Interview With Paul Albanese Princiapl Albanese & Lutzke

Below is an interview with Paul Albanese, the Princiapl at Albanese & Lutzke . The following are a few traditional and non traditional golf centric questions that I love to ask influential people in the golf industry.

Can you provide our readers a brief biography?
Started playing golf at 9 years old. Played on my high school (Chatham Township, NJ) and then went on to play at Cornell. I knew I was not good enough to play the sport for a living, and yet I wanted to be into the sport somehow. I always liked to build things, and I had an engineering degree from Cornell, so I then thought getting design degree would round me out well. So, I got a Masters in Landscape Architecture from Harvard.

I was then very fortunate to get my first job with Jerry Matthews, whose father was the great grandfather of Michigan golf design. And Jerry was a great mentor. A bunch of years into my career, I teamed up with my good friend Chris Lutzke to form Albanese & Lutzke. Chris has worked for Pete Dye most of his 30 year career, with the last decade being Pete's right hand man. Chris and I meld together well in our design and business philosophies.

We are proud to say our company is now 14 years old, and we have many great projects to our credit.

When did you start golfing and who introduced you to the game?
My father introduced me to the game as he knew it was a great sport that could be played for life, and also teach me about life. A great memory I had playing with my Dad was when he and his buddies were playing nine holes and they invited me to play. They were playing for money so I did not want to embarrass myself. I started out with three bogeys. Then settled down, and birded the last four for a 35. I remember my Dad being proud and I will thrilled.

What is your current home course?
My current home course is wherever my next flight takes me. On a lot of airplanes.

To date, what is your proudest golf accomplishment?
My most proud accomplishment would be the awards I have won for a handful of courses I designed. It is always nice to be recognized not only by golfers, but by the golf media that truly endeavor to understand the design and the intentions of the project.

What is your biggest golf pet peeve on or off the course?
SLOW PLAY!!!!! Everyone in golf should go to Scotland to learn how to play golf at the speed it should be played. They will no tolerate slow play there. You either learn or you will embarrass yourself. And, time is the biggest reason golfers don't play as much -- not money.

What is your favorite club in your bag and why?
7 iron. It just sets up nice. Driver when hitting it well..........although I do feel guilty at times that equipment is likely enabling me to hit the ball longer than my skill.

What is your favorite golf destination?
Scotland -- St. Andrews specifically

What course is on your bucket list that you have not played yet?
Pine Valley and Augusta National

If you woke up tomorrow and could play one course you played before, where would you play?
St. Andrews

If you could change one aspect, rule or thing about golf, what would it be and why?
Overall -- simply the rules. USGA is trying to go down this road a bit. But, could still go further. Ie. Out of bounds rule............should be played same as lateral hazard. Dumbest rule in golf.

Dream foursome (living)?
Tiger, Brooks Koepka, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player

Dream foursome (living or dead)?
Old Tom Morris, his son, Willie Park and Alistair Mackenzie..................Donald Ross meet us for drinks in bar after with William Flynn, Billy Bell, Walter Travis, C.B MacDonald, Seth Rayner and all those dudes from the Golden Age.

Favorite 19th hole drink?
Single Malt Scotch from Islay

18 Rapid Fire, Off The Cuff Questions

1) Hitting Long Drive OR Sinking Long Putt?
Long Putt

2) Having Round of Life OR Hole in One?
Round of Life

3) Golfing at the crack of dawn OR twilight?
Twilight..............the "gloaming"

4) Hit a power fade OR power draw?
Power draw is what I like to hit.............but, wish I could do the power draw without fear of snap hook!

5) Beverage cart OR halfway house?
Bev Cart

6) Bathroom OR bushes?
Bushes

7) Hot dog OR wrap?
Hot DIggity Dog

8) Around the green, being in sand OR thick rough?
Sand

9) Walking OR riding?
WALKING !!!

10) Do you carry traditional 3 iron OR hybrid?
Hybrid now.............finally gave up the delusion I could hit my 3 iron.

11) Do you prefer long par 3 OR long par 5?
Long par 3

12) Pants OR Shorts?
Shorts

13) Palmer OR Nicklaus?
BOTH

14) Beatles OR Elvis?
Beatles

15) Play for fun OR play for money?
Money

16) Bump and run OR flop shot?
Bump

17) Lay up OR gamble?
Gamble...........unless the wagers are too high

18) 18 holes OR 36?
36