What Courses Has Martin Hawtree Designed?

The Hawtree name is iconic in golf designed we take a look at Martin's best work here.

What Courses Has Martin Hawtree Designed?

Martin Hawtree is the third generation designer as part of a company started by his grandfather, Frederick George Hawtree. His son Frederick William Hawtree continued the work during World War II and then Martin took over in 1973 after getting a degree and Masters from the University of East Anglia and then a doctorate at the University of Liverpool.

Currently he works as a consultant to the R&A which has lead to him working on many Open venues. Below we have taken a look at some of his finest work.

Bearwood Lakes

First opened in 1996, Bearwood Lakes is a stunning Berkshire course that is blended into its surroundings nicely. The holes situated around the several lakers are a site to behold.

Dooks

A beautiful, tranquil round of golf often accompanies those who play around Dooks. Golf has been played on the land since 1900 and has seen various designers and creations on its shores including Eddie Hackett, Donald Sterling and Hawtree.

Lahinch (Old)

A design that has evolved over 125 years, it has been shaped by Old Tom Morris, Alister MacKenzie and, more recently, Martin Hawtree. It’s a supremely natural course and one where every shot in the bag will be tested. The fairways run through huge grass-covered dunes to fast greens with devilish run-offs. There’s a great mix of holes, some asking for raw power, others for a more subtle approach. Hawtree's work started in 1999 and his brief was to reinstate some of the MacKenzie features lost in the 1930s, and today’s visitors should be delighted that the links now features the best of both Morris’ and MacKenzie’s design worlds, along with more recent sympathetic refinements.

The Island

It is unclear who laid out the original course at The Island but Martin Hawtree has made renovations. The long-established Dublin club ranks among the most dramatic in Ireland playing through the kind of towering dunes more commonly found on modern creations.

Trump International Golf Links - Ireland

Set amidst the incredible dunes overlooking Doughmore Bay in County Clare, Greg Norman’s brilliant layout at Doonbeg has been further enhanced by Martin Hawtree since the Trump Organization took over in 2014. Everything about the place is stylish, and as you look out from the hotel and lodges over the rugged sand hills, the view of the 1st hole heading off into the dunes is one of the most alluring and compelling in golf.

The course does have one or two eccentricities, such as the bunker in the middle of the green at the 12th, but far more importantly it boasts a great number of excellent and hugely enjoyable holes.

Trump International Golf Links - Scotland

This magnificent Martin Hawtree design to the north of Aberdeen, set in the towering dune-land of the Menie Estate, has captivated golfers since its opening in 2012. The good news, indeed the great news, is that not only did he succeeded, but he created a masterpiece – an instant classic. The drama kicks in from the word go, but with so many magnificent holes, it’s hard to label any the real signature. It’s rare that you play a links where every hole is both strong and unforgettable, but this vast, sprawling course is an unqualified exception.

Other notable mentions: Castlerock (Mussenden), Dun Laoghaire, Gog Magog (Wandlebury), Golden Greens, John O'Gaunt (Carthagena), Les Aisses (Les Aisses), Luffenham Heath, Mazury, Royal Dublin, Rockliffe Hall, Royal Ostend, Royal Waterloo, Toronto, Vilamoura (Old and Millennium)

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