Arthur Hills Passes

[Pete_Pittock]

https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2021/05/18/golf-course-architect-arthur-hills-dies/

[Brent Carlson]

R.I.P. Mr. Hills.  I always enjoyed Shepherd's Hollow, one of the more beautiful places to play golf.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I met him once at a course outside Baltimore that he designed and his son was involved with. He was gracious with his time. Whenever I asked folks who had worked with him they only had kind words to say. It made me wish I knew him. RIP Mr Hills.

[Mike_Trenham]

I was always interested in GCA, Mr. Hills as one of the protagonists in “Driving The Green” and his willingness to share how challenging constructing a golf course can be only bolstered my interest in the subject. RIP

[Ronald Montesano]

Went to the Wik (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Hills) and determined that I've been on these:


Bay Harbor
Virtues (nee Longaberger)


Not a sample size that merits commentary. Rest In Peace and Divots, Mr. Hills.

[Matthew Rose]

Have played a couple of them. Legacy Ridge, Heritage Eagle Bend, Palmetto Hall Plantation. Also did the Boyne Highlands course for simulator.... wouldn't want to walk that one!

My recollection is that, well, they were difficult. Quite difficult. The Hilton Head one especially just completely beat me up all day; although I certainly didn't make it easy.

From what I understood, he was an incredibly nice man. My brother worked a winter at Heritage Harbour in Florida and met him once or twice and confirmed as much.

200 courses and living to the ripe age of 91 is a life well played; RIP.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Art was one of the nicest men I knew.  Along with Larry Packard, he was the kind of guy I would like my kids to be around, just to learn about how to be gracious, and "old school" in your mannerisms.


Both he and Killian and Nugent offered me jobs coming out of college.  Even with relatives in Toledo, I opted to stay near home for my first job.  I sometimes regretted that, after seeing him take off in success right about that period.  As I heard it, his parents had retired to Florida, so he had a free base of operations to canvass and market down there, and he ended up being one of the kings of Florida.


Even after turning him down, he was gracious and helpful.  I asked him what the keys to success were, and his reply was, "Be nice and do good work, the rest will follow."

[Phil Burr]

I have "Driving The Green" in my library and one of its key takeaways was Mr. Hills' patience and decency as a human being.


I recall TD's first Confidential Guide rightfully referring to Stonecreek here in Phoenix being built on a lousy site; in the middle of a drainage runoff with greens artificially elevated to give some protection from an occasional deluge.  Looking at his credits, poor sites seem to be relatively common.  It looked like he often had to wander extensively just to find buildable land (he has to be HOF in terms of total length of cart paths/bridges built over his lifetime).  Courses like Pechanga, Lighthouse Sound, River Islands, Bay Harbor, Bighorn, and any number of marsh-hoppers in southwest FL represent the cart golf that is abhorred by so many on this site, but I found his courses typically contained many holes that were interesting and enjoyable as challenges to one's golf game.  His work at Inverness ensures his legacy is entwined with an all0time classic.  RIP sir.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Relating to the flat bottom bunker thread, I never really liked Art's blind bunkers, where you only saw the bank to let you know it was there.  Later in his career, he learned, probably from one of his numerous, talented younger associates, to build the "flat" base uphill at about 3-5% to make more of the sand visible. I thought that was a nice compromise and try to do the same.






I also recall seeing some of Art's plans, like green details.  He typically had a lot of small mounds there behind and around greens, which were a lot different than Killian and Nugent's big, bold mounding.  I figured they never really got built that way, but then I saw some greens in the field, and he did prefer some subtle bumps around many greens.  I also saw his Vegas deck of cards tees during construction.


With my mother living in Toledo after my Dad died, I did go buy the farmhouse that was (is?) corporate HQ.  It was a nice design environment.

[Kalen Braley]

He built the NLE WingPointe near the SLC airport and it had some terrific holes with some interesting angles and green complexes, especially the ones on the other side of the Airport entrance/exit road.

Shame it was let go, it was a favorite of the locals, and even a few GCAers have played it. You can still make out the playing corridors, but even after just a few years the green locations can be difficult to identify.

[Bernie Bell]

From ASGCA site
https://asgca.org/arthur-hills-asgca-fellow-dies-at-age-91/

[Tommy Williamsen]

I think my favorite Hills course is The thoroughbred north of Muskegon, Michigan. It was a forested hilly site with wetlands. Consequently, the routing was not easy to figure out. I enjoyed the heck out of it.

[Jason Thurman]

I've played about as many Art Hills courses as I have courses designed by any other architect. He did a lot of work in Ohio and Kentucky. While I've criticized some of his work, I'll echo the praise of Shepherd's Hollow near Detroit, where I spent a few cold nature-filled hours in late March back in 2012. It was a wonderful morning, followed by a wonderful evening watching UK beat UL in the Final Four at a bar in Royal Oak with my sister, before meeting Noel Gallagher. In that sense, Art Hills was very much a part of one of the better days I've ever had.


A round at Champion Trace in Lexington was also a treat (I think it's called Keene Trace now). I've known golfers who traveled all over the US seeking out Art Hills courses, knowing that they'd generally be reasonably affordable, well-conditioned, scenic, and challenging. He was a part of a lot of very good days for a lot of people.


The first thing anyone who knew Art Hills talks about when they talk about him is what a wonderful person he was. I've noticed that for years - it's not just something that's happening now. 91 years, a huge portfolio, and a reputation for goodness as strong as anyone's. Well done.

[Mike Schott]

Mr. Hills designed many courses in Michigan where I live and I've played many. Alas, Shepard's Hollow is not on that list. His Hawkshead course in South Haven is one of my favorites. The use of bunkering and waste areas on that course makes for great strategies.

[Jim Sherma]

Living outside of Arthur Hills' main area of activity I have not played a lot of his work. The one that sticks out as very good work is his redux of Colonial Gold and Tennis Club in Harrisburg, PA. it was originally by the Gordons and redone by Hills in 2002-3. The routing is essentially unchanged but the resulting work makes for a very interesting and engaging round. Certainly it is a course that deserves a wider renown than it has.


The other Hills in Central PA (original work) is Regent's Glen in York. The front 9 and the end of the back is on a contiguous parcel and is fine but nothing that engages me greatly. The bulk of the back 9 is through housing and is nothing I go out of my way to play. I'm sure that the routing is a function of the land plan and how the course was funded in the first place.


Sounds like a good man who has a fine legacy.

[Joel Pear]

I think my favorite Hills course is The thoroughbred north of Muskegon, Michigan. It was a forested hilly site with wetlands. Consequently, the routing was not easy to figure out. I enjoyed the heck out of it.

I have played, and enjoyed Thoroughbred, too.  I recall hearing that he said the second hole was either the best hole he ever built, or the worst!

[Rob Marshall]

 I’ve played a number of times at the Creek course in Fiddlers Creek. I think it’s a got 17 really good holes. I would have loved to ask Mr Hills what he was thinking when he built the 18th. I’ve yet to figure that hole out. They are trying to make it a high end private and I was told by the GM that they are bringing in Arthur Hills company to make some changes.

[Chris_Blakely]

I have played many Art Hills courses including his first two.  As I have said in previous Hills’ threads, his courses got better as I believe he trusted his younger assistants more.  Some of my favorites are:


Eagle Ridge at Yatesville Lake SP, KY
University of Kentucky Big Blue
University of Kentucky Wildcat
Colonial Heritage, VA
Boyne Highlands - Hills, MI
Thoroughbred Double JJ Resort, MI
Red Hawk, MI
Maryland National
Longaberger (nka The Virtues)OH
Catawba Island Club OH
Silver Creek Ontario

[Tommy Williamsen]

I think my favorite Hills course is The thoroughbred north of Muskegon, Michigan. It was a forested hilly site with wetlands. Consequently, the routing was not easy to figure out. I enjoyed the heck out of it.

I have played, and enjoyed Thoroughbred, too.  I recall hearing that he said the second hole was either the best hole he ever built, or the worst!

It is a shame it comes so early in the round. The tee shot fit my eye but the second shot made me hit it to the right. I think it is one of his better holes.