Dick Wilson's work at Seminole

[Tim Liddy]

JC,

Yes, I did a slide for Mr. Dye showing the changed green and green-side bunker shapes (I think we used golf hole #1 as an example). I cannot remember if we used Ross’s original green drawing or an earlier aerial. He wanted it for a Golf Digest conference in 2005. I do not have a copy of them now and do not have the time to research at the moment. 

[Eric Smith]

This thread http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,38386.35/ touches on Wilson's work at Seminole as well as more references to Famous Amos Jones from Georgia.  Once again, the discussion is led by Pat Mucci and TEPaul so of course it is a good and informative discussion. 

One other name mentioned, but I didn't see that it was confirmed in the thread that he worked on Seminole, is Ed Connor.

I looked in Cornish and Whitten's book and sure enough Ed Connor is listed in there, after Mr. Wilson, as the rest. architect in 1991 @ Seminole.  (Greens).

[TEPaul]

"One other name mentioned, but I didn't see that it was confirmed in the thread that he worked on Seminole, is Ed Connor.

I looked in Cornish and Whitten's book and sure enough Ed Connor is listed in there, after Mr. Wilson, as the rest. architect in 1991 @ Seminole.  (Greens)."


Is that right? I never heard that before. I could be wrong but I think what basically Ed Connor was all about is he was what might be called a green grade-shooter and a very detailed one at that. He actually invented some instrument called a Lasodite or something like that.

Maybe what really happened with those greens that Pete Dye is talking about is Seminole hired Famous Amos Jones, the black shaper/contractor from Georgia and Ed Connors to come in there together and both of them got completely shit-faced before going in there or maybe over there with Dunphy or one of the other professional drinking members and sort of got mixed up about what they were doing or who was supposed to do what or maybe even where they were. If they knew Dick Wilson at all that might not be all that hard to do.

I love that story of Wilson going to some course and he goes to the hotel first and was so loaded he took a leak in one of the flower pots in the hotel lobby and the conceirge comes over to him and says: "Excuse me sir, what to you think you're doing?" and Dick says to him: "I'm taking a leak in a flower pot in the hotel lobby; what does it look like I'm doing?"

[TEPaul]

Hey, Tim Liddy, that's a very cool photo you've got on your posts. Is that of you? Neat hair style but it looks like your hair is on fire. Did you know Dick Wilson too?

[Tim Liddy]

Hey Tom. Yes I knew Dick Wilson (martinis), as well as Donald Ross (scotch). NOT. I am glad you like my image.

[TEPaul]

I love your image, Tim. Would you say Conan has any innate golf architecture talent or would it just be a kind of "red pompadour hairday" kind of thing?

[M. Shea Sweeney]

Kelly-

I am sure Tom Paul will give you the answer your looking for. But for the time being and for what its worth--I believe the Chris Dunphy that they are talking about was basically the "mayor" of Seminole.

From what little knowledge I have of him, he was in the movie business and had some pretty well to do friends whom he played golf with. I believe he was known as a great gambler on the golf course and played a good amount of golf with these "well to do friends" at Seminole. He then became a member and then basically decided who got it in, and then basically became the one man green committee.

I cannot say for certain how accurate this description is, and thats all I have. For what its worth....

[Jeff_Mingay]

As a side note, when Mr. Dye is not happy with my work and we are with a client he will kid me and call me ‘Amos Jones”.  I immediately know he is not happy with whatever feature we are discussing, while the client is unaware of his dissatisfaction.

Great story, Tim