Your ranking of Gil Hanse golf courses

[Tim Gallant]

Gil Hanse has a wonderful portfolio of original designs (and significant renovations), and doesn't show signs of slowing down! I'm curious how everyone here ranks his original designs, based on the courses you have played. Let's discount restorations for now as I'm more interested in thoughts on his original creations, and if there is consensus among the group on what his best designs might be considered. Also, it might be good if you added why you enjoyed (or didn't enjoy!) a particular course, and if there are any themes that emerge.


I've only seen four of his original creations, so not sure I can contribute much to the conversation myself. A copout for sure, but I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed all four creations, and would go back to each one if asked.

[mike_malone]

Here in the Philly area there are three that I have played often although Inniscrone was mostly years ago before it had gone into neglect.


  I prefer Applebrook over French Creek. It’s just the fun factor for me. There are one or two awkward holes in my opinion on both Inniscrone and French Creek but there are also a few charmers.


 Each course has one hole which I love. Number 3 at Applebrook is a fun short par four, number 9 at French Creek has a bilevel fairway which is a joy. Inniscrone has a long par four which drops into a bowl of a green. I can’t recall the number.


I forgot about Rustic Canyon which  I have played a few times. I put that at the top.

[Jonathan Cummings]

Ohoopee is his best in my mind.

[Joe Bausch]

I’ll be curious what the magazines say in about 2027. 

[John Crowley]

1. Rustic Canyon


LACCN for restorations


Both with Geoff Schackelford

[Ian Andrew]

Played 12 of them. I’m not going to rank them. But I will pass on a few thoughts.

Favourite 9: Front Applebrook. It’s charm for me comes in the quieter moments.

Favourite 18: Boston GC. Many of the best individual holes he’s done. Ohoopie is probably a better overall golf course but I prefer Boston GC.

Best Single Hole: 16 on the Olympic Course. Best version of 10th at Riviera by any architect not-named-Thomas.

Sleeper/Super Fun: Vineyards

[Niall C]

Ian


I've got to ask - who's the bloke in your photo doing the "Vladimir Putin on holiday" impersonation ? 


Niall

[Niall C]

Tim


I've only played 2 Hanse courses; Castle Stuart and Craighead (Crail).


CS has been talked about enough and as much as I like and enjoy the course I don't think it as good as made out although I will say it is getting better (IMO) as it matures.


With regards to Craighead, folk will be able to judge at this years BUDA but I tend to think it is a bit of a mixed bag. There are a few charmers, as Mike would say, some relatively more mundane holes which is OK given the land and the budget, but also some generic dog-leg holes at the top of the site which to my eye could have been mailed in and don't work too well. Craighead was an early effort I believe, and with a much smaller budget than he's used to now.


Niall 

[Mark Pearce]

With regards to Craighead, folk will be able to judge at this years BUDA but I tend to think it is a bit of a mixed bag. There are a few charmers, as Mike would say, some relatively more mundane holes which is OK given the land and the budget, but also some generic dog-leg holes at the top of the site which to my eye could have been mailed in and don't work too well. Craighead was an early effort I believe, and with a much smaller budget than he's used to now.

Craighead is the only one I have played.  And I have played it a lot, and like it more than Niall.  I'm slightly struggling with "generic doglegs" at the top of the site.  I'm not sure that I'd describe any of the holes that way.  I guess Niall could be talking about 4 (but actually quite a challenging drive and a really interesting green), 9 (again, a really tricky approach to an interesting green), 16 (perhaps the closest to "generic" but a tricky approach to a narrow, sloping green).


What strikes me about Craighead is the way the money was all spent on and around the greens.  That does result in a number of greens that can be very hard and very few that are a break from very hard but it does make for a lot of fun around the greens, on a course that's very playable but also very hard to score well on.  There are also some really interesting holes (2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 12, 14, 17).  I think I choose to play it slightly more frequently than I choose to play Balcomie.  And Balcomie is a lot of fun.

[Ira Fishman]

I have played three of his original designs: Castle Stuart, SS Black, and PH4. I try to take in account the proximity of each to courses I find on the exceptional side. However, I still find myself being underwhelmed. Castle Stuart visually is stunning, but the holes away from the water tend to be awkward or at least not compelling. SS Black is big and bold with some great individual holes, but the routing was not coherent, and it seemed to be trying too hard to be different from Red and Blue (of course that might have been Hanse’s brief from the developer). It may be an impossible task to build a great course literally next door to PH2, but I found PH4 a bit of a slog after hole 12 and there just were too many bunkers that did not seem to have a purpose.


Ira

[Matt MacIver]

I’ve only played Streamsong Black and renovated PH #4.  I liked them both, SS Black being very wide and huge, undulating greens, #4 being (mostly?) the same Ross routing but severely contoured smallish greens and plays harder than #2. 


I wonder if his designs at both would have changed had he been able to build a one-off course vs. adding / renovating these where there were already good courses on- property, i.e. (maybe) had to do somethings “different” than what was already there? 


Edit: seems Ira and I might be on the same page…

[Ally Mcintosh]

I have only played Boston, Castle Stuart and Craighead. I was a big fan of Boston.


Hoping to play Rustic Canyon next month and Les Bordes in May…. So will come back to this thread then.

[Colin Sheehan]

As with other architects, just how much does the list of his best courses differ from the list of his best sites?

[Tommy Williamsen]

I watched Hanse evolve as an architect. Inniscrone and Streamsong Black show that evolution. He just kept learning and has become one of the pre-eminent contemporary course designers.

[Phil Carlucci]

Tallgrass was my favorite course on Long Island.  If only it could have held on for a few more years until the Covid boom...

[Michael Chadwick]

I have great respect for what was achieved at Rustic Canyon, even if CapRock Ranch is a course that understandably ranks higher.


That said, I expect Gil’s best work is still to come.

[Steve_Roths]

Just guessing this is how I think they rank:


1. Ohoopee
2. Les Bordes
3. Cap Rock
4. Ladera
5. Streamsong
6. Boston
7. PGA Dallas

[Paul Jones]

I copied the list from his website - Original Design Projects – Hanse Golf Course Design (hansegolfdesign.com) - sorted by state.


Ladera
LACC (South)
Rustic Canyon


Jonathan's Landing
The Park
Streamsong (Black)


Ohoopee


Boston GC
The Vineyard


Mossy Oak


CapRock
Horse Course


South Fork


Pinehurst (Cradle)
Pinehurst (4)


Applebrook
French Creek
Inniscrone


Golf Club of Tenn (Upper)
Sewanee


Circle T Ranch (Short)
PGA Frisco (East)


The Olympic


Les Bordes


Castle Stuart
Crail Golfing Society


Ban Rakat

[David Jones]

I copied the list from his website - Original Design Projects – Hanse Golf Course Design (hansegolfdesign.com) - sorted by state.


Ladera
LACC (South)
Rustic Canyon


Jonathan's Landing
The Park
Streamsong (Black)


Ohoopee


Boston GC
The Vineyard


Mossy Oak


CapRock
Horse Course


South Fork


Pinehurst (Cradle)
Pinehurst (4)


Applebrook
French Creek
Inniscrone


Golf Club of Tenn (Upper)
Sewanee


Circle T Ranch (Short)
PGA Frisco (East)


The Olympic


Les Bordes


Castle Stuart
Crail Golfing Society


Ban Rakat

Rustic Canyon seems to have fallen off the radar a bit since the initial buzz but it's a great addition to affordable public golf.

I wonder why he left Trump Dubai off the list??!! It may not be the best Hanse course but, for me, it's the best course in Dubai.

[Jeff Schley]

I wonder why he left Trump Dubai off the list??!! It may not be the best Hanse course but, for me, it's the best course in Dubai.

True David.  Curious omission, but I agree it is a good desert course.

[Tim Gallant]

Played 12 of them. I’m not going to rank them. But I will pass on a few thoughts.

Favourite 9: Front Applebrook. It’s charm for me comes in the quieter moments.

Favourite 18: Boston GC. Many of the best individual holes he’s done. Ohoopie is probably a better overall golf course but I prefer Boston GC.

Best Single Hole: 16 on the Olympic Course. Best version of 10th at Riviera by any architect not-named-Thomas.

Sleeper/Super Fun: Vineyards

Ian,


Totally agree on Boston! While 5-7 get a lot of praise, I adored 14-16. The greensite at 1 and 3 had me smiling.


I also like that he builds some greens at grade, which seems increasingly rare today. A few great examples at Les Bordes.

[Tim Gallant]

Tim


I've only played 2 Hanse courses; Castle Stuart and Craighead (Crail).


CS has been talked about enough and as much as I like and enjoy the course I don't think it as good as made out although I will say it is getting better (IMO) as it matures.


With regards to Craighead, folk will be able to judge at this years BUDA but I tend to think it is a bit of a mixed bag. There are a few charmers, as Mike would say, some relatively more mundane holes which is OK given the land and the budget, but also some generic dog-leg holes at the top of the site which to my eye could have been mailed in and don't work too well. Craighead was an early effort I believe, and with a much smaller budget than he's used to now.


Niall

Niall,


Thanks for this! I know one Scottish-based shaper that loves Craighead, and hope he chimes in here on what he likes about it I'm hoping to see it myself soon. I tried to call them, but alas, no visitors before 25 March.

[Tim Gallant]

I have only played Boston, Castle Stuart and Craighead. I was a big fan of Boston.


Hoping to play Rustic Canyon next month and Les Bordes in May…. So will come back to this thread then.

Please do Ally! Would love to hear your thoughts on Les Bordes.

[Tim Gallant]

As with other architects, just how much does the list of his best courses differ from the list of his best sites?

Depends on the designer


TD recently said he thought the Loop was one of his best, and on the Loop video that is on another thread, he said the land was good, but not incredible. Lido also bucks the trend, even if you give that to CB.


Curious if you think there are any original Hanse designs where he maximised the site more than others might have. Castle Stuart was a lot of earth moving, but is seen as one of his best designs.

[Tim Gallant]

Just guessing this is how I think they rank:


1. Ohoopee
2. Les Bordes
3. Cap Rock
4. Ladera
5. Streamsong
6. Boston
7. PGA Dallas
 

Great to see the list. Splitting hairs, but what did you prefer about Les Bordes over Caprock?