By Fred Altvater
Michigan-native Ray Hearn is becoming one of the most popular golf designers in the country. His philosophy includes assuring courses are enjoyable for every handicap and skill-level.
Watching the Masters as a nine-year old, Ray told his father that he wanted to design golf courses. In high school, he had not changed his mind and sought out advice from both Pete Dye and Robert Trent Jones Sr.
Jones and Dye, both Hall of Fame golf course designers told him the same thing, “Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty, work on the maintenance crew at a course and learn the business from the ground up.”
After receiving degrees from Michigan State, Hearn was offered a six-year teaching position in Europe. He taught turf management and design in Scotland, Ireland and England, which allowed him to study the great masters up close and personal.
When he returned to America, he worked for Jerry Matthews and gained additional knowledge from Pete Dye, Michael Hurzdan and others.
He has worked on over 150 courses around the world and received the “Award of Excellence” on five occasions from the American Society of Golf Course Architects.
He recently completed a new design at St. John’s Resort in Northville, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Working closely with ownership, he turned three older nine-hole tracks into a wonderful championship 18-hole course, The Cardinal and added a seven-hole short course, state-of-the-art driving range and putting course.
Ray has been working closely with BOYNE Resort in developing a Master Plan and renovating all the courses at the popular Northern Michigan Resort. A new short course is set to open next year near the Highlands’ Lodge and will offer BOYNE visitors one more golfing option.
An extensive renovation was completed to BOYNE’s Moor Course which vastly improved the green surrounds and grass lines. Hearn used modern technology and GPS mapping to update several of the holes on the Donald Ross Memorial Course, to more accurately resemble the original Ross design.
Back 9 Report talked with Ray Hearn about his recent endeavors and ideas to make courses more sustainable. See the full interview HERE.
In addition to being a treat to play, Hearn’s courses are environmentally friendly and sustainable. He constantly seeks new and better grasses that require less chemicals, commercial fertilizers and water. In addition, he uses natural waste areas to lower maintenance costs, as well as to buffer water runoff to neighboring properties.
Ray Hearn studied extensively in Europe, as well as under some of the best designers in the country. His vast knowledge allows him to design courses that are environmentally sound and a pleasure to play for every golfer.
To learn more about Ray Hearn Designs visit his website: https://rhgd.com/.
