Let's talk Gil Hanse

[Mac Plumart]

Gil is the man of the hour...

So, let's talk about him and his architectural ideals, his courses, his style, etc.

To date, I've only played one of his courses...Tallgrass.  I was on Long Island...had a free day...and a fellow GCA'er and I went to check out a Hanse design.  We were impressed to say the least.  Now, the way the course was maintained (specifically how wet it was) obviously wasn't how Gil intended it to be maintained.  But regardless, we both saw the effective use of the land, cool shots, nice greens, and really great placement of bunkers.

Seeing Tallgrass, let me know Gil Hanse is for real.

What are some other courses of his I need to see? 
What is his best course to date?  Why?
What impresses people about his work? 
What does he lack? 
What is his worst course?  Why?

[JNC Lyon]

Inniscrone and French Creek.  Both are rugged, minimalist courses.  They each have a few holes that some folks won't like, but he takes those kind of chances on his golf courses.  If you are fan of adventure, quirk, and fun, these two are ones to see.

One thing that struck me, especially at Inniscrone, is how simple his green complexes are.  Many have just one or two dominant slopes or contours, but that's all they need to be fearsome.  I found that these greens gave Inniscrone a very fresh look.

[Eric Smith]

Mac,

Get yourself up to play Boston. You would love it. When I think of the design work there I keep coming back to one word: thoughtful.

[Jackson C]

Gil is the man of the hour.
As a fellow alum, I am remiss in congratulating him on his accomplishments!  

Personally, Castle Stuart and the Crail courses move up into the must play category.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Also, Applebrook in Chester County, PA as mentioned in Jeff Silverman's article:



http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,51423.0.html

[David Kelly]

I've played about 500 rounds on Gil Hanse courses.  About 450 of them are on one course - Rustic Canyon - while the other 50 are spread out among 8 of his 11 originals -  Castle Stuart, Crail Craighead, Inniscrone, French Creek, Capstone, Applebrook, & Boston Golf Club,  his restorations at Sleepy Hollow, Essex County CC, Fenway, Fishers Island, Ridgewood, Winged Foot, St. George's G&CC & Plainfield CC, and some of his renovation work at MPCC Shore & Soule Park.  

I would recommend all of them but especially Rustic Canyon, Castle Stuart and Boston Golf Club which I think are his three best courses.  

One thing I like about his courses is his confidence in keeping natural features incorporated into a hole or green that other architects might feel should either be softened or, alternatively, enhanced.  Rustic Canyon is a great example of this.  

Also a Hanse course is sure to give you at least a few holes that don't remind you of anything else.


  

[Link Walsh]

Have only played Capstone Club- which is awesome.  Just wish it was closer to home and it had a little more money for maintainance (but I haven't been there in close to 5 years so I don't know if that's changed). 

[Alex Miller]

Rustic Canyon is the best course I've played double digit rounds on.

And I don't expect that to change any time soon 

[Anthony Gray]

   Castle Stuart gets high marks on the fun scale. Generous landing areas off the tee and interest around the greens. Liked it better than Dornach.

  Anthony

[Mark Pearce]

For a modern course, built on a budget, Crail Craighead has a great deal of variety and some quirk (a couple of driveable par 4s, blind tee shots, stone walls or ha-has in play) but, what I enjoy most of all, a really good set of green sites, with enough internal contour to be interesting but lots of short grass around them.  I think it's a very good course on a flatish piece of land.

[Keith Phillips]

I played Craighead several years ago as part of a 36-hole day with my son at Crail - together these must represent golf's best pair of courses for them money!  I love the Balcomie links and had played Crail a few times before leaning of first Craighead through this website (Courses by Country) - I unfortunately don't remember much about the course...I know I enjoyed it a lot, and found it to be very good pure golf, but without the sheer beauty of being down by the sea the way Balcomie is - anyone visiting Fife really needs to spend a full day at Crail - it is wonderful golf and is good for the budget after outings at Carnoustie or Kingsbarns!

I haven't played any other Hanse originals, but I have played Sleepy Hollow, Essex County (NJ) and Plainfield recently and they have all massively improved by his work.

[Chris Buie]

Here's a film of Gil talking to a Golf Club Atlas group in Philly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpkTcufWAOQ&list=UUjnrOu5keQTFe6ACZd-gQWA&index=6&feature=plcp

[Brad Isaacs]

Have played Sleepy Hollow and LA north.  I like both very much. Sleepy is not that far from LA in my ranking.  My complaint about LA would be that the 15th just does not quite do it for me. This short par three  seems to exist because you have to have a 15. Don't think G Hanse especially had anything to do with this.  17a as a short par three, is much more visually  interesting and fun for me to play.

I plan to play Castle Stuart this summer and twist the Redan man's arm for a visit to Boston which he highly recommends. I was not aware of Fishers Island renovation. It is easily into my personal top 10.   These courses are quite an impressive resume for an architect.

All of that and he seems to be a nice man.


When I take a look at LA North, I see basically what was there but it is better than what it was. More defined with interesting shot selections but not harsh.  It retains a naturalism or minimalism flavor that was not present. I would emphasize more interesting shot selections to the course that made it better than it was. It is definitely more fun now than before. I really did like 17a for a 19 th hole!

[Mark McKeever]

I don't want to sound repetitive, but you really need to see Boston Golf Club.  (as does any architecture fan who hasn't seen it)  It will blow you away. 

Inniscrone and French Creek are also great examples of his work if Philly is more convenient as well.

Mark

[Tim Gavrich]

I played French Creek in a junior tournament a few years ago and quite enjoyed it.  The drivable par 4 on the back--15--has a pretty small and undulating green and there was a pin one of the days that was a little closer to a "point of no return" than would be best, but that certainly doesn't make it a bad hole.  I remember French Creek being fun, which seems to be an enduring feeling about Hanse's courses.

The week my dad and I played Crail, the Craighead was being worked on and was closed, so we ended up playing the Balcomie twice.  There are worse things, but I hope I get to play the Craighead at some point.

[Jud_T]

I have only played Rustic Canyon, and only one time with a crap lefty rental set.  Wasn't aware of his work at Winged Foot and Fishers, both of which are fantastic.  I definitely need to see more of his work.

[Bill Brightly]

Also, Applebrook in Chester County, PA as mentioned in Jeff Silverman's article:



http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,51423.0.html

Applebrook is really good. A fun, strategic, faux links course outside of Philly. I only played it once in a team match, so I really could not take many pictures. The hole shown below is a neat little driveable par 4 dogleg right. You can choose to hit driver over a hill (can't see green from tee) and risk losing the ball in the heather or flying green into the bunker, or play safe where I took this photo and have a short wedge.

[Mike Hendren]

Westhaven in Franklin, TN originally announced Gil as the architect.  Wound up going with Arthur Hills.  What a pity.

Bogey

[George Pazin]

FYI, Gil was on Morning Drive this morning (and will be on the repeat showing in about 25 minutes, at 10:30 edt).

Mac, you would have loved the Inniscrone outing back in 2001 - morning playing it, Gil addressing us over lunch, walking Applebrook in the afternoon with Gil & Jim, then a dinner at Gil's - what a great day.

I've always been puzzled by the relative lack of discussion of Applebrook on here; it looked fantastic, definitely one of the best courses I've seen. So many cool features, and such a tight, interesting routing.

[Dan Herrmann]

I'm lucky enough to play French Creek, a Hanse Golf Design, course every day.  I think the best thing about it is the fact that every hole is unique.  When you're done, you've played 18 different holes, each requiring their own strategy.

To me, Hanse's designs provide never-ending fun and excitement.

Of course, a golf course's design can only shine with proper maintenance.  Here's a video of our Head Greenkeeper, Bruce Cadenelli, discussing how he maintains our Hanse course:  http://punchbowlgolf.com/2009/04/bruce-cadenelli/

[Tim Gavrich]

Never mind. Answered my own question.

[Jeff_Lewis]

Lest we forget the phenomenal restorations of LACC and Quaker Ridge.

[Mac Plumart]

Is there anything unique about his work?

Nicklaus seemed to usher in conditioning.
When I think Doak, I think crazy greens.
Coore natural routings.

Anything a "trade mark" of Hanse?


***Yes, I realize to label the above architects with one item is wrong, but I think you get my point.***

[D_Malley]

I think they are very good at building classic looking, old style bunkers.
You can see this at many of their renovation projects on old classic courses. 
Including my club "Paxon Hollow", where all work was done by Jim Wagner, Gil's design partner.

[DMoriarty]

Gil, Jim, and team very good at many things.  To name just a few, they stand out at building greens which truly flow with the land, and at subtlety.