Is there somebody on gca familiar with Howard Watson’s work in the 1950s?

[Jim McCann]

I believe Watson's Canadian Golf Landscaping company constructed the 18-hole layout at Campestre de Cali in Colombia during the late 1950s.

I also understand that Club Campestre de Cali hosted the Colombian Open in 1946, 1951 and 1956 (when Arnold Palmer claimed one of his first professional titles).

If these tournaments all took place before Watson’s work was unveiled, did the Canadian architect redesign the original course or lay out eighteen new holes?

[Dick Kirkpatrick]

Jim

You have a PM

[Jim McCann]

Dick

Many thanks.

Don't let that stop anybody else pitching in...

[Wayne_Kozun]

Many of us Canadians do - I believe he did a lot of work at Toronto Golf Club, but I don't know what he did exactly and whether it improved or detracted from the course.  They recently did a very good restoration - which was done by Martin Hawtree.

[Bill_Yates]

"The Architects of Golf" has Howard Watson (1907-1992) listed with many design and remodel credits mostly in Ontario and Quebec, but with others in Florida, New York, Vermont, Maine, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Columbia and Jamaica.  He also worked with R.T. Jones and Stanley Thompson.  However, a great deal of his work was done with his son John.  And yes, Club Campestre de Cucuta in Columbia was one of his designs.

[Brian Ross]

I have found several sources online linking him to the design of Club Campestre de Cali, including a Colombia Travel Guide for Golf, as well as a book entitled "Golf in the Tropics."  Both list the designer as Howard Watson and list the course as opening in 1956. 

Perhaps the club existed before that but played elsewhere when they hosted the earlier Colombian Opens?