We recently caught up with five-time Major Champion and Hall of Fame member Amy Alcott, who partnered with golf course architect Gil Hanse to design the Olympic Golf Course in Rio de Janeiro.
What prompted your involvement to co-design the golf course for the 2016 Summer Olympics?
I’ve always loved golf course design and the opportunity to work with Gil on such an immense project was a huge honor. This is an important golf course for obvious reasons. But long after the Olympics are done, the hope is that a generation of young Brazilians will have their eyes opened to a new sport and will be able to enjoy the course.
There were quite a few architects who put their name in the hat for this project. Are you surprised you and Gil were chosen?
To be honest, I wasn’t sure if they would go for a male-female team. But in the end, they liked the idea of a young architect in Gil working with a female World Golf Hall of Fame member. We have been a great team and I have learned so much from Gil.
What is your favorite hole on the new Olympic Course?
No. 16 will be very interesting. It is a short and possibly drivable Par-4 that will prove to be critical coming down the stretch. Wind will play a big role.
Why is it important for golf to be included in the Olympic Games?
In a sport that has the Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup, President’s Cup and other international competitions, the importance of golf in the Olympics is debatable. From my perspective, it will be great to have golf and its rising stars showcased on the biggest stage in sports.
Who are your favorite golf course designers?
I gravitate toward most of the classic architects: Donald Ross, A.W. Tillinghast, C.B. Macdonald and Robert Trent Jones. I also like Hugh Wilson, who did Merion Country Club as well as Tom Doak. If I had to pick one however, I would pick George Thomas who designed Riviera Country Club. That’s where I grew up, and I have good memories of sneaking under the fence to marvel at the golf course.
After you won the Nabisco Dinah Shore in 1988 (now known as the ANA Inspiration), you started a great tradition of jumping into “Poppie’s Pond” beside the 18th green. What prompted that?
It was a totally unplanned moment that has turned out to be one of the most significant moments in women’s golf. I looked at my caddy Bill Kurre and we just decided to embrace the moment and jump. I will always remember that. I will also remember jumping in a second time in 1991 with Dinah Shore. I had recently lost my mom and Dinah told me before the tournament even started that she wanted to jump in with me after I won. It was such a deeply spiritual and special moment when I did win, and we jumped in together.
What’s next for you?
My biggest project is an animated film that is about to go into production. It is a golf-themed movie about redemption starring a little golf ball named Mulligan. There is really never a dull moment. I also want to design another golf course and play a little on the Legends Tour. I am also the City of Hope global golf ambassador, a role in which I help raise awareness for cancer.
