Thoughts on Rio

This past week marked a bit of history, and perhaps the dawning of a new movement in high profile, international golf course architecture. Pennsylvania based Gil Hanse was appointed to design the official golf venue in Brazil for the 2016 Olympic games, and we take with that decision a few, key notes.

Much to the surprise of many, the Rio selection committee, after laborious deliberation, steered away from the high profile, signature name designers such as Nicklaus, Ochoa, Player, Sorrenstam, Jones and Norman. The committee faced choices between high identity and flash or with a designer with more substance and promise of an enduring venue.  Their choice?  A name that is certainly highly respected among golfing purists but perhaps outside of the international golf architect mainstream. 

Thankfully, Gil Hanse will be entrusted with designing the ballyhooed Rio course and a worthy test to inaugurate golf as an Olympic sport.  An improbable choice some might say…hardly anybody has heard of this man –even Nicklaus misspoke of Hanse, calling him “Gil Hodges”.  Certainly the traditional decision would have been to go with the headline name and be able to drive that marketability forward. Truth be told, while less marketable on the surface, Hanse and his team are likely to produce a course that will be even more marketable for the times. 

No stranger to high profile projects himself, Gil Hanse has already been hard at work in producing much lauded courses like Castle Stuart in Inverness and the Craighead Course at Crail in Scotland, the Prairie Club in the Nebraska Sandhills, the minimalist design at Rustic Canyon in CA with Geoff Shackelford and Capstone in AL.  Hanse and his team have also executed masterful restorations at such notable courses as Winged Foot, Los Angeles Country Club, Myopia Hunt Club, Fishers Island and Quaker Ridge.  And just last week, even the “The Donald “swept in to hire Hanse to renovate the Blue Monster at Doral.  So, those in the know are well aware of his abilities.

While most outside the main grasp of the golf industry might not recognize Gil Hanse yet, it seems that might be just what the doctor ordered.  A disciple of noted architect Tom Doak, Hanse is not looking for the spotlight, he just goes about carefully crafting his work.  And the work to date has been magnificent.  Refreshingly, that is what we should all acknowledge…. that he will produce a course in Rio that will blend with Nature.  He will take a simpler, post-modern approach, creating more sophisticated, strategic shot options within a traditional design framework, blending the course into a true golf experience.  He and his team will execute the course with hand-on craftsmanship approach and with a true understanding of the goals and total commitment to the project.  Hanse even plans to move his family to Rio for the duration of the project.  His committed presence and leadership conjures an image of a workingman with muddy boots and a dusty face rather than ironed golf shirts and celebrity-like dog pony show walk-throughs.

Now, to me, that is certainly something worth marketing –someone with the talent and commitment to create something that is truly sustainable.  A flashier design might have been developed, complete with lushness, waterfalls and other contrivances - and with a high profile, signature label to signify its identity.  Some might like that. In Rio, we will instead see the focus shift to the quality of the golf course; a layout with guts that will challenge the best contestants for the games, but also a course with enough diversity to stand the test of time and serve as a measuring stick for the responsible growth of golf in Brazil.

If Gil has his way about it, the only discussions after the close of the Rio golf competition will be about the results of great play – not the golf course.  Congratulations, Gil – we’re cheering for you!