Eddie Hackett facts for kids

Eddie Hackett (1910–1996) was a famous Irish golf course designer. He was known for creating golf courses that fit naturally into the land. Instead of moving huge amounts of earth, he preferred to work with what nature already provided. He believed that "nature is the best architect."

Early Life and Golf Journey

Eddie Hackett was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1910. When he was a boy, he got sick with tuberculosis. This illness made him too weak to play active sports. So, he started playing golf with his father.

As a teenager, he got a job at his local club, Royal Dublin Golf Club. By the 1930s, he had become a golf professional. This meant he made golf clubs and played in tournaments. In 1939, he became the main golf professional at Portmarnock Golf Club.

Designing Golf Courses

Eddie Hackett had a special way of designing golf courses. Other famous designers, like Pete Dye and Robert Trent Jones, often moved tons of soil to shape their courses. But Hackett worked differently. He designed courses by using the land as he found it. He liked to "dress up what the Good Lord provides."

His designs showed how much he loved the classic Scottish links courses. These are golf courses built by the sea. However, Hackett's own courses rarely had tricky shots. He avoided "forced carries" (where you must hit the ball over a big obstacle) or "blind shots" (where you can't see where your ball will land). These types of shots are sometimes found on older links courses like Carnoustie or Royal Troon.

What are Links Courses?

Most of Hackett's courses are true links courses. These are built on sandy, rolling ground right next to the sea. They have natural, tough grasses and very few trees. This special "linksland" isn't good for farming or building. It's where the game of golf started more than 500 years ago! The word "links" comes from an old English word meaning "rising ground."

Hackett also designed or updated a few "parkland" courses. These are inland courses, built on regular soil, and often have many trees.

Courses Designed by Eddie Hackett

Here is a list of some of the golf courses Eddie Hackett designed or changed:

(* Modified existing design)