AmateurGolf.com joined architect Gil Hanse inside the historic clubhouse of Baltusrol Golf Club for an insightful interview on the eve of the 2025 Media Day. The conversation took place just hours after our team had walked the celebrated ridgelines and perched greens of Baltusrol’s restored Upper Course—a project that reflects the heart of Hanse’s philosophy: preserve, don’t reinvent.

Restoring the Upper Course: A Shotmaker’s Return

Baltusrol Golf Club, founded in 1895 and designated a National Historic Landmark, has long been a crucible of American championship golf. But in recent years, the spotlight shifted upward—literally—to the Upper Course. Perched along a ridgeline overlooking the iconic Lower Course and with sweeping views of New York City, the Upper had become overshadowed by its sister course's major-hosting pedigree. That is, until Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner arrived.

“We didn’t come in to change Baltusrol,” Hanse told AmateurGolf.com. “We came to reveal what Tillinghast had already done. That was our guiding principle.”

Originally designed in 1922 by A.W. Tillinghast, both courses had aged in different ways. While the Lower Course was restored and reopened in 2021, the Upper retained much of its original routing and soul—but needed careful stewardship to reclaim its scale and strategic nuance.

Key elements of the Upper Course restoration include:

• Greens Expansion: Many greens were restored to their original dimensions, recapturing lost hole locations and opening up new pinning possibilities.
• Tree Removal: Strategic clearing brought back sweeping long-range views and restored the dramatic sense of scale across the ridge.
• Bunker Work: Edges were refined, shapes modernized with historic flair, and sub-surface infrastructure improved.
• Routing and Sightlines: Vistas from holes like the par-4 8th and the drop-shot par-3 10th now highlight the brilliance of the original topography.

“The Upper Course has always been the soul of Baltusrol,” Hanse said. “You now get that full perspective again—the land, the skyline, the challenge.”

Playing It Ourselves: Media Day Insights

AmateurGolf.com’s editorial team had the privilege of playing the Upper Course just before sitting down with Hanse. Our takeaways mirrored his intent: this is a course that celebrates creativity and precision. The elevation changes demand exact yardages. The greens—expanded but true—reward bold, intelligent play.

From the wind-swept approach to the 13th over water, to the climb up the 17th’s long par-5 corridor, the Upper offers something distinctly different from the Lower: intimacy and artistry.

As Hanse put it, “The Lower is for trophies. The Upper is for stories.”

A Nod to the Lower Course

While the focus today is the Upper Course, it’s worth acknowledging that Hanse and Wagner’s restoration of the Lower Course (completed in 2021) laid the groundwork for the club’s full architectural revival. Great Hazards were restored, green contours refined, and strategic zig-zag fairways reimagined. But it’s the Upper’s newly reclaimed scale and personality that now shines as a testament to Hanse’s reverence for Tillinghast.

“We weren’t there to do a Hanse course,” he emphasized. “We were there to make it feel like Tillinghast just left.”

A Living Tribute to Classic Architecture

With both courses now restored, Baltusrol stands as a rare and complete example of Golden Age design philosophy—elevated, not replaced, by modern infrastructure and maintenance. In the interview, Hanse summed up the challenge of such work:

“If you’re going to hold greatness to today’s standards—Augusta, Winged Foot, Baltusrol—then don’t dumb it down. Embrace what made it great.”

The Upper Course, once quietly brilliant, now speaks with clarity. And thanks to Gil Hanse, it does so in Tillinghast’s voice.

Watch the full interview on our YouTube channel: Gil Hanse Interview – AmateurGolf.com

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