Modern Architects Series: Line Mortensen on Leaving Golf Course Design for the Art World
Line setting up an exhibition
You would be hard-pressed to find anyone with the same story as Line Mortensen. Born to golf loving parents in Denmark in 1971, she excelled as a young golfer and eventually moved to the U.K. to pursue golf course architecture, keen on combining her love of nature and design. She found considerable success by the late 1990’s, founding her own firm and becoming the first Dane and first woman to join the British Institute of Golf Course Architects.
But in the 2000’s, Line started to feel as though her creativity was being stifled by the many tasks that surround the actual routing process, including budgeting, following local codes, honoring client preferences, and confronting the sexism deeply ingrained in the British golf industry. So she left golf course architecture and entered the art world, finding new ways to apply many of the skills she’d honed over the years, as well as enjoying the freedom the came with working for herself, creating vibrant and evocative sculptures that reflect her fascination with color and lines.
When I approached Line about featuring her singular story on Mother of Golf, she was not only more than happy to participate, but also more open and candid than I’d ever expected. Funnier, too. Please enjoy Line’s responses to the set of questions I emailed her. She preferred to write her answers as she is multilingual and seems to be very intentional in everything she does.
Your website biography says you excelled creatively in your youth. What kind of art did you make when you were a child?
I’ve always enjoyed drawing and creating things. I loved the creative topics in my earlier school years and it was later suggested that I should apply for art school, but I went to university to study landscape architecture.
How did you enter the golf world?
My parents both played so I started young, about four. My first (half of a) club was 2-wood reduced in length by an upset teenager. I spent many days hanging around the clubhouse waiting for my parents to finish their rounds and I definitely had mixed feelings about the game back then. However, the golf club became my second home. You could say golf just happened to me. I can’t really remember not playing the game.
I was mostly taught by the local pro since kid members were given free group instruction every week during the season. It was hard not to improve along the way. I also earned pocket money picking up range balls by hand.
What inspired you to study landscape architecture? Do you see a connection between art, nature, and golf?
Landscape architecture combined my creative side with my love for being outdoors, the beauty I see in nature, and my enjoyment of golf. I loved the game but needed an academic challenge too, so landscape architecture seemed like a good choice (and the right foundation for a golf course architect [GCA]).
I was a fairly good golfer in my teens but had a knee injury at sixteen or seventeen, so it was never really a consideration to turn pro. I doubt it would have worked for me though, since hitting good shots was more important to me than actually scoring well and women’s pro golf wasn’t really a big gig in those days.
I do remember that my first thought of becoming a GCA happened when I was playing a tournament as a teenager. I did not like the course and I remember thinking, “It must be possible to do this better.” That was it!
Were there any specific professional players or golf courses that inspired you to play or to make art?
Becoming a golfer was something that happened to me due to my circumstances. I was too young to be inspired by anybody when I started out and golf wasn’t on television 24/7 like it is now. But when I did have the chance to watch golf, I loved watching Seve Ballesteros.
My inspiration to make art simply comes from within. I am often asked how I come up with ideas—I used to think it was a strange question since my head is constantly full of them, but I now know that people are very different in how their imaginations work—some have a lot, some have hardly any, some have colors and sounds, some have words and numbers. That’s just the way it is.
You earned a master’s degree in landscape architecture in Copenhagen, then a diploma in golf course architecture and design in the 1990’s. What were those programs like? Did you have women professors or study with other women students?
LOL! Are you kidding? No woman in sight.
I learned a lot doing the diploma, but with GCA being such a wide-ranging subject, it was more like an introduction to all the knowledge relevant to building a golf course than anything else. Just a constant building of knowledge.
The course I studied at was run by the British Institute of Golf Course Architecture (BIGCA), which was kind of a stuffy old “boys club” back then. I do remember that they had a discussion going about if they should admit women by the time I passed (at the top of the class, by the way). It would have been classic British men of them to have asked me to set up a BILGCA (British Institute of Lady Golf Course Architects) on my own. However, the BIGCA members were overall nice enough and I appreciate that this was all new to them at the time too.
Did you experience gender discrimination during your education or at the golf courses you studied? How did you handle it?
My classmates were great and I don’t recall much trouble during the program except when visiting the old, classic clubs where I could not always join my male peers in the clubhouse. This made both them and me feel equally uncomfortable, I believe.
I experienced some gender related issues and comments while I was working for a GCA in the U.K., too. Nothing I could not handle, but it made me very aware of my lack of status as a woman and the need for me to “really” know what I was talking about professionally. I found the behaviour I faced both tiresome and exhausting, but I never felt I was in the wrong profession—more that I was stuck in a backwards and ignorant culture and society which I just had to deal with if I wanted to stay around and learn more.
Looking back, I believe being Scandinavian helped me become a GCA. I had an upbringing in which I had choices, regardless of my gender, and I wasn’t conditioned to conform to British expectations of how a girl should or shouldn’t behave or be treated. Looking back, I’m not surprised that I wasn’t surrounded by any British female GCA’s despite how widespread the game is in the U.K. Having lived in the U.K. for so long now, I am very aware of the cultural differences between Scandinavia and the U.K. when it comes to gender equality, and this is reflected in the golf industry as well as most industries here, I assume.
I can honestly say I had never thought being a woman was a disadvantage until I moved from Denmark to the U.K. I like to say that I am not outing the U.K. on this matter, as it is only my personal opinion, and I’m also certain I’m not the only one who would say this. However, it is worth mentioning that I do come from a country ranking very high on the “gender equality list” so I would surely find living and working in most countries discriminatory.
You were the first woman admitted to the British Institute of Golf Course Architects. Can you describe that process? How did you feel about it then and how do you feel about it now?
(See Q. 5)
I never gave gender much thought—I was just following my interests and passions, and it just happened to be that I was alone amongst men and it didn’t bother me. I was of course a novelty when I was admitted to the BIGCA, but I wasn’t on a campaign trail for women’s rights so I did not really make or think much of it.
Later, I was so keen to be recognized for my talents/skills as a GCA that I actually stayed away from talking about gender as much as possible. I did not want attention for being a “female GCA.” I thought if I were to have attention, it should be based on my professional skills. Being accused of “playing the female card” would, in my view, detract from me and my work, and I wouldn’t be taken as seriously. I might have missed an opportunity in terms of self-promotion within the industry, but it just wasn’t for me.
I’m not sure how I feel about it all now. I believe becoming a GCA is difficult enough for anyone, regardless of gender, though I am also sure I had to work harder to make it as a woman. I did not stay in the industry very long, and I have a strong feeling I never reached my peak as a GCA before I left the industry at forty-five. It would be nice to be remembered, although it would be a bit ironic if I was remembered for being the first woman GCA to be admitted into the BIGCA when all I wanted was to be recognized as a good GCA alongside everyone else.
What is your understanding of women golf course architects? Do you have any opinions on Marion Hollins, Ida Dixon, May Dunn, Molly Gourlay, and Alice Dye?
I wasn’t aware of these women when I started out. They were far too remote in time and distance to have any bearing on my journey as a GCA. I spoke to Alice once over the phone as I was (again) asked to comment on “women in GCA” but that’s about it.
Beside the articles I wrote for Danish magazines and the talks I gave there, you might find it interesting to know that (I feel) I was only ever asked to comment on “females in golf, etc.,” and almost never on any other topic in relation to golf course design, as if this is the only thing women GCA’s are qualified for.
The most asked question would then be: “Are women GCA’s better at placing ladies’ tees than men?” It’s ridiculous. You might as well ask a man GCA if he is less good at dealing with the forward tees because he is a man. Honestly, any GCA who wants to do a good job has to study and pay attention to all aspects of the design no matter their gender—this really should be obvious to everyone.
I truly believe every GCA has their own ways of designing and that gender has very little to do with it.
In 2003, you were hired as Lecture and Course Coordinator for the International Diploma in Golf Course Design at Edinburgh College of Art. What did you enjoy or dislike about that position? What did you think was most important for golf course design students to learn?
I enjoyed many aspects of the teaching coordination job very much, though it was a big responsibility and it was tricky to incorporate everything the students needed to learn in a short amount of time, and on a budget, too.
The hardest part for me was the workload. The job was part-time and my own business was taking off at the same time. For this reason, I soon had to give up the job to concentrate on my own work.
The job of a GCA is wide-ranging. If, like myself, you take a project from a sketch, through planning, design, specification, construction, etc., alone, it does require a lot of different skills. I know most people and golfers have no idea of how much is actually involved, but the job of a GCA is so far from just doodling a course layout.
So, what is most important? Well, it depends on the project, situation, and the architect’s personal take on design, but overall, I guess students must quickly understand the complexity of it all and that a lot has to be learned in order to do a good job of it. It’s also a big responsibility—large sums, large areas, and many stakeholders to deal with.
You started your own golf course design firm. What did you enjoy and what was difficult? As an artist, it seems like you would enjoy designing courses from scratch more than restoring a course that already exists. Is that true or did you enjoy both?
I am an idealist so working on my own was bound to happen, though it was never a conscious goal. I have met other GCA’s along the way which I would have enjoyed working with very much in the right circumstances, but it just did not happen.
In terms of having my own business and mostly handling the projects myself, I think the hardest part was controlling the workload. However, I believe that is the main problem of most self-employed business owners in any field of work. I learned the hard way when I started losing my hair from stress. It’s just one of those things.
I did enjoy both new builds and remodelling jobs, but creating new layouts does, of course, give you more freedom in terms of design and the feeling of starting fresh is exciting.
What did you want players of your golf courses to feel during a round?
I wanted players to enjoy the challenge and to enjoy simply being on the course. It’s tricky, since I believe about 80% of a successful course design is about the quality of the site you work on. A large budget can balance this out in some ways, but it’s not the same.
What were your favorite golf course features to design—tees, greens, water hazards, bunkers, or something else? Why?
Hard one, but let me put it this way:
There is nothing better than designing features that demand very few adjustments of existing contours in order for them to sit naturally in the landscape and perfectly for play.
L.M., 2022
To achieve the above you need a really good site and a solid master plan of course—a rare combination!
The 2008 recession rocked the golf course industry, so you transitioned to art. What were you feeling at the time?
The answer is rather complicated, I’m afraid. This is the “short” reply: I was fine. The recession came after a period where I had worked way too hard, and I still had enough jobs on the books to keep me busy for years. The artwork came about because I was suddenly working more reasonable hours. It was only a hobby, but it was almost like a lid came off my creative bottle at this point.
It was the aftershock of the recession that got me—the industry changed following the recession. New projects were few and far between, and though I enjoyed remodelling jobs, I did not see a future without new projects in the mix. I lived in Scotland but mainly worked in Denmark, and flying back to do remodelling jobs there was not really feasible. Moving back there seemed a bit drastic and would not change what was happening with the industry. On the other hand, I had limited options in the U.K., having not worked here much, and being a woman. Nor was I interested in relocating to places like Asia, or rolling out grass in the desert of the Middle East (the last suggestion is not even really relevant for a woman GCA, of course).
Besides the above, something else happened: clients seemed to be looking for “safer” designs, visually standardised to conform to what was on television even more so than previously, and strategically bland layout-wise so as to not to put too many demands on the golfer’s actual ability to play the game. Less walking, more paving, more building, less adaptation, and no rough (nature) in sight, etc.
But I was not a Disneyland kind of architect. I loved the game and wanted to build for golfers, not just for entertainment. I also came from a landscape architecture background where a golf course is not just a copy/paste job, but should offer something unique on all levels. I felt I had nowhere to go. I had to leave.
The decision turned out to be more difficult and painful than expected. It really hurt.
I went about leaving the industry simply by not looking for new work and only working on the project I had going, plus a few that turned up along the way. By the end of 2016, after working for fifteen years in the industry, I had officially left it behind.
Before closing down, I was actively looking for a new career over a period of a few years. It’s a long story, but despite looking hard, hiring an advisor, and having good qualifications and many different skills, I could not find anything I could engage with.
Looking back now I can see why: my whole life was so entangled with being a GCA. My connection to the game from early childhood, my education, and even where I was living had been based around the game and the job and, on top of that, I had never thought I would ever do anything else.
However, I don’t believe I made a mistake. I really was done with the industry.
So, on to the art! I was already selling some artwork while working as a GCA, though only on a small scale. In 2015, however, I was selected to exhibit at the Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design Fair (SOFA) in Chicago. I had one large piece there and it sold. Not long after this, I decided to stop looking for a new career path and simply do some artwork, at least for a while.
What happened to me was more a lifestyle change than a career change. The money I now earn is not worth mentioning; however, the creative freedom I have is a luxury I appreciate every day.
Did you seek formal training in art or are you self-taught?
Besides a few evening classes, I am self-taught. There are some techniques you need to learn, but after that, it’s a matter of letting your imagination run free and enhancing skills so you can actually create the artwork you want to bring out.
I came into art by accident with no exact aim. I am not a specific kind of artist like a painter, potter, or glass artist and have no desire to be. I am what I make, and for now, I allow myself to follow my instincts and various passions at different times. I sell my work and have an income and do alright, but if I truly approached this as a career, I would have to be much more disciplined in how I go about things and in what I create—opposite from being a GCA.
When I am not doing commissions or preparing for a specific show, I am both my own boss and client, which, in many ways is great, but does also push self-motivation to the extreme, which can be a challenge at times.
What is your main inspiration for your art today? What materials do you enjoy working with and why?
My inspiration is wide-ranging. Could be a certain material or technique, colour combination, or simply some issue I have on my mind. I like sturdy tactile materials, textures, and 3D objects.
What are your favorite colors and shapes?
Favourite colour changes—I do a fair amount of blue and green work. But this is not just about me—many clients have a preference for these colours so they can be hard to “resist.”
Shapes… funny. I have drawn soooo many soft contour lines in my time, but most of my artworks are rather linear. I guess this is my Danish design heritage kicking in—clean lines and all that.
What do you want viewers of your art to feel?
My artwork is about imagination, materials, and good craftsmanship, and is generally rather labour-intensive. I hope the viewer will feel as though they are looking at a well crafted and well designed original piece of art made using colours and materials that evoke their emotions and imagination. It’s a lot to ask but one can try.
What has been your favorite exhibition so far and why?
I did a solo exhibition in Pittenweem, Scotland the year before Covid, which I enjoyed very much. I had a whole room to display a lot of pieces and the chance to create varied art that had a message.
You say your creative talents were underused in golf course design. What limitations did you encounter in golf course design?
GCA did not limit my creative talents, I simply didn’t need them all in order to do the job. And the creative part of being a GCA mainly has to do with the layout and detail design of the golf course, which is only a small part of the full GCA job. There would also be a whole lineup of issues hampering your design and creativity too—budget, location, the nature of the site, technical issues, maintenance issues, the client’s preferences, and perhaps also the authorities and others who would all have their say, too, etc.
On the other hand, as a full-on artist these days, I don’t really use my academic skills all that much, and I miss that. Striking the right balance is tricky!
What skills did you learn from golf course design that help you in your art?
Planning, sketching, running a business, computer graphics, etc. There are truly lots of crossovers, though they are not always that obvious. Besides practical skills, there are of course talents which are handy to have, like spatial awareness, which is my thing. Without it, I very much doubt I would have become a GCA or an artist.
How might golf course design elements be found in your art?
I do a lot of abstract work. However, rather than looking straight at the design, as if you’re standing, looking across a landscape, many of my pieces are created as if looking from above, as if you’re looking down onto a map. This is not something I do consciously, it’s just a GCA “hangover” I have become aware of along the way.
Some years back I did literally design golf layouts to be put on porcelain mugs, crystal whisky glasses, and silver cufflinks, mainly as a novelty since it would take mass production to make any financial sense of items like these. Otherwise, I do not create work that gives much away about my past as a GCA.
What is an experience you would love to incorporate into your career that you haven’t yet?
Oh, man… There are definitely more experiences to be had, but for now I am going with the flow, so we shall see.
You currently live in Scotland. What made you stay there?
The short answer: I live in a beautiful place—golf, sea, and fresh air. The Scots are nice people, but I’ll admit that I deliberate moving on a regular basis. There are cultural differences and I somehow can’t see myself eating haggis in the old folks home when the time comes.
Do you still play golf? If so, what do you still enjoy about it?
I still play friendly golf, mainly because I love links golf and I am lucky enough to have easy access to some wonderful traditional links courses.
I still enjoy the game and still hold a low single digit handicap, but like many golfers who used to play a lot, I find it tricky to accept not playing as well as I did when I was younger and practiced every day.
Why is it important to support women in the golf industry? What is something unique that women bring to golf course design?
It’s important for women to know they have a foundation solid enough to stand their ground professionally. Having this makes it easier to handle the crap that might be thrown at you based on your gender. I believe good apprenticeships would help all upcoming GCA’s, but especially women. Having the support of an established person makes all the difference when the time comes to fight for a job.
The golf industry, like every other industry, would undoubtedly benefit from the diversity of having more women around. Having the same old “bloke brigade” still pushing things forward is unhealthy and will hardly allow us all to explore all of the possibilities in terms of developing the industry further.
What advice would you give to women, both younger and older, who want to pursue golf course design?
It’s a small industry so it can be difficult to enter. There is not set formula, but opportunities also depend on where you are geographically and what you are willing to do to get into the industry. You will need a bit of luck, too.
I would suggest first trying to get a full understanding of the job. Meet a GCA, if possible—ask them to tell you about the job they do, what’s involved, etc. If you’re just starting out, perhaps contact the EIGCA, ASGCA, etc. and ask for guidance—they might have a programme going or know if there’s a GCA who might be taking on apprentices, etc.
There are many books on the topic, too. But don’t expect to learn it all from these.
The backgrounds of GCA’s vary a lot and so do the ways they work. I am a landscape architect, which is a solid foundation, but there are many other ways of getting into GCA. Being a good golfer, even a pro with a passion for the game is great, but be prepared to have to learn a LOT more if you want to do the full job of a GCA. In the end it is all about getting the opportunity, studying, and positioning yourself.
What advice would you give to young athletes who feel more compelled to pursue art than sports?
Well, it depends on talent and passion of course, but if you have money in the bank, I wouldn’t worry too much either way. Otherwise, I can only say that if I had the talent and loved my sport, I would pursue that while I was young and able. Life is long, so if you retire early you will still have time to do other things afterward. In any case, commit to your choice.
But the art world is not easy either. I don’t stress too much about it, but being a professional artist is hard work and takes guts, too. However, there are many different jobs within the art world. Some more financially secure than others, but the important thing is to have a realistic and clear vision of what you want to do, otherwise it can be tricky to navigate. But you only live once.
Photos used with permission from Line Mortensen