I am almost hundred percent sure that I don’t have to introduce Gil Hanse to you. Here are some of his known golf course design works:
- The Olympic Golf Course – Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Castle Stuart Golf Links: Inverness – Scotland (with Mark Parsinen)
- Trump International Golf Club – Dubai, UAE
- Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, The Cradle Short Course
- and many more…
As I read the list of his golf course design projects I could not find any work in Asia. By designing the member-only Ban Rakat Club’s Ballyshear Golf Links (Bangkok, Thailand) now he has got a reference also from Asia.
The members-only Ban Rakat Club is on the site of the former Kiarti Thanee Country Club, which partnered in 2017 with Yokohama International Golf Club Co., Ltd., the Japan-based golf development and club operations firm, to redevelop the property in its entirety.
Hanse harnessed the early 19thcentury sensibilities (see ‘Golden Age of Golf Design’).
He said:
“The design of Ballyshear Golf Links is based on the principles and philosophies espoused by two giants of vintage course architecture, Macdonald and Raynor, who made their marks by replicating in America specific golf holes from classic Scottish links: The Redan at North Berwick, for example. The Alps hole at Prestwick… These holes represent our inspiration and aspiration at Ban Rakat — just as they inspired Macdonald and Raynor at hallowed grounds such as The National Golf Links of America, Chicago Golf Club, and specifically Lido Golf Club.”
The Lido Club was a celebrated Macdonald/Raynor design that debuted in 1918, on Long Island, outside New York City.
3 important information about Ban Rakat Club’s Ballyshear Golf Links
- Ban Rakat Club is conveniently located between the City Center and Suvarnabhumi International Airport, some 35-40 minutes from downtown. This is no small matter: Many of Bangkok’s existing private clubs are located 60-90 minutes from downtown.
- Instead of merely renovating the existing clubhouse, BRC will feature a brand new structure from world-renowned architect Kengo Kuma, whose signature work includes the new Japanese National Stadium in Tokyo.
- On the membership front: When the Ban Rakat Club opens next year there will be no outside play, at all. Only members and their guests will have access to the golf course. This is highly unusual in a market where nearly all private clubs rely on revenue from outside play.
Atsushi Kaneko, Overseas Managing Director at Yokohama International explains:
“This decision to eliminate outside play immediately creates an exclusive member experience that simply does not exist in the Bangkok market”
He also adds that full-membership at BRC will be limited to 300, with several types of limited memberships also available.