Mark Hollinger got a late start in his career as a golf course architect, but once he started he became known for designing some of the most highly regarded tracks in the U.S. and abroad.
Hollinger died Dec. 24 near his home in Winter Garden, Florida. He was 70.
A native of Pennsylvania, Hollinger (right) was raised in Warner Robins, Georgia, and earned a bachelor's degree in landscape architecture from the University of Georgia. He worked in landscape architecture, resort development and planning for 13 years on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. It was there, on Hilton Head Island, where Hollinger developed an interest in golf architecture, and soon went to work with Willard Byrd and Associates in 1986. Four years later, he joined JMP Golf Design Group, where he served as partner and principal until his retirement three years ago.
Among his original designs are Juizhaigou Golf Club in Sichuan Province, China; Dongzhuang Beach Golf Club, Shanghai, China; Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Club, Hainan Island, China; Wildhawk Golf Club, Sacramento, California; Iwate Numakunai Golf Club, Iwate, Japan; and Las Lomas Golf and Habitat, Guadalajara, Mexico. Along with JMP colleague Brian Costello, Hollinger was selected in 2015 to restore historic Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club.
Of his work at Juizhaigou Golf Club, Hollinger said: "This site is the culmination of my career designing golf courses throughout China. We carefully constructed this project within very difficult terrain and under difficult circumstances, but did it in a way as to protect, embellish and emulate the rugged mountain theme of the golf course."
His design philosophy centered around sustainable practices and incorporating existing landforms into strategic design principles.
"Mark retired from JMP in 2021, but his legacy will live on, in particular, with the significant number of highly regarded golf courses that he designed for the firm in China," said Costello, co-principal at JMP and current president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects.
Survivors include his wife, Kimbo, and two daughters.