[CHrisB]

This question hit me while at Barton Creek today--the 4 courses there are the Fazio Foothills, Crenshaw Cliffside, Fazio Canyons, and Palmer Lakeside.

Can you imagine if it was the Doak Course, Kidd Course, and C&C Course at Bandon Dunes? Or the Flynn Course, RTJ Course and Ross Course at The Homestead? Or the Crump/Colt Course and Fazio Course at Pine Valley?

And couldn't they have come up with better names for their clubs than Pete Dye Club (love that course, BTW), Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, P.B. Dye Golf Club, etc.?

Is this practice something that is simply a marketing tool for the clubs/courses/resorts, something that architects insist on (thinking that somehow it will more likely preserve the architecture in their style), or both?

And just when did this practice start, anyway? Does anyone know the earliest instance of a course being named after its architect?

[John Kavanaugh]

That would be the Old Course after Old Tom Morris.

[wsmorrison]

Chris, I know you were just citing an example, however the Old Course at the Homestead is attributed to Ross when in fact, there is hardly any Ross left.  If it was named "The Ross Course at the Homestead," it would be very misleading and the name would have been changed in 1925 and possibly again after RTJ, Jr. worked there.

The hole attributions are 1: RTJ, Jr.; 2: RTJ, Jr.; 3-8: Flynn; 9: RTJ, Jr.; 10: Flynn/RTJ, Jr.; 11: Flynn; 12: Ross/Flynn/RTJ, Jr.; 13: Flynn/RTJ, Jr.; 14: Flynn; 15: Ross; 16: Ross/Flynn; 17: Flynn; 18: RTJ, Jr.

[CHrisB]

Wayne,
Thanks for the clarification.

That's all the more reason not to name a course after its architect, isn't it? What do you do when it's time to make changes to the course, and the original architect is not retained to do the work?

JK,
You must be thinking about Old Tom Morris National Golf Club. I believe St. Andrew himself designed the Old Course at St. Andrews (it is a very old course).

[Dan Kelly]

That's all the more reason not to name a course after its architect, isn't it? What do you do when it's time to make changes to the course, and the original architect is not retained to do the work?

What would we be calling Augusta National today?

[Brad Klein]

I much prefer naming courses after what you destroyed to build it: Buffalo Creek; Eagle's Roost; Placid Harbor; Aspen Valley.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

In the case of this new course near here in Dupont, Washington, The Home Course! (It's actually built on an old TNT mine site)

[Bob Jenkins]

Then there are the Nicklaus Resort and Palmer Private courses at PGA West (hope I do not have it backwards) and I am sure there are other locations where courses are named after the architect in addition to those mentioned above. Nicklaus North at Whistler is one. Doug Carrick has a course named after him in Scotland for reasons unknown to me. As he is not that well known or a former great tour player, the use of his name is very interesting.

From a marketing point of view, I presume the average golfer with more money than golf architecture knowledge would assume he or she was getting a great course to play if it had a famous name attached to it. Hence, the "Signature" course concept.

Doubt that would influence anyone on this site, however. Except, possibly, for Jordan.

[Tom_Doak]

To get back to your original question, the first course I can remember which was named after the architect was the George Fazio Course at Palmetto Dunes, in the mid-1970's.

[Adrian_Stiff]

Tom- How would you feel a course being named "The Doak" or maybe "Doaks revenge" or something similar.

Holes named after architects is quite common, Braids Brawest is the 15th (I think) at Gleneagles. I think nameing holes probably works better than naming the course.

A course I am working on is going to be named "The Stranahan" after Frank Stranahan who did a lot in promoting the Open after the war.

[Matthew Hunt]

Tom- How would you feel a course being named "The Doak" or maybe "Doaks revenge" or something similar.

'Doaks Deadly Revenge' Doak an MacK's spirt strike back against the 'Dark side' of GCA!

Can you picture this in Las Vegas?

[Tom_Doak]

There is no golf course named after me and I think it's highly unlikely that it will ever happen, even though one of my next golf courses will be named after another golf architect.

[paul cowley]

There is no golf course named after me and I think it's highly unlikely that it will ever happen, even though one of my next golf courses will be named after another golf architect.

I'll put money on you being wrong.....dam, but you are shrewd.

[Rich Goodale]

To get back to your original question, the first course I can remember which was named after the architect was the George Fazio Course at Palmetto Dunes, in the mid-1970's.

Ah, sweet memories....

Play the Faz in the morning and then the Jones in the afternoon, chase the Women all night and then wake up and do it all over again.....

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