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

Sean Dudley
/ Categories: News

New eighteenth green and putting green take shape at Holywood GC

Swan Golf Designs is creating a new eighteenth green and putting green at Holywood Golf Club in County Down, Northern Ireland.

The new eighteenth green was built at a revised location in December 2017, and with final preparations taking place before it is introduced to the course.

The new putting green will be floodlit and is comprised partially of natural turf and partially of artificial turf. That is taking shape this month.

Holywood is the club at which Rory McIlroy learnt his trade and is currently undergoing a major clubhouse renovation. This will see the development of a new gym and indoor practice facilities.

Howard Swan, who has led projects at Holywood at various points over the past 20 years, is overseeing the work.

“Holywood is a great example of a club that is always looking to improve its facilities, continually investing in its course and clubhouse to reach their objective of being ‘more than just a golf club’,” Swan said. “The addition of the new fitness and practice suites is just the latest such development and, while it requires some minor changes to the layout, the club has taken the opportunity to further improve the course. Such a positive approach is typical of the club and great credit is due to its management for always pushing Holywood onwards.”

The club has also turned to Ecobunker to improve the design of selected bunkers.

“Swan Golf Design has cleverly used our flexible Ecobunker system to solve two different challenges,” said Richard Allen, CEO and inventor of Ecobunker. “On the ninth hole, a steep bank and bunkers prone to washout influenced a deeper face design. On the other hand, the softer contours around the 18th green were complimented by our lower edge solution, which has recently also been used to great effect at Denham, Dudsbury and Newark to name but a few.


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Slideshow HTML
  • Holywood

    The new eighteenth green was constructed in December 2017 and is currently growing in

  • Holywood

    The focus is now on the development of a new floodlit putting green

  • Holywood

    Ecobunker has introduced its product on the new eighteenth hole

Sean Dudley

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