What if Robert Trent Jones and Sons had happened?

[Ian Andrew]

What if Rees and Bobby stayed with their father and then with each other right through till this day?

Would the domination of Robert Trent Jones - as a brand - continued?
They've obviously all done well for themselves, but would this have changed golf design?
Would they have built even more projects and become a larger world wide brand?

Would this have had an impact on Fazio, Dye and Nicklaus to pick three?

Thought it was a fun question ...

[Peter Pallotta]

Ian - I'd be interested to hear what *you* think. Would the sons have wholly adopted and maintained their father's architectural style and ethos? Could the father ever have genuinely learned from/be significantly influenced by the sons? How much and to what degree are our ways of doing things shaped by others, and how rigidly fixed? In the arc of a creative life, how many significant changes/evolutions is one capable of?

[Ian Andrew]

Peter,

It's funny, I was thinking about the time and influence of Robert Trent Jones extending for a greater period. The fact that the I could see the International side of the business being dramatically different, bigger, etc. Would his celebrity increase and extend much further into design history ...

Your questions on the actual designs through me for a loop. I''m going to think about this for a while and see if I possibly have an answer.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

RTJ Snr was 93 when he died. His influence lasted for 60 if not 70 years. Is it remarkable that his sons have managed to make their own names in golf course architecture rather than simply being an extension of their father's empire? 

[Tim_Weiman]

Ian,

One side note I hope doesn't hijack the thread.

Friends of mine that were close to Mr. Jones when be built the Cashen course at Ballybunion told me that when the club was scheduled to have the course opening they asked Mr Jones if there was anything they could do for him, anything he really wanted to celebrate the event.

Apparently, Mr. Jones broke down in tears and said the one thing - the only thing - he really wanted was for his sons to attend the event.

Honestly, my memory fails me so I am not sure, but I think one or both did show up. Kind of sad, obviously.