GREEN GOLF AND TURF |
to it— that resonates with people. It’ s easy to rally behind that. If you’ re heartfelt and honest, people can feel that, rather than trying to force your ideas onto the golf course or the membership.”
Reflecting on the work of past designers, Green adds,“ The old guys did such a good job of using a piece of ground in unique ways to create golf that was only found on that piece of property— because it’ s the only property that sits the way it does, and they didn’ t have a bulldozer to manipulate it. It kind of makes sense if you step back; of course, that’ s the way it should be.”
Since Oak Hill put him on the map, Green has become America’ s foremost restoration specialist for classic golf courses— including Bayville in Virginia Beach, Inverness and Scioto in Ohio, Wannamoisett in Rhode Island, Indian Creek in Florida and Interlachen in Minnesota, where Bobby Jones won a leg of the Grand Slam. He also completed an extensive renovation
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of the Blue Course at Congressional, the same venue where he once wore holes in his socks mowing the fairways as a college student.
“ He and I walked the golf course [ before the project started ]. Looking back at when he was a volunteer, you never would’ ve dreamed that in 2021, he would rebuild the course,” Sam Green says.“ It’ s mind-boggling, but he has let zero go to his head. Andrew never makes it about him. That’ s just who he is.”
Green is now set to move into original course design. In April, he announced he has started work on a new golf club south of Nashville, to be named Firefly, which will include a full-size 18 hole course, plus a nine-hole short course. The courses are slated to open in spring 2026.
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Inverness ABOVE: Interlachen
Staying Humble
McDonald believes Green’ s humility and character have been just as integral to his success over the years as his talent for breathing new life into famous, old golf courses. Most recently, his work at East Lake in Atlanta, home of the PGA Tour Championship, was met with widespread acclaim after the course reopened last August following an extensive, year-long renovation of its Ross layout.
“ Too many architects just want to build monuments to themselves,” McDonald says.“ I’ ve worked for all of the big-name architects and there are some huge egos involved. That’ s definitely not Andrew.”
Walking the course at East Lake a couple days before the start of last year’ s season-ending
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event, Green encountered Rory McIlroy between holes 9 and 10 during a practice round.“ Do you hate me?” Green asked.“ Oh no, it’ s fantastic,” McIlroy replied.“ That was certainly a‘ pinch me’ moment— not something I ever thought I’ d have the opportunity to be part of,” Green recalls.“ It is just tremendously rewarding. I don’ t know any other way to say it, just to feel overwhelmingly blessed to have the trust of the Cousins family and people who have made East Lake what it is.
“ One of the highlights of my career was Thursday after the first group teed off, I was able to speak to [ club owner ] Tom Cousins through his daughter, who was at the tournament. To be able to call down to Florida and spend a few minutes on the phone with Mr. Cousins, and hear how excited he was about what we had done, that was better than any golf accolade I could ever receive.”
In many ways, Green’ s entire career has been one long‘ pinch me’ moment.
“ I think of myself as the kid who loved to tee it up at Botetourt Country Club and play with whoever was there, in whatever weather,” he says.“ I still see myself that way.”
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