Profile

The move to golf course design came slightly unexpectedly when he was approached by Killarney Golf Club in Ireland to toughen up the famous ‘Killeen’ course for the 1988 Irish Open. His work was commended by many of the tour players, and helped to launch what has since become a significant career in golf course design.

1989 saw one of David’s best career wins with The Kenya Open. Kenya had long been a favourite destination of David’s during the “wanderlust years” of touring professional golf, and was to become a big part of his future as a designer.

1992 found him pioneering in Turkey where he teamed up with his friend David Feherty to design the National Golf Club. While ‘Feart’ went on to TV stardom in the States, David stuck to design – four great Turkish courses later his reputation began to spread.

A return to the European Seniors Tour from 1997 to 2000 brought more titles and saw him back inside Europe’s top 10 money winners, but a broken shoulder in 2001 brought his playing career to an abrupt and untimely end. This opened the door for him to concentrate full time on golf course design.