Featured architects

Dick Wilson

Postwar precision on the American seaboard

Born
1904, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Years active
1945–1965
Works
60+ courses
Era
Modern Era

Why the name endures

Born Louis Sibbett Wilson, he learned construction on the Flynn crew at Merion before building his own practice in the postwar boom. Where Robert Trent Jones Sr. went long, Wilson went precise: elevated greens, flanking bunkers and fairways that demanded the ball be placed rather than merely struck.

Design principles

  • Greens raised and flanked by bunkers on both sides
  • Fairway landing zones defined by angle, not width
  • Water used as a boundary rather than a gimmick

Surviving work

Courses to see

Pine Tree Golf Club

Florida, USA

Called by Ben Hogan the finest flat course in America.

Doral (Blue Monster)

Florida, USA

Water down the left and a long Tour history.

Cog Hill No. 4 (Dubsdread)

Illinois, USA

Public championship golf outside Chicago.