John Harbottle was, quite literally, born into the game. The son of Pacific Northwest Hall of Fame golfers, he turned his early love for playing the game into a career developing world class golf courses.
He began his professional career in 1984 working on construction and design with the legendary Pete Dye. “Pete gave me the opportunity to work in both the office and in construction. He showed me the importance of spending time in the field and of using a talented construction crew to perform the work.”
A library of classical golf architecture books by Thomas, Mackenzie, Simpson, Hunter, Ross and McDonald had a profound impact on John’s theories and style.
Early in his career, John traveled to the British Isles to study the great courses of Scotland and Ireland. He was inspired by the natural links courses and the way they were formed without the appearance of disturbing Mother Nature. Since that time, he has traveled the world, seeing many of its greatest courses. These experiences have helped John evolve a design style and philosophy all his own.
Sadly, John Harbottle passed away suddenly at the age of 53 in May 2012. His legacy as a highly recognized golf course designer will live on every day at the courses he so lovingly created. John will be missed by all of us at Schaffer’s Mill.
John Harbottle golf course design projects include:
Monarch Bay – San Leandro, CA
Hawks Landing – Madison, WI
ArrowCreek “Challenge” – Reno, NV
BanBury Golf Club- Eagle, ID
Cinnabar Hills Golf Course – San Jose, CA
Izatys Golf and Yacht Club “Sanctuary” – Onamia, MN
Izatys Golf and Yacht Club “Black Brook” – Onamia, MN
Ridgecrest Golf Course – Nampa, ID
Resort Course at Genoa Lakes – Genoa, NV
Sunbrook “Black Lava” – St. George, UT
The Golf Club at Genoa Lakes – Genoa, NV
The Olympic Course at Gold Mountain – Bremerton, WA
Stevinson Ranch “Savannah” – Stevinson, CA
Palouse Ridge Golf Course – Pullman, WA
Juniper Golf Club – Redmond, OR
Dairy Creek Golf Course – San Luis Obispo, CA
Cascadia Golf Club – Bonney Lake, WA (under construction)
Quigley Canyon Country Club – Hailey, ID (in planning)
Tillamook Bay Golf Club – Tillamook, OR (in planning)
World Golf Hall of Fame golfer and premier golf course designer Johnny Miller has had an illustrious golf career. He has won 25 PGA Tour championships and numerous international golf championships including the U.S. Open Championship in 1973 with a final round 63 at Oakmont, a U.S. Open record, and the British Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in 1976. His 1973 World Cup victory as individual medalist and team champion with Jack Nicklaus convinced him that he could play with the best. His eight PGA Tour tournament victories in 1974, a record at that time, confirmed that appraisal. The near universal opinion that his run of victories and “shooting the lights out” with low scores made him the best in the World of Golf during the 1973-1976 period.
Johnny Miller was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1996, affirming recognition as one of golf’s all time greats. He has become somewhat of a “renaissance man” in the golf world as a pre-eminent TV golf commentator, golf equipment authority, columnist, author and golf course designer in addition to his accomplishments as a player.
In the mid 1970’s, Miller turned his creative mind and talents to golf course design and since that time has been involved in the design of over 25 golf courses throughout the world. His designs include Collingtree Park Golf Course in Northampton, England, the site of the PGA European Tour’s British Masters and Collingtree Senior’s Classic golf championships; Binks Forest Country Club in Florida, site of the 1990 PGA Tour’s Team Championship; Wingfield Golf Club near Nikko, Japan, site of the Sazale Queens Golf Tournament, a Japan LPGA Tour event; Thanksgiving Point Golf Course in Lehi, Utah and Entrada Golf Course at Snow Canyon in St. George, Utah, rated by Golf Digest and Golf Magazine as “Top Ten New Upscale Golf Courses” in 1997 and 1998.
Miller’s experience with challenging terrain made him a perfect choice to team with golf course architect John Harbottle III on the design of Schaffer’s Mill. Together they have designed a classic-style 7,000 yard, 18-hole course at Schaffer’s Mill using the high mountain terrain to create an indigenous course maintaining rock outcroppings and the other natural features. Schaffer’s Mill is a scenic panorama with creative elevation changes from tee to green.
Johnny Miller’s Golf Course Design Philosophy:
“As a player, I think the advantage a professional golfer turned course designer is his ability to visualize the shot in his head to see if it works – to be sure the shot is fairly created.”
Some of the additional acclaimed golf courses from Johnny Miller:
The Badlands – Las Vegas, Nevada
Coto de Caza Golf Club – Orange County, California
Sierra Nevada Golf Ranch – Genoa, Nevada
Brighton Crest- Fresno, California
Binks Forest – Wellington, Florida
Napa Valley Country Club (re-design) – Napa, California
Thanksgiving Point – Lehi, Utah
Entrada Golf Course at Snow Canyon – St. George, Utah
Due Process Stable – Colts Neck, New Jersey
Wingfield – Nikko, Japan
Collingtree Park – Northampton, England
Shimoakima – Gunma Prefecture, Japan
