Harry Colt is one of the greatest golf course designers of all time. He either designed alone, or at different times in collaboration with the likes of Dr Alister MacKenzie, Charles Hugh Alison and John Morrison. Colt's portfolio of courses are mainly found in Britain, Ireland, France and the Netherlands, with some notable exceptions "across the pond." His best known work includes, but is not limited to:

BRITAIN & IRELAND:
Aberdovey (modifications, 1910) / Belvoir Park (1927) / Berkhamsted (with James Braid, 1890) / Betchworth Park (1911) / Blackmoor (1913) / Broadstone (redesign, 1914) / Burnham & Berrow (1890) / Camberley Heath (1913) / County Sligo, Rosses Point (redesign, 1927) / East Devon (redesign, 1920) / Effingham (1927) / Ganton (improvements, 1907, 1911 & 1931) / Hankley Common (redesign, 1935) / Ilkley (with MacKenzie, 1896) / Isle of Purbeck (1892) / Moor Park (High course, 1923) / Northamptonshire County (1909) / Pyle & Kenfig (1922) / Royal Cromer (with JH Taylor, 1913) / Royal County Down (improvements incl creation of the famous 4th & 9th holes, 1925) / Royal Dublin (1921) / Royal Lytham & St Annes (improvements, 1919) / Royal Porthcawl (improvements, 1913) / Royal Portrush (Dunluce course redesign, 1929) / Rye (1894) / Sherwood Forest (1895) / Southerndown (modifications, 1920) / St Andrews (Eden course, 1914) / St George's Hill (1912) / Stoke Park (1908) / Sudbury (1920) / Sunningdale (New course, 1922) / Swinley Forest (1909) / Thorndon Park (1920) / Trevose (1924) / Wentworth (East course, 1924) (West course, 1927) / Woodhall Spa (redesign, 1911).

CONTINENTAL EUROPE:
Ascona, Switz (1928) / Eindhoven, Nld (1930) / Granville, Fra (1912) / Hamburg-Falkenstein, Ger (with Alison & Morrison, 1930) / Hilversum, Nld (1918) / Kennemer, Nld (1910) / Le Touquet, Fra (La Mer course, 1931) / Noordwijk, Nld (1931) / Puerta de Hierro, Spain (Arriba course, 1914) / Royal Haagsche, Nld (with Alison, 1938) / Royal Zoute, Belg (1909) / Saint Cloud, Fra (1913) / Saint Germain, Fra (1924) / Saint-André-sur-mer, Coxyde, Belg (1922, course closed in 1928) / Utrecht "De Pan", Nld (1894).

UNITED STATES & CANADA:
CC of Detroit, MI (1912) / Hamilton G&CC, Ontario (1915) / Milwaukee CC, WI (with Alison, 1929) / Pine Valley, NJ (with owner George Crump, 1919) / Sea Island, GA (Seaside course, with Alison, 1929) / Toronto GC (1911).

If Harry Shapland Colt's middle name had been "Shapeland," it would have been one of the most prophetic names ever given. As the son of George Nathaniel Colt (barrister) and Georgianna Colt, young Harry learned to play golf on his summer holidays in Worcestershire. He was educated at a traditional English boarding school (Monckton Combe) near Bath, and later, while studying law at Cambridge, was elected Captain of the Cambridge Univesity Golf Club.

While working as a solicitor in Hastings, Colt joined and was made inaugural Captain of the fledgling Rye GC. Assisted by his boyhood friend Douglas Rolland, Colt laid out the first of his many golf courses on the Camber sandhills at Rye. A year later, in 1894 Colt (a devout Anglican) married his partner for life, Charlotte "Laura" Dewar (a devout Catholic). Throughout their lives together they tolerated each others religious differences.

In 1901 Colt became Secretary of Sunningdale GC, where he ran a "tight ship," with a reputation as "no easy man to serve." His time at Sunningdale allowed him to develop his skills as a leading amateur golfer (in 1906 he reached the semi-finals of the British Amateur Championship) and also work on his growing business as a course architect.

It seems Colt was equally at home working alone on design projects, or in collaboration with other course architects, most notably Dr Alister MacKenzie, Charles "Hugh" Alison and John Morrison. In 1920 the already acclaimed architect Alister MacKenzie joined Colt and Alison in a formal partnership agreement, as Messrs. Colt, Mackenzie & Alison. However, this arrangement lasted just four years; in late-1923 MacKenzie broke away on his own. In 1928 the firm Colt, Alison & Morrison Ltd was established, formalising Colt's 20-year working relationship with Alison, and with Morrison, with whom he had worked since the early 1920s.

It is often said that "the sun never sets" on a course designed by architect Robert Trent Jones (and his sons Robert Jr and Rees); this statement is equally applicable to the works of Colt, Alison and Morrison.