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Adam Lawrence

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Ron Kirby RIP
« on: August 17, 2023, 11:08:53 AM »
Veteran architect Ron Kirby, a former associate of Dick Wilson, Robert Trent Jones Sr and Jack Nicklaus, has died in a Copenhagen hospital at the age of ninety. He was taken ill on a visit to Old Head in Ireland, his most famous design.

Ron had a remarkable life: he lived and worked all over the world, and his autobiography was called 'We Spent Half Our Lives On The Wrong Side Of The Road'. He was still working up until his death, only recently completing the rebuild of the Apes Hill course in Barbados.

I saw Ron at the GCSAA show in Orlando in February; he was using a mobility scooter to get around the show floor, but he looked and sounded well. I'm pleased that we were able to publish a detailed interview with him summing up his life and career in GCA's January issue this year. It's a fun read. https://www.golfcoursearchitecture.net/digital/magazine/issue71/56/.

Requiescat in pace.
« Last Edit: August 17, 2023, 11:10:30 AM by Adam Lawrence »
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Adam Lawrence

Editor, Golf Course Architecture
www.golfcoursearchitecture.net

Principal, Oxford Golf Consulting
www.oxfordgolfconsulting.com

Author, 'More Enduring Than Brass: a biography of Harry Colt' (forthcoming).

Short words are best, and the old words, when short, are the best of all.

Adam Lawrence

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Re: Ron Kirby RIP
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2023, 11:10:02 AM »
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Adam Lawrence

Editor, Golf Course Architecture
www.golfcoursearchitecture.net

Principal, Oxford Golf Consulting
www.oxfordgolfconsulting.com

Author, 'More Enduring Than Brass: a biography of Harry Colt' (forthcoming).

Short words are best, and the old words, when short, are the best of all.

Tommy Williamsen

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Re: Ron Kirby RIP
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2023, 01:47:48 PM »
Nice article, Adam. I did not know much about him. The flattish greens at Old Head do make sense. On my one and only trip around it, the wind blew like crazy. Fast-sloping greens would indeed have seen the ball move on its own.
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Where there is no love, put love; there you will find love.
St. John of the Cross

"Deep within your soul-space is a magnificent cathedral where you are sweet beyond telling." Rumi

Anthony Butler

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Re: Ron Kirby RIP
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2023, 02:36:11 PM »
Great Read Adam. His comments about the various working styles of the architects he collaborated with - RTJ, Nicklaus etc. were fascinating. I also enjoyed the rest of the issue, esp. The Addington update and Mike Clayton's opinion piece.

I'm looking forward to my trip to Ireland and Old Head next summer.
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Jeff_Brauer

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Re: Ron Kirby RIP
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2023, 12:51:12 PM »
I saw him last October and he was doing and looking really well.  It seems he was in pretty good shape, working, and had a short illness at 90 before death.  You can't really ask for more. 


I liked Adam's interview and Ron gave a lot of pretty specific answers to some of the backstories you don't always see in the actual practice of gca.
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Jeff Brauer, ASGCA Director of Outreach

Jeff_Mingay

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Re: Ron Kirby RIP
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2023, 09:14:27 AM »
I'm not familiar with Ron's work, but I became a fan while listing to him talk with Derek Duncan on a Feed the Ball podcast not long ago. It's one of Derek's best episodes, in my opinion. Ron's a fascinating character, with a million great stories.


R.I.P.
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jeffmingay.com
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