Robin Nelson

Robin Nelson was a highly regarded golf course architect best known as the senior partner at the international design firm Nelson & Haworth. After graduating in environmental design from the University of California, Berkeley, Nelson began his career in 1973, working first with noted architects Robert Muir Graves and Ron Fream. He later co-founded Nelson & Haworth, overseeing projects from Singapore, Shanghai, and San Francisco. Nelson was the lead architect on numerous notable golf courses worldwide, including over three dozen in Hawaii as well as courses in Australia, Canada, China, Korea, Southeast Asia, and the United States. His design philosophy focused on letting the site speak for itself and harmonizing the course with the natural environment. Notable courses include Mauna Lani in Hawaii, Bali Golf & Country Club, Shenzhen Golf Club in China, Ravenwood Golf Club in New York, and The Dragon at Gold Mountain in California. Nelson's innovative work earned him awards such as Golf Course Architect of the Year by Boardroom Magazine in 2000. He passed away in 2012 at age 61 after a battle with ALS.