Staff Profiles

Arnold Palmer, ASGCA Fellow

President

Arnold Palmer was the first in the modern era to be a both tournament player and golf course architect.  He has received the Donald Ross Award from the American Society of Golf Course Architects for significant contributions to the game.

Mr. Palmer is a spiritual descendent of the Scots of 150 and 200 years ago, those who determined that golf courses would have 18 holes.  He started work in the dirt, he learned in the dirt, and what he does, he basically has been doing all his life.

The year Arnold turned six years old, his family moved into a small frame house adjacent to the old sixth hole at Latrobe Country Club, in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where Mr. Palmer’s father, Milfred, known as Deke, held the dual jobs of greenskeeper and golf professional. 

Among the physical characteristics Arnold shared with his father were his large, strong hands, blacksmith’s hands, some said.  These were hands Deke used to help shape the first nine-hole course at Latrobe in the early 1920s, and hands his son would use for pushing heavy greens mowers, steering tractors and performing other tasks while growing up there, and then eventually helping his father to build the second nine.

“Designing golf courses has been part of my game plan as far back as I can remember,” Mr. Palmer says. 

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Thad Layton, ASLA, ULI

Vice President / Senior Golf Course Architect

Mr. Layton joined Arnold Palmer Design Company in 2000 upon earning his bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture, Magna Cum Laude, from Mississippi State University. While in school, Thad spent over three years working in the golf course construction business, gaining valuable experience in construction techniques and management practices.

Thad is a full member of the Urban Land Institute and has been named to the Recreational Development Council, he is a regular member of the American Society of Landscape Architects, and a registered landscape architect with CLARB certification.  In 2003 he was awarded the Lido Prize for Golf Course Design in the Alastair MacKenzie Design Competition.

As a Golf Course Architect, Thad has been involved in over 30 courses around the world, including full designs as well as remodels.  He is involved in all facets of a project from contract negotiation through completion of construction.

Brandon A Johnson

Vice President / Senior Golf Course Architect

Mr. Johnson received his bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture with a minor in Music Performance and History from North Carolina State University and received the 1997 ASLA Award.  Brandon also received his Masters in Landscape Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

Brandon was the Manager of Design for The First Tee before joining APDC in 2006.  He was responsible for all aspects of design, construction administration, and client interaction that helped The First Tee to reach its 250 facility benchmark for their phase two development goals.

In addition, Brandon has presented talks on golf course design, construction, and Brownfield development at a number of venues, including the Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa, NALGEP Conference, Florida Brownfield Conference and GCSAA Show, as well as The First Tee Annual Meeting.