Excluding past or present professional golfers, who does this panel think is the best golfer amongst the architects that are profiled in this website?I don't think there is necessarily any correlation between playing ability and design ability but being a good golfer has to only help.

George Thomas was a 2 handicap at Philadelpia Cricket Club before the First World War and won the club championship there twice.  CB Macdonald won the first United States Amateur.  Robert Trent Jones Sr, who isn't featured here was also an excellent golfer.

To assist REM:1. Found out recently from Mr. Bhato that Raynor did indeed play the game, just horribly.  2.  Bill Coore played golf collegiately.3.  This discussion has overlooked Mr. Walter Travis, who was a wonderful player.4.  Alice Dye has won numerous amateur events.5.  There was a fellow named Ross who was a fine player.6.  Steve Smyers played collegiately on the University of Florida team (his wife has been on the LPGA tour).

I have firsthand experience that Baxter Spann can golf his ball.  If he wasn't weighed down by his playing partner, he may have had a chance vs. me and aw-Shuckaby.  

Cheers,
Brad

Though he may not be profiled and not that it matters anyway, I believe Graham Cooke always was and still is quite accomplished.  Most likely one of the best playing architects of the present day.

I'm not knocking my brother (he is an older, thinner me after all) but Mike Young is a stud of the nth degree...He really is an architect besides being a first class travel agent..

Not to reduce Baxter's abilities, but it is my understanding that his partner, Ken Dye and Pete Dye used to shoot it out for bragging rights at the ASGCA meetings...

I was waiting for that question, George.  Obviously none of these guys have a clue how the bogey golfer plays, right?  So how can they expect to build a course said golfers will enjoy?

 

TH

ps - imagination and empathy are wonderful things.

Actually, I wasn't implying that at all. Judging by my one experience with Tom D, he understands us just fine. Archie does as well.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about my problems and how they relate to golf course architecture, and I'm slowly coming to the conclusion that I can't blame any architect for the fact that I play a few times a year and don't get to the range much more often.

The only courses that are truly playable with minimal lost balls for the likes of me are wide open courses like Rawls with few or no OB or lost ball hazards. But, like I said, I'm starting to think that's my fault.

I doubt RTJ played collegiately for Cornell. He was a fine golfer, probably had already voided his amateur terms by then, anyway, and got in to school via the side door,but have never seen a reference to his playing for Cornell.

Other fine players: Todd Eckenrode, was stroke play medalist in the US Publinx, and Jim Lipe is a scratch golfer.

I don't believe that Robert Trent Jones, Sr. played collegiate golf at Cornell.  He was only there for two years, not really on a degree program per se, just taking classes in different areas which would suit his pursuit of golf course design.

George:  There are all sorts of practicing architects who are off their games because of business and family commitments; I won't name names.  One who has never been better than a 15-20 handicap (I think) is Bob Harrison who is Greg Norman's lead associate in Australia and the Far East ... I think his perspective is a great help to Greg, who tends to visualize courses that are very hard unless someone is whispering in his ear.

Josh Taylor of Tom Lehman Golf is no damn slouch.

Either is Steve Smyers and Jim Engh. Ben Crenshaw is a fine player. someone once told me he won two Masters.

I'll never forget the time Jim Urbina and I were talking at a Ren Cup, we were laughing about Kye Goalby who is just awesome, and Jim mentioned that when he and the family have a get-together (his Dad Bob and cousins, Jay and his son his is also a stick.) that the high score is usually -5 under.

All I can say is the one time I played with Smyers he was sick as a dog...hives and everything. He only shot 2 under.

Joe