HARRY COLLIS (1878-1937)
BORN: London, England.
DIED: Chicago Heights, Illinois, at age 59.
Harry Collis was a talented soccer player in London in his youth. He emigrated to America in late 1889 and became greenkeeper at Indianapolis CC. In 1906 he moved to the Chicago area to work as pro-greenkeeper for Flossmoor CC.
While at Flossmoor, Collis remodeled the course into a popular tournament site, developed a turf cutter that was eventually patented and created a strain of bent grass named after the club.
The remodeling at Flossmoor led to other course design jobs, and after World War I Collis worked steadily on a part-time basis planning courses all across the United States. On occasion he collaborated with his friend Jack Daray, professional at nearby Olympia Fields CC. Collis also operated the Flossmoor Turf Nurseries of Chicago, specializing in Flossmoor bent grass.
In 1929 Collis resigned from Flossmoor to pursue his own activities full-time. But the Depression intervened, and he was never able to develop a prosperous business. He struggled through the 1930s to maintain his turf farm and other Chicago-area properties before ultimately losing them to bankers and tax men. Flossmoor CC then rehired Collis as its greenkeeper, but he died in 1937, just after his return to the club.
Courses by Harry Collis:
Arizona: La Palma CC (1919, NLE); Phoenix CC (1919); San Marcos Hotel &C (1922).
Florida: Homosassa CC (NLE).
Illinois: Cherry Hills CC (1932), with Jack Daray; Dundee CC, with Jack Crofee; Freeport CC; Glenwoodie GC (1923), with Jack Daray; Harlem Hills CC; Indian Wood G&CC; Laramie CC (NLE); Navajo Fields CC (NLE); Normandy CC; Park Forest GC (NLE); Pistakee Hills CC; Richton Park GC.
Indiana: Casa Del Mar CC; Long-wood CC.
Iowa: Newton CC (9).
Maryland: Manor CC (1923); U.S. Naval Academy GC (9 1928).
Michigan: Chickaming GC; Walled Lake CC (NLE).
Mississippi: Rainbow Bay GC IFKA Edge-water GC](1930), with Jack Daray.
Courses remodeled or expanded by Harry Collis:
Colorado: Denver CC (R.).
Illinois: Flossmoor CC (R.); Medinah CC
(CseNo. 3,R. A.5 1932). Michigan: Meadowbrook CC (R.6 A. 12
1921), with Jack Daray. Wisconsin: Rhinelander GC (A.9).