Who is your favorite architect besides your brother...

[JakaB]

Last night one of a nice pair of people asked me this very question and I was stumped....so maybe if you guys tell me who your favorite architect is....I can form an opinion even if it isn't my own..

[ForkaB]

This is a tough one, Barney

Once one gets past your brother, all the remaining archies are pretty much a much of a muchness, if you know what I mean.  It's kinda like who is the best rocket scientist in history, excluding Werner von Braun.

I'll keep thinking about it......

[John_Cullum]

I'll go with Kelly Blake Moran. I have never played one of his courses but I can tell from his posts on this site that I like his attitude and demeanor. If I ever acquire the incredible piece of land I scoped out down around Lake Wales FL, he gets the first shot.

[A_Clay_Man]

John- Are you asking us to rate architects? As in a list?

Is it really fair to just have one? Maybe one for every decade, or two.

Since the newer disciples, learn off the shoulders of the elder, shouldn't there be a bias, for those who worked a longtime ago, when there were fewer shoulders to learn off of?
If the answer is yes, I'd say G-d is my favorite.

This also touches on the real asset of this website. Architects, armchair or experienced practitioner, can travel the world with their finger tips.

Isn't Al Gore grand?

My favorite living architect is one who appreciates learning what they don't know, and isn't afraid to let other designers work, influence their future work.

[rgkeller]

Walter Travis, whose designs sprung from his experiences as a successful player.

[Dan Herrmann]

Gil Hanse
H Chandler Egan
William Flynn
Tom Doak
Tillie

[Ed_Baker]

I have favorites by era;

Crump,Leeds, pretty good one hit wonders.
Ross for his singular prolific volume and the average being above average, with a couple of World Class.

Tillie, for his bunkers.

Pete Dye for bold radical designs and simply for the advances in construction techniques that he has contributed, he was the first to build golf courses on sites that were only suitable for alligator farms and get some good golf out of them too!

Doak for his ability to knock it out of the park when an outstanding site presented itself to him. I hope Sebonac is the next one.

[JakaB]

rg,

I really like the thought of Walter Travis being my favorite architect.....what are some examples of his work and are you biased by being a member at any of his courses....don't answer which courses you may be a member of.....you may not want to face the rath of the access whores..

[Michael Dugger]

John,

I thought you said one time that Desmond Muirhead was your favorite "designer"??

I could be wrong

[Chris_Clouser]

Perry Maxwell

But I have great admiration for William Flynn.  From what I've seen he would be #2.

[Gene Greco]

Old Tom Morris

[mike_malone]

Jan Stephenson-of course!

[JakaB]

Stop it...I have decided that my favorite architect besides your brother should be dead.....and rule out Ross, MacKenzie and Crump for obvious reasons.   Travis is somewhat of a scam with taking credit for toughening up Garden City.....anybody can do that.   Maxwell......now that is an interesting choice......not too pretentious, hardly obvious but still with a feature....the Maxwell roll that makes you sound smart and interesting.....it's tough....because choosing Flynn or Tillie may make me sound like a better ball striker.....might just go with Bell......and quote that list Lynn posted on the Bell thead.......kind of a working mans choice.   Got to go with Bell..

[Tommy Williamsen]

I wish I had a brother.  But no, I have a sister who hates golf.  Alistair Mackenzie.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Tom Fazio

He ain't heavy, but he's my brother.............

[John_Cullum]

Alright , if you want a NLE architect, I'll go with Herbert Strong.

By the way, you never before mentioned your brother designed golf courses.

[JakaB]

Why Herbert Strong....that sounds like a cool answer.

By the way, I never had anyone ask who my favorite architect was before and when they wouldn't accept my brother as an answer I decided I need to get in someone elses camp.    I need something that makes me sound informed but not pretentious or biased.....can I really say someone as obscure as Strong and not sound pretentious..

[John_Cullum]

I have only limted Strong experience, but he did one of my favorite courses, Indian Hills in Ft. Pierce FL. Sadly, like Strong, it is NLE since May 04.

Indian Hills has lately been a low budget muni. I imagine when it was originally built, it was designed for the wealthy easterners who were wintering in Florida courtesy of Flagler's newly laid Railroad.

But for me, it was a poor man's Seminole. Right off of Highway 1, but with the dune running along the back line of the property where Flaglers RR tracks are. It was routed in a way that always had the wind from a different direction from the previous hole.

Some clown has now rerouted it so you don't finish with the sun in your eyes!!

[Jack_Marr]

Hmmm, it would probably have to be my sister.

[Travis Ripley]

it's a home-town pick; but, i grew up playing in Oklahoma (at Twin Hills and the University of Oklahoma course; family at Hillcrest in Bartlesville, OK) so I'm a Perry Maxwell guy.

[Mike Nuzzo]

Barney-
Have you considered Stanley Thompson.  Might fit your bill ... a little less obscure than Bell ... worked in some pretty good spots.

[JakaB]

Mike,

What is the "cocktail party hook" with Thompson...just something quick before I change topics..

[Mike Nuzzo]

taught RTJ how to design
worked at Jasper and Banff - party goers should know of those locals
and was a known to have many a drink - so you can toast in his honor too ... and walk away ala Castanza (on a high note)
boozing usually gets a laugh

[JakaB]

Mike,

I remember the guy now....no way in hell am I gonna have a Canadian as my FABYB....or even a guy who made his name in Canada.  I do like some living CA's...but not as favs..  

[Dan Herrmann]

I agree - Stanley Thompson is a great choice.  I completely fell in love with Highlands Links in Nova Scotia.  Truly wonderful golf!

And I'll repitch H Chandler Egan.  He did Riverside in Portland, OR, where I used to be a member.  I loved his traditional approach and routing.