Tripp Davis was a celebrated junior golfer and was an All-American selection at the University of Oklahoma in 1989 and a member of the Sooners’ 1989 NCAA championship team. Rather than pursue a career as a player, however, Tripp got a masters’ degree in Landscape Architecture and over the past 30+ years he has had a notable career as a golf architect. We talk with Tripp about what made him decide to become a golf architect, what his architectural style is, how he compares restoration work to original designs, why Golden Age architecture is so popular today, what golf architects he most admires, and his thoughts on the current period of golf architecture.

Kevin Vitale, who recently retired after a 22 year run as the GM/COO of the iconic Baltusrol Golf Club, is one of the most well-respected leaders in the private club industry. We talk with Kevin about his upbringing in the Boston area, how he got started in the hospitality industry and how that led to his stellar career in the club industry, and the highlights of his time leading Baltusrol. We also get Kevin’s views on some of the issues facing private clubs and best practices in that regard.