Brian, you are well known in the virtual golf community for being one the pioneers of virtual golf course architecture for golf simulator games such as Golden Bear challenge, PGA championship golf and now Jack Nicklaus' PerfectGolf. What are your thoughts on how your process has changed over the years given the advancements in the tools available?
It is amazing to think back to how much golf course architect programs have change since the release of Accolade’s Mean 18 in the mid 1980’s. In those days, all you could really do was add in course features like fairways, tees and greens and place some 2D trees on your course. Today, the software is so advanced that you can import aerial photographs of existing courses to draw in hole features, as well as import elevation data that is extremely accurate to the real locations. Things like that, which were only available to professionals a decade or so ago, are now freely available on the internet to hobbyists.
When you decided to enter the Golf Digest armchair architect competition, why did you choose to submit an entry with graphics created with CourseForge?
The CourseForge allowed me to easily draw up multiple concepts for my hole design and explore what would work out best for the property. Being able to basically “paint” the elevations and terrain textures using Unity’s tools is a great way to create golf course designs. It allows for a lot of creativity and is a natural way of designing.
In what way do you think CourseForge enabled you to get your ideas across to the panel of expert judges in a better way than other mediums?
The ability to import LIDAR elevation data into the CourseForge was a huge help with a design project like this. You basically get to tackle the project like a real course architect, working from the land in a digital sense. After my hole was created, it allowed me to render very realistic views of the hole from multiple angles. Since I was working from real elevations from the site, those renderings gave the judges a very good idea of what the my proposed hole would actually look like when completed.
What were the thoughts behind the hole you created and why do you think the judges loved your design ideas?
My goal with the hole design was to create multiple risk/reward options from the tee. The easier shot to the left side of the fairway provides a tougher approach shot to the green over a natural sandy depression. If you decide to challenge the bunkers splitting the fairway by hitting your drive to the right side, you are left with an open shot to the green. I also did my best to do a minimal amount of elevation changes to the site, so the design compliments the existing terrain well. I think these features appealed to the judges.
What influence has Jack Nicklaus had on your ability to transform your ideas on golf architecture into virtual reality so that players can play your creations on golf computer games past and present. (just a thought but maybe something about the software you started with way back when and and how JN now uses CourseForge as a tool when creating their real world designs)
Jack Nicklaus was always my favorite golfer growing up. His early golf games, Jack Nicklaus Unlimited Golf & Course Design and the Signature Edition both included a very comprehensive manual that also discussed a lot about his course design philosophies. I found that to be a wonderful learning tool. To think that course design software has come so far in all these years that his company is now using the CourseForge as a development tool for real course designs is quite amazing.
What's next for you in the realm of both real world and virtual golf design?
When it comes to real world golf design, I consider this a once in a lifetime opportunity. I still keep busy with virtual golf designs, though my work schedule and family activities don’t allow me as much free time to create as I’ve had in the past. I have an original design and a couple course recreation in various stages of completion for Jack Nicklaus Perfect Golf, along with some golf simulator projects I’m working on for the World Golf Challenge engine.
Now that's a name I have not heard for a while. It takes me back to my first rounds on the Golden Bear Challenge / Jack Nicklaus 6 game by Hypnos/Activision. Brian's beautiful courses were a real treat. This would be around 1999-2000. Brian even was so kind to put some courses on a cd specially for me and send it by good ol' post (I live in Europe). This was at the time that downloading was still in it's infancy and dl-speed was a crawl. So he was a real gent in doing that for me. 
That would be a great addition for the game. Can't wait to see that.
