b'Journey of a LifetimeAJ Bridges finds his way from cornfields to golf course architectureby Crai S. BowerNOW WORKING AS A DESIGN ASSOCIATE in the competitive golf course architecture industry, Lloyd AJ Bridges had grown passionate about golf having never even hit a ball. Raised in rural Western Kentucky, the closest golf course was two hours from home. However, his father gifted him a left-handed set, unaware that AJ was, though left-hand dominant, a righty.My dad, whod been a high school baseball star in his small town, knew absolutely nothing about golf, Bridges says. Hed kindly purchased this used set of Mizunos and I tried them for a while. When I told him I was right-handed, he took them back and found me a used right-handed set.Bridges had never set foot on an actual golf course. He developed his passion playing EA Tiger Woods on a PlayStation. He followed Tiger through the entire PGA Tour season, from the Plantation Course at Kapalua to Atlanta Country Club.Bridges believes in hands-on work, seen here at Gamble Sands. A gifted math student, Bridges participated in numerous academic enrichment programs. He began dissecting each golf courses architectural layout from ahole, Bridges says. I started working backward from a mathematical perspective, a practice he follows today.shot to determine exactly how it was formulated. One He loved how Raes Creeks presence beneath Augustasof my favorite courses was Bandon Dunes because it 12th hole could transform a seemingly benign 8-irondemanded so many different shots to get around. Its off the tee into a diabolical score and, sometimes, afunny to think today about Bandon because I work with tournament killer.David McLay Kidd, Bandons designer.He was soon deciphering the math and science of everyBy high school, Bridges had begun dreaming about a hole, analyzing fairway slopes, elongated versus potholecareer in golf design. He was also playing a lot of golf, bunkers, false green fronts and how a lie could provecreating imaginary scenarios before hitting a ball from advantageous or dangerous within the same 10-foot circle.his porch into the cornfield behind his house. After The technology on my video game was good enoughtrying to launch his approach shots at the cornstalk, in the late 90s to distinguish various aspects of eachhed gather the balls up and play another nine holes.16 PACIFIC NORTHWEST GOLFER|MAR 2025'