Gil Hanse, 48, is the president of the company he founded in 1993 and has its headquarters in Malvern, Pennsylvania.

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But when used by elite tour professionals, golf's distance conversation takes a more serious turn, according to Gil Hanse, the leading golf course architect.

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Mr. Doak and Gil Hanse, both Americans, are best known for crafting quirky, inexpensive courses with wider fairways, funhouse green complexes and an emphasis on giving golfers multiple options.

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