Rod Whitman, principal of Whitman Golf Course Design, is based in Alberta, Canada. Whitman attended Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas during the late 1970s. In the midst of earning a psychology degree and playing on the university golf team, Whitman worked on the maintenance crew at Waterwood National Golf Club.

About 1980, Waterwood National superintendent Bill Coore recommended Whitman to legendary golf architect Pete Dye, who was in search of a capable foreman to supervise construction of the new Austin (Tex.) Country Club course. The new Austin CC was completed in 1982, and Whitman continued to work for Dye over the ensuing six years on numerous projects, including renovations to Dye's original designs at Crooked Stick and Oak Tree in preparation for PGA Championships.

Whitman has also teamed with Bill Coore and his design partner, two-time Masters Tournament winner, Ben Crenshaw, on several occasions since their days at Waterwood National. Most recently, Whitman was a major contributor to the design and construction of Friars Head on Long Island, New York, which is currently ranked 3rd on Golfweek magazines list of Americas 100 Best Modern courses (post-1960).

Whitman has designed six golf courses, including his first solo effort at Wolf Creek Golf Resort in his hometown of Ponoka, Alberta. Wolf Creek has perennially ranked amongst the top-20 golf courses in Canada since it opened for play in 1983.

Set along the North Saskatchewan River, southwest of Edmonton, Alberta, Blackhawk Golf Club began construction in April 2001. The golf course opened for play in early summer 2003. In the January 2005 issue of Golf Digest magazine, Blackhawk was named 2nd Best New Canadian course for 2004. Blackhawk was also named one of the 10 Best New International Courses of the World for 2004 by The Golfer magazine.