"The sun never sets on a Robert Trent Jones golf course"
In his seven decades as golf’s most prolific architect, Robert Trent Jones Sr. , logged an estimated 8 million miles in creating more than 350 courses and remodelling more than 150 others, including 79 that were used for the United States Open or other national championships. Robert Trent Jones courses endure in 45 states and 35 foreign countries on every continent except Antarctica.
Known as "Trent", Robert Trent Jones Sr. was a small, cherub faced man, but his sometimes sadistic use of huge bunkers, ponds, creeks and undulating greens often angered touring pros, especially during the US Open. Mr. Jones believed he was merely defending par against the evolution of golf equipment and the golf ball.
Robert Trent Jones Sr. was born in 1906 in Ince, England, a town on the Trent river – from which the middle name derives. He came to the United States in 1911 and settled down in East Rochester, New York. A fine golfer in his own right he even competed in several professional events. He became the first person to study expressly for a career as a golf designer. He fashioned his own program of studies at Cornell University, drawing upon courses in landscape architecture, agronomy, horticulture, hydraulics, surveying, public speaking and economics.
Hall of Fame
Robert Trent Jones Sr. was the first architect inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. He was a founding member and former president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects and the first recipient of its Donald Ross Award.
In addition to his 21 US Open courses, he worked on 12 courses that have held PGA Championships and six that held the World Cup, including Las Brisas in Spain. He designed Valderrama, the site of the 1997 Ryder Cup and the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia, the site of the 1994 and 1996 Presidents Cup.
Courses all over the world
Other designs in Spain includes Sotogrande, Mijas and of course Los Naranjos that he considered his finest design in the area! Mr Jones also worked on Augusta National, transforming several famous holes, especially the 11th and 16th.
Robert Trent Jones Sr. clients included the Rockefeller family, the Aga Khan and King Hassan 11 of Morocko. But he also designed a number of public courses that are enjoyed by golfers all over the world.
His sons Robert Trent Jones jr. and Rees Jones now continues the family tradition and are successful golf architects in their own rights.
