People from around the world have put me in touch with folks for Feature Interviews. This month, we can thank Jonathan Cummings as he suggested we reach out to past ASGCA president Tom Clark.
Given that we have conducted a Feature Interview every month since June 1999, it is progressively more challenging to find someone with insight that differs from one of the 200+ prior interviews. Yet, Tom does that in spades, in part shining a light on period from the 1950s through 1970s that saw people like his former partner Ed Ault charge between $6,000 and $8,000 as a design fee (!) and build single row irrigation courses for under $400,000 (!!). Indeed, it is refreshing to hear of a time when architects built courses cheaply for mass consumption. Fledgling course rankings didn’t influence Ault as his focus was on providing golf to as many people as possible at an affordable cost. I was a direct beneficiary, growing up playing the Tuckahoe Nine at the Country Club of Virginia for many years before it was altered and converted into an 18 hole course.
Here is what Jonathan says of his longtime friend:
Eddie Ault would be surprised. From once simple workingman designs to more innovative layouts, far richer in character, the Ault/Clark team, over half a century has evolved, marking the golf course architecture landscape in a way that both resonates and endures. From that pop-topped can of Schlitz Eddie shared with Tom on his very first day on the job in the early 1970s, to a fine crafted brew of today, like beer, the firm and Tom have come a long way. Golf has taken Tom to all corners including the 50 states and beyond, traveling, often with wife Catherine, from Patagonia to Iceland, from Tibet to the Serengeti. Now in his 70s, that travel flame is more ember than blaze. Tom is more interested in design work nearer to home, as he says, “work I can get in my car and drive to,” but his passion for golf course architecture still sparkles. Give him a lifeless piece of flat property he can turn into an interesting golf course and he’s as engaged as ever. A father, a grandfather, a family man, Clark long ago left the bustle of DC relocating in rural Virginia where he enjoys hunting and fishing on his bucolic sixty-five Old Dominion acres. I’ve known Tom for decades. With a warm smile and twinkle in his eye, Tom loves to captivate listeners with his golf stories and memories. He’ll forever remember me for trying to kill him one hot summer day walking Avenel after the redesign, but we’ll leave that story for Tom to someday tell. Tom’s advice for young architects? “Don’t get yourself a big ass head, you got to keep moving or others will pass you by.” Words of wisdom that go far beyond golf.In recent times, I was impressed by the feature rich, collaborative effort between Tom Clark and Nicklaus Design at Magnolia Green south of Richmond. I don’t say that just because I aced the 230y third hole either (!)
but rather because of the centerline bunkers and bold green contours, features you don’t often come across. Most recently, Tom has worked with his longtime friend Ron Whitten at a course near Lake Anna, Virginia that will (finally!) start receiving play later this year. All of us template hole junkies will want to read about Cutalong and here is the link:
https://golfclubatlas.com/feature-interview-with-tom-clark/ Thanks to both Tom and Jonathan for this month’s Feature Interview!
Best,