Mike was incredibly professional and respectful of any concerns I may have had with regards to agronomics as he blended our ideas with his expertise. He really worked hand in glove with us on our behalf overseeing the renovation creating a challenging design, ensuring contractor quality and protecting our investment. The project was completed on time and under budget and I attribute a great deal of this to Mike’s efforts.

The American Society of Golf Course Architects recognized Mike Gogel’s work related to our project with 1 of 9 Environmental Excellence Awards conveyed in 2023. Mike was recognized for enhancing the course, improving aging infrastructure, and reducing maintenance while not diminishing the playing experience.

Mike directed all aspects of recruiting, interviewing, and hiring a golf course contractor. Any General Manager who is responsible for project cost and results, will tell you this is mission critical. Additionally, Mike did multiple hole-by-hole presentations to the ownership, greens committee, and at town hall meetings for our membership, ending in thunderous applause.

He was able to help guide us through a few interesting issues and challenging finds along our journey. He always kept a positive approach to work, and his passion for the game of golf is evident in everything he does. He also has an uncanny ability to make sure his designs benefit all the different levels of players at our Club.

Mike is easy to work with and goes out of his way to make sure he is getting feedback from all parties involved to any potential change to the course. He has proven here at SaddleBrooke One his ability to combine golfer perspective with maintenance concerns, as well as the financial parameters in all of his design proposals.

One of the most important qualities leading to his selection was his willingness to listen to everyone from a committee of residents to the General Manager, and most of all his relationship with me, the Golf Course Superintendent. Other designers had lots of ideas, but none seemed to really listen to our needs while coming up with their designs.

Mike committed to bring this project in on budget and on time. He worked very closely with our golf course superintendent and was on-site 3-4 days a week to ensure that the execution of the bunker design, bunker construction, and drainage were exactly what he wanted. Mike did an outstanding job of communicating the progress of the project to the local management as well as the overall membership.

“What I really enjoyed about working with Mike was that the opinion of the membership truly mattered. Mike’s care and concern for not only the men’s perspective but also how the course played for its women members. For example, he wanted to know where our longer hitting ladies “went for it” on par-5s, or concerns for our shorter hitters and the need for additional shorter tee boxes mattered to Mike.”