Arguably, and in the minds of many inarguably, Harry Colt is the greatest golf course architect of all time. His work has inspired golfers, and very importantly budding designers, for more than 130 years. My first encounter with his portfolio, admittedly at a time when I was struggling to recognise one end of a golf club from the other, was back in 1978 at just the second course I played. Not that I would have known it back then, but Limpsfield Chart in Surrey may well have been an early beneficiary of his creativity. Colt played here a number of times with his friend, the 9-holer’s professional Douglas Rolland, whom he tempted away to take the same position at Rye Golf Club.
