Thirty-three of the 182 current
active members of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, or nearly 20%, are offspring of the Jones architecture tree. Many times during his career, and especially in its closing years, Mr. Jones would be asked, “Of all the golf courses you have de- signed, which one is your favorite?” Peachtree? Firestone? Mauna Kea? Spyglass? Valderrama? The people asking the question delighted in showing off their knowledge of the names of his great courses. They tried to guess which one he would designate as his favorite, or perhaps was most proud of designing. Would he answer, as other architects had, that “just as a parent must be with his children, I like them all equally?” But that was never Mr. Jones’ answer. The answer he gave was truer to his character, his ambitions, and his lifelong dreams: “The next one.”
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Trent, Bobby and Rees Jones were inducted into the NCGA Hall of Fame in February. Bobby and Rees reflected on their careers:
What is a Robert Trent Jones Sr. course? Bobby: He transformed the game of golf after World War II. He also added water features, especially ponds, on the back nine of Augusta National at that time. He realized that the new equipment, especially with the advancement of the sand wedge, that a bunker was no longer a punishing shot. Adding water hazards was quite unique at that time. Rees: He built so many it’s hard to define it as one type of golf course, but I think what dad really did was start runway tees as a trend. They were for every type of golfer. Before that, we had just a single tee box. Dad really created multiple options with a runway tee, so that everybody could find a comfortable challenge. + + +
What is a Robert Trent Jones Jr. course? Bobby: I like to include both the aerial game and the ground game. We’re strategic architects. I like to think that we give everyone options to play at each course that we design. Every site determines the concept of our philosophy. + + +
What is a Rees Jones course? Rees: I was called a naturalist at one time, and that’s what I like to do. The term minimalist is being used now, and I think that means a natu- ral golf course, and using the lay of the land
as it exists. I also want to design a golf course where you use all 14 clubs in your bag, and a golf course that is flexible. I think a golf course today, especially in this market, has to be enjoyable to play. It has to have ebb and flow. It allows you to recover after a bad hole, and doesn’t just beat you hole after hole.
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What’s your favorite memory of your father? Rees: I think the best memories I had with my dad were playing golf with him. He taught me how to play golf. I think that is the gift he gave me. I think Bobby and I couldn’t have been as successful designing courses if we weren’t fairly decent at the game of golf. I really believe that if you are a single-digit handicap, you know how the good players play, and you know how the poor players play, and you have to design for both. Bobby: I think my favorite memory was right here at Spanish Bay in 1990. We had an architects meeting and we tried desperately to mimic the links golf courses of the British Isles with Tom Watson and Sandy Tatum at Spanish Bay. My dad came out for the first time and saw it, and he looked out and saw the silver, lean fescue look. We walked out on the course, and he said, “Bobby, you got this right.” That was high praise from the master, and I remember that with great love.
Congressional’s Blue Course was renovated by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Rees Jones. It has hosted three U.S. Opens, most recently the 2011 championship won by Rory McIlroy.
JAMES R. HANSEN is a Professor of History at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. The author of 11 books, his most recent, “A Difficult Par: Robert Trent Jones Sr. and the Making of Modern Golf” (Gotham Penguin, 2014) earned the prestigious Herbert Warrant Wind Award from the United States Golf Association for the year’s best golf book.
SPRING 2015 /
NCGA.ORG / 47
PHOTO: USGA
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