Designer Spotlight: Mike Riley Where Course Design Meets Creativity

Mike Riley is a designer pro like no other. Mike reshapes synthetic turf into an imaginative canvas that mirrors the feel of world-class golf courses. With roots tied to historic influencers like Nicklaus Design and Robert Cupp, Mike brings his own brand of creative discipline to every creation.

THE MASTER CRAFTER OF GREENS

Michael Riley Design reflects a passion for strong design details and bold yet playable synthetic greens. Fascinated since youth by the role of topography and layout, Mike Riley leverages his experience working with Nicklaus Design and Robert Cupp. Valuing the legacy of over three decades of golf course mastery, Southwest Greens formalized a relationship to merge traditional design features with cutting-edge synthetic turf surfaces.

With a background in plant sciences from Clemson University and an early pro golf career, Mike was offered an amazing offer to work for the Jack Nicklaus team. As both a site coordinator and a design associate, he was fortunate to be participate on Nicklaus golf courses in Tucson, California, Colorado, Hawaii, and Japan. He literally learned great golf course design and construction from the ground up with one of the modern masters of the game. One of the courses he worked on, the famous Kiele course in Kauai Lagoons, Hawaii, won Best New Resort Course by Golf Digest in 1989.

Stand on his creation and you’re part of a journey where precise contours and clean shapes meet the thrill of your best game. Every dip and trap is the result of dedication and creativity. Working closely with us here at Southwest Greens, Mike ensures that every green is tournament-worthy — whether it’s a residential backyard installation or a full estate course.

STUNNING DESIGN, READY TO PLAY

For golf enthusiasts seeking pro-style greens in their own space, Mike’s creations are in a class of their own. His unique blend of design vision and synthetic turf performance delivers greens built to perform. If you’re dreaming of backyard putting green luxury that rivals your favorite course, now’s the time to take the next step.

MAKE YOUR HOME A GOLF DESTINATION

Contact us now to learn how our team can bring championship design right to your Oakley backyard. Relish every round and let your course dreams come true!