"The Process" by The Greenprint - Nick Mills - Episode 1

We're excited to bring you The Process by The Greenprint, a new sub-series that digs deep into how golf course architects think, work, and create.

Hosted by Leighton Walker and joined by Thad Layton of Thad Layton Design, the series explores the processes that shape great golf design.

In this first full episode, we sit down with Nick Mills, a Melbourne-born golf course designer whose introduction to the game began caddying at Capital Golf Club. That early exposure—combined with hands-on maintenance work and formal study in Landscape Architecture—laid the foundation for a career defined by curiosity, experimentation, and a deep respect for the land.

The conversation traces formative projects across New Zealand and the United States, including early restoration work at Titirangi Golf Club alongside Clyde Johnson, a transition into U.S. construction at Cedarbrook, the influential Old Sandwich short-game area, and ongoing large-scale work at The Patterson Club. Along the way, we explore how small projects can have outsized influence, and why restraint and scale—particularly around bunkering—are essential tools in design.

We also discuss the architects, mentors, and creative thinkers who have shaped Nick's perspective, including French gardener and writer Gilles Clément, and his concept of the "third landscape." The episode highlights the importance of looking beyond the golf architecture echo chamber, and how collaboration—especially in shaping—drives the best outcomes.

The conversation closes with reflections on sustainability as a natural byproduct of good design, and why the greatest golf holes should ultimately make you feel something.

Reach out to Thad - https://thadlaytondesign.com/

A big thanks to our Show Partner - Toro

Check them out here!

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