John F. Harbottle III,
ASGCA
Golf Course Architect
 John
F. Harbottle III is the son of Patricia (Lesser) Harbottle, the 1955 National Amateur
Champion and John F. Harbottle, Jr., one of the country’s leading senior amateur
players. In 1984, after graduating from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of
Landscape Architecture, John went to work with legendary golf course architect Pete Dye on
the design and construction of such prominent layouts as Riverdale Dunes, rated by Golf
Digest as one of the "Top 50 Public Courses in America". With Dye, he
collaborated on projects throughout the United States and around the world.
In 1991 John formed his own firm, John Harbottle Design. He was acclaimed by Golf
World as one of the best "young architects on the rise" following completion
of The Golf Club at Genoa Lakes, rated by Golf Digest as one of the "Best New
Courses of 1994".
Most importantly, John has traveled to Scotland and studied the courses where the
game’s traditions are well preserved. The natural, indigenous style of the Scottish
links is the inspiration for his design philosophy. He strives to make the best use of
natural features and to ensure that artificial ones created are indistinguishable from
nature. Every effort is made to create a course that is challenging, but also enjoyable
for the average player.
Not only are John’s courses recognized for their shot value, design variety and
playability, his commitment to environmentally-sensitive design has also been nationally
acclaimed. The Savannah Course at Stevinson Ranch Golf Club in Central California received
a "1996 Best of Golf Award" by Links Magazine and Audubon International,
as well as Audubon Signature Status from the USGA. These awards recognize
significant achievements in the preservation of natural resources and wildlife
conservation, scenic beauty, playability, tradition and the total golfing experience.
John has continued to create outstanding golf courses
including The Olympic Course at Gold Mountain in Bremerton, Washington and Ridgecrest Golf
Club in Nampa, Idaho. Open only since September 1996, the Olympic Course has already found
its way onto Golf Magazine’s "Top Ten Places You Can Play" for 1997.
Both courses also rated in the top five "Best New Affordable Public Courses for
1997" rated by Golf Digest.
John has lectured on the subject of golf course architecture throughout the United
States and rated golf courses for Golf Magazine. He is a member of the American
Society of Golf Course Architects, the Donald Ross Society, the United States Golf
Association and the National Golf Foundation. His references include the Arizona State
University Sun Angel Foundation, Mobil Land Development, The Lurie Company and Bechtel. |
