GET TO KNOW GIL HANSE

By mustang6560 on 3/8/12

Yesterday, the IOC officially selected Gil Hanse to design the golf course that will host golf's return to the Summer Olympics in 2016 in Rio de Janiero. I was really excited to see who would get the opportunity to build the next best golf course (Donald Trump's course in Scotland is currently the best, according to The Donald). But when I heard Hanse was selected as the course architect, I was reminded of the 2008 presidential election when John McCain announced that his running mate was Sarah Palin. At the time, I was like WHO!?!

Now, I'm not equating Gil Hanse to Sarah Palin in terms of their talent, expertise or ability. Rather, I'm saying I didn't know the first thing about him just like I didn't know the first thing about Sarah four years ago, so I did a little research. Gil is best known for his design of Castle Stuart Golf Links in Scotland and his renovation to TPC Boston, but he also built several notable courses including Boston Golf Club and Rustic Canyon and renovated several notable courses including Los Angeles Country Club and Winged Foot Golf Club. And as I'm sure you've heard by now, he was recently selected to renovate TPC Blue Monster at Doral, the host course for this week's WGC-Cadillac Championship.

Gil was up against the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman and Gary Player, so even he was surprised to be awarded the bid. Nonetheless, he seems to be a highly deserving course architect and I like his design philosophy, "We create courses that are simple and elegant in appearance, yet sophisticated in strategy and interest". If I was a course architect I'm sure my philosophy would be similar! Gil will certainly be under a lot of pressure to do a good job because many people are saying we (as a sport) only have one chance to regain full inclusion into the Olympics and that chance is in 2016. Good luck Gil!

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