Ewen Murray, former PGA tournament professional and now respected principal golf commentator for Sky and a noted journalist, has begun to work with Howard Swan and his architectural team at Swan Golf Designs to form a collaboration and partnership in laying out golf courses at home and abroad.
Murray has long had an interest in golf course design not only during his distinguished career as a Tour player but increasingly so since he retired and has traveled the world with Sky Sports.
He adds, “My keenness to become involved in the architectural side of golf, a passion for a long, long time, has been heightened more recently since I saw Howard Swan’s splendid work in the renovation of the old course at Goodwood, where I have now decided to play most of my golf.
“I have admired the historic aspects of James Braid’s designs at many of the courses I visited in my commentary and editorial work but the restoration of the old masters layout for Lord March in the famous Sussex estate has excited me and has generated a feeling that I want to become more involved in the design profession more closely and actively.
“Seeing just how well the downland course at Goodwood has achieved national, if not international, acclaim is a great satisfaction to all of us. I have little doubt its qualities will continue to be recognised increasingly and it will climb further up the top 100 courses in the United Kingdom.
“Howard Swan and I share a lot in our philosophies about how important the strategic aspects of playing the game are, coupled with a course’s design and I am looking forward greatly to working alongside him in projects in the future. I also cannot believe that course development should get any more expensive or the architects laying them out should be charging the millions we are hearing about these days. It is simply beyond people’s pockets.”
Swan and Murray are presently working on a new development in southern England on a site of outstanding natural beauty and hope to stamp their cooperative mark on what might become one of England’s best new courses in the next few years. Two international projects beckon.
Swan Golf Designs Limited www.swangolfdesigns.com