecture firm with Ray Hearn
- Paul in charge of following projects:
- 1997: Birchwood Farms Country Club, Harbor Springs: Michigan Birches 9 holes
- 1997: The Tradition Golf Club, Edmond, Oklahoma: 18 hole executive golf facility and driving range,
- 1998: Quail Ridge Golf Club, Ada, Michigan Award-winning championship-level 18-hole golf course design
- 1999: Moose Ridge Golf Course, South Lyon, Michigan: Award-winning championship-level 18-hole golf course design
- 2000: Tam-O-Shanter Country Club, West Bloomfield, Michigan: Master Plan and major remodeling with focus on drainage,
- 2001: Red Run Golf Club,Royal Oak, Michigan: Master Plan and Bunker Remodeling Project,
- 2002: Watermark Country Club, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Master Plan and Remodeling,
- 2003: Royal Scot Golf Course, Lansing, MI: 9-hole golf course design
2004 – 2018
Owner of golf course architecture firm with Chris Lutzke
- 2004: Mill Creek Golf Club, Rochester, New York: Award-winning championship-level 18-hole golf course design
- 2005: Springfield Oaks, Oakland County, Michigan; Bunker Remodeling
- 2005: Washtenaw Country Club, Ypsilanti, Michigan: Remodeling Master Plan and bunker installation
- 2006: French Lick Golf Club, French Lick, IN: Construction Management for Pete Dye
- 2007: Dayton Country Club, Dayton Ohio: Remodeling Master Plan
- 2007: Marrakesh Golf Club, Marrakesh, Morocco: Master Plan for Championship level 18 hole golf course
- 2008: Sweetgrass Colf Club, Wilson, Michigan: Award-winning championship-level 18-hole golf course design
- 2009: Full Cry at Keswick Hall, Keswick, VA : Construction Management for Pete Dye
- 2009: Zavidivo Golf Club, Zavidivo, Russia: Construction Management for European Golf Design
- 2010: Old Marsh Golf Club, Palm Beach Gardens, FL: Construction Management, Pete Dye
- 2011: Beidaihe Golf Club, Beidaihe, China : Award-winning championship-level 18-hole golf course design
- 2011: Kiawah Island Ocean Course, Kiawah Island , SC: Remodeling Construction for Pete Dye
- 2012: Walnut Creek Country Club, Windsor, Ontario: Master Plan and Major Remodeling
- 2013: Roseland Golf Club, Windsor, Ontario: Master Plan and Bunker Remodeling
- 2014: Tatanka Golf Club, Award Winning Championship level 18 hole course, Niobrara, Nebraska
- 2015: Lochmoor Golf Club, Grosse Point Woods, Michigan: Master Plan and Bunker Remodeling,
- 2016: Whistling Straits, Kohler, Wisconsin: Construction Management for Pete Dye,
- 2016: Links at Perry Cabin, St. Michaels, MD: Construction Management for Pete Dye
2005-2009:
Director of Golf Course Architecture Program — Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland
- Paul was hired to be the Director of this program, which consists of 12 modules that focus on the design of golf courses from many perspectives and integrate many facets of design. Students start by learning basic principles of design and spatial orientation and progress through the detailed design process, including green, tee, bunker, and hazard design. The final design project is a two-month independent golf course design, evaluated by external examiners.Paul lived in Edinburgh Scotland
- 2005–2006: Paul moves to Scotland for one year (while maintaining his golf course design firm.
- 2007-2010: Paul commutes to Scotland from USA once per month for personal instruction to the students; between trips one of the first remote learning programs implemented to instruct students.
- Graduates of the ECA program receive an MSc in Golf Course Architecture from Edinburgh College of Art and the University of Edinburgh.
- 2008: Paul also teaches a 10 day seminar for Cornell University’s Adult Education Program. In addition, he is a frequent guest lecturer at Michigan State University, and has spoken at many seminars and conferences
2018 – Present
Owner Albanese Golf Course Architecture and Construction Management
- 2017: Amber Hills Resort, Bac Giang, Vietnam: Award-winning championship-level 18-hole golf course design, Hillside Course
- 2018: Sage Run Golf Club, Harris, Michigan: Award-winning championship-level 18-hole golf course design
- 2019: Kennett Square Golf & CC, Kennett Sq., PA: Master Plan and bunker remodeling in collaboration w/ Brad Klein
- 2020: Michigan State Mens and Womens Golf Team Practice Facility, E. Lansing, MI: 12 acre practice facility for exclusive use by MSU men and women’s golf team,
- 2021: Saskatoon, Caledonia, Michigan: Silver Nine, Championship-level 9-hole golf course design
- 2022: Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club, Grosse Ile, MI: Master Plan and Bunker Remodel
- 2023: Cable Hollow Golf Course, Russell, Pennsylvania: Master Plan and Remodel projects for 5 holes,
- 2024: Trout Lake Golf Club: Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin: Master Plan and Major Remodel
- 2025: The Cedar Course (Kishke), Island Resort and Casino, Harris Michigan: Award-winning championship-level 18-hole golf course design.
- 2026: Amber Hill, Rock Valley Course, with K.J Choi, Bac Giang Vietnam: Award-winning championship-level 18-hole golf course design.
- 2026: Fargo Country Club, Fargo, North Dakota: Remodeling Master Plan
