Even the golfer in Tiger Woods knows that to attract new players to the game and keep the ones it already has, golf needs more courses suited for players who have little or nothing in common with him other than a love for the game.
That passion for growing the game is what attracted the architect in Woods to the Bluejack National project near Houston for his first U.S. design. The course, which is scheduled to open later this year, promises to be a layout that can test scratch players and appeal to newcomers as well.
Eric Bauer shares that same passion for growing the game, and it's a big part of why last year he left a job of 14 years to become the construction and grow-in superintendent at Bluejack National, a multi-use project that includes a lot more than just golf.
"Tiger wanted to bring enjoyment back to the game at Bluejack National. He wants it to be fun for families and not be intimidating," said Bauer, who came aboard last April after a long career at The Club at Carlton Woods.
"I came here because this was a great opportunity in my back yard, the excitement of being with a company like Beacon Land that has a desire to do great things, and the challenge of being part of the team to put together a Tiger Woods-designed golf course."
Developed by Beacon Land Development, the 105-acre layout includes 10 acres of low-cut turf around the greens to accommodate options in the ground game, virtually no traditional rough and family tees that bring the layout down from 7,500 yards to 2,500.
"There are a lot of things that went into the design of this course: pace of play, not coming out and getting beat up, but still being a challenge for the low handicapper," said Bauer, who came aboard last April after a long career at The Club at Carlton Woods.
A series of short four-, five- and six-hole loops accommodate those who don't want to play 18 holes and a nine-hole layout with holes ranging from 35 yards to 125 yards in length provide a fun change of pace for experienced players, and a place for high-handicappers and juniors to hone their short game.
"We have to think of golf as a fun activity for players of all levels," Bauer said. "We have that ability to offer everyone a fun experience. That's how new projects have to look at if they want to be successful.
"The playgrounds aren't heavily bunkered, and you can just take a couple of clubs with you and walk it. Newcomers can come in and say they've experienced a Tiger Woods design."
For more than a decade, Bauer's name had become nearly synonymous with conditions at The Club at Carlton Woods, home to a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course as well as a Tom Fazio-designed Championship Course.
For Bauer, who like many started working on a golf course as a kid and whose professional career started as personal greenkeeper at Nicklaus' home in North Palm Beach, Florida, the chance to work alongside Woods certainly didn't hurt when considering the Bluejack National position.
"I think everything just lined up for me," he said.
"If you would have told me when I was 15 that I would have the opportunity to complete two Jack Nicklaus grow-ins and work on three, grow-in a Tom Fazio course and be part of Tiger's first project in the United States, I would have said you were kidding. I'm very humble and blessed to have had great people in my career who believe in me and what I can offer."
While Bauer has been afforded the latitude to make decisions on greensmix, drainage, irrigation system design and turf selection, Woods has been aware of how his own decisions might affect play, asking the superintendent how the different aspects of his design philosophy will affect long-term maintenance. And that is important in today's economy and in a state that has grown accustomed to drought.
To that end, there are fewer than 50 strategically placed bunkers at Bluejack National. Those that Woods did incorporate are strategically placed to make the course more challenging
"Tiger has been great. He's very engaged in the process," Bauer said.
"A golf course does not need to be all bunkered up from a playability standpoint. Tiger put them where they made sense, not where they looked good. From an ongoing maintenance standpoint, that was huge. Sustainability is part of the design philosophy. It has to be. As superintendents, we are faced year after year with maintaining a golf course with less and less money."
Bluejack was equally excited to get Bauer as its grow-in superintendent.
"Eric delivers high quality golf course product and his remarkable reputation matches our desire to be the finest conditioned course in Texas," said Bluejack National president Casey Paulson. "Additionally, Eric's commitment to family values aligns with the culture of our community."
Bluejack is about more than just golf. It's about creating a lifestyle in which golf is just one variable in the equation.
The property also has hiking and jogging trails, fishing dock, a lake for swimming, rope course, zip lines, archery and facilities for various court sports. It also has indoor amenities that include a bowling alley, theater, game room, pottery center and more.
"It's not just about golf," he said. "We are creating a resort-style community that is a residence. There is a lot to do here even if you don't like golf."