Golf is facing a rather tumultuous time across the board.

That’s what 50-year-old renowned architect Brian Curley, who was raised in Pebble Beach, said earlier this week when asked what some of the issues were facing the game.

“The game’s not going to go anywhere, but it’s going to change,” said Curley, who is one half of Curley-Schmidt Golf Design, the team that created among other award winners: Mission Hills Golf Complex in China (the largest golf complex in the world, featuring 12 courses), Faldo Course at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort (Phoenix), Bali Hai Golf Club (Las Vegas) and Chiangmai Highlands Golf Course (Thailand). “The old school mentality has left a crust around the game. I think the average club is going to have to look at the game in a different way.”

Curley, who started Schmidt-Curley Design with Lee Schmidt in 1997 and has more than 25 years of design experience, is always thinking about the future of golf. He’s been pondering about it a lot more, however, since his recent naming to the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) Board of Governors.

The former teenage cart attendant at Spyglass Hill and Del Monte Forest caddie, who will begin serving a three-year term on the board in March, sees a number of issues facing the game, including a glut of courses and lack of players.

“One definite concern is that the supply of courses certainly is more than the demand,” said Curley, who worked under Pete Dye at Kiawah Island and the TPC Stadium Course at PGA West. “The concern forward, especially in the U.S., is that there’s a diminished demand to build new facilities because so many courses already exist. If anything, you‘ll see more course getting renovated instead of new facilities being built.”

As for getting more players out on the course, Curley, who has been a major player in the recent golf boom in Asia, suggested that U.S. courses need to shake off what he described as their “old-school mentality.”

“Golf courses in the U.S. are lowering their prices and people still aren’t playing. One of the biggest reasons for that is there’s just too many other options these days,” Curley said. “With that in mind, I think courses have to look at the game in a different way, like accommodating golf and business. In the States, it’s a no-no to be on a cell phone while on the course. In Asia, the golf course is where they do business.”

Other things Curley, who has offices in Arizona and China, would like to see more of is women and youth out on the course.

“In Asia, a quarter of play is women. In the U.S., it’s less than 10 percent,” he said. “As for kids, they’re your future clients. Down the road, I think you’ll see more clubs and courses adapting different habits and programs to generate business.”

As for the future of golf on the Monterey Peninsula, Curley said that area should still thrive.

“It’s just such a unique area and there are so many great golf courses there,” Curley said. “It’ll always be strong.”