Michael John Hurdzan
Born (1943-09-11) September 11, 1943
Wheeling, West Virginia
Alma materOhio State University,
University of Vermont
OccupationGolf Course Architect
ChildrenChristopher Hurdzan, Ph.D., MBA
AwardsOld Tom Morris Award, 2013
Donald Ross Award, 2007
Don A. Rossi Award, 2002
Military career
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service1966–1996
Rank Colonel
Commands held 1990: 2nd POG (TAC) (Airborne)
1988: 2nd Bat., Training Group, 70th Division
1986: 246th POC (TAC) (DS), 360th Bat., 2nd POG
1982: SFC "C", 2nd Bat., 11th SFG (Airborne)
1973: SFOD 5, "C" Co., 2nd Bat., 11th SFG (Airborne)
Awards Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Army Achievement Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Websitewww.HurdzanGolf.com
The Mountain View Course at Desert Willow Golf Resort, Palm Desert, California

Michael John Hurdzan (born September 11, 1943) is an American golf course architect, author,[1] and a retired United States Army colonel, who served with the United States Army Special Forces (Green Berets).[2] He is a member and past president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA),[3] who is noted for designing and renovating many golf courses and clubs,[4] including U.S. Open golf courses.[5]

Hurdzan is a recipient of the Old Tom Morris Award, the Donald Ross Award and the Don A. Rossi Award,[6] the "triple crown" of his profession and an honor he shares only with Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Byron Nelson, Robert Trent Jones Sr., Rees Jones and, as of 2015, Pete Dye.

Background

Hurdzan was born on September 11, 1943. He studied Turfgrass Management at the Ohio State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in 1966, and earned a master's degree in Plant and Soil Science in 1969 and a Ph.D. in Environmental Plant Physiology in 1974 at the University of Vermont.[3] He later returned to the Ohio State University to study Landscape Architecture, and completed 3 of the 4 years program in 1978.[7] While he was still an undergraduate at Ohio State University, Hurdzan was an Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) student. He later became a commander in the United States Army Special Forces (Green Berets). His unit was prepared to fight in the Vietnam War, but had their orders canceled twice.[6] He received his Certificate of Retirement from the United States Army in 1996;[7] he retired with the rank of a Colonel.[2]

Hurdzan's father was a caddie who taught himself how to play golf, and tried unsuccessfully to play on the PGA Tour before becoming a golf instructor; he taught at Beacon Light Golf Course in Columbus, which was owned then by golf course architect Jack Kidwell who later became Hurdzan's influence, a past president of the ASGCA and an inductee of the Ohio Historical Society.[8][9] Like his father, during his elementary school years, Hurdzan started as a caddie; he later became Kidwell's greenskeeper at the age of 13.[6]

His son Christopher Hurdzan is his business partner at Hurdzan Golf. In his spare time, Hurdzan likes to do superkart motor racing; sometimes, he races tracks at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Road America, Virginia International Raceway and has attained 147 miles per hour at Daytona International Speedway.[6]

Career

Military

Hurdzan was commissioned ROTC Second Lieutenant into the United States Army in 1966, and was serving in the Chemical Corps until 1967 when he had a break from active duty to attend graduate school at University of Vermont. On his return to active duty, Hurdzan completed the Chemical Officer Basic Course in 1972 and continued to serve with the Chemical Corps until it was disbanded in 1973. He then selects to serve with the Special Forces, and subsequently completed – within the same year, 1973 – the Reserve Component Special Forces Qualification Course, Basic Airborne Course and Infantry Officer Basic Course. He was promoted to Captain in 1974, and completed the Psychological Officer Basic Course in 1975. Hurdzan continued to serve with the United States Special Forces, and held many commands before retiring in 1996 at the rank of a Colonel.[2][7]

A senior writer and equipment editor for WorldGolf.com (powered by Golf Channel), Kiel Christianson wrote that "[Hurdzan] served for 23 years as commander of Green Beret[s] and Psychological Operations units in the U.S. Army Reserve, specializing in survivalist tactics."[1] Howard Richman wrote in the December 2012 issue of the Golf Course Management (GCM) Magazine that "Nearly 40 years ago — before Hurdzan emerged among the world’s most notable and decorated golf course architects — he traveled the globe to protect America's interests. As a commander for the U.S. Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets, Hurdzan prepared his unit in case it needed to be called to action in theaters of war or conflict, such as Vietnam. Part of their war games training included missions in places such as Germany". Richman also wrote that an architecture editor for Golf Digest, "[Ron] Whitten is convinced that Hurdzan, who chose not to pursue the rank of general, earned his stripes. Twice Hurdzan's orders to join the fighting in Vietnam were canceled (he was supposed to go there to spray jungles after he was schooled in chemical, biological and radiological warfare). Not seeing combat left him unfulfilled. "I wanted to be a real live warrior, a cutter and a shooter, not some technical geek," Hurdzan says. If he had fought for his country, Whitten imagines Hurdzan would have been outstanding." Richman concluded that, "convinced he has lived a charmed life, [Hurdzan is] thankful now that Vietnam wasn't in the cards for him so long ago."[6]

Golf

As a freshman, Hurdzan tried out for the Ohio State University golf team, which then had good golfers like Tom Weiskopf and Ed Sneed in the same class with Hurdzan. According to Howard Richman in the December 2012 issue of the Golf Course Management (GCM) Magazine, Hurdzan said, "I looked around, thought, 'There's no way I'm going to beat those guys.' I said to myself that there's other ways to stay in golf."

Hurdzan's career in golf actually began at his elementary school years when he was a caddie; he later became a greenkeeper to ASGCA past president and Ohio Historical Society inductee Jack Kidwell,[8][9] and was a golf course superintendent before transitioning to a golf course architect. Howard Richman wrote that Hurdzan said that the first time he saw an overhead photo with the overlay of a golf course, was the most exciting thing for him. Hurdzan was influenced by Jack Kidwell[2][10] and Geoffrey Cornish; according to Richman, "[Hurdzan] believes if there were two saints on earth they had to be architects Geoff Cornish and Kidwell." He told Richman, "Jack would take me to superintendent meetings, and I knew enough to keep my mouth shut and listen. I listened to all of the old-timers' stories and learned." Hurdzan eventually became Kidwell's partner in golf course design,[8] and subsequently owned the business.[6]

Hurdzan/Fry Environmental Golf Design was later established in partnership with Dana Fry. The 15-year partnership produced many notable golf courses and clubs[4] before splitting amicably in 2012. Fry went on to form Fry/Straka with a Hurdzan/Fry senior designer Jason Straka, while Hurdzan formed Hurdzan Golf with his son Christopher Hurdzan. Hurdzan and Fry agreed to continue to work "together but separately".[10][11]

Environmental Golf Course Design[12] is an integral part of Hurdzan's golf course design style, which has been appreciated by golf lovers through his design of the Widow's Walk Golf Course in Scituate, Massachusetts[1] (opened in 1996) and the Harbor Links Golf Course in North Hempstead, New York.[13] In Howard Richman's article Man with the plans in the Golf Course Management (GCM) Magazine of December 2012, Hurdzan explained his golf course design approach in these words: "Form follows function — you'll hear that a lot around here," Hurdzan says. "The form is something that is a direct result of the function it has to serve. That is why I work so closely with superintendents. I ask them 'How are you going to mow that?' … 'How are you going to rake that?' … 'Are you going to be able to irrigate that?' I try to get a superintendent to think ahead. I don't want to leave them with problems. I want to leave them with solutions. That's why I like to get them involved."[6]

Hurdzan is also a golf collector with an extensive privately held collections of golf artifacts, books and memorabilia[2] in his office at Old Henderson Road in Columbus, Ohio. His collections as at December 2012—believed to have been acquired at approximately $300,000 — is estimated to be worth $2 million.[6]

Affiliations

Hurdzan is a past president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, and was once on its board of governors; he is a member of its Environmental Impact and Professional Development Committees.[3] He is also a past chairman of the board of directors of Fore Hope,[14] and still serves on its advisory board.[15] Hurdzan is a past member of the Green Section and current member of the Architectural Archive Committees of the United States Golf Association.[7] In 1995, at Golf and the Environment initiative of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, he was a member of the national steering committee and was on its board of directors too;[14] he was also on the agronomy advisory poard of the PGA Tour in 1998.[7] Hurdzan once "served on a panel for Golf Course Superintendents Association of America's professional development initiative",[6] and was "1 of 5 Story Tellers selected [in 2012] to represent the Golf Course Industry on Capitol Hill (Washington, D.C.)".[14]

Bradley S. Klein wrote in the Golf Magazine that "Until recently, Hurdzan was an Army Colonel (Special Forces Branch). He also manages to stay active through his memberships in the American Society of Landscape Architects, Golf Collector's Society, Donald Ross Society, Shivas Irons Society, National Stereoscopic Society, and the board of directors of the International Turfgrass Society."[2]

Hurdzan has developed and taught some seminars for Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.[3] He also established the Dr. Michael J. Hurdzan Endowment Fund with The Environmental Institute for Golf (a philanthropic organization of Golf Course Superintendents Association of America) for the purpose of funding environmental research on golf courses.[6][16]

Projects

Hurdzan is credited with being involved in the design or remodeling over 400[10][17] golf courses around the world.[4] Some of the golf courses designed or co-designed by him are on the "Top 100" or "Best in State" lists of Golfweek, Golf Digest[6] and Golf Magazine. Erin Hills which was selected to host the U.S. Open in 2017[5] is also on the Golf Digest's 2013–14 ranking of America's 100 Greatest Public Courses.[18]

Designed or co-designed

Renovated or remodeled

Publications

Hurdzan is an author of many books and articles "covering from turf selection, construction technique and wetlands management to risk and liability assessment."[2] Some of his articles have been published in the Golf Course Management (GCM) Magazine,[6] Golf Digest, National Geographic Traveler, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today.[14] One of his books, Golf Course Architecture: Design, Construction & Renovation, which was translated by Georg Boehm in German,[20] has been described as "one of the definitive modern volumes on the subject."[1]

Some of Hurdzan's published articles, booklets and books includes:

  • Michael J. Hurdzan (1985). Evolution of the Modern Green. American Society of Golf Course Architects. 23 pages. Retrieved May 28, 2013.[2]
  • Michael J. Hurdzan (1996). Golf Course Architecture: Design, Construction & Restoration (Illustrated ed.). John Wiley & Sons. 416 pages. ISBN 9781886947016. Retrieved May 28, 2013.[1]
  • Michael J. Hurdzan; Dana Fry; Ronald E. Whitten & John Henebry (2003). Selected Golf Courses: Photos and Essays, Volume 1. With photos by Jeannine Henebry. Pressworks. 383 pages. ISBN 9780972855303. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  • Michael J. Hurdzan (2004). Golf Greens: History, Design, and Construction (Illustrated ed.). John Wiley & Sons. 368 pages. ISBN 9780471459453. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  • Michael J. Hurdzan (2005). Building a Practical Golf Facility: A Step-by-step Guide to Realizing a Dream. American Society of Golf Course Architects. 120 pages. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  • Michael J. Hurdzan (2006). Golf Course Architecture: Evolutions in Design, Construction, and Restoration Technology (2nd (Illustrated) ed.). John Wiley & Sons. 450 pages. ISBN 9780471465317. Retrieved May 28, 2013.

Decorations

Military

These are Hurdzan's military awards and decorations:[7]

Golf

Hurdzan's golf honors and awards includes:

  • Old Tom Morris Award, 2013 – GCSAA[21]
  • Donald Ross Award, 2007 – ASGCA[22]
  • Don A. Rossi Award, 2002 – GCBAA[23]
  • Hall of Fame – Ohio Golf Association[14]
  • Golf Architect of the Year, 1999, 2001 – BoardRoom Magazine[19]
  • Golf Architect of the Year, 1997 – Golf World[6]
  • Presidents Award For Environmental Leadership, 1997 – GCSAA
  • Distinguished Service Award, 1994 – GCSAA

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Kiel Christianson (October 25, 2002). "Designer Michael Hurdzan Plants the Seeds of Success". TravelGolf.com by Golf Channel. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bradley S. Klein. "Michael J. Hurdzan – Golf Course Architect". Golf Magazine. Archived from the original on June 27, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Member Profile > Michael Hurdzan". ASGCA. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 "Dr. Michael Hurdzan". WorldGolf.com by Golf Channel. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  5. 1 2 "Hurdzan course to host 2017 U.S. Open". Columbus Business First. Advance Publications. June 16, 2010. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Howard Richman (story) & Scott Kinslow (photo) (December 2012). "Man with the plans". Golf Course Management (GCM) Magazine. GCSAA. pp. 44–48, 50, 52, 54, 56. Archived from the original on 2013-07-04. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Michael J. Hurdzan Curriculum Vitae". Hurdzan Golf. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  8. 1 2 3 "Golf course architect Jack Kidwell dies". Columbus Business First. Advance Publications. April 30, 2001. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  9. 1 2 "Marker #64-25 Jack Kidwell (1918-2001)". Ohio Historical Society. 2004. Archived from the original on February 4, 2016. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  10. 1 2 3 Jeff Bell (August 3, 2012). "Hurdzan, Fry splitting up twosome golf course design business". Columbus Business First. Advance Publications. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Hurdzan Golf Design launches website". Golf Business News (GBN). March 15, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Hurdzan/Fry Selected for 2009 Green Award by Golf Inc". ASGCA. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  13. ↑ Bradley S. Klein (May 28, 1998). "THE GOLF REPORT; Reclamation Projects: The Greening of a Landfill". The New York Times. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "Michael Hurdzan, ASGCA – 2012 National Golf Day storyteller". GCSAA. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Staff & Board of Directors > Advisory Board". Fore Hope. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Michael Hurdzan Endowment Fund". The Environmental Institute for Golf. Archived from the original on August 6, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Hocking Hills Golf". Glenlaurel Inn. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  18. ↑ Ron Whitten (text); Dom Furore & Stephen Szurlej (photos) (February 2013). "2013-14 Ranking: America's 100 Greatest Public Courses". Golf Digest. p. 1. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  19. 1 2 "Architects". Erin Hills. Archived from the original on September 1, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  20. ↑ Michael J. Hurdzan (1999). Golfplatz-Architektur: Design, Konstruktion & Pflanzerneuerung. Translated by Georg Boehm. Der Golf Albrecht (Albrecht Golf Publishing). 406 pages. ISBN 9783870140908. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  21. ↑ "Old Tom Morris Award". GCSAA. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Donald Ross Award Winners". ASGCA. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  23. ↑ "Don A. Rossi Award". Golf Course Builders Association of America (GCBAA). Retrieved May 28, 2013.
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