Architect Teachers

[Adam_F_Collins]

Who are/were some of the great architect teachers?

Did they teach in a classroom setting, through apprenticeships or both?

On a similar note, who taught you some of the most valuable and/or memorable lessons about golf course architecture?

What was the lesson?

[Jeff_Brauer]

I doubt there was ever a great classroom professor of golf course architecture.  Most of us learn through apprentice experience.

I'll bet most architects consider their mentor (if they have only one) to be a great teacher. I feel that way about Killian and Nugent.  If a young person had the good fortune to work for a few architects before going out on his/her own, he may have a favorite.

My best lesson from Killian was - "There are no bad projects"  If you think its bad before you start, its a gurantee it will be.  But if you think you can make something of it, despite budget, average site, etc. then you have a pretty good chance of succeeding.....

[Jeff_Mingay]

Stanley Thompson comes to mind, having mentored Geoff Cornish, Howard Watson, Robbie Robinson, and others.

More recently, Pete Dye's at the top of the list. Tom Doak, Bill Coore, John Harbottle, Bobby Weed, Ron Farris, Tim Liddy, and others, including my "mentor", Rod Whitman, learned from Mr. Dye.

[T_MacWood]

I remember reading that Bendelow taught a course on golf architecture at the University of Illinois...in the 1920's I believe, maybe it was the teens, at any rate just prior to Jeff Brauer attending.

There was also serious talk of setting up a similar course in the UK--with either Fowler and Colt as the teacher. I don't think it ever materialized

[Jeff_Brauer]

I remember reading that Bendelow taught a course on golf architecture at the University of Illinois...in the 1920's I believe, maybe it was the teens, at any rate just prior to Jeff Brauer attending.

There was also serious talk of setting up a similar course in the UK--with either Fowler and Colt as the teacher. I don't think it ever materialized

Ouch!

[ian]

Jeff,

From all the stories that I've heard and correspondence I have read, I don't think Stanley's personality was one of a teacher.


There are a number of well known and well liked architects who concider Rees Jones a mentor. A mentor is still important in creating the man that makes up the architect. While the style's may differ, he has impacted the architects a great deal.

[TEPaul]

Architecture teacher?

I bet every architect had some mentor to point to but.....

....if one wanted to try to boil it all down to the lowest common denominator I bet the best teacher for both playing the game of golf itself and the creating good art in golf architecture too is probably one and the same, all wrapped up in that wonderful adage;

"Let the ball be your teacher!"

[Jeff_Mingay]

Ian,

Rod Whitman doesn't have the personality of a teacher either. But, boy, have I ever learned a lot from him about golf course design and construction.

Same goes for Thompson, I guess. He may not have been a stereotypical teacher, but there are a few guys who worked for him that credit Thompson as a mentor.