What is the future of practice? Could golfers find themselves striking it more in simulators than on grass as clubs consider how they use their land?

Speaking to Sarah Stirk on The GBQ Podcast, renowned golf course architect Martin Ebert wondered whether players could warm up, or hone their skills, in 100-metre domes in the future.

Asked about the emerging trends in golf course architecture over the next five to 10 years, Ebert, the mastermind behind renovations of Turnberry and Royal Portrush, pointed towards bunkers and shorter courses.

“When we go to clubs, quite often bunkers are a major topic of discussion,” he said. “Obviously, members don’t like being in them. They always get a bad press from the membership.

“They take a lot of maintenance, so one of things we generally do – not for every project but on the whole – is try to get the maximum value, both from a playing point of view and a visual point of view, from the minimum number of bunkers and the smallest area of sand overall.

“It is a shame when bunkers don’t have that visual appeal. The example I give is Gog Magog and we’re probably ending up with bigger bunkers. It really does make a difference visually.

“In general, if we can reduce the maintenance demands on the course while still producing something which people really love to play then that can only be a good thing.”