Interviews

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Richard Humphreys
/ Categories: News

Bergin takes to the mountains for Highlands Falls redesign

Bill Bergin is progressing with a renovation of the golf course at Highlands Falls Country Club in North Carolina.

Work will cover all existing course features, plus additional tees and extensive drainage. Bergin has also discovered opportunities to further “integrate golf into this incredible mountain setting”.

Bill Amick originally designed a nine-hole course for the club in 1962 and over the following decade it was expanded, renovated and redesigned by several developers and architects. In 1979, Joe Lee designed a new routing, which exists today.

“The course’s routing is finessed across a diverse landscape that includes either a pond or stream on thirteen holes,” said Bergin. “While rock outcroppings, rhododendron and hemlock trees abound, the most significant feature and golf hole is undeniably the diminutive par-three fifteenth. Its tiny putting surface is benched on a rock ledge that is nearly underneath a 100-foot waterfall fed by the headwaters of the Cullasaja River. Playing from 80 to 125 yards, this may be one of golf’s most unforgettable holes.”

Highlands Falls is one of three mountain projects in close succession for Bergin; he recently completed work at McLemore Club alongside Rees Jones (see the October 2019 issue of GCA) and is also in construction at Waterfall Club in the mountains of northeast Georgia, overlooking Lake Burton.

This article first appeared in the January 2020 issue of Golf Course Architecture. For a printed subscription or free digital edition, please visit our subscriptions page.

Previous Article Redesigned Korea venue makes LPGA Tour debut
Next Article Rumbling Bald selects Champion bermuda for Apple Valley greens
Print
3697 Rate this article:
No rating
Slideshow HTML
  • Highlands

    Bill Bergin is progressing with a renovation of the golf course at Highlands Falls (tenth hole pictured)

  • Highlands

    The short par-three fifteenth at the North Carolina club

Richard Humphreys

Richard HumphreysRichard Humphreys

Other posts by Richard Humphreys
Contact author

Contact author

x

Subscribe to the Golf Course Architecture newsletter


  • ©2025 Tudor Rose. All Rights Reserved. Golf Course Architecture is published by Tudor Rose.