Arthur Hills
Birth date1930
Birth placeToledo, Ohio, U.S.
Death dateMay 18, 2021 (aged 91)
Death placeSylvania, Ohio, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Michigan (BS)
Michigan State University (BLA)
Significant projects

Arthur Hills (1930 – May 18, 2021[1]) was an American golf course designer. He designed more than 200 new golf courses, including private, resort, upscale, and public golf courses around the world.[2][3] In addition, Arthur Hills' firm, Arthur Hills/Steve Forrest and Associates, has been requested to renovate or modify more than 120 courses, including some of the country's most renowned clubs, often in preparation for major USGA and PGA Championships.

Early life and education

Hills was born in 1930 in Toledo, Ohio. He attended Michigan State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Agronomy) in 1953 and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Michigan.[4][5][6]

Career

Hills designed his first golf course in 1967: the course was Brandywine Country Club in Toledo, Ohio.[6] Hills stated that his main goal when designing a golf course was to make it playable for everyone of every skill level.[5] Hills designed golf courses in Portugal (2001), Croatia (2012),[2] and Sweden.[7]

Hills later served as chief designer for Arthur Hills/Steve Forrest and Associates.[8] Much of the work that he performed was redesigning golf courses.[9]

Courses designed

The following is a partial list of courses designed by Arthur Hills:[3]

  • OD denotes courses for which Hills is the original designer
  • R denotes courses reconstructed by Hills
  • A denotes courses for which Hills made substantial additions
  • E denotes courses that Hills examined and on the construction of which he consulted
NameContributionYear builtCity / TownState / ProvinceCountryComments
Heritage Highlands G&CCOD1997TucsonArizonaUnited StatesNew private 18 holes
Palm Valley GCOD1993PhoenixArizonaUnited StatesNew public 18 holes
San Ignacio GCOD1989Green ValleyArizonaUnited StatesNew public 18 holes
Bighorn GC (Mountains Course)ODPalm DesertCaliforniaUnited States
Black Gold GCODYorba Linda [1]CaliforniaUnited States
CrossCreek GCODTemecula [2]CaliforniaUnited States
Half Moon Bay Golf Links (Ocean Course)ODHalf Moon Bay [3]CaliforniaUnited States
Journey at PechangaODTemecula [4]CaliforniaUnited States
Glacier Club (Valley Course)ODDurangoColoradoUnited States
Heritage Eagle Bend GCODAurora[10]ColoradoUnited States
Legacy Ridge GCODWestminster[11]ColoradoUnited States
Walking Stick GCODPuebloColoradoUnited States
Heritage ShoresODBridgevilleDelawareUnited States
Plantation Lakes G&CCODMillsboro [5]DelawareUnited States
White Clay Creek CCODWilmington [6]DelawareUnited States
American GCODVero BeachFloridaUnited States
Club Pelican BayODNaples [7]FloridaUnited States
Colliers ReserveODNaples [8]FloridaUnited States
Coral Oaks GCODCape Coral [9]FloridaUnited States
CC at MirasolODPalm Beach GardensFloridaUnited States
Deer Creek GCODDeerfield BeachFloridaUnited States
Fiddler's CreekODNaples[12]FloridaUnited States
Forest Glen G&CCODNaples[13]FloridaUnited States
FoxFire CCODNaples [10]FloridaUnited States
Heron Creek GCODNorth PortFloridaUnited States
LPGA International LegendsODDaytona Beach [11]FloridaUnited States
Miami Beach GCODMiami BeachFloridaUnited States
Miromar Lakes Beach and GCODMiromar LakesFloridaUnited StatesSignature golf course
Myerlee CCOD1972Fort MyersFloridaUnited StatesTop 100 golf
Palencia ClubODSt. AugustineFloridaUnited States
Palmetto-Pine CCODCape CoralFloridaUnited States
Quail Creek CCODNaples [12]FloridaUnited States
River Strand G&CCODBradentonFloridaUnited States
Stoneybrook at Palmer RanchODSarasota [13]FloridaUnited States
Stoneybrook G&CC of SarasotaODSarasota [14]FloridaUnited States
Stoneybrook West GCODWinter Garden [15]FloridaUnited States
Tampa Palms G&CCODTampaFloridaUnited States
The GC at Cypress HeadODPort Orange [16]FloridaUnited States
The Groves CourseODSarasotaFloridaUnited StatesThe Meadows CC
The Preserve at IronhorseODWest Palm Beach [17]FloridaUnited States
The Sanctuary GCODSanibel Island [18]FloridaUnited States
TPC Treviso BayODNaples [19]FloridaUnited States
Vista PlantationODVero BeachFloridaUnited States
Wilderness CCODNaples [20]FloridaUnited States
Olde Atlanta GCODSuwanee [21]GeorgiaUnited States
The GC of GeorgiaODAlpharettaGeorgiaUnited States
The Standard ClubODJohns CreekGeorgiaUnited States
Towne Lake Hills GCODWoodstock [22]GeorgiaUnited States
The Hawthorns G&CCODFishers[14]IndianaUnited States
Bolingbrook GCODBolingbrookIllinoisUnited States
Chicago HighlandsODWestchester [23]IllinoisUnited States
Stonewall Orchard GCODGrayslake [24]IllinoisUnited States
Ivanhoe ClubRIvanhoeIllinoisUnited States
Tallgrass CCODWichitaKansasUnited States
Champion Trace GCODNicholasville [25]KentuckyUnited States
Persimmon RidgeODLouisville [26]KentuckyUnited States
University Club of KentuckyODLexington [27]KentuckyUnited States
Blue Mash GCODOlney [28]MarylandUnited States
Manor CCODRockvilleMarylandUnited States
Maryland National GCODMiddletown [29]MarylandUnited States
River Downs GCODFinksburg [30]MarylandUnited States
The Links at Lighthouse SoundODBishopville [31]MarylandUnited States
Waverly Woods GCODMarriottsville [32]MarylandUnited States
Woodmont CCODRockvilleMarylandUnited States
Bay Harbor Golf ClubODBay HarborMichiganUnited States27 holes
Double JJ ResortODRothburyMichiganUnited States
Egypt Valley CCODAda [33]MichiganUnited States
Fieldstone GCODAuburn Hills [34]MichiganUnited States
Fox Hills GCODPlymouthMichiganUnited States
Giant Oaks GCOD1969TemperanceMichiganUnited StatesTop 100 golf
Glacier Club GCODWashington [35]MichiganUnited States
HawksHead LinksODSouth HavenMichiganUnited States
Lakes of Taylor GCODTaylorMichiganUnited States
Leslie Park GCRAnn ArborMichiganUnited StatesVoted Michigan's Best Municipal Course by Golf Digest
Lyon Oaks GCODWixomMichiganUnited States
Mill Race GCODJonesvilleMichiganUnited States
Oakhurst G&CCODClarkstonMichiganUnited States
Pheasant Run GCODCanton TwpMichiganUnited States
Pine Trace GCODRochester HillsMichiganUnited States
Red Hawk GCODEast TawasMichiganUnited States
Shepherd's HollowODClarkstonMichiganUnited States
Stonebridge Golf ClubODAnn ArborMichiganUnited StatesPublic 18-holes. Ranked Top 10 Public Golf Course in Metro Detroit, August 2022
The Arthur Hills Course at the Boyne Highlands ResortODHarbor SpringsMichiganUnited States
The Legacy GCODOttawa Lake [36]MichiganUnited States
The Moors GCODPortageMichiganUnited States
Walnut Creek CC North NineODSouth LyonMichiganUnited States
Chaska Town CourseODChaskaMinnesotaUnited Statesa top rated 18-hole municipal course [37]
Peveley Farms GCODEurekaMissouriUnited States
The Legacy GCODHenderson [38]NevadaUnited States
Country Club of North Carolina DogwoodR1963PinehurstNorth CarolinaUnited States
Country Club of North Carolina CardinalR1970PinehurstNorth CarolinaUnited States
Belmont CCODPerrysburgOhioUnited States
Brandywine CCODMaumee [39]OhioUnited States
Brookledge GCODCuyahoga FallsOhioUnited States
Catawba Island ClubODPort ClintonOhioUnited States
Detwiler Park GCODToledoOhioUnited States
Inverness ClubRToledo [40]OhioUnited States
Kinsale Golf and Fitness ClubODPowellOhioUnited StatesSignature course
Legendary Run GCODCincinnatiOhioUnited States
Maumee Bay GCODOregonOhioUnited States
Pipestone GCODMiamisburgOhioUnited States
Red Hawk Run GCODFindlayOhioUnited States
Shaker Run GCODLebanon[5]OhioUnited States
Stone Ridge GCODBowling GreenOhioUnited States
The Virtues GC (Longaberger GC)ODNashportOhioUnited States
Turnberry GCODPickeringtonOhioUnited States
Weatherwax GCODMiddletownOhioUnited States
Wetherington CCODWest ChesterOhioUnited States
Rose Creek GCODEdmondOklahomaUnited States
Colonial Golf & Tennis ClubRHarrisburgPennsylvaniaUnited States
Regents Glen CCODYorkPennsylvaniaUnited States
Arthur Hills GCODHilton Head IslandSouth CarolinaUnited States
Cedar Creek GCODAikenSouth CarolinaUnited States
Coosaw Creek CourseODNorth CharlestonSouth CarolinaUnited States
Dunes West Golf & River ClubOD1991Mount PleasantSouth CarolinaUnited States
River Island GCODKodakTennesseeUnited StatesNow known as Island Pointe GC
The Blackthorn Club at the RidgesODJohnson City [41]TennesseeUnited States
Westhaven GCODFranklin [42]TennesseeUnited States
Heritage Ranch G&CCODFairviewTexasUnited States
Stonebridge Ranch CCODMcKinneyTexasUnited StatesHills Course
Trophy Club CCODTrophy Club [43]TexasUnited StatesWhitworth Course
Wolfdancer GCODCedar CreekTexasUnited States
WingpointeODSalt Lake CityUtahUnited Statesclosed November 15, 2015[15]
Belle Haven CCODAlexandriaVirginiaUnited States
Colonial Heritage GCODWilliamsburgVirginiaUnited States
Heritage Hunt G&CCODGainesville [44]VirginiaUnited States
Trump National GC — Washington, D.C. (The River Course)ODPotomac Falls [45]VirginiaUnited States
Harbour Pointe GCODMukilteo[16]WashingtonUnited States
La Crosse CCODOnalaskaWisconsinUnited States
Washington County GCODHartfordWisconsinUnited States
Silver Creek GCODGarden RiverOntarioCanadaGarden River First National
Croatian DreamODDubrovnik[2][17]Croatia
Paraiso del Mar GCODLa PazBaja California SurMexico
Oitavos DunesODCascaisLisbonPortugal
Hills Golf ClubODMölndalSwedensouth of Gothenburg
The Vintage ClubODKhlong DanSamut PrakanThailandeast of Bangkok, Thailand

References

  1. ^ Arthur Hills, architect of 200-plus new courses, dies at age 91
  2. ^ "Arthur Hills to Design Croatia Golf Course". worldpropertyjournal. World Property Journal. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  3. ^ "Arthur Hills – golf course architect". World Golf. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  4. ^ "Arthur Hills' Biographical Sketch". Michigan State University. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  5. ^ Springer, Scott. "Shaker Run Golf Course to get a tune-up courtesy of original designer Arthur Hills". Cincinnati. Cincinnati.com. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  6. ^ "Arthur Hills". top100golfcourses. Top 100 Golf Courses Ltd. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  7. ^ "HILLS GOLF & SPORTS CLUB Mölndal". vastsverige. Molndal.se. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  8. ^ "Hills & Forrest: International Golf Course Architects". Hills & Forrest. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  9. ^ Dudley, Sean. "Crooked Tree course reopens following Arthur Hills firm's redesign". golfcoursearchitecture. Golf Course Architecture. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  10. ^ "Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club Aurora Colorado". www.heritageeaglebend.com. Retrieved 2016-05-10.
  11. ^ "GolfLink.com: Legacy Ridge"
  12. ^ "Golf"
  13. ^ "Golf - Forest Glen Country Club". forestglengcc.com. Archived from the original on 2020-08-04.
  14. ^ "Home - The Hawthorns Golf and Country Club". www.hawthornscountryclub.com. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  15. ^ "Golfers Mourn Wingpointe on Last Day of Operation". Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 18 Dec 2015.
  16. ^ "Course". Archived from the original on 2018-10-01. Retrieved 2018-10-01.
  17. ^ "Building the dream We gather the world's finest". croatiandream. Croatian Dream. Retrieved 12 July 2019.