Featured architects

Greg Norman

The Shark's second career, drawn on six continents

Born
1955, Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia
Years active
1987–present
Works
100+ courses worldwide
Era
Modern Era

Why the name endures

Norman started designing while still at the top of the world rankings and built a practice that reaches from Australia to Vietnam and the Americas. His stated aim is a course that tests the best player without ruining the day of the average one, generally achieved through width, minimal rough and firm, sandy surfaces.

Design principles

  • Challenge the scratch player without punishing the member
  • Wide corridors with consequences at the edges
  • Sandy, firm surfaces that keep the ball on the ground

Surviving work

Courses to see

Doonbeg

County Clare, Ireland

Dunes golf on the Atlantic coast, since revised.

Bluffs Ho Tram Strip

Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu, Vietnam

Vast coastal dunes and one of Asia's most dramatic sites.

Ellerston

New South Wales, Australia

A private valley course of extraordinary scale.