Thad Layton, a golf architect who spent more than 10 years with Arnold Palmer Design Company in the 1970s, is thrilled to have launched his own business. His announcement this week on social media was a final bell for Palmer’s company.
Palmer Design is responsible for more than 300 courses across 37 states and in 27 countries. Many of these courses are listed in Golfweek’s Best ranking, as well as the state-bystate rankings . Since the 1980s, the company has become one of the leading names in golf course architecture.
Palmer Design’s business has slowed, particularly in the construction of new courses. The company is planning to close its doors as the Arnold Palmer Group will take over the non-architectural aspects. Brandon Johnson, Palmer Design’s other senior architect declined to comment on the news to Golfweek. Palmer Design did not respond to calls seeking comment.
Adam Lawrence, writing about Palmer Design’s winding down for golfcoursearchitecture.net, pointed out that there has been no significant example of a branded golf design business surviving after the death of its principal architect, and now the same appears to be true for Palmer Design.
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Thad Layton September 4, 2020
Layton has been dreaming of starting his own business for many years. Since COVID began in 2020, the industry has boomed as players have sought outdoor recreation. There has been a significant increase in interest from the industry since 2021, both for building new courses and renovating existing ones.
Layton, who graduated from Mississippi State University, said that the timing could not be better for him to become a sole golf practitioner. I’ve been doing this for over 25 years. The golf industry has been booming in recent years and I could not have chosen a better moment to start my own business. I’ve had a lot experience in creating strategic master plans and deploying capital in a meaningful way for clients.
Layton says he has taken on more responsibility as a course shaper for Palmer Design in the last few years, spending a lot of time with heavy equipment to turn drawings into golf holes. Layton’s most recent project was for Palmer Design, a greens renovation and bunker reconstruction at Peninsula Papagayo Costa Rica. He did the detailed shaping.
He will continue to use a hands-on method, using the phrase “design-build” on his website. In general, this indicates that an architect is closely involved in a project, working with specific contractors on a regular basis.
Layton mentioned that he also loved the golden age architecture, with the classic courses built between the 1940s and 1930s. Layton then mentioned his love for modern courses in this style. He cited Sand Hills, in Nebraska, by Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw, and Pacific Dunes, at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, in Oregon, by Tom Doak.
Layton has already started work on a project, consulting for a restoration of the Donald Ross designed Lakewood Country Club. He has also been in contact with other course operators to work on their layouts.
Layton said, “I want to create new things, new courses, because that’s where my heart is.” Layton moved to Denver in 2014 after years of living in Florida, the home of Palmer Design. “I hope that once I’m established, I can show golfers what I can create on a new location. …
“Golf is a passion that I have had for my entire life. I am a golfer first and foremost. All the different golf courses are what made me interested. The Golden Age-style architecture of golf courses is what I’m interested in. “I’m so excited to start.”
