Gil Hanse selected to design 2016 Olympic Golf Course

[jt_]

Via Geoff Shackelford:

 

http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2012/3/8/gil-hanse-wins-olympic-course-design-competition.html

 

Course routing:

 

http://www.hansegolfdesign.com/Olympic_2016.html

 

Last 3 holes should make for an interesting finish. Also surprised a bigger name (Jack Nicklaus) didn't win.

[ram01002]

Wonderful news - - so pleased that it didn't go to a "player architect."

[jt_]

I agree. I was pulling for Tom Doak myself.

[ram01002]

Doak's greens are a little over the top for me . . . but he would also have been an excellent choice.

[mwl111006]

Good to hear. Love the job he did on Rustic Canyon.

[teejaywhy]

A great choice. I'm a big fan of Rustic Canyon and that style of golf.

[mosesgolf]

I've played Rustic Canyon dozens of times. I LOVE that course. It's fantastic that one of the underdogs got this job.

[mwl111006]

[quote name='mosesgolf' timestamp='1331143265' post='4456055']
I've played Rustic Canyon dozens of times. I LOVE that course. It's fantastic that one of the underdogs got this job.
[/quote]

It looks like his Rio design has a couple of risk/reward short par 4s just like #3 and #12 at Rustic Canyon.

I love those two holes.

Makes me miss the days when I lived up there and played there 2x per week.

[CaddiesFault]

i wish pete dye was 10-15 years younger but hanse is a good choice. i expected jack and annika to win based solely on name, so hanse was a nice surprise. hooray golf! bout time it was in the olympics

[Password Is Taco]

I think it's a shame they picked some random, no name designer for such a historic course. Too bad one of the real legends of the game won't get the addtional feather in the cap because it had to go to this hack.

If his courses were really great, we would have heard of him by now - and by we I mean the general golfing public, not the die hard golf nerds who spend all day thinking about this kind of stuff. Examples of real golf course legends include (but are not limited to) Pete Dye, Robert Trent Jones, the Golden Bear, the Shark, the King, Donald Ross, ect. These people will be known forever for their great golf courses which are really works of art, hopefully this guy isn't just a one hit wonder (see Hank Haney, Craig Perks, Michael Campbell, ect if you need an explanation) and actually designs a golf course besides this one that gets some real recognition.

[MJP22]

Looks like a Driveable Par 4 #16, short Par 3 #17, and a reachable Par 5 on #18 without too much trouble. Could see some low scores here.

[mwl111006]

[quote name='Password Is Taco' timestamp='1331146817' post='4456385']
I think it's a shame they picked some random, no name designer for such a historic course. Too bad one of the real legends of the game won't get the addtional feather in the cap because it had to go to this hack.

If his courses were really great, we would have heard of him by now - and by we I mean the general golfing public, not the die hard golf nerds who spend all day thinking about this kind of stuff. Examples of real golf course legends include (but are not limited to) Pete Dye, Robert Trent Jones, the Golden Bear, the Shark, the King, Donald Ross, ect. These people will be known forever for their great golf courses which are really works of art, hopefully this guy isn't just a one hit wonder (see Hank Haney, Craig Perks, Michael Campbell, ect if you need an explanation) and actually designs a golf course besides this one that gets some real recognition.
[/quote]

You understand that the people making the decision looked at design submissions and [b]THEN[/b] picked the one they liked best, right?

Did you want them to pick their 2nd or 3rd favorite design just because it was submitted by a "big name" course designer?

Both Hanse and the Olympic Selection Committee hung their balls out there. Hanse for making a submission along with the greats you mentioned and the committee for chosing a "hack" designer as you so eloquently put it.

And as Jesus of CopyMat said "That's how you become great, man. Hang your balls out there!"

[Mainlinegolfer]

[quote name='Password Is Taco' timestamp='1331146817' post='4456385']
I think it's a shame they picked some random, no name designer for such a historic course. Too bad one of the real legends of the game won't get the addtional feather in the cap because it had to go to this hack.

If his courses were really great, we would have heard of him by now - and by we I mean the general golfing public, not the die hard golf nerds who spend all day thinking about this kind of stuff. Examples of real golf course legends include (but are not limited to) Pete Dye, Robert Trent Jones, the Golden Bear, the Shark, the King, Donald Ross, ect. These people will be known forever for their great golf courses which are really works of art, hopefully this guy isn't just a one hit wonder (see Hank Haney, Craig Perks, Michael Campbell, ect if you need an explanation) and actually designs a golf course besides this one that gets some real recognition.
[/quote]
"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt".

[Ranger Rick]

Like that he got the job. A Nicklaus course just wouldn't have been "special" enough for this. As a South African I was hoping he would win. He has some brilliant designs. But so does Hanse.

[QMany]

I would have loved to see a Crenshaw/Coore design but think Hanse utilizes similar ideas. I like the selection and liked a lot of the things he had to say in his presser today. Sounds like a lot of "half par" holes for a lot of excitement.

[teejaywhy]

[quote name='Mainlinegolfer' timestamp='1331148663' post='4456535']
[quote name='Password Is Taco' timestamp='1331146817' post='4456385']
I think it's a shame they picked some random, no name designer for such a historic course. Too bad one of the real legends of the game won't get the addtional feather in the cap because it had to go to this hack.

If his courses were really great, we would have heard of him by now - and by we I mean the general golfing public, not the die hard golf nerds who spend all day thinking about this kind of stuff. Examples of real golf course legends include (but are not limited to) Pete Dye, Robert Trent Jones, the Golden Bear, the Shark, the King, Donald Ross, ect. These people will be known forever for their great golf courses which are really works of art, hopefully this guy isn't just a one hit wonder (see Hank Haney, Craig Perks, Michael Campbell, ect if you need an explanation) and actually designs a golf course besides this one that gets some real recognition.
[/quote]
"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt".
[/quote]

Perfect.

[lukesmurf59]

I think it would have been cool to have multiple designers, like 1 from 18 separate countries that are competing each design a hole, but the logistics of that would have been very difficult.

[Sixcat]

I am impressed with the committee's decision. It's nice to see they selected the best design rather than name recognition. I understand most casual golf fans recognize Nicklaus, Palmer, Norman, Dye or Jones over Doak, Hanse or Coore but that does not make them necessarily better at golf course architecture. If the casual golf fan played any of Hanse's courses they would never question the decision to select his team for this project.

Mr. Hanse restored Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken SC when he was still working for Tom Doak before going out on his own. If you ever get an opportunity to play it, do yourself the favor, you wont regret it.

http://www.palmettogolfclub.net/

Edit to add link.

[tElihu]

Must admit that I hadn't heard of Gil Hanse until now. But after looking at some of his work, I would love to play some of his courses.

[Tighthead]

Coore and Crenshaw never pursued the bid.

[J13]

Gil Hanse is one of the best designers in the business but doesn't toot his own horn often and hence stays behind the curtain. He's, far better better then any "player" designer out there. Great choice by the committee

[Hammer99]

Jack has some nice courses but he also has some dog tracks.

Nice that they picked what they thought was the best design and not just a name.

Hanse will be well known from now on I think

[JLew27]

[quote name='MIgolfpro' timestamp='1331146606' post='4456365']
i wish pete dye was 10-15 years younger but hanse is a good choice. i expected jack and annika to win based solely on name, so hanse was a nice surprise. hooray golf! bout time it was in the olympics
[/quote]

Dye's designs would have been completely contrary to the design goals set by the Olympic Committee. Not saying his courses are bad - he has a lot of good ones, although not my cup of tea.


Hanse is a great choice. Castle Stuart is an amazing course which led to Hanse's support by the R&A's Dawson. He has also renovated or restored many courses of the best architects of past generations (Tillinghast, Raynor, Macdonald). Great choice in my opinion. In 20-30 years I think Hanse will be viewed in the same light as a Dye, RTJ, etc.

[matt_included]

Pennsylvania...REPRESENT!



Gil was an excellent choice!