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

CDP begins long-term planning for Royal Belfast’s Colt course

The Royal Belfast Golf Club in Holywood, Northern Ireland, has appointed Clayton, DeVries & Pont to develop a long-term plan for its course.

Founded in 1881, Royal Belfast is Northern Ireland’s oldest golf club with members first playing at a site in Kinnegar. After a stint at Carnalea, the club moved to its present location on the south shore of Belfast Lough in 1925. Harry Colt’s design opened in 1926 and has changed little since then.

CDP’s Frank Pont and Hendrik Hilgert will author a long-term plan for the course, a process that is expected to take three months. Other CDP members will assist as and when needed.

“Harry Colt took full advantage of this beautiful, elevated site delivering a great course with spectacular views over Belfast Lough,” said Hilgert. “As with our work when restoring other courses of his in Europe and the United States, recommended changes will remain true to his design philosophies.”

“We are thrilled to be assisting two of Ireland’s oldest clubs, Royal Belfast and Royal Dublin, both of whose courses were designed by Harry Colt,” said Edward Cartwright, head of GB&I at CDP. “In total, our partners have now provided advice to 36 clients with Colt company-designed courses in seven countries.” Recent projects on Colt courses include Royal Dublin in Ireland and Indian Hill in Chicago.

Peter Minnis, captain at Royal Belfast, said: “We are delighted to have selected CDP to help us with our course’s future development. We are a club that prizes its Colt heritage and have been very impressed by the team’s knowledge, passion and success when restoring the great man’s work.”

CDP was also recently appointed – alongside Kruse Golf – to renovate practice facilities at Sorrento Golf Club in Victoria, Australia.

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  • Royal Belfast Golf
    Royal Belfast

    The Royal Belfast Golf Club has appointed Clayton, DeVries & Pont to develop a long-term plan for its course

  • Royal Belfast Golf
    Royal Belfast

    Hendrik Hilgert, who will lead the project for CDP alongside Frank Pont, says any changes will remain true to original designer Harry Colt’s philosophies

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