Design Partner

Project Responsibilities

Lead designer, responsible for course layout and design of golf course features; monitors golf course construction, especially in the area of finishing details; consults on golf shop operations as related to final design decisions.

Qualifications and Experience

Mr. Kittleman has been a golf professional since 1956 and he is a life member of the PGA of America. He was the head golf professional at Merion Golf Club for 27 years, and upon his retirement in 1996 he was inducted into the Philadelphia PGA Hall of Fame for his service to the PGA and the game of golf. During his tenure at Merion, he served as the host professional for two U.S. Open Championships and the 1989 US Amateur. He was an active member of the Green Committee for many years, dedicated to the preservation of the extraordinary character of Merion’s East and West courses.

Mr. Kittleman has had a lifelong interest in golf course architecture and has traveled extensively to study the great courses of the world and examine the principles that influenced their design. With his formal training in architecture at Yale University and his experience as a golf professional, he brings a unique perspective to the design efforts of the firm.

His knowledge of the game and his awareness of the challenging relationship between design-construction-maintenance has been an invaluable asset to Hanse Golf Course Design.