MGWA to Honor Gil Hanse with the Paul Dillon Distinguished Service Award

METROPOLITAN GOLF WRITERS ASSOCIATION

TO HONOR GIL HANSE WITH THE

PAUL DILLON DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

Elmsford, NY (June 29, 2023) – Renowned golf course architect Gil Hanse will be honored with the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association’s 2023 Paul Dillon Distinguished Service Award at its 71^st annual National Awards Dinner. The award will be presented on Wednesday, October 11^th at Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Briarcliff Manor, NY. Mr. Hanse joins a distinguished lineup of MGWA honorees, including previously announced 2023 award winners Larry Nelson (Gold Tee award) and Cameron, David, and Barbara Young (Family of the Year). 

Gil Hanse was born in Florida and raised in Babylon and East Jewett, NY.  He was first introduced to golf by his grandfather, who often took him to play at Southward Ho CC in Bay Shore, NY.  During these outings, Gil fell in love with the golf landscape, which led him to sketching golf holes.  After graduating from the University of Denver, Hanse pursued this passion by receiving his Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture at Cornell University.  While there, he received the prestigious William Frederick Dreer Award, allowing him to study in the United Kingdom and Ireland where he visited over 120 golf courses taking thorough notes on their designs.

Following completion of his Master’s degree, Hanse went to work for Tom Doak at Renaissance Golf Design.  In 1993 he left Renaissance to open Hanse Golf Course Design, where he was soon joined by his longtime partner, Jim Wagner.  In the ensuing years, he has become equally accomplished at designing new courses such as the Olympic Golf Course in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as well as a master restoration specialist.  His work takes him around the globe, where he and his associates employ a hands-on approach to each project, ensuring a tremendous level of detail and individuality in every course while maintaining the integrity of the original design.  Some of the Met area’s most notable courses have been restored by Hanse, including Baltusrol (Upper and Lower), Fenway GC, Fishers Island Club, Quaker Ridge GC, Ridgewood CC, Sleepy Hollow CC, Winged Foot GC (East and West), Westhampton CC, The Creek, Plainfield CC and Yale GC.

"Gil is a tremendous gift to golf. He's both architect and artist...with indisputable brilliance in the field of restoration,” said MGA President Brian Crowell.  “It takes a special vision and passion to revive a legendary layout, and Gil Hanse has both. Whether carving an original course or restoring a classic, he's a master who honors the masters before him. Gil Hanse continues to make massive contributions to our game." 

Named in memory of noted artist, philanthropist, and past president of the MGA and its Caddie Scholarship Fund, the MGWA’s Paul Dillon Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals as well as organizations for their contributions and service to golf, and for inspiring others who love this great game. Previous recipients of this esteemed award include last year’s winner Mike Davis, Renee Powell, Mary Bea Porter King, David Fay, Tom Watson, The PGA of America, LPGA, and the USGA, among others.

The MGWA has celebrated the game of golf and promoted golf journalism since its inception in 1952. Each year, it honors the sport’s champions and contributors at its largest fundraiser, the National Awards Dinner.  This highly anticipated event is supported by golf’s leading organizations and corporate supporters, Met Area clubs and club leaders, as well as local and national golf media. Through the Dinner and other events, the MGWA has raised millions of dollars for Caddie Scholarship programs in the Metropolitan New York area, the MGA Foundation, and the Dave Marr Journalism Scholarship at Columbia University. 

For tickets to the Dinner, click here.  For more information, contact Robin Sauerhaft, MGWA Executive Administrator, at: rsauerhaft@mgagolf.org

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