Michael John Hurdzan

Michael John Hurdzan (born September 11, 1943) is an American golf course architect, author, and a retired United States Army colonel, who served with the United States Army Special Forces (Green Berets). He is a member and past president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA), who is noted for designing and renovating many golf courses and clubs, including U.S. Open golf courses.

Hurdzan is a recipient of the Old Tom Morris Award, the Donald Ross Award and the Don A. Rossi Award, the "triple crown" of his profession and an honor he shares only with Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Byron Nelson, Robert Trent Jones Sr., Rees Jones and, as of 2015, Pete Dye.

Background Hurdzan was born on September 11, 1943. He studied Turfgrass Management at the Ohio State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in 1966, and earned a master's degree in Plant and Soil Science in 1969 and a Ph.D. in Environmental Plant Physiology in 1974 at the University of Vermont. While he was still an undergraduate at Ohio State University, Hurdzan was an Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) student. He later became a commander in the United States Army Special Forces (Green Berets). His unit was prepared to fight in the Vietnam War, but had their orders canceled twice. Like his father, during his elementary school years, Hurdzan started as a caddie; he later became Kidwell's greenskeeper at the age of 13. and Geoffrey Cornish; according to Richman, "[Hurdzan] believes if there were two saints on earth they had to be architects Geoff Cornish and Kidwell." He told Richman, "Jack would take me to superintendent meetings, and I knew enough to keep my mouth shut and listen. I listened to all of the old-timers' stories and learned." Hurdzan eventually became Kidwell's partner in golf course design,

Environmental Golf Course Design is an integral part of Hurdzan's golf course design style, which has been appreciated by golf lovers through his design of the Widow's Walk Golf Course in Scituate, Massachusetts In Howard Richman's article Man with the plans in the Golf Course Management (GCM) Magazine of December 2012, Hurdzan explained his golf course design approach in these words: "Form follows function — you'll hear that a lot around here," Hurdzan says. "The form is something that is a direct result of the function it has to serve. That is why I work so closely with superintendents. I ask them 'How are you going to mow that?' … 'How are you going to rake that?' … 'Are you going to be able to irrigate that?' I try to get a superintendent to think ahead. I don't want to leave them with problems. I want to leave them with solutions. That's why I like to get them involved." and still serves on its advisory board. Hurdzan is a past member of the Green Section and current member of the Architectural Archive Committees of the United States Golf Association.

Projects Hurdzan is credited with being involved in the design or remodeling over 400 golf courses around the world.

Designed or co-designed Erin Hills Westwood Plateau Golf & Country Club The Militia Hill Course at Philadelphia Cricket Club WGC Golf Course

Renovated or remodeled Scioto Country Club Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club London Hunt and Country Club Copper Hill Country Club

Publications Hurdzan is an author of many books and articles "covering from turf selection, construction technique and wetlands management to risk and liability assessment." has been described as "one of the definitive modern volumes on the subject." Donald Ross Award, 2007 – ASGCA Don A. Rossi Award, 2002 – GCBAA Hall of Fame – Ohio Golf Association Golf Architect of the Year, 1999, 2001 – BoardRoom Magazine Golf Architect of the Year, 1997 – Golf World Presidents Award For Environmental Leadership, 1997 – GCSAA Distinguished Service Award, 1994 – GCSAA