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It's all in the family for BY PETER BLAIS Joneses 'first "In my opinion there are three non- pro golfer 'names' in golf course archi- family of golf tecture —Jones, Dye and Fazio." While Rees Jones' (Robert Trent Jones Sr.'s son) words may, at first architecture' glance, seem self-serving, there are few The first family of golf architects is the who would argue with that assessment. label generally applied to the Jones clan. Many talented architects are design- Father Robert, and sons Robert Jr. and ing gorgeous courses throughout the Rees, have designed and built hundreds of world. However, any discussion involv- courses throughout the world. ing course designers often touches on A scratch golfer as a teen-ager, Robert those three families. Trent Jones graduated in 1930 from a self- Two generations of Joneses, Dyes designed course at Cornell University that prepared him for a career in the then rela- tively new field of golf course architecture. 'It's natural that a By the mid-1960s he was the best-known father will pass it down architect in the world. He had designed to a son and take the more than 400 courses in 42 states and 23 countries by 1980. An author of numerous time to give him an essays and articles, he has received many Robert Trent opportunity to get into awards including the American Society of Jones Sr., front, Golf Course Architects' first Donald Ross with sons Rees, it.' Award for outstanding contributions in the left, and Robert — Rees Jones field of golf course architecture. Jr. At age 83, he is still one of the most active Rees is also a writer, co-authoring the with what you're after," said Robert Sr. and Fazios are currently in the busi- practitioners of his craft, logging hundreds influential Urban Land Institute publication 'That's the hardest part, transferring the ness and it's very likely a third soon will of thousands of air miles annually. He cur- "Golf Course Developments" along with idea from the architect to the builder and be making a name for itself. rently has 15 projects in the works and landscape architect Guy L. Rando. He is having it come out to the satisfaction of most Why have families rather than indi- recently returned from a two-week, nine- perhaps best known for his renovation of everyone," agreed Rees. viduals become the big names in the country tour of Europe. the Country Club at Brookline, Mass., site The younger Joneses also learned from field? The elder Jones was a tough act for sons of last year's U.S. Open men's champion- their father and Baldwin how to build a Rees Jones believes it is because Robert Jr., 50, and Rees, 48, to follow. But ship. Haig Point GC on Daufuskie Island in course that was technically correct, "so the there are no schools or college pro- follow they did, and quite successfully. South Carolina and Pinehurst No. 7 have course would stand the test of time and hold grams of golf course architecture. It Bobby graduated from Yale University also received very favorable recognition. up without having to be rebuilt quite often," remains a craft rather than a profes- and joined his father's firm, Robert Trent 'They've done some very good work," said Rees. sion. Jones Inc., in 1960. He eventually took over said their father. "Most of it has followed An additional benefit of working for their "You learn golf course architecture the California office, becoming responsible along my basic principles." father was the substantial clients — like by doing it," he said. "It's natural that a for the business' Western United States and Rees said there was little pressure for him Laurance Rockefeller, who built several father will pass it down to a son and take Pacific Basin interests before establishing and Bobby to follow in their father's foot- courses at Dorado Beach in Puerto Rico, the time to give him an opportunity to his own Robert Trent Jones II Group in steps. Their entry into the trade resulted and the Aga Khan, who built a seemingly get into it. It's much harder for some- 1972. from being around the business, even dur- impossible course along the cliffs of the one outside because it takes four or five He became known as an artist who ing vacations that were often spent at the Mediterranean island of Sardinia. years in the field to learn what you're blended his courses with the environment. sites of their father's courses. Bill Baldwin, "These were people with the wherewithal doing. That's why it's still a craft." Spanish Bay Golf Links in Pebble Beach and one of his father's construction foremen, (to build an outstanding course). So I learned With that in mind, here's a look at the Sentryworld GC in Wisconsin are two excel- spent a great deal of time with the younger the proper way by working for my Dad," families Jones, Dye and Fazio. lent examples of those efforts. Joneses, becoming almost a second father, said Rees. Rees likewise attended Yale and did gradu- according to Rees. In fact, the major difference between their ate work at Harvard University's Graduate The youngest Jones believes the most father's heyday in the 1950s and 1960s and Clogged Suction Scrcen? School of Design. important lesson he learned from his father today, said Rees, is the amount of money He went to work for his father in 1964, was controlling not only the design end, but available to build courses and the freedom This Screen becoming involved in the design or con- also the construction phase of a project. that gives architects to indulge in multi- Stays Clean struction of 50 courses and taking over the Thus all three have their own design and scene (every hole is different than the pre- East Coast office before striking out on his construction employees. ceding one) rather than single-scene (every own in 1974. "You have to do that or you don't come up hole is basically the same) layouts. SURE-FLO Self-Cleaning Hunger for golf bred into Pete and Alice Dye's sons Strainers "I was born and bred to design golf courses "I'll be working all day on a bunker and Robert Trent Jones Sr. was the only de- and I had the two best teachers in the busi- she'll come by around 3 or 4 p.m. and say, signer at the time with any sort of profes- capacities to ness," said P.B. Dye, son of Pete and Alice Why did you do this or that?' It helps to have sional status, according to Alice. Generally 5000 gpm Dye. someone you have tremendous respect for the job of laying out a course was turned Pete, the elder statesman of the Dye clan, take a fresh look at things. Usually what I've over to a greenskeeper, who was paid about patent no. could make the same claim. His father, Paul, done is easy to modify and I'll make the $2 an hour. 4822486 designed and built Urbana CC in the 1920s. change," said Pete. "Jones elevated golf course architecture "He played golf and was very interested in Pete and Alice met while both were at- to a profession. Jack Nicklaus (who opened Save Time and Money — grasses," remembered Pete of his father. tending Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla. his architectural firm inl974) raised it to a eliminates screen scrubbing "But it was a hobby for him, so I never They were married in 1950 and moved to business where you could make a decent and maximizes pump looked at it (golf course architecture) as a her hometown of Indianapolis. living," said Alice. efficiency profession." Both embarked on successful insurance Fortunately for the Dyes, who were rais- It wasn't until the late 1950s that Pete left a careers and worked on their golf games. ing Perry and P.B., they still had checks New optional stainless steel 32 successful insurance career to become a Pete won the 1958 Indiana men's amateur coming in from Pete's past insurance sales. wire mesh coverings full-time architect. Today five Dyes (Pete, and twice finished second. Alice became a That helped carry them through the early Alice, sons P.B. and Perry and Pete's brother legend, claiming seven Indiana amateur Manufactured by years when they were developing low-budget Roy) are in the business. titles, three Florida amateur titles, five West- Perfection Sprinkler Co. courses. Pete, 64, is the patriarch and the name ern Senior championships and two USGA Pete and Alice traveled the great courses 2077 S. State St. flTTHÇL most people know in the male-dominated Women's Senior Amateur Championships. of Scotland in 1963 and incorporated many P.O. Box 1363 world of golf course architecture. But Alice, Alice left the insurance business in 1952 of the features they witnessed — small Ann Arbor, MI 48106 62, has had a hand in nearly all of Pete's to raise their family. Pete continued until greens, undulating fairways, pot bunkers, 313 761-5110 FAX 313 761-8659 designs. 1959. Continued on page 25 APRIL 1990 Golf Course News 25 some clans in design In the early days the Fazios dealt in turnkey operations, designing and Fazio brothers building a course that was turned over to the owners ready for play. Courses continue were built for about $10,000 a hole, a tradition far cry from the millions spent on George Fazio's missed putt on the final today's links.

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