George Cobb (golf)

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George Cobb
BornJuly 2, 1914 (1914-07-02)
DiedJanuary 15, 1986(1986-01-15) (aged 71)
Alma materUniversity of Georgia
OccupationGolf course designer
Notable workTournament Players Clubs
Mark Bostick Golf Course
Slammer and Squire at World Golf Village
Children2
Awards2014 South Carolina Golf Hall of Fame; 2019 Carolinas Golf Association Hall of Fame

George W. Cobb, ASGCA (July 2, 1914 – January 15, 1986) is a notable and prolific golf course designer who created the Par-3 course at Augusta National Golf Club among more than one hundred courses and renovated many, including his own early work. He strove to create attractive layouts that the average golfer would find enjoyable, not frustrating.[1][2][3]

Biography[edit]

Early life[edit]

Cobb was born into a family of golfers in Savannah, Georgia,[1] learned to play as a child and was a scratch golfer.[2] He had an older brother, W.E. and a younger sister, Mary A.[4] Cobb attended the University of Georgia, where he played on the college golf team. He studied landscape architecture and graduated in 1937. He was hired by the National Park Service and worked as a landscape architect until 1941.[2]

Military[edit]

During World War II, Cobb was a Marine Corps engineering officer at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Because he was an avid golfer and landscape architect, he was assigned the task of constructing a golf course for use in physical rehabilitation of injured GIs, but he had no experience in course design. Cobb was permitted to hire experienced course architect Fred Findlay to provide design assistance. Cobb handled the construction superintendent responsibilities on this and a subsequent course at Lejeune. In 1946, Cobb designed and built the course at the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point on his own, then was discharged from the Marines during 1947.[2][3]

Vocation[edit]

After the experience provided by the military, Cobb decided that he enjoyed building golf courses. He started his own golf design business and created six courses, but when the Korean War escalated, he was recalled to active duty in 1951.[2] Released from service, Cobb initially moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina[3] and was working on the Country Club of Sapphire Valley when he was hired to build the Green Valley Country Club. While working on Green Valley in the spring of 1956, he was offered and accepted a position as a director of Hollyridge Corporation, the developer. He and his family settled in Greenville, South Carolina, where they remained. In 1958 he was named general manager of the club, but resigned when his design business proliferated during 1960, when he had eight South Carolina courses under construction or being designed.[3]

Augusta[edit]

Cobb's shortest course may actually be his most prominent creation. Cobb was design consultant at Augusta National Golf Club from the mid-1950s and became good friends with Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts, chairman of Augusta National. The club decided to add a par 3, nine-hole course in 1958, which Alister MacKenzie had suggested in the 1930s.[1] Cobb was asked to design it with input from Roberts, and the 1,060 yard "little course" opened in 1959. The Par-3 Contest has been held on Wednesday of Masters week since 1960.[2][3] In fifty years of Masters play, no one has ever won the Par-3 and the main tournament in the same week.[5] Cobb added a fresh touch to the "big course" in 1967 and 1977.[1] The only other Par 3 course Cobb ever designed was at Vestavia Country Club in Birmingham, Alabama.

Associate[edit]

John LaFoy grew up in Greenville, and was close friends with Cobb's son, George, Jr. LaFoy studied architecture and graduated from Clemson University in 1968. He apprenticed with George Cobb before the Vietnam War forced him into the service. Like Cobb, LaFoy chose the Marine Corps. After his discharge, LaFoy returned to work with Cobb, and in 1971, he became Cobb's partner. They collaborated on every subsequent course the firm built, and when Cobb's health began to fail in the early 1980s, he ran the company. After Cobb's death in 1986, LaFoy continued designing and remodeling courses, and in 1999, he served as president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects.[1][3]

Personal[edit]

While he was stationed at Camp LeJeune, Cobb married and had a son, George, Jr. and a daughter, Virginia.[citation needed]

Courses designed[edit]

The following table is a (partial) list of courses that George Cobb either designed alone (prior to 1971) or co-designed with John LaFoy.[2][6]

Click arrow box in column heading to sort by that attribute.

Facility Name Access City State Built
East Lake Golf Club Private Atlanta GA 1963
Coosa Country Club Private Rome GA 1961
Cane Creek Golf Course Public Fort McClellan AL 1942
Gold at Paradise Point Golf Course Military Camp Lejeune NC 1945
Paradise Point Golf Club (Gold course) Military Camp Lejeune NC 1945
Cherry Point Golf Club Private Cherry Point NC 1946
Green Valley Country Club Private Greenville SC 1955
Fort Mill Golf Club Semi-Private Fort Mill SC 1948
Fort Jackson Golf Course Military Columbia SC 1949
Wildcat at Fort Jackson Golf Club Military Fort Jackson SC 1949
Carmel Country Club (North course) Private Charlotte NC 1950
Lake/Cedar at Greenwood Country Club Private Greenwood SC 1950
University of North Carolina Finley Golf Course Semi-Private Chapel Hill NC 1951
Jacksonville Country Club Private Jacksonville NC 1951
High Hampton Inn & Country Club Resort Cashiers NC 1956
University of Maryland Golf Course Semi-Private College Park MD 1956
Fort Eustis Golf Club Military Fort Eustis VA 1956
Parks at Courses at Fort Meade Military Fort Meade MD 1956
Glenn Dale Country Club Semi-Private Glenn Dale MD 1956
Laurel Pines Country Club Public Laurel MD 1956
Laurel Country Club Public Laurel MD 1957
JC Long Estate Golf Club Semi-Private Mount Pleasant SC 1957
Vestavia Country Club Private Birmingham AL 1958
Willowhaven Country Club Semi-Private Durham NC 1958
Raleigh Golf Association (9) Public Raleigh NC 1958
Country Club of Sapphire Valley Private Cashiers NC 1956
Lakeside Golf Club Public Atlanta GA 1960
The Nine Hole at Augusta National Golf Club Private Augusta GA 1960
Green Island Country Club Private Columbus GA 1960
Surf Golf & Beach Club Semi-Private North Myrtle Beach SC 1960
Vestavia Country Club-Par 3 Course Private Birmingham AL 1960
Quail Hollow Club Private Charlotte NC 1961
Spring Valley Country Club Private Columbia SC 1961
Sea Pines Resort (Sea Marsh course, renamed Heron Point) Resort Hilton Head Island SC 1961
Deerwood Club Private Jacksonville FL 1961
Berkeley Country Club Semi-Private Moncks Corner SC 1961
Mountain Valley Golf Course Semi-Private Waynesville NC 1961
Oak Island Golf Club Semi-Private Caswell Beach NC 1962
Wildcat Cliffs Country Club Private Highlands NC 1962
Windsor Forest Country Club Private Savannah GA 1962
Hound Ears Club Resort Boone NC 1963
Dublin Country Club Private Dublin GA 1963
Gainesville Golf & Country Club Private Gainesville FL 1963
Botany Woods Golf Club Private Greenville SC 1963
Timuquana Country Club Private Jacksonville FL 1963
Milledgeville Country Club Public Milledgeville GA 1963
Mountain Glen Golf Course Semi-Private Newland NC 1963
Waynesboro Country Club Private Waynesboro GA 1963
Doublegate Country Club Private Albany GA 1964
Ocean Point at Fripp Island Resort Resort Fripp Island SC 1964
Barony at Port Royal Golf Club Private Hilton Head Island SC 1964
Eighteen Hole at Indian Lake Estates Golf & Country Club Semi-Private Indian Lake Estates FL 1964
Rolling Hills Country Club Private Monroe NC 1964
High Meadows Golf & Country Club Private Roaring Gap NC 1964
Croasdaile Country Club Private Durham NC 1965
Adventure Inn Golf Club Resort Hilton Head Island SC 1965
Robber's Row at Port Royal Golf Club Private Hilton Head Island SC 1967
Sharon Golf Club Private Sharon Center OH 1965
Wrenwoods Golf Club at Charleston Air Force Base Military Charleston SC 1966
Clarksville Country Club Private Clarksville TN 1966
Cabarrus Country Club Private Concord NC 1966
Burningtree Country Club Private Decatur AL 1966
Myrtlewood Golf Club (Pines Course) Private Myrtle Beach SC 1966
Forest Heights Country Club Private Statesboro GA 1966
Sea Pines Resort (Ocean course) Resort Hilton Head Island SC 1967
North Ridge Country Club (Lakes course) Private Raleigh NC 1967
Sea Palms Golf & Tennis Resort (Tall Pines course) Resort Saint Simons Island GA 1967
Sea Palms Golf & Tennis Resort (Great Oaks course) Resort Saint Simons Island GA 1967
Hunter Golf Club Military Savannah GA 1967
Mary Calder Golf Club Public Savannah GA 1967
Twin Falls Resort State Park Resort Mullens WV 1968
Santee Cooper Country Club Semi-Private Santee SC 1968
Pine Tree Country Club Private Birmingham AL 1969
Country Club of Charleston Private Charleston WV 1969
Star Fort National Golf Course Private Ninety Six SC 1969
Edgewood Country Club Private Sissonville WV 1969
Browns Mill Golf Course Municipal Atlanta GA 1970
Pope AFB Golf Course Military Fayetteville NC 1970
Clipper/Galleon at Shipyard Golf Club Resort Hilton Head Island SC 1970
Brigantine/Clipper at Shipyard Golf Club Resort Hilton Head Island SC 1970
Galleon/Brigantine at Shipyard Golf Club Resort Hilton Head Island SC 1970
Spanish Wells Club Private Hilton Head Island SC 1970
Warrior's Path State Park Golf Course Public Kingsport TN 1970
Snee Farm Country Club Private Mount Pleasant SC 1970
Fort McClellan Golf Club Military Fort McClellan AL 1971
Goose Pond Colony Golf Course Public Scottsboro AL 1971
Red Wing Lake Golf Course Public Virginia Beach VA 1971
Brookfield West Golf & Country Club Private Atlanta GA 1972
Connestee Falls Golf Course Semi-Private Brevard NC 1972
The Resort at Glade Springs Resort Daniels WV 1972
Stonebridge Golf Course Public Lakeland TN 1972
Cleghorn Plantation Golf & Country Club Public Rutherfordton NC 1972
Eisenhower College Golf Course (9) Private Seneca NY 1972
Bald Head Island Country Club Semi-Private Southport NC 1972
Glade Springs Country Club Private Beckley WV 1973
Inverness Country Club Private Birmingham AL 1973
StillWaters Golf Club - The Legend Course Private Dadeville AL 1973
Holly Tree Country Club Private Greenville SC 1973
Bryan Park Players Course Public Browns Summit NC 1974
Frank G. Clemment Golf Club Semi-Private Dickson TN 1974
Nine Hole Par 3 at Indian Lake Estates Golf & Country Club Semi-Private Indian Lake Estates FL 1974
Stonebridge Golf Course Public Memphis TN 1974
Cobb's Glen Country Club Semi-Private Anderson SC 1975
Woodlands Golf & Country Club Private Columbia SC 1975
Clemson University Golf Course Semi-Private Clemson SC 1976
The Tides Inn (Golden Eagle course) Resort Irvington VA 1976
Mountwood Park Golf Course Semi-Private Waverly WV 1977
Keowee Key Golf & Country Club Private Seneca SC 1977
New Quarter Park Golf Club Semi-Private Williamsburg VA 1977
Pohick Bay Golf Course Public Lorton VA 1978
Mallard Head Country Club Semi-Private Mooresville NC 1979
Heddle's Hideaway Country Club Semi-Private Spartanburg SC 1979
Linville Ridge Country Club Private Linville NC 1983
North/East at Athens Country Club Private Athens GA 1985
Sanctuary Golf Club Private Beaufort SC 1985
Cat Island Country Club Private Fripp Island SC 1985
Tartan Golf Club Resort Weems VA 1958

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Passov, Joe (February 16, 2007). "George Cobb Designed Golf Courses". golf.com. Golf Magazine. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "George Cobb story" Oak Island Golf Club.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Finley, Thomas:"The Evolution of Golf Course Design" Golf In The Upstate - Since 1895.
  4. ^ "1930 Federal census" Ancestry.com.
  5. ^ Walker, Mike: "At the Masters Par-3 Contest, everyone's a winner" Golf magazine, April 9, 2009.
  6. ^ "George Cobb - Courses Built" World Golf.

Further reading[edit]

  • Golf In The Upstate - Since 1895, The Biography of George Cobb with Mark William Shaw, ISBN 0-8092-2681-2 published by McGraw-Hill, March 1999
  • GeorgeCobb.com - Official website