Top 10 Courses: Japan
The 2020 Tokyo Olympic course, Kasumigaseki East, ranks third on our Top 10 list of courses in Japan behind a pair of Hugh Alison designs that are likened to Augusta National and Pebble Beach, respectively. 1. Hirono, Hirono The Augusta National of Japan, this 1932 design by Hugh Alison weaves strategically among woodlands, ravines, lakes, […]
Gil Hanse’s Architecture 101: Green Design
Having navigated one year of writing about the importance of finding, organizing, and identifying the best set of golf holes to comprise a full golf course, it is now time to turn to the components of those holes—which bring holes to life, add flesh to the bones, and ultimately are what the vast majority of golfers […]
Mach 1: The Wild Story Behind the Revolutionary New Grass at Streamsong
In April, Streamsong Resort will begin a massive course enhancement project that will see the installation of a new grass type, Mach 1, on all 18 greens of both its Blue and Red courses. The original plan was to conduct the project in phases (Blue in 2020, Red in 2021), but given the uncertainties and […]
Top 10 Courses: Florida
Golf is a year-round game in the Sunshine State, where masses migrate during the winter months and there are more courses (over 1,200) than any other U.S. state. Inherently, great variety exists, from waterside courses on the Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Mexico, to inland tracks built around lakes and on top of phosphate […]
The Future of Municipal Golf Courses
The future of municipal courses in America is a subject of great concern with course closures on pace to exceed openings for yet another year. Many of the approximately 2,500 municipal golf facilities in the U.S. face an uncertain future despite making positive impacts with an often-conflicting responsibility—providing an affordable community recreation option while still […]
Creating Alternatives to Original Golf Templates
The word ‘template’ is, of course, part of modern-day golf architecture speak. It’s not quite clear when the term was first used to describe certain hole designs, but we do know it has its origin in golf pioneer C.B. Macdonald’s trips to Britain and France between 1902 and 1906 when he sought to identify the […]
Gil Hanse’s Architecture 101: Building the Natural
With a routing in place and the best of the natural characteristics maximized, it’s time to start thinking seriously about the placement and character of the golf features. On our projects, my partner Jim Wagner and I always emphasize to our team that we want to “build the natural,” that is, create aspects that appear […]
Gil Hanse’s Architecture 101: Pathfinding
In this age of GPS and satellite navigation, we seldom set out on a journey in our car not knowing our final destination or how we are going to get there. That is not the case for the golf course architect setting out to route a golf course. While the goal is always the same—to […]
The Best Course I’ve Never Played
By Adam Schupak As the old American Express tagline suggested, membership has its privileges. For some big-name golfers, celebrities, architects, and administrators, membership in the game’s A List means access to the cathedrals of the game. As Wayne Gretzky put it, “I don’t mean to sound egotistical, but since I’ve retired I’ve played Augusta, […]
Gil Hanse’s Architecture 101: The Land
Whether you’re designing a building, a road, or any structure, every good design starts with a solid foundation. In the case of golf course architecture, that foundation is the land. There are relatively few great golf courses that do not sit on great pieces of land. The exceptions rely on features created by golf course […]
