Bob Harrison sounds off on "celebrity" architects:

[Anthony Butler]

From Geoff Ogilvy's OB Keeler, John Huggan, who caught up with Bob Harrison at the Shindig at St. Andrews last week. Apparently he was let go by Great White Enterprises:

http://bit.ly/auEgIG

Despite the good points he makes, the timing of this interview is going to sound like sour grapes (and may guarantee Harrison never plays majordomo to any other 'name' designer again).

My take on the Harrison/Norman relationship: They barely tolerated one another for about 10 years. Shark can only have a relationship of equals with other one-name celebrities. Even then it doesn't always work out for him: i.e Chrissie.

I'm starting to suspect that Harrison set up the ambush of Norman at NSWGC several years ago, when he dropped by the annual meeting to discuss the changes his company had made to the course. Shark was practically hounded from the room, and as result never stepped foot on the course when their company revamped the 18th prior to the 2009 Australian Open.

Harrison's involvement in any of Norman's designs has usually been a positive. e.g. Moonah Course at National.

[Tom_Doak]

Anthony:

It would be a shame if Bob's remarks were taken as sour grapes.  I think that only someone like Bob or Jay Morrish or Jim Lipe can really accurately comment on what the "signature" architects do and don't do ... and of course, they can't do it while they still work for those guys.

I have met Bob on a couple of different occasions, and never Greg Norman, but I certainly did not have the impression that he could barely tolerate Greg.  I also had the impression he was one of the few people Greg would listen to, because he has been in the business for so long, and because he wasn't afraid to tell Greg when his design ideas might be too unforgiving for lesser mortals.  But, of course, one never REALLY knows what is going on in such relationships, which is exactly why Bob ought to be able to speak about it now.

[Jud_T]

I wonder if the celebrity architects will in fact lose more in percentage terms than the real GCAs now that selling housing lots is off the table, at least stateside

[Anthony Butler]

Anthony:

It would be a shame if Bob's remarks were taken as sour grapes.  I think that only someone like Bob or Jay Morrish or Jim Lipe can really accurately comment on what the "signature" architects do and don't do ... and of course, they can't do it while they still work for those guys.

I have met Bob on a couple of different occasions, and never Greg Norman, but I certainly did not have the impression that he could barely tolerate Greg.  I also had the impression he was one of the few people Greg would listen to, because he has been in the business for so long, and because he wasn't afraid to tell Greg when his design ideas might be too unforgiving for lesser mortals.  But, of course, one never REALLY knows what is going on in such relationships, which is exactly why Bob ought to be able to speak about it now.

Tom,

I concur with your viewpoint that most people don't and shouldn't talk publicly on the relationship while it's still ongoing. But how much time needs to pass before observations on someone who no longer requires your services will not be regarded as sour grapes? I have neatly sidestepped that conundrum by sharing my feelings while still employed...

You're on the record (at least here) about working with Jack, but did Desmond Muirhead ever commit any thoughts to paper on his relationship with him?

BTW-I agree with you regarding Norman's design philosophy.... "OK, Greg we know you can drive it up a bee's ass from 275 yds, but what about the rest of us?".

[Brett_Morrissy]

I will be most interested in seeing Bob Harrison's first solo design project, surely there will be the appropriate project that will find his length of experience and obvious skill of great value.

BM

[Anthony Butler]

I will be most interested in seeing Bob Harrison's first solo design project, surely there will be the appropriate project that will find his length of experience and obvious skill of great value.

BM

If the people he built golf courses for with Norman are looking for help that might work out. The 3 clubs I'm aware of he worked with in Australia are very happy with the results. The dissolution of this partnership indicates the Norman/Macquarie Bank relationship which was created around the idea of building master planned communities around Norman designed golf courses must be on the rocks. Harrison would have been the point guy in getting those projects finished. Maybe there's something other than the slow down of the economy behind this. Not in the Huggan article though.

I have a mate who is a director at Macquarie, if I can get him to stop sticking pins into his Nick Moore (what a perfect name for a investment bank CEO) voodoo doll for a moment, I'll ask him what's going on.