Golf Course Architecture - Issue 56: April 2019

TEE BOX 15 both occasions. That was the par-five twelfth and the second extension had led to the par-three thirteenth hole being played from a new tee at right angles to Alison’s hole. The original playing line of the par three was something which the committee was very keen to restore.” The design team and club agreed that restoring the bunkering and rebuilding the greens were main points of focus. “Alison had drawn up green plans, but the greens had been rebuilt in the 1980s when they were converted to bentgrass,” said Ebert. “It was not the easiest task to interpret Alison’s plans, but he defined the general elevations of the greens and the key features – often quite high mounds at the rear of the greens.” The architects and the club’s committee members visited and played some Colt & Alison courses and others where the greens were good models for Hirono, including Swinley Forest, St George’s Hill and Royal Portrush. “We recommended that greens should be restored closer to their original sizes and to the shapes which Alison had drawn, although his drawings showed greens meeting with bunkers as was the style at the time,” said Ebert. “Hence, we were constrained to some extent on this but the greens we have designed are much larger than those found on our initial visit. Mackenzie & Ebert’s visualisation for the thirteenth (top), inspired by historic photos and Alison’s sketches, from the club’s comprehensive archives Photo: Mackenzie & Ebert