Robert von Hagge

Robert von Hagge was an American golf course architect born on April 27, 1927, in Chicago. He grew up surrounded by golf, working as a caddy, shop boy, greens superintendent, and assistant pro before becoming an architect. Von Hagge started his career apprenticing with renowned architect Dick Wilson and by the early 1960s had contributed to dozens of golf course designs across the U.S. and the Caribbean. In 1963, he left Wilson's firm to start his own practice and adopted the name von Hagge.

His designs are known for demanding layouts featuring tight fairways and the need for precise shot-making. Over his long career, he designed or redesigned more than 250 courses across the United States, Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world. Among his most famous works are the Doral "Blue Monster" in Miami, Les Bordes in France—a hauntingly beautiful and challenging course on a billionaire’s hunting estate—and Le Golf National near Paris, the venue of the 2018 Ryder Cup. His international projects include courses in Jamaica, Mexico, Spain, and Australia.

Von Hagge's style combined bold creativity with strategic depth, often reworking natural landscapes with dramatic earth moving that added both challenge and visual spectacle. He was also known for his charisma and once appeared in television commercials as the Marlboro Man. Throughout his life, he was recognized for raising the bar on golf course design worldwide, creating courses that remain highly regarded for their challenge and character. He passed away in 2010 at the age of 83.