Is Gil Hanse the new "Open Doctor"?

[ChipRoyce]

Is Gil Hanse the safe, go-to guy for restoration work for courses seeking a Major or prominent PGA tour stop?

Beyond recent build for the Olympics, renovation work at TPC Boston, Trump Doral and Colonial CC, his firm also lists restorations at  Aronimink (this week's host for the 2018 BMW - PGA Tour Playoffs), Oakland Hills, Winged Foot and recently announced relationship with Baltusrol.

Disclaimer: THIS IS NOT MEANT AS A SLIGHT TO HANSE. The term "open doctor", especially here on CGA implies negative connotations if we look back on the Jones' family interpretation and negative impact to many classic golf courses. This thread is more of an evaluation of his attractiveness to these types of projects.

[Jeff Schley]

I certainly would be open to anyone other than Rees! 

[Tom_Doak]

He has been the Open Doctor for a couple of years now, after years of politicking.


You forgot to mention that he's doing $10m+ work at Merion and Southern Hills currently.


I guess maybe Andrew Green is looking to get in that conversation, too.

[Jeff_Brauer]

All I can say is I watched golf this weekend, mostly to see Gil's design philosophies as best I could.  Lots of cool stuff there.

[David_Tepper]

Don't forget his work at Castle Stuart, which has hosted multiple Scottish Opens.

[Kalen Braley]

Or forget his work at LACC that got them the US Open.


I'd say he's the new Open DR as well, but I don't have any complaints, his stuff looks really good!

[PCCraig]

Gil Hanse is in many ways the modern RTJ, Sr.

He has become the ultimate salesman to high profile clubs as the person the committees know the USGA/PGA trust as well as the easy person to work with. And much like RTJ Sr. he is selling the hot style of the day, but will temper it based on the appetite of the particular membership if needed to get the commission (i.e. Oakland Hills). 

[Tom_Doak]

Gil Hanse is in many ways the modern RTJ, Sr.

He has become the ultimate salesman to high profile clubs as the person the committees know the USGA/PGA trust as well as the easy person to work with. And much like RTJ Sr. he is selling the hot style of the day, but will temper it based on the appetite of the particular membership if needed to get the commission (i.e. Oakland Hills).

Exactly. 


But the problem with anybody being The Open Doctor is that you become beholden to the approval of the USGA/PGA agenda rather than the needs of the membership as a whole.  Wasn't that the problem with Rees and RTJ - trying to lengthen and strengthen courses past their breaking point because that's what the governing bodies needed? 


Also, you give up your place to speak out on things like Peter Dawson mucking around with St. Andrews, because it's more important to stay in his good graces.


That's why I have generally not sought out these commissions.  In the end, if a club wants to host a big tournament, the ruling bodies will tell the architect what to do.

[Jeff_Brauer]

I think we could all learn something from working with/for the USGA or PGA Tour, and don't consider one assignment (or a few) a bad thing.


And, Peter Dawson has enough critics without me piling on, so sign me up for a US Open course redo!

[Anthony_Nysse]

I'm not sure how Gil can be titled "open Doctor" when he hasn't had a course host the event, yet. 2014-2026, C&C's Pinehurst & Shinnecock will have hosted the event 2x. Gil's courses will have hosted 2. (Winged Foot & LACC)
  You could even go so far to include Oakmont, which I have heard that they are consulting with C&C. That would make 6x in a 12 year span.

[corey miller]

Based on who the previous "open Doctor" was the term sounds slightly derogatory.  Without getting into all the semantics about renovation/restoration etc etc the issue is does he make the course better for the members and does he make the course better for the host clubs ability to host a a tournament.

Will the two courses at Baltusrol be better for the members and more attractive to tournaments after Gil or post Rees?

Is Aronimink better today for the members and more attractive to tournaments now or after the last renovation by Ron Pritchard?   

Why do you think these clubs are moving away from past work some of which was described as restorative?

[Terry Lavin]

Based on who the previous "open Doctor" was the term sounds slightly derogatory.  Without getting into all the semantics about renovation/restoration etc etc the issue is does he make the course better for the members and does he make the course better for the host clubs ability to host a a tournament.

Will the two courses at Baltusrol be better for the members and more attractive to tournaments after Gil or post Rees?

Is Aronimink better today for the members and more attractive to tournaments now or after the last renovation by Ron Pritchard?   

Why do you think these clubs are moving away from past work some of which was described as restorative?

We’ve entered the “new modern” era of renovation, not to be confused with restoration, which has become passé. Let’s be old but new. Unique but similar. Popular but shut down for a year. Oh, the growth potential, meaning the construction, not the game. The game can wait!

[jeffwarne]

What's interesting is we bash the previous Open Dr. rather than the client......


If I make widgets, and you(and every other copycat wanna be widgetwanter) hire me 100 times to make widgets,
why would I be criticized for continueing to make widgets?


and will we reject the current widget of the day in 10 years?

[Terry Lavin]

For one, I’m not criticizing Hanse, or any other architect, for delivering what the customer wants. I saw a great video of his work at Aronimink. Very fetching to my eye.

[Peter Pallotta]

Jeff, you remember that exchange in Chinatown, between Nicholson and Huston? Your post and Terry's reminded me of it:

Jake: How much are you worth?
Noah: Why? How much do you need?
Jake: No, no - I mean, what do you got, $10 million?
Noah: Oh, much more than that.
Jake: Then what else do you need? What more can you buy?
Noah: The future, Mr. Gittes -- the future.

[Chris Mavros]

I don't know if Hanse is the new Open Doctor, but it seems his style and projects are appealing to memberships and the tours, which begets more projects, which is fairly similar to architects before him.  I hope he's regarded with a little more objectivity, interest and examination 30 years from now instead of the overgeneralized sneer we see for past architects in a similar situation. 

[Steve Lapper]

I don't know if Hanse is the new Open Doctor, but it seems his style and projects are appealing to memberships and the tours, which begets more projects, which is fairly similar to architects before him.  I hope he's regarded with a little more objectivity, interest and examination 30 years from now instead of the overgeneralized sneer we see for past architects in a similar situation.

And less smeared with the almost abject label of "years of politicking." If there is any valid reason for this, it's hardly unique and should come with both a measured dose of reality and maturity.

[David Davis]

What's interesting is we bash the previous Open Dr. rather than the client......


If I make widgets, and you(and every other copycat wanna be widgetwanter) hire me 100 times to make widgets,
why would I be criticized for continueing to make widgets?


and will we reject the current widget of the day in 10 years?

Isn't one of the main jobs of the architect to steer the "troubled and misguided" committee in the right direction? In looking at previous Open Doctors, ie Reese how could you not blame him for his work? Aren't his new builds also a reflection of this?

[Nick Ribeiro]

Isn't one of the main jobs of the architect to steer the "troubled and misguided" committee in the right direction? In looking at previous Open Doctors, ie Reese how could you not blame him for his work? Aren't his new builds also a reflection of this?


No ~ Architects are in business to make money and most do this by working for clients who tell them what they want and the architect delivers. Are you a member of a private club? Think of the typical board member and ask yourself if any architect (employee in their mind) is telling the club members what to do? Guiding a "troubled and misguided" board in the right direction sounds great but just doesn't happen in the real world.

I assume that's why Tom Doak said ~ That's why I have generally not sought out these commissions.  In the end, if a club wants to host a big tournament, the ruling bodies will tell the architect what to do.

I take Tom for his word on his statement being true, you should too.