The Arnold Palmer Golf Course Design Company, owned by the Palmer family, is going out of business according to published report in Golf Course Architecture.
One of the firm’s two lead architects, Thad Layton, has already opened his own design practice. The other, Brandon Johnson, is expected to do so in the near future.
Since the death of Arnold Palmer in 2016, the company attempted to create a new type of business in the golf architecture space, which has traditionally been defined by the physical presence of the principal. In similar sectors, most notably buildings architecture, it is commonplace for brands to survive their founders, but there has, to date, been no significant example of a golf design firm doing so.
Arnold Palmer client courses were informed of the decision. Layton says that he and Johnson will continue to offer support to former Palmer clients, and that he is determined not to leave any such clients hanging and lacking architectural backup.
“Working for Mr Palmer was great,” Layton told Golf Course Architecture. “He allowed us a lot of artistic license and, since his death, Brandon and I have tried to continue evolving the Palmer name. But, like most golf architects, I have always wanted to have my own shop, so I am very excited about what the future holds.”
Layton, who relocated from Florida to Colorado four years ago, says that Thad Layton Design will reflect what he has learned during his twenty-plus years in the Palmer family.
“I’m looking forward, hopefully, to getting the opportunity to build new golf courses, and getting out there, boots on the ground,” Layton said. “Over the years, I have become convinced that the design and build model is the way that the best courses are built and, in the past five years, I have slowly but surely gained proficiency on running equipment, and I’m looking forward to doing more of that.”
Layton adds that the current strength of the golf design industry makes now a good time to start his own firm.
“Up to about three years ago, you would have been pretty crazy to leave a good operation with plenty of work to hang up your own shingle,” he said. “But, since the Covid pandemic, the growth in golf participation numbers has started to feed through to more activity in golf architecture, so I think now the right time to go solo.”
On the web: ArnoldPalmerDesign.com
