Profile and Work History
Andrew Harvey Johnston
Having spent the last 10 years at one of Asia’s pre-eminent golfing destinations, Sentosa Golf Club, Andrew’s role has covered a wide service spectrum. Initially retained at Sentosa to re-modelling the heralded Serapong Course in 2006 and in 2010, Andrew to on the Director of Agronomy role, in 2013 he on the added responsibility of General Manager at Sentosa and in 2016 he redesiged the club’s second major undertaking, producing a new design for the Tanjong Course, implementing revolutionary technological and turf management tactics alongside design themes rivaling those at some of the world’s best layouts.
Both projects required innovative thinking, vision and leadership to ensure Sentosa Golf Club maintained its reputation as home to the finest conditioned golf courses in the region, and a club that stands shoulder to shoulder with the finest around the globe.
Andrew’s tenure at Sentosa has coincided with international recognition, as the club continues to receive accolades from some of golf’s most prominent voices. Both The Serapong and New Tanjong voted numbers one and two in Singapore respectively by Golf Digest, the Serapong is also amongst World’s Top 100 listed at 58.
Additionally Andy maintains his position as President of Signature Design Services and now runs the Asian office located in Singapore offering Golf Course Design, Project Management and Agronomic Services.
Professional and Amateur Tournaments
2010 Barclays Singapore Open
2011 Barclays Singapore Open
2011 BMW World Championship (A)
2012 Barclays Singapore Open
2013 HSBC Women's Champions
2014 HSBC Women's Champions
2015 HSBC Women's Champions
2015 Sea Games - Tournament Director
2016 SMBC Singapore Open
2016 HSBC Women's Champions
2017 SMBC Singapore Open
2017 HSBC Women's Champions
2018 SMBC Singapore Open
2108 Woman's Asian Amateur Pacific Championship - Feb 21
2018 HSBC World Woman's Championship - March 1
2018 Asian Pacific Amateur Championship - Oct 5
Both projects required innovative thinking, vision and leadership to ensure Sentosa Golf Club maintained its reputation as home to the finest conditioned golf courses in the region, and a club that stands shoulder to shoulder with the finest around the globe.
Andrew’s tenure at Sentosa has coincided with international recognition, as the club continues to receive accolades from some of golf’s most prominent voices. Both The Serapong and New Tanjong voted numbers one and two in Singapore respectively by Golf Digest, the Serapong is also amongst World’s Top 100 listed at 58.
Additionally Andy maintains his position as President of Signature Design Services and now runs the Asian office located in Singapore offering Golf Course Design, Project Management and Agronomic Services.
Professional and Amateur Tournaments
2010 Barclays Singapore Open
2011 Barclays Singapore Open
2011 BMW World Championship (A)
2012 Barclays Singapore Open
2013 HSBC Women's Champions
2014 HSBC Women's Champions
2015 HSBC Women's Champions
2015 Sea Games - Tournament Director
2016 SMBC Singapore Open
2016 HSBC Women's Champions
2017 SMBC Singapore Open
2017 HSBC Women's Champions
2018 SMBC Singapore Open
2108 Woman's Asian Amateur Pacific Championship - Feb 21
2018 HSBC World Woman's Championship - March 1
2018 Asian Pacific Amateur Championship - Oct 5
Partial Design History
Discovery Bay Golf Club - Hong Kong (JDA)
Clearwater Bay Country Club (short course) - Hong Kong (JDA) New Tanjong, Sentosa Golf Club - Singapore (JDA) Seleta Country Club - Singapore (JDA) Agronomic Jurong Country Club - Singapore (JDA) Agronomic TPC of KL - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (JDA) Agronomic Singapore Island Country Club, Singapore (putting green) (JDA) Xiamen golf club - Xiamen, China (JDA) Southwood Golf Club – Tallahassee, Florida (CB) Castlemartyr Resort – Castlemartyr, East Cork, Ireland (GB) Hunter’s Point Golf Course – Nampa, Idaho (GB) *Solider Hollow Golf Course, Midway, Utah (GB) Talons Cove Golf Club, Saratoga Springs, Utah (GB) Twin Bridges Golf Club, Gadsden, Alabama (GB) Belleair Country Club East– Belleair, Florida (GB) Belleair Country Club West – Belleair, Florida (GB) Broken Sound Country Club – Boca Raton, Florida (GB) *The Old Course - Broken Sound – Boca Raton, Florida (GB) Carmel Valley Ranch, Carmel Valley, California (GB) El Conquistador Country Club, Bradenton, Florida (GB) Ft. Ord Bayonet Course, Seaside, California (GB) Gladstan Golf Club, Payson city, Utah (GB) Pipers Landing Yacht and Country Club, Pam City, Florida (GB) Sentosa Golf Club Tanjong Course, Singapore (GB) *Sentosa Golf Club Serapong Course, Singapore (GB) *Tomson Pudong Golf Club, Shanghai, China (CB) Whiskey Jack – Sparwood BC Canada (CB) ) |
Loch Lloyd – Loch Lloyd, MO (CM)
Salish Cliffs – Shelton, Washington (CB) Stone Crest Golf Club – Prestonsburg, Kentucky (R) Heron Cove Country Club – Benton, Kentucky (R) Augusta First Tee – Augusta, Georgia (R) *TPC of Boston Great Woods– Norton, Massachusetts (R) Mayacco Country Club – West Palm Beach, Florida (R) Adios Country Club – Coconut Creek, Florida (R*Trump International – West Palm Beach, Florida (R) Latrobe Country Club – Latrobe, Pennsylvania (R) *Laurel Valley Golf Club – Ligonier, Pennsylvania (R) The Woodland Golf Course Gulf Shores, Alabama (GS) Cypress Bend Gulf Shores, Alabama (GS) Cotton Creek Club Gulf Shores Alabama (GS) *Bay Hill Club – Orlando, Florida (AP) Cotton Creek Golf Club – Gulf Shores, Alabama (AP) Hidden Hills Country Club, Florida (AP) *Isleworth Country Club – Windermere, Florida (AP) Laurel Creek Country Club – Moorestown, New Jersey (AP) Marriott World Center – Orlando, Florida (DH) Martin Downs Country Club – Stuart, Florida (AP) Mauna Kea Resort The Hapuna Course– Kona Coast, HI (AP) *Sanctuary Cove – Queensland, Australia (AP) The Bluffs – Baton Rouge, Louisiana (AP) White Eagle Club – Naperville, Illinois (AP) Leo Palace Resort – Yona, Guam (AP) Whitewater Creek – Fayetteville, Georgia (AP) PAST PROJECTS – (work with Gene Bates (GB),Fred Couples / Gene Bates (CB), Golf Course Consultants for Arnold Palmer Course Design (AP), Ranger Construction (R) *Denotes Sites of USGA, PGA, LPGA & International Tour Events Under Johnston Design and Agronomy (JDA) Grow-in or Golf Course Superintendent (GS) Construction Management (CM) |
My Philosophy:
Undivided commitment to achieving agronomic excellence is achieved by “the art of application” utilizing and improving upon reliable, proven techniques. Therefore, creating the most celebrated playing surfaces in the world.
Undivided commitment to achieving agronomic excellence is achieved by “the art of application” utilizing and improving upon reliable, proven techniques. Therefore, creating the most celebrated playing surfaces in the world.
Matt Swanson - Partner
Senior Design Associate
Matt Swanson has worked with Andy Johnston for the past 20 years, having a worked on projects in the United States and Asia. Matt is an artist at heart and has used his creativity and vision to support the direction of our projects around the world.
Background
Starting college as an Art major, Matt learned about form,
shape, shadow, and texture. Realizing that his interest in
the arts was along a slightly different path than oil and
canvas, he transferred to Ball State University in Indiana
following his sophomore year to pursue a degree in
Landscape Architecture. The world of sculpting outdoor
spaces, and more specifically, his love of golf courses, appealed to the artistic and technical bents he had developed at an early age. Beginning afresh in pursuit of a path in the design of outdoor spaces, Matt earned his degree in Landscape Architecture in 1991.
Following graduation from Ball State University, Matt worked for twenty years as the Senior Design Associate with Fred Couples. Much of this time was spent working alongside Andy Johnston on projects around the world.
Practice
As partner and Senior Design Associate for Johnston Design & Agronomy Matt works in all phases of golf course development projects around the world. The experience of working in varied climatic, geographical, ecological, and cultural conditions has provided him with the knowledge to design successful golf courses in any condition. As a designer, he receives special gratification from completing a particularly difficult project successfully.
Matt continues to use his abilities in art to create accurate drawings to convey the design intent developed at Johnston Design & Agronomy. Whether creating colorful perspective drawings to represent a finished golf hole for the owners or accurate plan drawings from which to build the golf course, he enjoys the process of developing ideas which will transform a piece of land into a piece of art.
EDUCATION
My formal education began in 1982 majoring in Fine Art at Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, Tennessee. A developing interest in architecture prompted me to transfer to Ball State University where I earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree in 1991. The blending of the two disciplines of Art and Landscape Architecture provides me with a broad and thorough grasp of the profession of golf course design.
EMPLOYMENT
In 1991, I joined Bates Golf Design Group and served as a design representative from 1992 through 1995 on projects throughout the United States. In 1992 Gene Bates developed a design relationship with Masters winner Fred Couples, and I served as the Senior Design Associate on all Gene Bates/Fred Couples designs worldwide. During my tenure with Bates Golf Design Group I was involved in the masterplanning, design, and construction of nearly 100 courses in locations around the world including United States, Japan, Ireland, Argentina, England, Denmark, France, Egypt, Canada, Equatorial Guinea, China, and Singapore.
JOHNSTON DESIGN & AGRONOMY
I worked closely with Andy Johnston since 1996. In 2010, following his move to Asia I have continued to partner with Andy on all JDA golf course design projects. Our work history has included projects in China, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
EXPERIENCE
Construction Supervision—Couples Bates Golf Design 1991– 1995Senior Design Associate—Couples Bates Golf Design 1995– 2010
Johnston Design and Agronomy formerly Signature Design Services Asia 2010– 2018
HIGHLIGHTS
Hamilton Mill Golf Club 1995
Dacula, Georgia
Designer/Construction Supervisor
First Fred Couples Signature Design
Mitake Hanatopia Golf Course 1998
Mitake, Japan
Senior Design Associate
First Fred Couples Signature Design in Japan
Broken Sound Club 2002
Boca Raton, Florida (USA)
Senior Design Associate
Hosts the Champions Tour Boca Raton Championship (2007-2018)
Soldier Hollow Golf Course 2008
Heber City, Utah
Senior Design Associate
Hosted 2012 USGA Public Links Championship
Oyala Golf Course 2009
Oyala, Equatorial Guinea
Senior Design Associate
First mainland golf course in Equatorial Guinea
Sentosa Golf Club (The New Tanjong) 2016
Sentosa Island, Singapore
Design Partner
Hosted 2016 HSBC Women’s Championship