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A
fter a successful playing career,
which included victory in the
1977 U.S. Amateur and two
victories on the PGA Tour, John Fought,
ASGCA, turned his hand to golf course
architecture. In the late 1980s he
worked alongside Bob Cupp, ASGCA
Fellow, before establishing his own
business in 1995. His portfolio of golf
designs includes both courses at The
Gallery in Marana, Arizona (the South
course hosted the WGC-Accenture
Match Play Championship in 2007 and
2008) and the Championship Course
Sand Hollow Resort in Hurricane,
Utah, widely recognized as one of the
finest in the state.
How is your game?
I play very little golf these days but I
love playing with pals on great courses.
I recently attended the Walker Cup and
played quite a few courses in the UK.
By the end of the trip I was actually
playing OK. For an old man that is,
nothing like my former self.
Which three people would make up
your dream fourball?
That’s easy. I love playing golf with
my former team mates Mike Reid and
Pat McGowan. I would then add Ben
Hogan who was an inspiration to me
while I was playing tournament golf. I
played and practiced with him several
times at Shady Oaks in Fort Worth.
That would be a great day, to play
with all those guys!
What is your favorite hole in golf?
It’s impossible to pick just one but
there are a few that stand out. I love the
par five fourteenth at the Old Course at
St Andrews, with all its options for play.
The short par four tenth at Riviera GC
is great with its options as well. As for
threes, nothing is better than the short
fifteenth at Cypress Point. It is just
wonderful being on the ocean.
If you could change or add one rule,
what would it be?
Maybe not a rule but rather I would
dial back the length the golf ball
is traveling. It is just a shame how
the USGA and R&A have allowed
technology to neuter our wonderful
classic courses. When players can
fly the ball well over 300 yards from
the tee it simply smashes the strategy
of the game. We now have to build
bigger, longer courses that require
more money to maintain and are
harder for the average player.
What project are you currently
working on?
Most of my work has been with
major renovation/restoration
projects. I am currently working on
a major redesign of a private club in
Charlotte, North Carolina. However,
I am hopeful to begin a new course
with fabulous sandy topography in
the Columbia Gorge in Washington
state. It has spectacular views of the
river below.
•
FIVE TO FINISH
John Fought, ASGCA
When players can fly the ball well
over 300 yards
from the tee it
simply smashes the strategy of the game
Photo: © St Andrews Links
Fought highlights the 14th hole on the Old course at
St Andrews in Scotland as one of his favorites
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By Design