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Royal, respect and Rio One of the more interested spectators at the 2016 Emirates Australian Open was Gil Hanse. ATM editor Brett Robinson managed to sneak 10 minutes with the Olympic golf course architect to talk about the impending Royal Sydney redevelopment.
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016 was a hallmark year for Gil Hanse. Already well known and respected within the golf course industry over more than two decades, his name and company were thrust into the global spotlight with the design and construction of The Olympic Golf Course in Rio de Janeiro which was the stage for golf’s return to the Olympics after 112 years last August. The original design, heavily influenced by the Melbourne sandbelt of which Hanse is an unabashed devotee of, is just one in an impressive portfolio of work that Hanse has to his credit since forming Hanse Golf Course Design back in 1993. Other original designs include the much lauded Castle Stuart, host of the 2016 Scottish Open, Boston Golf Club in Massachusetts, which has been described as a modern day Pine Valley, and the Los Angeles Country Club South Course which he co-designed with Geoff Shackelford. He also designed the recently opened Trump International
Golf Club in Dubai and in the coming months the much–talked about Streamsong Resort Black Course in Florida will also open its gates. In addition to his original design works, Hanse has made a significant name for himself restoring and renovating some of the game’s most exalted courses. Included among them are the likes of Merion, Los Angeles Country Club (North Course), Winged Foot Golf Club and The Country Club (Brookline). More recently he can add Pinehurst to that list after being selected to restore the No.4 course in the coming years. Based on such an extensive resume, and in the same week that the Rio course made its muchawaited debut, Royal Sydney Golf Club announced that it had appointed Hanse to oversee changes to its championship course as part of the ‘Royal Sydney 2030’ strategic plan. Royal Sydney is Hanse’s first Australian appointment and since June last year he has made three visits Down Under, including spending a week during the 2016 Emirates Australian Open. Hanse’s presence certainly added an extra element to the tournament and during the week he presented concept plans to the club’s general committee and spent time with course superintendent Steve Marsden and his team to get more of a feel for the course and their operations. Midway through the third round of the Open, Hanse took some time out to field a few questions from Australian Turfgrass Management Journal about the impending redevelopment, the Olympics and the importance of the working relationship between course architect and golf course superintendent.
Renowned course architect Gil Hanse (left) with Royal Sydney superintendent Steve Marsden 24
AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 19.1
PHOTOS: BRETT ROBINSON
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