Jeff Brauer Returns to Shape the Next Chapter of Wild Wing’s Avocet Course

As renovation work continues on the Avocet Course at Wild Wing, golfers can take comfort in knowing the course’s original vision remains at the forefront of the project. Jeff Brauer, who originally designed the course alongside World Golf Hall of Famer Larry Nelson, is back to help guide the renovation.

For Brauer, great golf course design is about more than strategy—it’s also about creating a memorable visual experience.

“Most of us have a landscape architecture degree, and I fall in that camp,” Brauer said. “We look at the visuals as equally important as how it plays.”

That philosophy helped shape Wild Wing’s distinctive character when it first opened. Brauer describes the design process as a combination of problem-solving and artistry, from fitting the routing across the property to crafting the greens and surrounding features.

“The routing is like a jigsaw puzzle,” he said. “And then working out the features. Probably doing the grading plans for the greens is the most fun.”

Brauer also highlighted the creativity involved in shaping a golf course, crediting the skilled equipment operators who transform architectural concepts into reality.

“The bulldozer operators and equipment operators are artists,” Brauer said. “Instead of a paintbrush, they’ve got a ten-ton bulldozer or a trackhoe.”

One of the defining characteristics of Wild Wing has always been its bold scale, and that’s something golfers will see enhanced through the renovation.

“The overall scale of this place is one of the things I think did set it apart,” Brauer said. “People will notice, playability-wise and visually, that the greens will be going back out to become pretty large.”

With Brauer once again involved in shaping the course, the renovation aims to honor the original design while enhancing the playing experience for today’s golfers.