Brian Schneider

Growing up in Wisconsin, Brian Schneider learned to play golf at a young age with his grandfather at a local nine-holer owned by his great uncle. A wrestler in college, he attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison to study Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with an initial desire to go into sports medicine. However, he found himself more taken with his hobby of exploring golf courses around the world.

In his senior year at Wisconsin, Schneider got a job on the maintenance staff at Blackwolf Run. While in Sheboygan, he got a look at Pete Dye’s Whistling Straits being built, his first taste of golf course construction. He proceeded to work as a greenkeeper at several important clubs in the U.S., including Sand Hills Golf Club, Merion Golf Club, Pine Valley Golf Club, and Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. Schneider often examined other courses in the areas that he lived, using Tom Doak’s original Confidential Guide to orient himself.

As he toured the great courses of the U.S., Schneider frequently contacted Tom Doak to ask for a job at Renaissance Golf Design. Doak finally obliged in 2002. Having worked for Kye Goalby the previous year, Schneider hit the ground running as a shaper for Doak at Stonewall (North) outside Philadelphia. The quality of his work led Doak to hire Schneider full time in the fall of that year. Doak then sent him across the Pacific Ocean to help shape two of the architect's most famous courses, Cape Kidnappers (2004) and Barnbougle Dunes (2004).

Schneider’s résumé as lead associate for Renaissance Golf Design includes Bahia de los Sueños (2010, NLE), Dismal River Golf Club (Red) (2013), and Grand Saint-Emilionais Golf Club (2015). He also did shaping work at Tumble Creek (2005), Stone Eagle (2005), St. Andrews Beach (2006), Sebonack (2006), Ballyneal (2006), The Renaissance Club (2008), Rock Creek Cattle Company (2008), and Old Macdonald (2010). In 2015, he collaborated with fellow Renaissance Golf Design associates Brian Slawnik, Eric Iverson, and Dan Placek to create Stoatin Brae in Michigan.

Besides working on Doak’s original designs, Schneider has established himself as a restoration expert. He has consulted at a host of U.S. country clubs with excellent architectural pedigrees, such as Garden City Golf Club, Hollywood Golf Club, The Bridge, Montclair Golf Club, Llanerch Country Club, Round Hill Club, North Jersey Country Club, The Misquamicut Club, and Skokie Country Club.

In 2023, Schneider completed his first original co-design at Old Barnwell, with fellow Renaissance associate Blake Conant.