The Grounds: Lesson 3: Willie Park Jr. - Walker Simas
In the mid-19th century, Scotland was experiencing a massive storm of socio-economic and cultural elements that would leave a lasting mark on the world of golf.
Let’s talk about what elements were at play:
Cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh experienced rapid growth as industrialization brought about new job opportunities in factories and mills.
Supported by an extensive railway network, Scotland shifted from traditional industries to a diversified economy, with a focus on sectors like coal mining, shipbuilding, and textiles.
With rapid industrialization came labor movements and pushes for workers rights.
Those who benefitted from the immense creation of wealth in these industries made up the core of golf development - necessary for growth, but built out of self-interest.
While these industries contributed to the wealth gap, the general public benefitted mainly from the railroad system, more courses being built, standardization of the rules of golf, and access to cheaper golf equipment.
Scotland, the birthplace of golf, held tightly to its sporting heritage. The sport had become deeply interwoven with the fabric of Scottish life, serving as a symbol of tradition, recreation, and community.
Against the backdrop of maturing industry and urbanization, golf thrived as a source of pride and identity, laying the foundation for a generation of golfers destined to shape the sport's destiny.
Enter Willie Park Jr.
Willie Park Jr. was born in Musselburgh in 1864, right in the heart of these changes. His formative years were blessed by the presence and mentorship of legendary figures like Old Tom Morris and James Braid, our first two features in “The Grounds”.
The sport had transcended mere exclusivity and was capturing the imaginations of a broader public. As technological advances such as steam powered tractors and surveying equipment facilitated easier golf course construction, a more established market for both playing and designing courses unfolded. In this opportune period, Willie Park Jr. found himself at the union of tradition, mentorship, and a golfing landscape ready to embrace innovation.
Yet, to tell Willie Park Jr.’s story properly, we first have to get educated about Willie Park Sr.
Willie Park Sr. was the first-ever Champion Golfer of the Year, winning the Challenge Belt at Prestwick in 1860. He had a heated rivalry with Old Tom Morris, playing challenging matches against him, his brother Mungo, and Tom's son Young Tommy. Starting with a whittled stick for a club, the tall and lanky Park Sr. became a terrific golfer, known for his powerful yet accurate shots and attacking style of play. Park Sr. was famous for issuing a standing challenge for two decades, inviting anyone worldwide to face him for £100, even under unique conditions like playing left-handed or standing on one leg. He would go on to win three more Opens, and yes, this confidence was inherited by his son, Jr.
Willie Park Jr. - The Player
It’s no stretch of the imagination to say Willie became a good player early on. He was raised in a golfing family - his father an Open Champion and club maker, and his uncle right there alongside them. In his early years, junior caddied and served as the greenkeeper and club professional at Tyneside Golf Club. In between, he would play challenge matches and tournaments for money. From 13 - 16 he grew tall, and quickly became one of the top players of any age in Scotland. By 1880, at 16, he played his first Open Championship, placing 16th. For the next 12 years, Willie Jr. accumulated 2 Open victories, 5 top-5’s, and 3 top-10’s. For a time, he was completely absorbed by the competitive nature of the game. Though this would change very soon, the experiences throughout this period informed the majority of the work we will discuss in this piece.
A More Thorough Career
Even for such an accomplished player, there was not enough cash to go around to sustain oneself on championship golf. This is where life absolutely took off. After leaving the greenkeeping and golf professional role at Tyneside Golf Club, he took the 100 mile voyage back home to Musselburgh. Park took after his father, establishing his own club/ball design patents and working exports as demand for the sport (and the clubs necessary to play it) increased. That was project #1. Shortly after, he grew the business to 60 employees from the shop to retail stores in the cities.
He also did some writing to satisfy the demand previously mentioned- project #2. “The Game of Golf” (1896) was the first instructional golf book written by a professional. Known to have an exceptional short game with emphasis on the flat stick, he later accompanied that book with another called “The Art of Putting” (1920). By the time of his first publishing, he had already taken design jobs that were asked of him - mostly in a style we don’t associate with Park, the Victorian style. That was project #3. Willie Jr., in a very sudden manner, had three new and exciting points of leverage to work with – a thriving club and ball making business, his writing, and demand for new golf courses.
The Golf Design Business - Sunningdale
Patrick Koenig
Willie took a similar approach to design as he did anything else he had done in the past, but all champions move too fast not to evolve. Park was a bit of a runner, too - which will make more sense when you read into his death and the travel after 1915. He was, as far as I can tell, ALL IN on design, and ready to take on a style that embraced some curvature - that responded to nature rather than clashing with it (like the image you see below - Hanger Hill 1901).
Simon Haines @hainsey76 on X
With momentum on his side, he went straight to Sunningdale with this attitude. This decision also marked a departure from the trend of building golf courses on the Scottish linksland by the sea. Up to 1860, most courses were situated on coastal links, offering well-draining soils, optimal grasses, and natural undulations that provided intriguing playing surfaces. The prevailing thought was that this environment was essentially crafted for the game of golf - a gift from God. This is no secret to you and me, and it wasn’t to Old Tom, to James Braid, or to Park Jr. either.
However, Willie Park Jr. saw potential and opportunity in the UK heathlands, a landscape that wasn't conventionally considered suitable for golf. The heathlands presented a different set of challenges and characteristics compared to the coastal links. The soil was often heavier and less sandy, and the topography featured heather, gorse, and other vegetation.
What Willie Park Jr. likely perceived was the untapped potential of the heathlands to create a different and equally compelling golfing experience. While others may have dismissed these inland areas as unsuitable, Park recognized the beauty and strategic possibilities they offered. The heathlands' rolling terrain, mixed vegetation, and natural contours could be harnessed to create interesting and challenging golf holes.
Those of you who have had the privilege of playing Sunningdale Old (which I have not), or any of the healthland courses for that matter, know that Jr.’s inkling was correct. So correct that in hindsight, the idea of great golf in that region seems obvious.
Opportunities Across the Atlantic
As the 19th century faded, the UK was experiencing political and economic changes on the back end of the industrial revolution. Geopolitical tensions and the looming World War I were becoming evident. In this climate, Willie Park Jr. made a strategic move by setting his sights on North America.
North America presented vast, undeveloped spaces with diverse terrains, providing ample room for his designs. The continent was experiencing its own economic and industrial boom - plenty of demand for his services.
In 1901, Willie Park Jr. established a base in Montreal and opened offices in New York and Toronto. He was also still pushing his club making business, which had a location in New York. This marked another pivotal moment in his career, expanding his horizons far beyond the British Isles. The move wasn't merely geographical; it was a strategic choice to expand his reach.
Setting Up Shop
Willie Park Jr. wasted no time diving into ambitious golf course construction projects. Engaging with major contractors and suppliers, he was turning heads.
Golf Club Atlas
The timing of his move couldn't have been better. The early 1900s saw a surge in interest in golf across North America. Golf clubs were sprouting up, and enthusiasts were eager to experience the sport on well-designed courses.
Very quickly he put together an extensive portfolio. The 60+ courses he designed in the US (40 courses, 17 States) and Canada (20 in 5 provinces) combined with the over 100 he had designed back home, solidified a legacy as one of the most prolific and influential golf course architects of his time. Despite the quantity and spread of his influence, he is not as widely known as others in this series. But, hey, people are forgotten. So were the Sumerians.
When Talking about Legacy…
Perhaps the only reason you’ve reached the end of this newsletter is to see what makes Willie Park Jr. special - what makes him different - what he added - what he pushed.
Well here you go:
Good golf starts in the contour of the greens.
“The selection of putting greens is a much more difficult matter. The variety of places on which they can be formed is infinite. They may be on the level course, or in a natural hollow or basin, provided it be sufficiently large and shallow, or they may be placed on the tops of large ‘tables.’ All of these are good positions, and the more variety that can be introduced the better. The putting-greens should be as large as possible; and while the ground should be comparatively level, it is not desirable that it should be perfectly flat like a billiard-table, but should rather be of a slightly undulating character.” “The Game of Golf” (1896)
As a rule with exceptions, greensites are to be left open for run-up play.
“... There is a great cry nowadays that every hole should have a hazard in front requiring to be lofted over, but I think it is possible to carry a system of this kind too far. It ties players down to pitching all their approaches instead of making them exercise their judgment as to whether the ball should be lofted or run up. No golfer will deny that there should be hazards in front of some holes, but I think that at others there should be a clear road, with hazards judiciously placed on either side to punish wild shots. To loft a ball with an iron is comparatively easy to any player except an absolute novice, but it is not so easy to keep to the proper course. Erratic play should always meet with punishment, and I would counsel hazards being laid down on each side, not of the putting-greens alone, but also of the line to the hole, to catch pulled or sliced balls.” “The Game of Golf” (1896)
Maximum enjoyment for the maximum number of people
“It is to be kept in view, too, that the links are to be laid out for the use of a certain class of golfers, if all are beginners it is a mistake to make the course too difficult at first, as it will diminish their pleasure and possibly disgust them with the green; but as they get more expert the links can be made more difficult by lengthening the holes and similar devices.” “The Game of Golf” (1896)
Last and perhaps most important, WPJ was a player first. He see’s golf as a skill.
“...if the bunker is visible to the player, and there is sufficient room to avoid it, it cannot properly be called a trap. Golf as a game of skill requires that a player should be able to place his ball; and if he sees the hazard, and knows there is the danger of getting in, the proper thing for him to do is to drive his ball to one side or other of the difficulty.” “The Game of Golf” (1896)
To Wrap Things Up
As I explore the stories of golf's player-architects with you, our quest to understand those who changed the game forever brings us to the legacy of Willie Park Jr. As the third feature in "The Grounds," we remind ourselves of the foundations laid by Old Tom Morris and James Braid. Park, standing on their advances, not only embraced the Scottish links but dared to expand the game inland and across the vast expanse of North America and beyond. His commitment to his business led him to bring studyable golf to the masses. It was so intense, it might have killed him. Yet, amidst the accolades, debates linger on the accounts of those who traversed his courses, leaving us with the question of how much of his true genius remains for us to perceive today. As we slowly crawl out of the history cave, my hope is that these first few articles become the most necessary to read back. This series will continue its chronological journey, and while later newslstters will be more relevant, the earlier readings will provide the necessary context to appreciate those who paved the way and the variables behind the success of that journey.
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WS