Donald Ross

Called the patron saint of American golf course architecture, Ross was a native Scotsman. After emigrating to the United States in 1900, he set up residence in Pinehurst, N.C., where he lived nine months a year. He spent his summers in Little Compton, R.I. at a home owned by his wife’s family and maintained an office there. He designed 399 courses all over North America and is responsible for many of Rhode Island’s top courses. His Rhode Island works are Agawam Hunt (remodeled in 1911), Rhode Island Country Club (1912), Wannamoisett (1914, remodeled in 1926), Newport (remodeled in 1915), Sakonnet, where he also was a member as well as the designer (1921), Metacomet (1921), Winnapaug (nine holes 1922, added nine 1928), Misquamicut (remodeled in 1923), Warwick (nine holes, 1924), Point Judith, (remodeled and added new nine, 1927) and Triggs (1932). He was a charter member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects. Jack Nicklaus perhaps described the esteem in which Ross is held to this day when he said of Ross: "He seems to be the standard by which we are all measured today."