James Braid

[Tony Dear]

I'm working on a series of articles about my favorite architects and am starting with James Braid. I'd be very grateful if GCA'ers could help me out by telling me what they know about him. Did he have a distinct style do you think? What are your favorite Braid courses and why? How big was his contribution to golf course architecture?
My favorite course of his is actually my favorite anywhere...St Enodoc. I've probably played a dozen more Braid layouts which puts me in a decent position to comment, but not as good as a GCA'er who has played 200.
Any responses would be very gratefully received.

[Scott Warren]

Tony,

I've played fewer Braid courses than you, but to me, what he built on lesser/poor land (8-12 at Deal, 4 and 12 at St Enodoc etc) is good evidence of his talents.

Even holes such as 14 and 16 at Brora and 5 at Golspie are really on land too dramatic to be considered great for golf, yet all are very good holes that add to the variety and interest of the courses.

His penchant on shorter par 4s (10 at Deal, 12 at Brora as examples) for making you feel like favouring the inside of the dogleg is the play when the green is very much set to accept a shot from the outside is something I really enjoy, also.

There seems to be subtle templates that I have noticed across his courses, which Robin Hiseman told me he wrote about his use of.

[Tony Dear]

Thank you Scott. Of course, despite having played Royal St George's, Princes, and Littlestone, I still haven't played Deal. And though I've played Dornoch, Tain and Golspie, I've never visited Brora. So I can't picture the holes you mention at either course. You're right about the 4th and 12th at St Enodoc though. The 4th is a superb little 4, and the 12th as good a hole as can be expected given the rather bland corner of the course it lies on - even he couldn't make much of the 13th and 14th though.
I used to work with Robin Hiseman's brother Andy. Do you know where I can get a copy of what Robin wrote about Braid?
Thanks again.

[Scott Warren]

Tony,

I'm not sure Robin has written about it, he was just telling me about it suring a round at Deal when I mentioned the similarity of our 8th to the corresponding hole at St Enodoc.

He is a member here so I will email him a link to the thread and see if he fancies chiming in.

[David_Tepper]

Tony D. -

I don't know how many golf courses Braid actually routed & designed from scratch. My sense is a fair amount of the work he did was visit courses already up and running, where he made suggestions and recommendations for how a given course could be improved. I am sure someone will let me know if I am mistaken in that regard!

There are several regional James Braid Golf Trails in Scotland. Here is a link to a website with info on them:

http://golf.visitscotland.com/home_of_golf/james_braid.aspx

DT

[Mark Pearce]

Tony,

I know that the Golf House Club in Elie have on display a letter from Braid, suggesting improvements to the course (his home town course) which were not adopted.  I don't know if they have any further information about him, though there is a plaque in the village of Earlsferry dedicated to his memory.  As David says, I think Braid seems to get a lot of credit for suggesting improvements.  He is certainly credited with improvements to Colt's original design at my home club, Northumberland, though no-one seems to know what work there is Colt and what is Braid.

[Sean_A]

I am not sure Braid was responsible for St Enodoc's 8th.  He could have done the bunker job though.  I wonder if that sort of short par 3 surrounded by bunkers was picked up from Old Tom.  I recall once someone saying he liked this sort of hole.  Incidentally, Wallasey's 12th is also a short 3 with bunkers cutting off access to the green, but none to the rear and Braid had input to that course..  I think this is a far better version of the type than at Deal or St Enodoc because of the height of the tee (one of the few drop shotters I like) allowing a well hit shot to hold.  Curiously, the hole also plays longer than it seems it should.   

I think Braid was very much a designer for the situation.  All his stuff looks different to me and that may be because of membership aspirations and the land.  I do think if given a free hand Braid would probably have been more of what we today call of the penal school.  Personally, his involvement at St Enodoc, Pennard, Perranporth and Gleneagles is enough for me to place him among the best.  Although I admit to a bias because I admire Braid greatly as much for his playing record and humble service to Walton Heath and professional golf as much as I do for his architectural success. 

Ciao

[Robin_Hiseman]

Tony

Scott emailed me about this thread and I've brought to work with me today a copy of the chapter in Braid's book where he details his design philosophies.  If you email me at rhiseman@egd.com I will scan a copy and send it to you.


Robin

[Brian_Ewen]

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,46276.0.html

[Tony Dear]

Wow, thanks Brian. I just spent 30 minutes getting to the bottom of the first page. Thank you for unearthing this, although I see it wasn't posted all that long ago. I shall spend a very pleasant Sunday reading the rest of it.

[John Mayhugh]

I really enjoyed the small memorial to him at Walton Heath.


From one of the displays inside the workshop. What a player.