Exclusive: Rio Golf Course Architect Explains Design Philosophy

(ATR) To tackle the challenge of designing the 2016 Olympic golf course,Gil Hanse tellsAround the Ringshe wants the Rio Olympic golf tournament to play like the Masters Tournament.

"Our solution is based on what I think is the best model in existence, Augusta National," Hanse says, referring to the U.S. course, which has been home to the Masters Tournament since 1934.

"From a standpoint of it's a golf course that is playable – it's wide off the tee and the greens are fairly large, so you can play without losing a lot of balls and enjoy the round," Hanse adds. "To score at Augusta, based on the fact that the contours of the greens are so strong, you really have to be precise getting it onto the proper corners of the greens.

"Our design was predicated on making it playable."

Rio 2016 and the International Golf Federation chose Hanse in March 2013 to sculpt a course out of a nature reserve to be the setting for the sport's highly anticipated return to the Games next August in Rio.

Golf will be part of the Olympic Program next year for the first time since 1904. The Olympic golf teams will be selcted in July of 2016 based on the world rankings at that time.

Hanse notes that if the wind blows at 10-15 mph, which is typical of August winds in Rio, the course should play considerably more difficult for the world’s top tournament professionals.The lengthy, par-71 course will play approximately 7,250 yards for the men and roughly 6,350 yards for the women.

Part of the design goal was also to develop high-risk, high-reward holes that might provide for a dramatic climax.

"Our thought was to provide golf holes that ultimately will provide compelling results good or bad because if I’m a non-golfer watching for the first time because it is now an Olympic sport, and I’m seeing eagles and birdies down the stretch to award a gold medal, then that’s a great thing," Hanse says.

The 52-year-old and his small, hands-on team at Hanse Golf Course Design coped with legal challenges which impeded construction of the course and nearly doubled the length of their work. The American designer spent nearly 280 days onsite in Brazil between March 2013 and February 2015.

The future Olympic course, located in Rio 2016’s Barra cluster, was grassed in December 2014. With the majority of Hanse’s work now complete, Rio course superintendent Neil Cleverly and staff are preparing the greens and fairways for a test event slated for March 2016.

"We’re in the growing stage and what I saw in August was very encouraging," Hanse says, referring to the grass he observed during his last visit to Rio.

"It’s starting to become summertime down there - there will be more growth, refinement, and preparation for the tournament will probably start right about now."

Sixty men and sixty women will compete in Olympic golf events at Rio 2016, playing four-round, stoke play tournaments. The men will tee it up Aug. 11-14 and the women will follow, Aug. 17-20.

From the IOC to the course grounds crew, everyone is hoping that the Olympic golf course will benefit the growth of the game in Brazil and South America. Following the Games, the Olympic course is planned to become a public one.

"Obviously the competition is what everyone will focus on, but the perhaps the bigger impact of this, from a legacy perspective, is that the game of golf flourish in Brazil," Hanse says. "If we can have a small part in that, we’d be delighted."

The course is situated in Rio's Barra da Tijuca neighborhood, just north of Marapendi Lake, approximately three miles from the Olympic and Paralympic Village.

"I think we would all like to see creative shot-making, good play that is rewarded, but if the golf course is the main thing that people are talking about during the competition, then we probably did something wrong," Hanse admits.

"We’re providing a stage for the competition, but it should be all about the players."

Reported byBrian Pinelli

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