About a year ago, I had a few exchanges with a member of Belle Meade, who had done extensive research on Herbert Haydn Barker, the Belle Meade golf course designer. His research led to the publication of a book about Barker. His contact with the Travis Society came about because of the relationship between Walter Travis and H.H. Barker. Barker was the first golf professional at Garden City Golf Club and Travis later wrote about conversations he and Barker had about golf course design while they were together at GCGC.
According to the Barker book, written by Robert G Calton, of the Belle Meade CC, Belle Mead came into existence in 1914. At the time, it was known as the Nashville Golf and Country Club. According to Calton's book, the "Nashville Tennessean" reported, in 1916, that H.H. Barker created the 18 hole Belle Meade course. But, just five years later, in a report about the Southern Amateur Championship, "The American Golfer" credited Donald Ross with the design.
In his book, Calton traces Barker's career and reports that in "October 1914, Barker signed a contract to design and lay out a new course for Nashville Golf and Country Club on their new property in Belle Meade. In December, Barker was paid "223.75 by Nashville golf for architectural services. This may have been the last course designed by Herbert H. Barker in the United States.". In 1917, the Nashville club hired Donald Ross to "complete the golf course at Belle Meade". Calton's book concludes: "Donald Ross first inspected the golf course on June 16, 1917, and shortly thereafter submitted plans for the addition of bunkers and other improvements to the course. The implementation of the Ross plans would take place over the next four to five years........When the name of the club was changed to Belle Meade CC in 1921, the golf course was considered a Donald Ross course, and was well on the way to becoming one of the finest golf courses in the South". Through a personal email, I might be able to put you in touch with Calton.
Ed
www.travissociety.com