Top golf architect Doak appointed by Woodhall Spa GC

He will be making a significant contribution to the site development plan with particular emphasis on the Hotchkin Course. The Hotchkin is ranked among the world’s top 100 courses and regarded as a test of heathland golf at its very best.

Woodhall Spa general manager Richard Latham was delighted with the appointment and commented: “In our opinion, Tom Doak is one of the most accomplished architects in the world today and we feel that renovating/refining a national treasure like the Hotchkin Course requires expert opinion. We are huge admirers of Tom’s work and are confident that his input will be invaluable.”

Doak, of Renaissance Golf Design, visited Woodhall Spa as a student and was taken with both the charm and severity of the Hotchkin Course. He used the design of the 18th hole in his book, The Anatomy of a Golf Course.

He said of his appointment: “The Hotchkin Course is one of the world’s great heathland courses, with a character all of its own. That’s a rare thing in golf course architecture, and it will be at the forefront of our thinking as we look to suggest any refinements.

“The club has carefully catalogued the minor refurbishments of recent years and I’m delighted to assist in the creation of a formal development plan. I am really looking forward to working with the management team in protecting the legacy and restoring reputation.”

Doak’s many notable achievements include both new builds and restoration work in a range of countries, on varying landscapes including heathland.

Recent projects have included the building of the Renaissance Club, adjacent to Muirfield in Scotland, the dramatic Cape Kidnappers course in New Zealand, and Pacific Dunes in Oregon in the US, all of them rated highly in the world ranking lists.

Doak and his associates are also the architectural consultants for courses across the world, from the Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda to Royal Melbourne in Australia.