The Designers Corner: Paul Jansen, Jansen Golf Design and Pelz Player Greens

Established architect Paul Jansen, South African born but internationally inspired, and learned under the likes of Tom Clark and Sir Nick Faldo, has taken on a new initiative with legendary short game guru Dave Pelz.

PELZ Player Greens is what it’s called, and it looks like the future of golf. 

Synthetic turf greens have always been looked down upon by golfers. Unpredictable bounces on chips and pitches, untrue breaks on putts, and a general sense of a cheap imitation for the real thing, real grass. 

But legendary short game guru, Dave Pelz, has come up with the solution with his ShotStopper technology. A uniquey patented construction process that Dave developed to yield incredible results to artificial turf playing surfaces. Designed and implemented in his very own backyard, Dave has come up with the solution that has changed the idea of golf design using synthetic materials. Full shots, half shots, chips, pitches, putting, they all react like the real thing, if not better.

No water, no maintenance, no chemicals, a thirty-year lifespan, all season... Yes indeed, this is the future of golf. 

Bringing this to the public with his Pelz Player Greens initiative, Dave has employed architect Paul Jansen to create and execute the projects from planning, to construction, to the finished product. 

As all architects do, Paul cut his teeth in golf design before he ever climbed on a dozer, growing up a 9-iron away from the fabled Durban Country Club in Durban, South Africa. Reflecting on his local, Paul says, “some of my first and fondest memories of golf were the wonderful views of Durban from our house, of the golf course nestled in the dunes with the sea as a backdrop.

Young Paul’s fascination for golf would continue as it soon became apparent that he not only had a passion for playing golf, but also for studying the golf courses he played. Golf courses like Durban Country Club and Royal Johannesburg notably has a profound effect on how he views golf architecture to this day, and it shows in his work. 

In the early 2000’s, Paul moved from South Africa to Washington DC, where he took a position woking for former American Society of Golf Course Architects President and course designer in his own right, Tom Clark. Under Tom, Paul got to experience and learn from one of the best in the business of golf course architecture, while simultaneously becoming enthralled with the history of design, a passion of his that continues to this day.

Pulling from classical architectural legends like Seth Raynor, Alister MacKenzie, Perry Maxwell and A.W. Tillinghast, Paul began to see and set his own designs in the dirt. In 2004, Paul took up a lead design position under Sir Nick Faldo, to which he comments "I have been fortunate to work with Sir Nick as an associate and Lead Architect on golf projects in the Asian, European and African continents. My time with Sir Nick, on site and in the office, has certainly impacted many of my views on golf architecture and in particular my views on strategy. Strategy, as a key component to any great golf course, is something Nick, and in turn myself, explor to a great extent on every project." 

In 2011, Paul established his very own venture, Jansen Golf Design, with offices in Asia and the Americas. He aims to utilize his experience and nurture his passion for golf architecture, working across the globe, in creating memorable and sustainable golf experiences for all. 

A good golf hole cannot be good without a good green site, and through Paul’s efforts with PELZ Player Greens, he strives to create the best greens facilities in any capacity, and he brings knowledge, expertise, creativity, fun, and a love of the game to every project. 

PELZ Player Greens have already received excellent feedback, and you can learn more by going to www.pelzplayergreens.com or contacting Paul Jansen at paul@pelzplayergreens.com.