Harry Colt
{{Short description|English golf course architect}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2011}}
Henry Shapland Colt (4 August 1869 – 21 November 1951) was a golf course architect born in Highgate, England, the sixth child and younger son of a barrister. He worked predominantly with Charles Alison, John Morrison, and Alister MacKenzie, in 1928 forming Colt, Alison & Morrison Ltd. He participated in the design or redesign of over 300 golf courses (115 on his own) in all six inhabited continents, including those at Wentworth Club, Sunningdale, Muirfield, Royal Portrush, and Royal Liverpool.
Colt teamed up with George Crump in 1918 to design Pine Valley Golf Club, which is ranked as the #1 golf course in the United States, by Golf magazine (2017–18 ranking of the Top 100 Courses in the U.S.) and Golf Digest (2019–20 ranking of America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses). The classic Plum Hollow Country Club in Southfield, Michigan, was designed by Colt and Alison in 1921. The course played host to the 1947 PGA Championship, the 1957 Western Open, and Ryder Cup Challenge Matches in 1943.
Colt was educated at Monkton Combe School near Bath between 1881 and 1887,{{Cite web |url=https://www.bathgolfclub.org.uk/harry_colt |title=Harry Colt |publisher=Bath Golf Club}} before taking a law degree at Clare College, Cambridge,{{acad|id=CLT887HS|name=Colt, Henry Shapland}} where he captained the Cambridge University Golf Club in 1890.
In 1897 he became a founder member of the Royal & Ancient Rules of Golf Committee.
Career
Colt's courses of note in the UK include: Stoke Poges Golf Club, Tandridge Golf Club, which features Colt Corner, Oxford Golf Club,{{Cite web |title=Oxford Golf Club |url=https://www.oxfordgolfclub.co.uk/ |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=www.oxfordgolfclub.co.uk}} Ladbrook Park Golf Club, Denham Golf Club, St George's Hill, Sunningdale (New course), Belfairs Golf Club,{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=https://www.belfairsgolfclub.co.uk/ |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=Belfairs Golf Club |language=en-GB}} Rye, Blackmoor, Swinley Forest, Brancepeth Castle, Peebles Golf Club, Brokenhurst Manor, Camberley Heath, Calcot Park, Goring and Streatley Golf Club, Alnmouth Golf Club (Foxton), Grimsby Golf Club, Hendon Golf Club, Tyneside and the East & West Courses at Wentworth Club. He performed extensive revisions of Sunningdale (Old course),{{Cite web |title=Harry Colt Golf Courses {{!}} The Greatest Golf Architect of All Time? |url=https://www.yourgolftravel.com/golf-architects/harry-colt-golf-courses |access-date=2023-03-23 |website=www.yourgolftravel.com |language=en}} Woodhall Spa, Muirfield and Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake.
In Ireland Colt & Co. were responsible for new courses at [https://www.royalportrushgolfclub.com/ Royal Portrush], [https://royalbelfast.com/ Royal Belfast], [https://countysligogolfclub.ie/ Co. Sligo] and [https://www.belvoirparkgolfclub.com/ Belvoir Park] in Belfast. Extensive revisions were also carried out at [https://www.royalcountydown.org/ Royal County Down] and [https://www.theroyaldublingolfclub.com/ Dollymount]. Colt & Company were also active in Continental Europe, throughout Northern France, The Netherlands and Germany.
In Canada, his courses for the Hamilton Golf and Country Club{{cite web |title=27 Holes of Genius |url=https://hgcc.ca/golf/ |website=Hamilton Golf and Country Club |access-date=1 June 2024}} and the Toronto Golf Club are highly respected{{by whom|date=July 2019}}. He also designed in 1914 the first Spanish course bigger than 4.300 yards, the Club de Golf Sant Cugat, promoted by the Barcelona Traction Light and Power Company Ltd.
Results in major championships
Note: Colt played in only The Open Championship and The Amateur Championship.
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament !1891 !1892 !1893 !1894 !1895 !1896 !1897 !1898 !1899 |
| align="left"|The Open Championship
|T38 |DNP |DNP |DNP |DNP |DNP |DNP |DNP |DNP |
| align="left"|The Amateur Championship
|DNP |DNP |DNP |DNP |R32 |
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament !1900 !1901 !1902 !1903 !1904 !1905 !1906 !1907 !1908 !1909 |
| align="left"|The Amateur Championship
|style="background:yellow;"|QF[http://www.usgamuseum.com/researchers/usga_segl/ Golf, June 1901, p. 413.] |DNP |DNP |style="background:yellow;"|SF[http://www.usgamuseum.com/researchers/usga_segl/ Golf, July 1906, p. 30.] |style="background:yellow;"|QF{{Cite web |title=The Glasgow Herald, 29 May 1908, p. 14. |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=GGgVawPscysC&dat=19080529&printsec=frontpage |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=news.google.com}} |
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament !1910 !1911 !1912 |
| align="left"|The Amateur Championship
|style="background:yellow;"|QF{{Cite web |title=The Glasgow Herald, 2 June 1911, p. 9. |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=GGgVawPscysC&dat=19110602&printsec=frontpage |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=news.google.com}} |
DNP = Did not play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
Yellow background for top-10
Team appearances
- England–Scotland Amateur Match (representing England): 1908
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060424053638/http://www.coltassociation.co.uk/ Colt Association Official Site]
- Oxford Dictionary of National Biography article by Mark Pottle, 'Colt, Henry Shapland [Harry] (1869–1951)' [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/41096 Colt, Henry Shapland [Harry] (1869–1951), golf course architect] accessed 2 March 2007
- [http://www.bathgolfclub.org.uk/harrycolt.php/ Bath Golf Club Official Site]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Colt, Harry}}
Category:British golf course architects
Category:Alumni of Clare College, Cambridge