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John_Conley

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HILAMAN PARK: Hidden Gem in Tallahassee
« on: September 11, 2006, 10:36:44 PM »
I'm stunned at what they have in Tallahassee for a municipal.  According to Golfcourse.com the course at Hilaman Park opened in 1971 and was designed by Lawrence Hughes.  It is very much a low-end facility with little more than your basic shop and grill, but the site, course routing, and green complexes are wonderful.  

Over the weekend I stopped by to see how the work at New Smyrna Beach was going and I was thoroughly unimpressed with the flat, bland site.  I'm sure a lot of Rossphiles will be interested in it because it was designed by Donald, but that course can't hold a candle to the obscure Hilaman Park.  My question is, has anyone else that posts here seen Hilaman?

Weaknesses are too many short shots into par 4s - the total length is just 6333 and it plays par 72 - and some in-course OB that is necessary to protect the interior of some doglegs.

There are more than enough strengths to overcome those flaws.  Don't expect a "championship" course in the modern sense, but I think anyone that loves golf design would appreciate Hilaman.
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john_stiles

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Re:HILAMAN PARK: Hidden Gem in Tallahassee
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2006, 08:30:55 AM »
The Hughes family, father and son Lawrence, worked for Ross.

An early edition of TGC lists the course Hilaman as Packard, 1972.  Do not have my later edition of TGC available.

Brothers Lawrence (1897-1975) and Henry (1908-) followed father Henry into the business and became GCAs.  

TGC lists quite a bit of work in the western US for each brother, and Lawrence did quite a bit of work in Mexico.

TGC does not list any work in Florida for either Hughes. Lawrence is listed with much course work in Mexico as late as 1970-1975.

Have not seen Hilaman, yet.

Lawrence Hughes is credited with many courses.
« Last Edit: September 12, 2006, 08:31:26 AM by john_stiles »
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Tom Roewer

Re:HILAMAN PARK: Hidden Gem in Tallahassee
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2006, 09:00:16 AM »
Hilaman was designed by Larry Packard.  He also designed the Innisbrook courses in Florida.  Larry used to play the course where I originally worked in Palm Harbor and was a very nice and gracious guest at the club.
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John_Conley

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Re:HILAMAN PARK: Hidden Gem in Tallahassee
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2006, 04:33:42 PM »
Thanks for the insight.  How interesting that Packard designed it.  The hard par 4 on the front (#7?) at Copperhead features a fairway that slopes away from the line of play.  #15 at Hilaman is a similar in that regard - it looks like you want to play the right half of the fairway but the ball will roll further right..
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