[Mark_Rowlinson]

I'm just starting serious work on the Sandy Lodge Centenary Book.  The club was founded by one James Francis Markes.  He brought in Harry Vardon to lay out the course to his brief, but in every other respect he ran the club dictatorially for a good many years after its foundation.  
 
Who else founded and ran a course or club successfully?

Fownes/Oakmont?
Tufts/Pinehurst?
Hollins/Cypress Point?
Macdonald/NGLA?
Abercromby/Addington?

George Crump - Pine Valley, but he died before he could really dictate.

[A.G._Crockett]

Uh, Clifford Roberts at a Augusta National?

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Well, where does Bobby Jones fit in at ANGC vis-a-vis Roberts?  Whose idea was it to found ANGC?  

I keep finding holes in my suggestions, hence my floating this across the bows of you professors.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

I've loaned my Woodhall Spa book to someone, and I may well be misguided, but I fancy that Hotchkin was initially the landlord and when, after several financial crises, it became apparent that the members couldn't run their club Hotchkin then took it over.  I don't think he was a dictator from the start - I could well be wrong.  Dictator in this case is, obviously, of the benevolent kind.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Mark,  Thanks for that info.

I think what I'm really seeking is other men, like Markes, who had the idea of a golf club/course, knew exactly what they wanted, had the thing built, and then ran it according to their philosophy for some significant period of time.

The last thing I want to do is to make a fundamental error by drawing a parallel between Markes and someone who didn't do quite the same thing.

That's why I'm airing it here, so that you people will shoot down anything unsound before it gets into print.

[BCrosby]

Low and Paton at Woking?

Both Jones and Roberts had a hand in foundig ANGC. It would be difficult to tease out who was most responsible. There is no question, however, that Roberts eventually became a dictator.

Among his other attributes, Jones was consitutionally incapable of being dictatorial.

Bob

[Tony_Muldoon]

Low and Paton at Woking?

Paton was called "The Mussolini of Woking" by Darwin.


Sutherland at Dornoch?


And at the risk of irritating a dictator, where is our own Pat Ruddy?

[TEPaul]

"George Crump - Pine Valley, but he died before he could really dictate."

Mark:

Despite the fact he bought the place and basically owned it and probably paid for most of the construction, George Crump was never a dictator of PVGC. Matter of fact, he didn't even want to run the club. He left that to his good friend Howard Perrin who was or would become the President of the Golf Association of Philadelphia and then the USGA (Perrin was presiding over a meeting of the Executive Committee of the USGA when word came that Crump was suddenly gone). Crump appeared not to be much concerned with anything other than the building of his golf course.

But PVGC sure as hell did have a dictator, perhaps the most dictatorial and enduring of any American club ever---the one and only John Arthur Brown who ran that club himself for over 50 years.

Brown and Clifford Roberts, the long time dictator of ANGC, knew each other and it appears they were like big bull elephants in competiton. Roberts came to PVGC a number of times (he may've even been a member) and once he went to speak with Eb Steineger, Brown's long time super. Roberts got a note from Brown essentially saying; "You are permitted to play golf here but I will not permit you to speak to my greenskeeper without speaking to me first."  

[Dan Moore]

George Combe at Royal County Down.  He oversaw most of the major improvements in the early 1900's up to Colt's arrival in the mid-20's that constituted the final steps toward greatness.  

[john_stiles]

Jack Lupton at The Honors (Pete Dye) would be a modern example.   he founded the club in the early 1980s and has been less involved with the club in the last 5 years or so.

The club is dedicated to amateur play and has hosted US Amateur, US Mid-Amateur, Curtis Cup, NCAA championship, Tennessee Amateurs, etc.  Mr. Lupton also played a big role in starting the women's golf program at the University of Tennessee.

It was 'his' course and it has been run very well by all accounts I have heard from members.  I am not a member.
Mr. Lupton is easily placed in the benevolent dictator category but he did make all the decisions.  At least one or two former members may disagree about the benevolent part.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

I'm glad I asked the question, I'm learning a lot (as usual on this site) and avoiding getting egg on my face (food again, Tom)

[Brad Tufts]

Herbert Leeds/Myopia in the early days....

He used to watch where good players missed, leave white markers, and bunkers would appear soon thereafter....not to mention the tinkering for years after the original course was built.

[ForkaB]

Tony is right, re:John Sutherland.  Secretary/Dictator for 58! years, taking over a 4 year old club with a scruffy 9-hole course and turning it into one of the best in the world.

[Phil McDade]

Reluctant as I am to post something about Merion East, I believe the Valentines -- father then son -- were superintendents there for something like six decades or so. There may be regular GCA posters who have further insights into this...

[TEPaul]

Phil:

That's true, it was about six decades for the Valentines.

[SPDB]

Jackie Burke for Champions.

The continuum of dictators is an interesting thought, i.e. how well the system progresses from one generation to another. As it relates purely to the golf course, would Henry Fownes to W.Fownes/Loeffler be a good example?

[Adam_Messix]

I always thought that one of the most appropriate and best pictures that I ever saw was a picture at The Honors with the title of "The Committee".  It was a group of gentlemen around a table each with Mr. Jack Lupton's face.  Great stuff and the club is very well run and it describes the kind of place it is.  

[George Pazin]

The continuum of dictators is an interesting thought, i.e. how well the system progresses from one generation to another. As it relates purely to the golf course, would Henry Fownes to W.Fownes/Loeffler be a good example?

Someone with the recent Oakmont history book could probably help you out with this one.

What modern figures are poised to join the august group?

Mr. Hansen at HC? Keiser at Bandon?

Dictator doesn't really seem fair for visionaries....

[Phil McDade]

...Herb Kohler esp. for Whistling Straits. He has really thrown around his influence, money and stature to land some pretty high-profile events -- three PGAs and a Ryder Cup -- for a very young course. And the mandate there of walking, the sheep herd, and everything else is pretty much Herb.

[Chris Cupit]

Jack Lupton at The Honors (Pete Dye) would be a modern example.   he founded the club in the early 1980s and has been less involved with the club in the last 5 years or so.

The club is dedicated to amateur play and has hosted US Amateur, US Mid-Amateur, Curtis Cup, NCAA championship, Tennessee Amateurs, etc.  Mr. Lupton also played a big role in starting the women's golf program at the University of Tennessee.

It was 'his' course and it has been run very well by all accounts I have heard from members.  I am not a member.
Mr. Lupton is easily placed in the benevolent dictator category but he did make all the decisions.  At least one or two former members may disagree about the benevolent part.

John,

I am very fortunate to be a member at The Honors Course since '91 and I can assure you that there is no finer gentleman and lover of the game of golf than Mr. Lupton.  

You can not begin to imagine all the worthwhile causes he has supported for golf as well as for the Chattanooga community.  While there are some good "Mr. Lupton stories" I can assure you that anyone that has ever angered Mr. Lupton has more than deserved it!

I do remember one good story--my first annual meeting.  It's held in the spring when the course re-opens for play.  There is a business meeting followed by a "choose up".  Anyway, after the usual preliminary stuff, Mr. Richardson (I think) begins with the financial report.  About 45 seconds into the report, Mr. Lupton growls, "Aw, hell Joe, everything's fine, let's go play some damn golf"!  Meeting adjourned!

[Gary Slatter]

With great respect for both gentlemen, two Canadians come to mind.  Harry Allard created Emerald Hills, using every dollar he could find, sold it for $40million, got it back when the Japanese buyers only could pay $20m.. Ruled it from his leather floored office!  And he then did it again with Woodington Lakes.
And Larry Bunkowsky (daughter Barb played LPGA). As a 16 handicapper designed and built his own course, Burlington Springs,  in 1968 and still operates it "his way".  He used to charge an extra 25cents for cream in your coffee. Itwas the first course that I know of to use two cups on each hole (one pin, as you putt out the next group prepares to play to the other cup).
Both very successful pro/owners.  

[Anthony Butler]

Speaking of Canadians, what about the Trivial Pursuit guys?

Speaking of Canada, perhaps Ran and Ben at Cabot Links?

[Bill Gayne]

Castro at Havanna Golf Club.

Kim Jong-Il shot 38 under par the first time he played with five holes in one. Pyongyang National is 7,700 yards.

http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2004/ea_nkorea_06_16.html

[TEPaul]

"Speaking of Canadians, what about the Trivial Pursuit guys?"

Good question.

Speaking of Canadian guys, Chris Goodwin is very much a total dictator although probably much more in the vein of a benevolent one. He's a really bright guy and totally got into all the nuts and bolts of the design, construction and ongoing ramifications of his (and John Drake's) Donald Steel golf course outside London Ontario. It's Red Tail GC.

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