Biography

Gary Player is known as one of the greats in the world of golf, alongside other legends like Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, and Gene Sarazen. Besides his playing career which included victories in all four majors, Player has had a significant impact on golf course design. Gary Player Design, founded in the early 1980s, has constructed more than 300 golf courses worldwide - in places like the United States, the Philippines, South Africa, Bulgaria, Argentina, and South Korea.

Player's approach to golf course design was influenced by his brother, a well-known conservationist, and as a result, a key focus of his designs is environmental protection. His commitment to sustainability has been recognized by the National Audubon Society, an organization dedicated to environmental conservation, with many of his courses being certified by the society. Player's designs also prioritize playability for average golfers, aiming to make the game accessible to a broader audience.

Player's design philosophy is focused on making the game of golf enjoyable and affordable. He has criticized the prevalent trend of increasing golf course lengths and difficulty, arguing that it detracts from the enjoyment of the game and causes a rise in associated costs. This view became clear when Player publicly criticized the design of Chambers Bay, the site of the 2015 U.S. Open, describing it as unnecessarily difficult.