The first golf course architect.

[Anthony Gray]

   

 

[Ron Csigo]

Wasn't the first golf course architect Mother Nature?!  ;-)

Allan Robertson was credited for enlarging the greens at the Old Course, making the course more playable.  Also, he and Old Tom Morris worked together to design Carnoustie.

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

Was the first architect Dutch?

[Melvyn Morrow]

Donal

Not certain but the name MacMorrow seems to ring a bell – something about being an old master, seems he came originally from Fife, something like Saint Columba bringing God to our shores. Except MacMorrow may have done the same with the Dutch but this time it was GOLF (cartless golf as it was then known and not to be confused with cartball which does use carts)

Melvyn 

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

But seriously, there existed courses (other than TOC) in Scotland prior to Allan Robertson's birth. Someone must have laid them out. There's also evidenece of golf being played in England, Ireland (1650s) and the US (1750s), all pre-dating Robertson.

Mother nature is usually credited with TOC, but isn't this because no one has any idea who laid it out. While the green sites may have always existed, someone must have made a decision on the routing.

I need to check the archives and find out more about this MacMorrow laddie I believe he was a "hunter" / warrior.