Henry Shapland Colt (4 August 1869 – 21 November 1951) was agolf course architect born inHighgate, England, the sixth child and younger son of a barrister. He worked predominantly withCharles Alison,John Morrison, andAlister MacKenzie, in 1928 formingColt, Alison & Morrison Ltd. He participated in the design or redesign of over 300 golf courses (115 on his own) in all six inhabited continents, including those atWentworth Club,Sunningdale,Muirfield,Royal Portrush, andRoyal Liverpool.
Colt teamed up with George Crump in 1918 to design the course atPine Valley Golf Club, which has been ranked almost continuously since 1985 as the #1 golf course in the United States, byGolf magazine (1985-2000, 2003-2008, 2013-2014, 2017-2025 ranking of the Top 100 Courses in the U.S.) andGolf Digest (1985-2000, 2003-2008, 2013-2014, 2017-2025 ranking of America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses). The classic Plum Hollow Country Club in Southfield, Michigan, was designed by Colt and Alison in 1921. The course played host to the 1947 PGA Championship, the 1957 Western Open, and Ryder Cup Challenge Matches in 1943.
Colt was educated atMonkton Combe School near Bath between 1881 and 1887,[1] before taking alaw degree atClare College,Cambridge,[2] where he captained theCambridge University Golf Club in 1890.
In 1897 he became a founder member of theRoyal & Ancient Rules of Golf Committee.
Colt's courses of note in the UK include: Stoke Poges Golf Club, Tandridge Golf Club, which features Colt Corner, Oxford Golf Club,[3] Ladbrook Park Golf Club, Denham Golf Club,St George's Hill,Sunningdale (New course), Belfairs Golf Club,[4] Rye, Blackmoor,Swinley Forest, Brancepeth Castle, Peebles Golf Club, Brokenhurst Manor, Camberley Heath,Calcot Park,Goring and Streatley Golf Club, Alnmouth Golf Club (Foxton), Grimsby Golf Club, Hendon Golf Club, Tyneside and the East & West Courses atWentworth Club. He performed extensive revisions ofSunningdale (Old course),[5]Woodhall Spa,Muirfield andRoyal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake.
In Ireland Colt & Co. were responsible for new courses atRoyal Portrush,Royal Belfast,Co. Sligo andBelvoir Park in Belfast. Extensive revisions were also carried out atRoyal County Down andDollymount. Colt & Company were also active in Continental Europe, throughout Northern France, The Netherlands and Germany.
In Canada, his courses for theHamilton Golf and Country Club[6] and theToronto Golf Club are highly respected[by whom?]. He also designed in 1914 the first Spanish course bigger than 4.300 yards, the Club de Golf Sant Cugat, promoted by theBarcelona Traction Light and Power Company Ltd.
Note: Colt played in onlyThe Open Championship andThe Amateur Championship.
| Tournament | 1891 | 1892 | 1893 | 1894 | 1895 | 1896 | 1897 | 1898 | 1899 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship | T38 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| The Amateur Championship | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | R64[7] | R32[8] | R32 | R64[9] | R32[10] |
| Tournament | 1900 | 1901 | 1902 | 1903 | 1904 | 1905 | 1906 | 1907 | 1908 | 1909 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Amateur Championship | R32[11] | QF[12] | R64[13] | DNP | R64[14] | DNP | SF[15] | R128[16] | QF[17] | R128[18] |
| Tournament | 1910 | 1911 | 1912 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Amateur Championship | R32[19] | QF[20] | R32[21] |
DNP = Did not play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
Yellow background for top-10
