George Lowe Sr. (1856-1934) and George Lowe Jr. (1890-1974) Once more the Carnoustie connection with Australia shows up in this family of professional golfers, with Australian golf and its courses the beneficiaries. George Lowe Sr. was a Scottish professional, best known for his service at Royal Lytham and St. Annes Golf Club, both as a professional/greenkeeper and a course designer. In this essay we examine his career, with a special interest in that of his son, George Lowe Jr., who emigrated to Australia and provided distinguished service to the game as a professional, course builder and course designer.

George Low(e) (Senior) Royal Liverpool did not want to lose In 1901 Lowe was one of the George Low was born on the 10th him, and a member, Mr Gibson Sinclair founders of the St. Anne’s Old Links September 1856 in the small Angus wrote to the Club encouraging them Golf Club and in 1905 he left Lytham hamlet of Carmyllie (the town where to keep Lowe, saying “all practicable and St. Annes after 17 years and was Dan Soutar would later be born), the means should be taken by the Club appointed the Old Links Club’s unpaid son of George (a stone quarrier) and to retain Lowe, he being one of the professional and greenkeeper with a Susan Low. Along with his parents and best club makers in the Kingdom”. workshop for 1/- a year rental. The Old brothers, William, David and James, Morris was willing to take George into Links Club leased the original Lytham George moved to Carnoustie, Angus partnership with him, but the lure of and St. Anne’s Golf Club site until in 1864, where they all came under the his own command proved too great relocating to its new site on a course spell of golf, with George undertaking and he took up his new position in which George designed. He left the an apprenticeship in clubmaking with July that year. Old Links Club in August 1911 and Frank Bell at the Barry Links. George then operated from a workshop he recalled that he was still an apprentice Lytham times set up in St. Annes as an unattached with Bell when came Lowe was paid 15/- per week by professional golf club manufacturer, to Carnoustie to extend the ten hole Lytham and St. Annes, along with the course designer and teacher. The shop course into 18 holes. Low was not use of a free workshop and the title was near the Lytham and St. Annes impressed with the short length of a ‘Custodian of the Links’. At Lytham, course and was still there in the 1980’s, number of the holes Old Tom left them George helped organize the first although by this time it was being with, describing them disparagingly Professional Tournament held at the used as a fish and chip shop.

Courtesy of Alan Lowe as “a drive and a kick”. course in 1890, with total prizemoney of £55 and £10 for the winner. The Clubmaking and teaching Top: a young George According to George himself, he purse attracted a splendid field, As a clubmaker, George Lowe is Lowe Sr. in action in 1888. left Carnoustie for Leven after his including Old Tom Morris, Willie Fernie, credited with developing a matched Above: A nattily dressed apprenticeship and then, at the age Willie Park, Jack Morris and Archie set of irons that he patented in Britain George Lowe Jr. swings of 21, obtained the post as assistant Simpson, with Fernie the winner of in 1896 and in the USA in 1899. There for the camera. professional to ‘Jack’ Morris, the the 36 hole event - Lowe finished a were four different irons all sharing a nephew of Old Tom, at the Royal creditable fourth, making good use uniform head size. The British patent Liverpool Golf Club’s Hoylake course. of his home ground advantage. Lowe was: “Patent No. 16,560 Lowe, G. Around this time he altered the spelling and his wife extended great hospitality Idea for a matched set of irons each of his surname from Low to a more to the visitors and looked after 3 inches by 13/8” by 5/8” across the anglicised Lowe - perhaps to distance their every need. sole, the clubs being named as himself from the amateur John L Low ordinary irons, lofting irons or mashies of St. Andrews or the pioneer American Whilst not a champion golfer, George and the face being flat all through, golfer George Low. He remained at represented in the first similar to the ‘Fairlie Club’.” Hoylake as Morris’ principal clubmaker international match played against until 1888 whereupon he was offered England, and played in four Open George taught the brothers Tom and the post of ‘custodian of the links’ at Championships, with his best finish to make clubs and his the Lytham and St. Annes Golf Club. a tie for sixth in the 1882 Open at early invoices were headed “Golf Club St. Andrews. He promoted himself and ball maker”. At one time, George on his invoices as “Winner of Six First employed up to five men in his Professional Prizes”, but it was as a clubmaking workshop. clubmaker, teacher and architect that he really left his mark. 28 GOLF ARCHITECTURE f Historical Museum Courtesy of Queensclif

His obituary notice credits him with Far left: Photograph of the participants having made more than 25,000 golf at the First Professional Tournament clubs over his career. They each held at Lytham and St. Annes on 8th carried a wrapper when sold, that November 1890: back row from left, stated: “A genuine George Lowe Club, George Lowe (Lytham), Alex Herd as used by their Royal Highnesses, (Huddersfield), Jack Morris (Hoylake), the Duchesses of Fife and Argyll, The Willie Campbell (Musselburgh) and Hugh Hon. AJ Balfour (the Prime Minister) Kirkaldy (St. Andrews); front row, Willie and others.” Park (Musselburgh), (St. Andrews), Tom Morris (St. Andrews), Son Stewart Lowe later reflected that Willie Fernie (Troon) and Archie Simpson these endorsements were of little value (Carnoustie). Above: George Lowe Sr. as he reckoned these three “couldn’t teaching at Scotsman’s Flat in hit a decent shot between them.” Queenscliff. Other images: George Lowe The ‘others’ no doubt included Talbot Sr.’s invoice header from Lytham and de Vere Clifton, the local Lytham squire St. Annes, and three of George Lowe’s and world renowned South American ‘Anti-Shank Uniform Irons’ made to his explorer to whom George was personal patented design - from left is a ‘Niblick’, professional and teacher. The local an ‘Iron’ and a ‘Cleek’. These were newspaper reported that, following plated to prevent them from rusting Clifton’s return from his world travels and described as ‘Hawkins - Never to take up residence at Lytham Hall in Rust’ and date from c.1900. 1907, George Lowe had been seen strolling about the park, not with a gun, The Manchester Golfer referred to his but with a golf club, as he was busy Designs prolific design work in 1911, stating designing a private course for the As a golf course architect, Nisbet’s Lancaster 1* (1889); Saddleworth; that, “George Lowe… seems to have Squire in the grounds of Lytham Hall. Golf Yearbook of 1907 - The Who’s (Royal) Birkdale (1889); Inglewood - been called in to all of Manchester’s Who (Professionals) - stated that Lowe now Penrith (1890); Ramsey (1891); golf courses at one time or another.” George later recalled that the first ‘…has laid out nearly 100 courses …’, Isle of Man; Studley Royal* (1891); women pupils he taught were at whilst his obituary notice credits him Windermere (1891); Pleasington - At Windermere in the Lake District, Lytham in around 1886, and that with ‘…having designed more than 9 holes (1891); Windermere - 9 holes Lowe’s initial report in early 1891 stated, “the first club carrying bag on 120 courses in England and on the (1891); Hallowes (1892); Morecambe “I beg to report after seeing the ground Carnoustie course was introduced Continent of Europe…’ & Heysham* (1892); Anson* (1893); you propose for a golf course that it by me when on holidays there. I had Seascale - second nine holes (1893); has every chance of being an excellent my first made in Hoylake from a Many courses that George originally Burnley* (1894); Howstrake* (1894), course. I am confident of being able to sail makers shop of sail material.” laid out have been since redesigned Isle of Man; Horwich (1895); Port Erin - lay out an admirable 9 hole course... by others and some have since ceased now Rowany (1895), Isle of Man; Peel From what I saw in our short survey I to exist. Known designs by George (1895), Isle of Man; Morecambe & believe that I could play the nine holes Lowe include: Hesketh (1885); (Royal) Lancaster* (1901); St. Anne’s Old Links as the ground is at present and not Lytham & St. Anne’s, (1896), St Annes (1901), St. Annes on Sea; Lancaster lose a ball.” Later in that year the on Sea;Rochdale (1888), Lancashire; 2* (1905) [*no longer exists]. original nine holes were completed and play started.

GOLF ARCHITECTURE 29 George Jr., Annie, Allan Ramsey, Amy Journal of 18th July 1930. In it he wrote: the Colac Golf Club in western Victoria, Peel and Robert Ivan. Daughter Amy “Teaching was always my strong point, as he had been chosen as its new rarely admitted to her middle name, however, and in this I always had a professional. Not long after he left and George’s descendents only large measure of success. Some of my Colac, he gained the professional’s realised recently that her middle name pupils have won medals in every corner position at Barwon Heads Golf Club in of Peel and brother Allan’s middle of the world. After a spell in these 1912 and that of the Geelong Golf Club name of Ramsey coincided with English centres I migrated to Australia. in 1913. It appears certain that Lowe George laying out the Peel and Here I continued my work as a teacher held both positions concurrently, a not Ramsey courses on the Isle of Man. and a course architect, laying out unlikely scenario given the difficulties Luckily for them he was not laying out and reconstructing many of the best for regional clubs to attract and retain Morecombe & Heysham at the time! courses in this part of the world, where a professional of the caliber of George my home is, and where I expect it Lowe Jr. and the relative closeness of Annie passed away on 16th April 1919, will be until the last.” both clubs. George Jr.’s son Alan Lowe and in 1920, at the age of 64, George does not recall this early involvement and his daughter Annie decided to George also left a record of his of his father at Barwon Heads but it come out to Australia to live and be reminiscences of his Carnoustie is confirmed by club records and close to George Jr. and Alex, who, days with friends in Queenscliff, a newspaper accounts of the day. along with his other sons Allan and most valuable reference to the early Ivan, had emigrated some years earlier. days of golf. Records are scarce of The history book of the Barwon George settled in Queenscliff, Victoria his course design work while he was Heads Golf Club records that Lowe Courtesy of Queenscliff Historical Museum to be close to George Jr. at nearby in Australia. Grandson Alan Lowe was appointed professional and Barwon Heads, residing at a house he has no recollections of any work his greenkeeper at their 9 hole course purchased at 64 Learmonth Street that grandfather may have done with in 1912, staying with the Club until he aptly named ‘Dormy 1’. He fitted in regards to course design in Australia, he joined the Expeditionary Force. well with the small town community with his advice to Queenscliff being It records that, “On his joining the in Queenscliff, becoming a Justice of the only known example. forces mention is made that he was the Peace in 1923 and master of the presented with a wristlet watch, at a local Masonic Lodge, even taking George Lowe (Junior) cost of two pounds thirteen shillings George Lowe Sr., and above, proudly up bowls successfully, winning the Young George was born at St. Anne’s and sixpence to which each member photographed with his prize-winning local championship in 1926 and 27. on Sea on the 28th November 1890. was asked to subscribe half-a-crown. fruit and vegetable produce. Even as a schoolboy, George was paid When he returned from the war he Golf remained his true passion by his father to teach during the school was re-appointed professional at an though and he took up the post as holidays and accordingly never held amount not to exceed two pounds Lowe’s layout for the new course professional to the Queenscliff Golf amateur status. A naturally talented per week, later increased to three for Lytham and St. Annes in 1886 is Club in October 1921, not long after golfer, his first position after leaving pounds per week.” perhaps his best known design, and it his arrival. After a short time he wrote school was as playing professional to has been subsequently redesigned by to the Club resigning his position in the squire John Talbot Clifton at Lytham such notable architects as Harry Colt, May of 1922, and the Committee Hall, where his father had laid out a Herbert Fowler, Tom Simpson and resolved that “Mr Lowe’s resignation course for the Squire in 1907. He was Charles Cotton & Frank Pennink. shall not be accepted and that Secty then appointed professional in 1909 at write requesting him to reconsider the Old Manchester Golf Club, located Birkdale Golf Club on the his decision, and also to thank him at the Cliff, Higher Broughton, and Lancashire coast, now Royal Birkdale, for his letter of advice re bunkers etc.” considered the second oldest in commissioned George Lowe to lay It would appear that he did advise England, but during 1911 was advised out their new links in 1897. Lowe did Queenscliff on bunkering its course and by doctors to move to warmer climes not follow the principle that blind shots other design matters during his tenure due to bronchial trouble. He decided to were an integral part of links golf and there. Afterwards he continued to emigrate to Australia, arriving in 1912. carefully routed the course in the teach golf to interested pupils on a flat valleys between the large sandhills. stretch of open ground in the town that His older brother Alexander Stewart Fred Hawtree and JH Taylor later became known as Scotsman’s Flat. Lowe, who had served as professional re-fashioned the links in 1931 into the and greenkeeper both at Ambleside Letter from the Geelong Golf Club Open venue we know today. On the At the age of 67 George married local Golf Club and at Knott End Golf Club, in December 1914 to George Lowe Isle of Man, Lowe redesigned the spinster Isabella Mary Lane on 10th decided to join George in sailing to informing him his position as Ramsey Golf Club’s course that was February 1925 and in his retirement Australia. Alex, as he was known in professional would be kept open for first laid out by Tom Morris in 1894. took an active interest in vegetable Australia, became professional at the him while he served in World War 1. Lowe’s redesign was later amended gardening, fruit trees and breeding Wollongong Golf Club and later at in 1929 by . bantams. George Lowe Sr. passed the Wentworth Falls Golf Club in With the outbreak of World War I, Lowe away on 15th October 1934, aged 78. the Blue Mountains. volunteered to join the Expeditionary Family and Australia Force at the end of 1914 and served at George married Annie Allen, a farmer’s George wrote a two part article on George obtained work as a jackeroo at Gallipoli and in Palestine. His brother daughter from the west of Ireland, on some of his recollections of the early Murray Downs “for 12/6 a week and Alex also joined up and served with 10th August 1885 in Hoylake and they days of golf in Carnoustie, which was my tucker” and whilst there received a distinction in Gallipoli and France, had six children - Alexander Stewart, published in the Forfarshire People’s telegram requesting that he report to winning the Military medal for gallantry.

30 GOLF ARCHITECTURE Courtesy of Alan Lowe Lowe considered settling in Punch of 23rd November British East Africa after war’s 1922 gives credit to Lowe as end but the Geelong Golf being “placed in charge of Club requested he return, the constructional work. He having kept the job open for thanks Mr Morcom, the expert him during his absence, as Sandringham greenkeeper did Barwon Heads. for very valuable advice in the early days.” Clearly Barwon Heads Mick Morcom’s advice in Royal Melbourne professional constructing the course J Victor East was appointed and establishing its turf was to lay out the new course for valuable and he continued to the Barwon Heads Golf Club provide on-going advice on on a 152 acre sandy tract the course after it had opened. just back from the beach. In fact Morcom arranged for This new site was purchased couchgrass stolons to be in 1920, as the Club had harvested and brought over outgrown their old 9 hole course. from Royal Melbourne to turf the East approached George Lowe to Barwon Heads course, while the assist him and also supervise greens were of “Kentucky blue and

construction of the layout, which f Historical Museum fescu (sic) grasses on a sandy bed George undertook and continued to heavily manured.” Nine windmills and manage the course as Professional tanks were dotted around the course and Greenkeeper until May 1924. The to provide irrigation water for each Barwon Heads history book records tee and green. Courtesy of Queensclif that at the time George was held in high esteem: “Apart from the links the Above: George Lowe Jr’s layout plan for the new course at Barwon Heads, c.1920, Work on the new course started in most valuable possession of the club and an inspection with Barwon Heads officials of the land for the new course, c.1920 - earnest in May 1920 and 9 holes is George Lowe. His knowledge does George Lowe Jr is third from left and next to him holding the plan is J Victor East. opened for play in November 1921, not extend only to club making and Below: Views over the land for the Warrnambool links prior to construction and by Easter of 1922 all eighteen teaching. Not only is he a first class holes were playable. George Jr.’s son greenkeeper, but his insight into the Alan Lowe has kindly provided the art of course construction on modern authors with his father’s lay-out plan lines and farsightedness merit praise. for the course and this has been Of a modest retiring disposition, Lowe reproduced here. According to Alan, is not the man to speak of his own George Sr., who had emigrated to accomplishments, and only those Australia in 1920, did not assist his son who were actively connected with the with any advice during the construction making of the links are aware of how of the Barwon Heads course, however, much the success of the venture his other son Alex did help his brother is due to him.” at Barwon Heads for a short period.

Newspaper accounts of the day Warrnambool suggest that Lowe was co-designer In 1923 George gave golf away of the course with East, rather than to become ‘mine host’ at a hotel in just his constructor. The Australasian Dooen, near Horsham. Whilst there in reported on 24th of March 1923 1925, a number of influential men from that, “JV East, who collaborated Warrnambool visited Horsham playing with the club’s professional, G Low, golf and happened to stop at George’s in designing the course, had the pub for a drink. During conversation, greater part of it laid out on it came up that these men wished Courtesy of Alan Lowe Hopgood’s farm of 147 acres…”, to develop a new golf course on a while the Geelong Advertiser of 17 wonderful parcel of linksland their club January 1922 related that the land’s had acquired. The Warrnambool Golf natural attributes were cleverly Club was growing tired of constant incorporated in laying out the links criticism from cattle owners on their and that “This was begun some current course near the racecourse eighteen months ago by Mr JB East where cattle were allowed to graze (sic), the well known golf expert, and and they began looking around Mr. Lowe, the local professional, for an alternate site. guided to a considerable extent by Mr Morcom, so closely associated with golf at Sandringham.”

GOLF ARCHITECTURE 31 Naturally, George told them of Not only did Alexander do so, he remodeled the course during this Long Island his family’s history and he was sub- resigned from his position with Yarra period. In 1934 he was approached George Lowe was then lured south to sequently requested by these men to Yarra to become professional at this by the Queenscliff Golf Club, where build the new course for Long Island visit Warrnambool and inspect the new new course. George was approached his father was professional for a short Country Club at Frankston, south of site. He did this and reported that the to be the course’s curator and time, for advice on the greens and he Melbourne, to a design by Victorian land was perfect for a links-style course. construct it. The layout became the was requested to “place his method architect GB Oliver. Minutes of a Lowe accepted the commission to Heidelberg Golf Club’s home where of sowing on paper for instruction meeting of Long Island Estates Pty design and construct the course, George remained until 1935, having to the Greenkeeper.” Ltd dated 13th August 1935, stated leased his hotel and moved the family that, “Mr George Lowe (appointed) to Warrnambool. Alan Lowe, in a letter as Greenkeeper at a salary of £5 per to one of the authors, states that “this week and house rent free. Mr Lowe was the toughest job of his father’s life”, to take up his duties on Monday building the Warrnambool course in the the 12th August 1935”. sand dunes. Alan also comments that, “I know Dad had trouble with sand In December 1937, George was also moving, he used to cover areas with appointed Acting Manager of the Long tea tree branches, also what was a Island Country Club and Jack Dillon big saver they found on site where all reported at the time, in The Herald, the offal from the butcher shops had “George Lowe, turf expert who has been buried for years - it was dug been associated with Barwon Heads, up and used as fertilizer.” Warrnambool, Heidelberg and Colac Clubs, was engaged to supervise The Lowe family’s photographs of the construction work, develop the turf Warrnambool site before construction and make 18 holes.” started show the wonderful character of the land, but also give some idea of Towards the end of 1938, George the difficulty Lowe must have faced in relinquished his position at Long building and turfing the course on such Island, having decided to move his land. Six holes were ready for play in family to a farm he had purchased at 1926, extending to nine by 1928. The Lillico via Warragul. He applied for club envisaged having 18 holes in the amateur status but this was rejected, foreseeable future, but just ahead lay and shortly after, he was approached the Great Depression and it took six to teach at the Warragul Golf Club. years to complete another three holes. George decided to continue on as With World War 2 following, it was not a professional, and was officially until 1950 that the course was finally appointed in 1946 - he held the extended to 18 holes. position as the club’s professional for the next 22 years. In 1949, George Other designs advised the nearby Trafalgar Golf Club Such a wonderful job did George do on the design of their new course. with the first nine holes at Warrnambool, George Lowe Jr. passed away on 14th Above: Newspaper clipping and photograph showing the work methods used in that commissions to design, construct October 1974 and the Warragul Golf building the golf course at Long Island in Victoria - not a job for the faint hearted. and redesign courses came from all Club still retains a strong association Below: George Lowe Jr. at Warragul with a group of budding golfers. over Victoria including Warracknabeal with the family. Alan Lowe, George’s Golf Club, Port Fairy Golf Club, son, was golf course superintendent Hamilton Golf Club, Koroit Golf Club, there for 32 years and he is proudly a Hawkesdale Golf Club and Terang Golf Life Member, as was his father. Truly a Club. The Port Fairy course Lowe family who have given generations of advised on was sited in the township sterling service to the game of golf in and it was not until 1963 that the Club Scotland, England and Australia. moved to its present course on the ocean. by Alan Jackson, John Scarth and Neil Crafter When Yarra Yarra Golf Club moved to its new course in the southern Melbourne suburb East Bentleigh in References and sources: Alan Lowe, son of George Lowe Jr. / The Lytham Century - the History of the Royal 1929, many members preferred to Lytham and St. Anne’s Golf Club by EA Nickson, 1986 / Forfarshire People’s Journal 11th and 18th July 1930 / remain in the Rosanna area. Thus, Victorian Golf March 1968 / George Lowe - Clubmaker in 1928 a site was obtained and the and Course Architect by Alan Jackson / Through the Green December 2004, British Golf Collectors Society / History Yarra Yarra Golf Club’s professional, of Barwon Heads Golf Club by GC Adams, 1973 / The Harry Alexander, was commissioned Barwon Heads Golf Club and Peter Frewin, golf course superintendent / The Queenscliff Golf Club, Bryan Marra, to design the layout. club historian / The Queenscliff Historical Museum.

32 GOLF ARCHITECTURE The courses today, from top: at Warrnambool’s 13th hole the fairway was routed in the valley between two steep dunes, as Lowe Sr had done 37 years earlier at Royal Birkdale;

the 11th hole at Long Island’s course built by George Jr. to a design by GB Oliver - a dogleg left of 338 metres; and, looking back down the 10th at Barwon Heads - note the delightful section of broken ground dividing the fairway from the green - in the original layout this was the 6th hole. Photographs by Gary Lisbon