Why Sustain Golf
The rapidly changing global climate and the evolving needs and desires of the golfing public are challenges to the game that require fresh, outside-of-the-box thinking. We are experienced and steeped in golf's traditions and history but also passionate about progressive ideas such as sustainability and accessibility. We aim to be on the forefront of a new wave of architects who collaboratively design and build golf courses that are both good for the game and good for the planet.
American Society of Golf Course Architects; Member
European Institute of Golf Course
Architects;
Member
GEO Foundation;
Accredited Verifier
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Experienced, hands-on, full service firm working on selectively chosen projects worldwide.
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Committed to designing and building quantifiably sustainable and accessible golf courses, for the good of the game, for the good of the planet.
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Our clients choose to work with us based on our passion for sustainability and our commitment to collaborative and detail-oriented design and construction practices.
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Our designs work harmoniously with nature and are inviting for all who wish to play them.
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We love golf but believe it needs to adapt to a changing climate and the evolving needs of today’s golfer.
Who We Are
Arq. Agustin Pizá,
GCA MSc.
Pizá's design aesthetic fuses fine artistry with classic 'lay of the land' golf course architecture. He brings together the spirit of The Old Course with an innovative and extroverted design style.
He has many highly regarded and award- winning renovations to his credit and is a member of both the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) and the European Institute of Golf Course Architects (EIGCA).
His experience also includes high-end master planned communities, working directly with world-renowned architects and designers including Tom Fazio, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Robert von Hagge. In addition Pizá spent two years working and studying in the UK while earning a master's degree in Golf Course Architecture from the University of Edinburgh.
Agustin has spent the last several years working hard to bring about greater accessibility to the game of golf in Latin America. His initiatives include PrimerSwing, which is helping to bring golf to children with limited resources throughout Latin America and The First Tee Mexico, which is doing the same throughout Mexico.
Licensed Architect 1997 - Institute of Technology and Superior Studies of Monterrey,
Master's degree in Golf Course Architecture 2004 - University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Matt Schiffer, P.E.,
GCA MSc.
Matt is currently working with the GEO Foundation as an Accredited Sustainability Verifier. GEO is the golf industry’s preeminent sustainability advocate, dedicated to inspiring, supporting, and credibly sharing the industry’s commitment to sustainable nature, resources, and community.
Matt is a Member of the European Institute of Golf Course Architects (EIGCA) and serves on its Sustainability Committee, helping to promote and encourage sustainability and stewardship of the environment within the golf design industry. He has reached Stage 3 of the EIGCA’s Raising the Standard of Sustainable Golf Course Development (RSSGCD) program, the only continuing professional development initiative of its kind, and is able to use the knowledge he has gained to deliver sustainable design solutions that will provide commercial advantage and a positive legacy for clients.
Matt founded Greengrass Golf Design (GGD) and Greengrass Engineering (GGE) in 2012. As a lead designer, Matt has applied his sustainable design principals and passion for accessibility to municipal and daily free projects in Baku, Azerbaijan and Northern California. Matt also works in a freelance capacity with colleagues around the world, assisting with all aspects of golf course design and civil engineering.
He holds a master's degree in Golf Course Architecture from the University of Edinburgh, from which he graduated with distinction in 2004. He has also attended Rutgers University’s prestigious Professional Golf Turf Management School. He is professionally licensed as a Civil Engineer in California, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
Cees van Nieuwenhuizen, GCA MSc.
Cees has 30+ years of comprehensive experience and knowledge of golf course construction, landscaping, and project management in Europe, North America, and Asia.
He is a Member of the European Institute of Golf Course Architects (EIGCA) and he holds a master's degree in Golf Course Architecture from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.
Cees can provide support in overseeing the design, construction, and project management of a golf course project of any size. He specializes in the hands-on management of a project and takes great pride in the relationships that he has developed with clients, architects, agronomists, engineers, and contractors throughout his career. The high quality results that he has achieved on the ground over the last three decades speak for themselves. Before joining Sustain Golf, Cees worked as a Design Coordinator for Nicklaus Design.
Most recently, Cees was the design coordinator and project manager for the Twin Dolphin Golf Club in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The project was honored as the runner-up for Development of the Year by Golf Inc. Magazine (2019).
Cees is currently working with GolfSaudi in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as a project construction manager and golf course architect.
Featured Projects
Portfolio of Services
Sustain Golf has the experience and know-how to bring a project from concept to completion. We are educated and trained as professional vertical architects, designers, civil engineers, and project managers. We have decades of experience working on detailed technical drawings and then bringing those drawings to life on-site. We have worked on six continents and have an extensive network of experienced professionals who we can count on to get the job done.
Site Analysis, Assessment, & Preliminary Design Concepts
Master Planning
Detailed Design, Specifications, Bill of Quantities, and Scheduling
In the Field Refinement, Construction Supervision, & Inspection
Additional Architectural Services
Site Analysis, Assessment, & Preliminary Design Concepts
Sustain Golf and its expert consultants will conduct a thorough analysis of the site and will review all available information. We will collaborate closely with the client to discover design solutions and are financially and environmentally sustainable. Through an iterative process, we will arrive at a preliminary design concept.
Additional
Architectural Services
Sustain Golf is able to offer the following additional architectural services:
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Project Feasibility Studies
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Sustainability Assessment (in conjunction with the GEO Foundation)
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3-D Modeling and Visualization
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Landscape Design
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Irrigation Design
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Agronomic and Grow-in Consultation
In the Field Refinement, Construction Supervision, & Inspection
Sustain Golf's principal designers will be present on-site throughout construction. This will ensure that our design vision and the priorities of the client are clearly and consistently adhered to. Our ready availability will also make it possible to quickly make refinements and improvements to the design based on on-site discovery.
Master Planning
The preliminary design concept will be further developed into a master plan that will meet the client's practical and technical requirements while highlighting the site's best natural, strategic, and aesthetic elements. This plan will depict and quantify all key features of the development.
Detailed Design, Specifications, Bill of Quantities, and Scheduling
Following client approval of the Master Plan, Sustain Golf will prepare a comprehensive set of detailed plans, specifications, and estimates so the client can bid tender the job and knows, within reason, the cost and timing of construction.
