Born from golfing royalty, Willie Park Jr was the son of 4-time Open Champion Willie Park Sr. His uncle, Mungo Park Sr. was also an Open champion. In time, Willie Park Jr would win the Open twice. Willie Park Jr's acquired skillset also included caddying, manufacturing balls and clubs, and keeping the green.
Willie Park Jr & Golf Course Architecture
At just 22 in 1886, Willie undertook his first golf course design project, Innerleithen in Scotland. Without a fee, the nine-hole course was completed in exchange for the supply contract to the club for his family's clubs and balls. A few years later, Park Jr penned a book called "The Game of Golf". The first chapter was dedicated to course design and is called: "Laying Out and Keeping Golf Links".
From Scotland to England
As the game continued to grow, so did the demand for courses inland. In the Surrey heathlands West of London, Willie Park Jr was able to construct Sunningdale and Huntercombe around the turn of the century. A marked contrast in design ethos was observed: rolling contours, large greens, and bold hazards.
The designs were well received and marked the beginning of the transition from more traditional penal golf to the strategic school of design. A marked difference in Willie Park Jr's designs is the absence of the naturalness later seen in Alister MacKenzie and Harry Colt's work.
From the UK to North America
After successful projects in the British Isles, Willie Park Jr made his way across the Atlantic and began work in both Canada and USA. Esteemed by his peers, Sir Guy Campbell referred to him as the doyen of course architects. High praise, indeed considering his contemporaries.
