Geoffrey Cornish
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Cornish is a golf course architect, author, and a fellow of the American Society of Golf Course Architects
. He has designed over 200 courses, including 9-hole additions, around the world.
, Manitoba
, Cornish received a bachelors degree from the University of British Columbia
and a Master's from the University of Massachusetts
, both in agronomy
. His interest in golf course architecture was aroused upon graduation in 1935, when he was hired to evaluate soils and find topsoil on the Capilano Golf Club, then under construction in West Vancouver, for Canadian architect Stanley Thompson
. Cornish then continued his training for four years with Thompson before becoming Head Greenkeeper at St. Charles Country Club
, Winnipeg.
During World War II
, Cornish served with the Canadian Army Overseas (1941–1945). After the war, he returned to become an associate of Stanley Thompson from 1946-47. This was followed by a five-year association with pioneer turf grass scientist Lawrence S. Dickinson at the University of Massachusetts Amherst
.
in 1977, and established the firm of Cornish and Robinson, Golf Course Designers, Ltd. of Calgary
, Alberta
. They prepared the publication GOLF COURSE DESIGN: AN INTRODUCTION, distributed by the National Golf Foundation
and used in many GCSAA classes.
In 1967, Cornish became a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects
, along with Pete Dye
, Robert Trent Jones, Jr.
, and Robert Muir Graves. He served as President in 1975. He is an honorary member of the European Institute of Golf Course Architects.
By 1980 Cornish had planned more courses in the New England
states than any other architect in history. He had also designed and remodeled layouts in other parts of the United States, in Canada and in Europe. He was the author of numerous articles on course design and turfgrass subjects. In 1981 he received The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
Distinguished Service Award, and in 1982 the Donald Ross Award. In 1996, he was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame
.
Cornish continues to write and teach. Long a contributor to a Harvard Graduate School of Design
class on Golf Course Design and the University of Massachusetts' Stockbridge Winter School for Turf Managers, he has published numerous books on course architecture, including the pioneering and widely read The Golf Course, which he co-authored in 1981 with Ron Whitten, golf architecture editor for Golf Digest
magazine. A second edition of this book, by the same authors, was published in 1993, with the title The Architects of Golf.
In the 1980s and 1990s Cornish and fellow golf architect Robert Muir Graves conducted scores of design seminars across the continent under separate auspices of the Harvard Graduate School of Design, the GCSAA and the PGA.
Numerous awards were bestowed upon Cornish during his career. He received a Distinguished Service Award from the GCSAA in 1981, the Donald Ross Award from the ASGCA in 1982, and an Outstanding Service Award from the National Golf Foundation in 1984. In 1987 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Massachusetts. In 1991 he received the John Reid Lifetime Achievement Award from the Metropolitan GCSA. He is an honorary member of several golf course superintendents associations as well as the EIGCA. Cornish was admitted to the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame
in 1996.
Among over 200 new courses and 9-hole additions, to his credit are the Pines Course at International Golf Course in Bolton, Massachusetts
, that is the longest course in the world when playing from the "Tiger" tees, so named long before Tiger Woods
was born. Other notable courses include: Country Club of Ithaca, Ithaca, New York
, Summerlea Golf & Country Club, Montreal
, Quebec
, Center Valley Club, Center Valley, Pennsylvania
, the New Ashburn Golf Course, Halifax, Nova Scotia, the Quechee Club, Quechee, Vermont
, the Connecticut G.C. in Easton, Connecticut
, Norton Country Club in Norton, Massachusetts
, Hopmeadow Country Club in Simsbury, Connecticut
, and Eastman Golf Links in Grantham, New Hampshire
.
American Society of Golf Course Architects
The American Society of Golf Course Architects is a professional organization of golf course designers in America. Founded in 1946, its members are actively involved in the design of new courses and the renovation of existing courses in the United States and Canada. One of its founders was noted...
. He has designed over 200 courses, including 9-hole additions, around the world.
Early life
Born in WinnipegWinnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Cornish received a bachelors degree from the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
and a Master's from the University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
, both in agronomy
Agronomy
Agronomy is the science and technology of producing and using plants for food, fuel, feed, fiber, and reclamation. Agronomy encompasses work in the areas of plant genetics, plant physiology, meteorology, and soil science. Agronomy is the application of a combination of sciences like biology,...
. His interest in golf course architecture was aroused upon graduation in 1935, when he was hired to evaluate soils and find topsoil on the Capilano Golf Club, then under construction in West Vancouver, for Canadian architect Stanley Thompson
Stanley Thompson
Stanley Thompson was a Canadian golf course architect. He was a co-founder of the American Society of Golf Course Architects....
. Cornish then continued his training for four years with Thompson before becoming Head Greenkeeper at St. Charles Country Club
St. Charles Country Club
St. Charles Country Club is a private country club in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It features three nine hole golf courses, each with a distinct style that reflects the golf course designer responsible for it.- History :...
, Winnipeg.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Cornish served with the Canadian Army Overseas (1941–1945). After the war, he returned to become an associate of Stanley Thompson from 1946-47. This was followed by a five-year association with pioneer turf grass scientist Lawrence S. Dickinson at the University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
.
Career
During his first years as a designer, Cornish was assisted in artwork and drafting by his wife, the former Carol Burr Gawthrop. He soon established himself as a competent designer, and in 1964 took on a partner, young Penn State graduate William G. Robinson. Robinson moved to the Pacific NorthwestPacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
in 1977, and established the firm of Cornish and Robinson, Golf Course Designers, Ltd. of Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. They prepared the publication GOLF COURSE DESIGN: AN INTRODUCTION, distributed by the National Golf Foundation
National Golf Foundation
The National Golf Foundation provides golf-business research and consulting services. Founded in 1936 by golf writer Herb Graffis and his brother Joe, who nearly went bankrupt in the process, its original mission was to publish authoritative research useful to investors developing the game of...
and used in many GCSAA classes.
In 1967, Cornish became a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects
American Society of Golf Course Architects
The American Society of Golf Course Architects is a professional organization of golf course designers in America. Founded in 1946, its members are actively involved in the design of new courses and the renovation of existing courses in the United States and Canada. One of its founders was noted...
, along with Pete Dye
Pete Dye
Paul B. "Pete" Dye is a world-renowned golf course designer and a member of a famous family of course designers. He is married to fellow designer and former amateur champion Alice Dye.-Early life:Pete Dye was born in Urbana, Ohio...
, Robert Trent Jones, Jr.
Robert Trent Jones, Jr.
Robert Trent "Bobby" Jones, Jr. is a noted golf course architect. He is the son of legendary golf course designer Robert Trent Jones and the brother of golf course designer Rees Jones....
, and Robert Muir Graves. He served as President in 1975. He is an honorary member of the European Institute of Golf Course Architects.
By 1980 Cornish had planned more courses in the New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
states than any other architect in history. He had also designed and remodeled layouts in other parts of the United States, in Canada and in Europe. He was the author of numerous articles on course design and turfgrass subjects. In 1981 he received The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
Golf Course Superintendents Association of America was originally founded in 1926 when 60 superintendents met at the Sylvania Country Club in Toledo, Ohio to form the National Association of Greenkeepers of America ....
Distinguished Service Award, and in 1982 the Donald Ross Award. In 1996, he was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame
Canadian Golf Hall of Fame
The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum and hall of fame covering the history of the game of golf in Canada, and celebrating the careers and accomplishments of the most significant contributors to the game in that country...
.
Cornish continues to write and teach. Long a contributor to a Harvard Graduate School of Design
Harvard Graduate School of Design
The Harvard Graduate School of Design is a graduate school at Harvard University offering degrees in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning and Design.-History:...
class on Golf Course Design and the University of Massachusetts' Stockbridge Winter School for Turf Managers, he has published numerous books on course architecture, including the pioneering and widely read The Golf Course, which he co-authored in 1981 with Ron Whitten, golf architecture editor for Golf Digest
Golf Digest
Golf Digest is a monthly golf magazine published by Condé Nast Publications in the United States. It is a generalist golf publication covering recreational golf and men's and women's competitive golf. Condé Nast Publications also publishes the more specialized , and Golf World Business. The...
magazine. A second edition of this book, by the same authors, was published in 1993, with the title The Architects of Golf.
In the 1980s and 1990s Cornish and fellow golf architect Robert Muir Graves conducted scores of design seminars across the continent under separate auspices of the Harvard Graduate School of Design, the GCSAA and the PGA.
Numerous awards were bestowed upon Cornish during his career. He received a Distinguished Service Award from the GCSAA in 1981, the Donald Ross Award from the ASGCA in 1982, and an Outstanding Service Award from the National Golf Foundation in 1984. In 1987 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Massachusetts. In 1991 he received the John Reid Lifetime Achievement Award from the Metropolitan GCSA. He is an honorary member of several golf course superintendents associations as well as the EIGCA. Cornish was admitted to the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame
Canadian Golf Hall of Fame
The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum and hall of fame covering the history of the game of golf in Canada, and celebrating the careers and accomplishments of the most significant contributors to the game in that country...
in 1996.
Among over 200 new courses and 9-hole additions, to his credit are the Pines Course at International Golf Course in Bolton, Massachusetts
Bolton, Massachusetts
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,148 people, 1,424 households, and 1,201 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 1,476 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.76% White, 0.19% African American, 0.05% Native American, 1.30%...
, that is the longest course in the world when playing from the "Tiger" tees, so named long before Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
was born. Other notable courses include: Country Club of Ithaca, Ithaca, New York
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
, Summerlea Golf & Country Club, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Center Valley Club, Center Valley, Pennsylvania
Center Valley, Pennsylvania
Center Valley is an unincorporated village one mile north of Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, at the intersection of Pennsylvania Route 309 and Pennsylvania Route 378 in Upper Saucon Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States....
, the New Ashburn Golf Course, Halifax, Nova Scotia, the Quechee Club, Quechee, Vermont
Quechee, Vermont
Quechee is one of five unincorporated villages in the town of Hartford, Windsor County, Vermont. Quechee is also a census-designated place. It is the site of the Quechee Gorge on the Ottauquechee River and is also the home to the Quechee Lakes planned community initiated in the late 1960s, which...
, the Connecticut G.C. in Easton, Connecticut
Easton, Connecticut
Easton is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 7,490 at the 2010 census. Easton contains the historic district of Aspetuck....
, Norton Country Club in Norton, Massachusetts
Norton, Massachusetts
Norton is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, and contains the village of Norton Center. The population was 18,036 at the 2000 census...
, Hopmeadow Country Club in Simsbury, Connecticut
Simsbury, Connecticut
Simsbury is a suburban town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 23,234 at the 2000 census. The town was incorporated as Connecticut's twenty-first town in May 1670.-Early history:...
, and Eastman Golf Links in Grantham, New Hampshire
Grantham, New Hampshire
Grantham is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,985 at the 2010 census. This made Grantham the fastest growing town numerically in Sullivan County between the 2000 and 2010 censuses...
.
Books
- The Golf Course (1981), ISBN 0-8317-3943-6, HarperCollins. Ground breaking research materials on the architects of golf around the world. Co-authored with Ron Whitten.
- The Architects of Golf (1993), ISBN 0-06-270082-0, HarperCollins. With Ronald E. Whitten; updated reprint of The Golf Course.
- Golf Course Design with Robert Muir Graves (1998) ISBN 0-471-13784-7, John Wiley and Sons. Standard textbook at college level. First Golf Design textbook to be translated into Chinese.
- Eighteen Stakes on a Sunday Afternoon (2002), ISBN 0-907-186432, Grant Books (U.K.)
- Classic Golf Design (2002), ISBN 0-471-41372-0, John Wiley and Sons
- Golf Course Design (2006) ISBN 0-907186-58-9, An Annotated Bibliography and Highlights of its History, with Dr. Michael Hurdzan, ASGCA. Grant Books (U.K.)
Awards
- 1981 GCSAA Distinguished Service Award
- 1982 ASGCA Donald Ross Award
- 1984 N.G.F. Outstanding Service Award
- 1991 Metropolitan New York GCSAA John Reid Lifetime Achievement Award
- 1992 Canadian GCSA John Steel Award
- 1996 Golf Course Builders Association of America Don Rossi Humanitarian Award
- 1996 Silver Medal of the British Institute of Golf Course Architects
- 1996 Canadian Golf Hall of Fame
- 2004 Distinguished Alumnus Award, University of Massachusetts
- Distinguished Service Award of the US National Golf Foundation
Education
- Doctorate ( Honorary) University of MassachusettsUniversity of MassachusettsThis article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
1987 - Masters degree (Agronomy) University of MassachusettsUniversity of MassachusettsThis article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
1952 - Bachelors degree (Soil Science) University of British ColumbiaUniversity of British ColumbiaThe University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
1936