New England's
course architects:
Following in the footprints of giants
By Kiel Christianson, Senior Writer
AMHERST, Mass. (April 4, 2004) -- Legendary figures once roamed the rocky hills of New England
-- figures whose names include Donald Ross, C.B. MacDonald, Seth Raynor, and A.W. Tillinghast. As
these giants of golf traipsed through rugged woodland and sloshed through swamps, it seems as if
classic golf holes formed in their footprints, as it is said that lakes formed in the footprints of
Paul Bunyan.
Golf began its life in the New World in New England and New York. Ever wonder why so many major
tournaments are held in the Northeast? It's because of the collective greatness and individual
brilliance of courses like Shinnecock Hills (Macdonald and Raynor), Winged Foot (Tillinghast),
Bethpage Black (Tillinghast), The Country Club at Brookline (Willie Campbell, William Flynn), and
The Orchards (Donald Ross; site of the 2004 U.S. Women's Open).
Today, as the population has grown, land values have sky-rocketed. It is as hard to find a tract
of land in New England suitable for a new course as it is to find a Yankees fan in Fenway Park.
Despite the decline in course construction in the region, however, a rich golfing tradition lives
on. And although the near-mythological figures of the past have faded into the history books, there
remains a small but highly influential cadre of course architects whose work bridges past and
present, while also planning for the future.
Geoffrey Cornish, Brian Silva, and Mark Mungeam
Geoffrey Cornish is the grand old man of New England golf course architecture. His experience
stretches almost 70 years, since he began working under renowned Canadian course architect Stanley
Thompson. He has authored or co-authored five books on course design, including The Architects
of Golf (with Ron Whitten) and Golf Course Design (with Robert Muir Graves). Cornish
holds a master's and honorary doctorate from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
 By 1980, Cornish had planned more courses in New England than any other course architect, living
or dead. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA). The firm he
heads has been ranked as one of the most sought-after in all of golf over the last decade by
Golf World. The Uxbridge, Mass., offices of this venerable firm are still hopping -- even
in the current global golf recession - thanks to new projects in Oxford, Conn., Acton, Mass.,
Hagerhill, Mass., and Methuen, Mass.
Brian Silva joined Cornish in 1983, and have since brought some of the best courses in New
England to fruition. Silva's father was a bulldozer operator for a successful golf course shaping
firm, and the younger Silva began helping drive the dozer at a young age. His first solo design as
partner in the firm was The Captain's Course in Brewster, Mass., which earned praise as "Best New
Public Course" from Golf Digest in 1985.
Mark Mungeam joined Cornish and Silva in 1987, and became a principle partner in 1995. Mungeam
became a bit of a household name - at least among golf aficionados -- after he oversaw the
restoration of Olympia Fields prior to the 2003 U.S. Open, won by Jim Furyk. In an interview with
TravelGolf.com before that event, Mungeam predicted the winner would be a "shot-maker." He was
right. Two of his best-known solo designs in New England are Cyprian Keyes and Shaker Hills, both
in Massachusetts.
 Roger Rulewich
Roger Rulewich spent the first 34 years of his career working with one of the modern legends of
course design, Robert Trent Jones, Sr. Rulewich describes course architecture as "sculpture more
than anything else, on a large scale, of course." He should know - he oversaw perhaps the
largest-scale golf course construction project in history: the construction of the original 18
tracks of the famed Robert Trent Jones Golf
Trail in Alabama. Rulewich recently completed the addition of three more courses to the trail,
all over 8,000 yards long. Despite his extensive work in the south, Rulewich's offices are in
Bernardstown, Mass., in a log house overlooking the 17th hole of his first solo design, the
acclaimed Crum
pin-Fox.
Brad Booth
Based in Ogunquit, Maine, Brad Booth has the entire northern-most outpost of New England to
himself. Nevertheless, Booth's two and a half year partnership with PGA touring pro Brad Faxon has
helped cement his reputation for high-quality, tournament-caliber layouts. Booth stresses that
Faxon (a native and resident of Rhode Island) "is not just a figurehead." Says Booth: "Brad gets
involved as much as his playing schedule allows."
 Unlike many modern architects, Booth considers the pressures brought to bear on the game by the
new breed of equipment to be only "a mild threat." "For the average guy," says Booth, "the increase
in distance is negligible. So it hasn't made many courses obsolete for any but the best golfers."
Booth is more concerned with making more shorter, not longer, courses. "I think we're
seeing the advent of alternative courses," he speculates, "for beginners, and people with physical
limitations and time constraints."
Philip A. Wogan and George Sargent
Philip Wogan, whose office is located in Topsfield, Mass., is also a Fellow of the ASGCA. His
connection to New England golf stretches back to the days of the giants: His father was an
apprentice to none other than Donald Ross. Wogan is an expert on environmental issues associated
with golf course construction and design, having written a white paper on the subject for the
ASGCA.
George Sargent and Philip Wogan have been partners since 1993, although Sargent's home base is
in Franklin, New Hampshire. In 1996, the two opened the popular and critically acclaimed Point
Sebago Resort course in Maine. Sargent also worked for Geoffrey Cornish for many years. Sargent
stresses that their mantra is making courses enjoyable for every golfer, no matter the skill
level.
If golf in America as a whole, and in New England in particular, is to thrive, accessibility is
indeed going to be key. Perhaps nothing would please the great spirits of the past than to see the
game that they helped define thrive in the capable hands of today's New England golf course
architects.
Notable New England designs by New England architects
Cornish, Silva, and Mungeam
Black Rock GC, Hingham, Mass.
Red Tail GC, Devens, Mass.
Captain's G Cse. (Port and Starboard), Brewster, Mass.
Cape Cod National GC, Brewster, Mass.
Owl's Nest GC, Campton, New Hamp.
Ocean Edge G Cse., Brewster, Mass.
The Shattuck GC, Jaffrey, New Hamp.
Roger Rulewich
Crumpin-Fox GC, Bernardstown, Mass.
Fox Hopyard GC, Old Lyme, Conn.
Brad Booth
Newport National, Newport, Rhode Is. (with Brad Faxon)
Burnt Mill CC, Wells, Maine (with Brad Faxon)
The Ledges Golf Club, York, Maine
Lily Pond G Cse., Somersworth, New Hamp.
Wogan and Sargent
Montcalm GC, Enfield, New Hamp.
Point Sebago G Cse., Casco, Maine
Maplegate CC, Bellingham, Mass.
Riverbend CC, W. Bridgewater, Mass.
Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.
|
