Renowned course designer, Gil Hanse will take inspiration from Australia’s famed ‘Sandbelt’ gems in designing the 2016 Olympic Games course in Rio de Janeiro.

It was no surprise to those who know Hanse’s portfolio of projects he was awarded the design of the South American course over some of the greats of the game including Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and a combined bid by Greg Norman and Annika Sorenstam.

Included on Hanse’s design CV is the Castle Stuart course at Inverness in northern Scotland, and host event of the 2013 Scottish Open, along with the much-acclaimed Craighead course at Crail to the east of St. Andrews, and Hanse’s first course design project outside of the U.S.

Gil Hanse overlooking his Castle Stuart designed course at Inverness in Scotland. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)

And in a sign of Hanse’s seriousness, and unlike what you would expect from the majority of his design contemporaries, Hanse has moved his family from Malvern, Pennsylvania to the Mardi Gras capital of the world to oversee first hand work on the Rio layout

But with construction on the Rio de Janerio course presently delayed, Hanse and his design partner, Jim Wagner made a purpose journey to Melbourne in Australia to inspect a number of the famed ‘Sandbelt’ courses.

Hanse’s visit to Melbourne was akin to six-time Major winning Nick Faldo who often would walk the  Sandbelt courses after a tournament round  when competing in the Victorian capital.

And Hanse has spoken of the ‘inspiration’ he gleaned on his visit to Melbourne in an article appearing in the March edition of Australian Golf Digest.

When Hanse was asked if Australia was inspiration for his Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games course project or had he simply always wanted to do something in the Sandbelt style or did the Brazil site in Brazil just remind him of what Australian courses might be like.

Hanse responded:  ” I think it was a little bit of both. We’d always looked at photos of the Sandbelt courses and thought it would be great to try to build something along those lines.

“Since there was no real style of golf in Brazil, or no culture of golf in Brazil, and people want to understand and visualise what the course might look like, and given the sandy nature of the site, we thought it might work out to be a good fit.

“Plus the vegetation is somewhat similar.  I don’t want to say that we building the golf culture in Brazil, but it will be the most recognisable course in Brazil and if what we do there helps to promote a more traditional look and feel for a golf course then I think that’s a good thing.

“What we’ve seen on this trip to Melbourne is just the embodiment of that.”

And when asked what courses or holes impressed him in Melbourne, the quietly-spoken American particularly singled out Kingston Heath, and recent venue for the Open Championship International qualifier.

But the most impressive holes was the 16th on the East Course at Royal Melbourne.

“….the whole package with the shape of the green, the bunkers, the setting etc.  But the fifth on the West Course is pretty damn impressive as well.”