Hazeltine National Golf Club Unveils Walking Man Statue Sculpted by Bill Mack

CHASKA, Minn., June 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hazeltine National Golf Club today put the final exclamation point on its makeover by unveiling an original bronze Walking Man statue, created by world-renowned artist and local Minnesotan, Bill Mack. The statue is a 3-dimensional depiction of the new Hazeltine logo and was commissioned to provide a lasting symbol of the values of the golf club and its membership.

"Our intention for developing a new logo was to create an iconic image that would not only become nationally recognized, but also be profoundly symbolic of our club's values," said Tim Rainey, club president. "This statue will live as a symbol of all that is good about golf at Hazeltine."

Hazeltine National commissioned Mack in September 2010, and it took the local artist eight months to complete the 6-ft.-high statue. Mack's most recent and visible work includes the bronze statues at Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins (MLB), including statues of Kirby Puckett, Rod Carew and Harmon Killebrew. While Mack traditionally works in relief sculpture and gallery work, he has also created works for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Figure Skating Hall of Fame, U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame and the Hobey Baker Award. The new Walking Man statue will live in front of the entrance to Hazeltine National's new clubhouse.

"Though it was based on a photo taken of a longtime Hazeltine National member, this symbol does not represent one man but every man, woman and child that has or will play at Hazeltine," said Rainey. "Our logo represents our membership's love of golf in its purest form: simple, competitive and enduring. Walking is a large part of the golf experience at Hazeltine and so it's fitting the logo reflects that."  

The unveiling of the Walking Man bronze comes on the heels of a 20-month, $15 million course and clubhouse transformation as the club continues its mission to provide a world-class golf facility suitable for hosting national and international championships, including the 2016 Ryder Cup.

The golf course at Hazeltine National is reserved for private members and their guests, but several golf and social opportunities available to the general public will allow golf fans to view and appreciate the new Walking Man statue.

"Giving back to the community and making Hazeltine accessible are important club values," said Rainey. "Hazeltine is unique in the access we provide the community to enjoy top-rated social and world-class golf facilities. Whether it's a wedding reception or a private golf lesson, Hazeltine is a community treasure, and everyone is welcome here."

About Hazeltine National Golf Club

Hazeltine National Golf Club is a private golf club located in Chaska, Minn., about 30 minutes southwest of downtown Minneapolis. The club opened in 1962 with a mission to build and maintain a golf course suitable for the conduct of national championships. Hazeltine has hosted more United States Golf Association (USGA) events than any other golf club in the United States and is preparing to host the 2016 Ryder Cup. Hazeltine's meeting and event space, golf shop and specified services in the learning center are open to the public. More information is available at HNGC.com.

About Bill Mack

Bill Mack is the world's pre-eminent relief sculptor. The relief format – in Mack's case, "alto relief" – originated in ancient temple friezes and marble sepulchers. To excel in this exacting form, in which foreshortening poses daunting technical challenges, Mack is a master craftsman. Each relief derives from painstaking studies of the foreshortened figure – a classic skill that is rare in today's contemporary scene. Mack's figures – with their emotional beauty and soulful dignity – partake of the style "Romantic Realism," of which the pre-Raphaelite painters are a leading historical antecedent. His drawings and paintings, in the photo realistic genre, are extremely rare and are immediately recognizable as Mack's. They are rendered with a dimensional or "round" quality, since, while he is working in two-dimensions, he is always thinking of images in three-dimensions. Youthful and enthusiastic, stylish and unusual, from his rare art form to the mysterious red rose that he wears on his lapel each day, Mack enjoys one of the most successful, high profile careers in contemporary American art.

SOURCE Hazeltine National Golf Club