Wilfrid E. Reid (1884-1973)
Wilfrid Ewart Reid, PGA
Golf Professional, International Competitor & Golf Course Designer
Biography
Wilfrid Reid accomplished a great deal to advance the game of golf in his lifetime. Look at the reach of golf today largely as a result of the energy and dedication of his generation, the generation that sparked Golf's Golden Age in America, vast international growth of the sport and... "the resulting goodwill that golf engenders throughout much of the world" ...his often stated dream.
Wm. Zmistowski, Jr., Grandson
BIOGRAPHY OF A GOLF PIONEER DRAFT July 30, 2022
Notes
1. Cornish, Geoffrey S. and Whitten, Ronald E. The Architects of Golf (Harper Collins 1993), pg. 79 & throughout. Also, The Golf Course (The Rutledge Press 1981 & 1988), pg. 74, 88.
2. Jerris, Rand, USGA Golf's Golden Age: Bobby Jones and the Legendary Players of the 20's and 30's
3. .....? Wind, Herbert Warren The Story of American Golf ( Simon and Schuster 1956), 96-97. 136.
4. Flaherty, Tom The U. S. Open (1895-1965) (Dutton 1966), 27-29, 43, 200-201.
5. Edited by Laurence Viney The Royal and Ancient Book of Golf Records (Macmillan Press 1991) pgs.15, 49, 157, 209.
6. www.seacroft-golfclub.co.uk/history
7. Williams, Bill Vardon in America ( Xlibris 2016 ), ix-xi, 21-22, 47-48, 50, 60, 65, 91, 105, 108
8. Williams, Bill Harry Vardon - A Career Record of a Champion Golfer (Xlibris 2015), Foreword
9. Whitten, Ron "Golf Digest Course Critic: Seaview Marriott Resort & Spa, Galloway Township, N.J." Archived from the original on 2006-10-30, Retrieved 2006-11-15
10. Parish of Cramond Census dtd. 31/3/1901, pg. 18
11. Zmistowski, Bill "True Renaissance Man", USGA Golf Journal, July 1994, pgs. 29-31
12. Vardon, Herd, Duncan, Reid, Ayton and Ouimet Success At Golf ( Little, Brown and Company 1914 Boston, U.S.A. ) The Use of the Mashie, pg. 65-81. Originally Vardon, Herd, Duncan, Reid, White, Ball and Ayton Success At Golf (Fry's Magazine Limited ) The Use of the Mashie, pgs. 57-72
13. Trenham, Peter C., A Chronicle of the Philadelphia Section PGA and its Members
14. Conversations with Wilfrid Reid's daughter, Joan Reid Zmistowski, 1999
15. Reid, W. E., personal stationery, ca 1960
delete? 15. Shackelford Geoff, The Golden Age of Golf Design, pg. 129 ...and delete [3]...
16. "Indianwood Golf and Country Club and the USGA", Official Course Map and Guide - 1989 U.S. Women's Open Championship.
17. Jones, Jr., Robert Tyre, Personal Letter to Wilfrid Reid, August 2, 1965
18. .......? Shackelford, Geoff The Golden Age of Golf Design, pg. 129
19. Royal and Ancient Championship Records 1860-1980 Edited by Peter Ryde, ( Royal and Ancient Golf Club St. Andrews 1981 ), pgs. 33-44
20. Shackelford, Geoff, The Golden Age of Golf Design ( Sleeping Bear Press 1999 ) pgs. 189, 200-202 ....about Reid and Indianwood ........
21. Hoffman, Davvy America's Greatest Golf Courses ( The Image Bank, 1987 ) Olympic Club (Lake Course) San Francisco, pgs. 94-97
22. History - The Royal Golf Club of Belgium, Retrieved 6/6/2018 www.rgcb.be/en_visit_history.html
23. Wilfrid Reid Returns from America, The Nottingham Evening News, Saturday, August 4, 1956
24. Dunn, Seymour Retrieved 6/7/2018 ....................
25. Darwin, Bernard,The Golf Courses of the British Isles, Facsimile of the 1910 Edition, Hollinwell pgs.138-139.
26. Ibid., ( about Barnton ) pgs. 199-201
27. Steel, Donald, Classic Golf Links of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, Chapman Publishers, pgs. 94-95.
28. Seelig, Patrick, Historic Golf Courses (Taylor Publishing 1994) Olympic Club, Lake Course pgs. 127-130
29. Adams, John, The Parks of Musselburgh: Golfers, Architects, Clubmakers, Grant Books 1991
30. https://www.planetgolf.com/courses/england/sunningdale-golf-club/old-course Retrieved September 24, 2018
31. Michigan PGA Championship - Wikipedia 7/22/18, 9:56 PM
32. Webb, Ralph letter, Nov. 9, 1988
33. Jean Poindexter Colby, The 1913 United States Open Championship Held at The Country Club, Cranberry Graphics Inc., First Edition 1988.
34. PGA Michigan Section, 2015 Inductees, Wilfrid E. Reid www.michiganpgagolf.com/?s=Wilfrid+Reid 5/19/19
35. The Olympic Club of San Francisco 1860/1960 Centennial, The James H. Barry Co., photos pg. 35
36. Ibid, pg. 74, also pgs. 34 and 124-127
37. Darwin, Bernard The Golf Courses of the British Isles, Storey Communications Ailsa, Inc., 1988
( A Facsimile of the Original 1910 Edition ) pg. 138
38. 1930 Western Open Golf Championship Souvenir Program, Western Golf Association, pg. 23
39. Jones, J.I.B. Del Monte No. 2 at Pebble Beach Version 1, Golf Historical Society, June 12, 2019, www.golfhistoricalsociety.org Retrieved June 24, 2019
40. Ibid, 101 Years of Golf at Pebble Beach 1918-2019, Del Monte No. 2 golf course at Pebble Beach, March 30. 2019, Retrieved June 24, 2019
41. Ibid, W. Herbert Fowler at Del Monte No. 2 at Pebble Beach, Retrieved June 24, 2019
42. Price, Charles The World of Golf, Random House 1962, pgs 94, 95, 196
43. Booth, Alan HONOR & GLORY Arnold Palmer's Guide to the 1995 Ryder Cup, History of the Ryder Cup, Crow International Ltd. London 1995, pg. 38 - poor
44. Homer, Chris Chris@OldGolfClubs.com emails dtd. 11 July & 12 July, 2016
45. Doak, Tom The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses, Sleeping Bear Press 1996, pgs.153,157,158 and 256
46. Ibid, pg. 211
47. 100 Years of Pebble Beach Golf Links, Bauer Consumer Media Limited, pgs. 4-7 www.golfworldtop100.com/features/100-years-of-pebble-beach retrieved April 2, 2020
48. Boston Globe Newspaper, , 1913
49. Whitten, Ron Resurgent Indianwood to host U.S. Women's Open, Golf Digest, July 1989, pgs. 171-172
50. Foreign Golfers Win: Tellier and Reid Defeat Smith and Terry at Canoe Brook, New York Times,
Sept. 28, 1913, Sports Section Pg. 3
51. Whitten, Ron What You Might Not Know About Pebble Beach: The Par-5 18th Was An Afterthought, Golf World, May 25, 2010
52. http://flushingvalley.com/about/ pgs. 2-4 of 4, retrieved Nov. 1, 2020
53. Doak, Tom The Anatomy of a Golf Course, Lyons & Burford Publishers 1992, pg. 223
54. Whitten, Ron Seaview The Bay Course, Golf Digest, Dec 11, 2006 pgs.....
55. Sommers, Robert T. The U.S. Open, Atheneum Publishers 1987, pgs. 34, 35 and 47
56. Henry Roberts "Bobs", The Green Book of Golf, Ellis and Roberts 1925-26, photos pgs.67 and 69
57. Ibid, Darsie L. Darsie, The Del Monte Courses, pgs.179-180
58. The Golfer's Handbook Edinburgh (FORTY-NINTH YEAR OF PUBLICATION) 1952, pg. 226
59. The Parks of Musselburgh - Golfers, Architects and Club Makers
60. Zmistowski, Wm. Jr., Reid's grandson - Personal visit to Golf de La Boulie together with Perry O. Dye in 2001
61. 1921- The Ryder Cup is played for the first time... HISTORY OF GOLF, International Golf Foundation, Copyright 2018 IGFGolf, retrieved 11/4/21 www.igfgolf.org
62. Greg Johnson, PART 1: The first 25 years of the Michigan Section PGA (1922-1947), Michigan PGA Centennial (1922-2022), pgs.1-4
www.zmistowski.com/wilfridereid
* * * * * * * *
Contact
William Zmistowski, Jr., Member Golf Heritage Society
- - - - - - - Research & Notes - - - - - - -
Wilfrid's apprenticeship with Willie Park, Jnr. at Edinburgh Burgess in 1901 occurred immediately after Park had completed design of the highly respected Old Course at Sunningdale outside of London which opened circa 1900-01. Sunningdale-Old was recognized as the earliest outstanding inland course located on open, undulating sandy, sparsely vegetated natural heathland far from the coastal linksland. It was well known for shifting the game from the seacoast to inland sites, and as such, was a trend setting design in the evolution of golf.
He distinguished himself in golf as a leading international competitor.
He distinguished himself in golf as a leading international championship golfer.
....as a leading international championship competitor.
W.E. Reid's original golf course designs of RCF de la Boulie Valley Course in Versailles, Royal GC de Belgique Old Course in Brussels, Olympic Club Lakeside Course in San Francisco and Pebble Beach Links where he co-designed the original routing plan, as well as his classic Golden Age legacy at Indianwood Golf and Country Club in Michigan have repeatedly hosted national championships. [15]
Good Wording: Brae Burn Country Club, founded in 1897, is located in West Newton, Massachusetts. The club's storied past and integral role in advancing the sport of golf in America, has established Brae Burn as one of the most prestigious country clubs in the Northeast.
Brae Burn provides Boston-area golf enthusiasts and families with a quality experience steeped in tradition, natural beauty, and personalized service.
Brae Burn has been the site of some historic golf moments, serving as the host of four major tournaments of the United States Golf Association. Walter Hagen won the U.S. Open in 1919, Ray Gorton challenged Bobby Jones in the U.S. Amateur in 1928, and U.S. Women’s Amateur Championships were won by Harriot Curtis in 1906, Beth Daniel in 1975, and Silvia Cavalleri in 1997. Brae Burn hosted Curtis Cup Matches in 1958 and 1970. MGA Amateur victories by Francis Ouimet in 1914 and Eddie Stimpson in 1935 are also highlights in Brae Burn’s rich history.
99th Top 100 USA (Golf Magazine) - 2003
95th Top 100 Classic Courses (Golfweek) - 2018
Additional facts:
At that time Reid had introduced a new level of classic championship British golf course design to Michigan.
- the 1928 Michigan PGA Championship won by Em Kocsis?, also 194? & 194? Mich. PGA Championships
- Designed over 100 golf courses from Seacroft ca 190) until his last project before retiring, remodeling Gaylord CC in Michigan in the mid-50's.
- Providing Michigan golfers with quality golf for years.
- The strength of the Old Course at Indianwood as a demanding test of golf is evidenced by the fact it has hosted some top tier championships and national opens beginning with the Western Open in 1930 which was then considered the third major in the world of golf. The Western Golf Association immediately recognized Indianwood as a great test of golf and selected it as the venue for the 1930 Western Open Championship. The USGA selected Indianwood 'Old' as the venue for the 1989 and 1994 U. S. Womens Opens and again for the 2012 U. S. Senior Open. Many Michigan Opens? and Michigan PGA Championships have been played at Indianwood Old for years as well.
- Seaview paragraph....
- Head Golf Professional at:
Seacroft Golf Club, Segness, England (1901-1902 )
The Racing Club de France at La Boulie, Versailles, France (1902-1908 )
Banstead Downs Club, Sutton, Surrey, England ( 1908-1914 )
Seaview Country Club, Absecon, NJ ( 1915*)
Wilmington Country Club, Wilmington, DE (1916-1922 )
Country Club of Detroit, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI (ca 1922-1924 )
The Indianwood Club, Lake Orion, MI (1925-1932)
St. Augustine CC, St. Augustine, FL winter Head? Pro (1921-1928*)
Seminole Golf Club, Juno Beach, FL Head Pro (1935-41*)
The Broadmoor Hotel Golf Club, Colorado Springs, CO (ca 1934-41)
General Oglethorpe Hotel Golf Club, Savannah, GA (ca 1942-45)
Atlantic City Country Club, Atlantic City, NJ (1946-48*)
Gaylord Country Club, Gaylord, MI (1949-ca 54)
Retired (ca 1954)
Ft. Pierce, FL ?
- Teaching Pro at:
La Gorce CC, Miami Beach, FL ( possibly winters ca 1920's)
Beverly CC, Chicago, IL ( ca 1933-34)
Marshall Fields Department Store, Chicago, IL ( ca 1933-34)
St. Augustine CC, FL (winters 1921-28* and ca late1930's ? )
- 1906,7,8,9,10,11,12,13 & 14 played for England in the International Matches England v Scotland, never losing a match
- Midland Open Champion 1910, 11, 12, 13 & 14
- 1911 Midland Professional Championship at Harborne GC, Birmingham - winner
- Designed Water's Edge Golf Course, Grosse Ile, MI (9 holes); Fox Hills Golf & Banquet Center ?
- Remodeled....
- 1912 French Open - 13th *
- Hagen won the 1928 Michigan PGA ?? at Indianwood, Sarazen won the 1930 Western Open at Indianwood
- 1919 PGA Championship - T9 * ??
- La Vallee Course (possibly in collaboration with Willie Park, Jnr. ?? )
- Reid possibly collaborated with Seymour Dunn on original RGCB design; however doubtful as Dunn was in Lake Placid, NY designing and building the Lake Placid Club lower course in 1905-06 * ...and 1909 ?
- W.E. Reid's classic Golden Age course at Indianwood Golf and Country Club in Michigan and his historic original designs, RCF de la Boulie Valley Course in Versailles, Royal GC de Belgique Old Course in Brussels, Olympic Club Lakeside Course in San Francisco and co-designed routing of Pebble Beach Golf Links frequently serve as the venues for national open championships to this day.
- W.E. Reid's classic Golden Age design of Indianwood Golf and Country Club in Michigan and his other historic original designs of Royal GC de Belgique Old Course in Brussels, RCF de la Boulie Valley Course in Versailles, Olympic Club Lakeside Course in San Francisco and original routing plan co-design of Pebble Beach Golf Links in Carmel frequently serve as venues for national open championships to this day.
CAREER SUMMARY: WILFRID EWART REID, PGA
Born: 1884 in Bulwell, Nottinghamshire, England
Died: 1973 in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
Born and raised in Bulwell, Nottinghamshire, England on the edge of Sherwood Forest. Robin Hood's tree was barely in sight in the distance from his home course. Served apprenticeships at Edinburgh Burgess Golfing Society in Scotland. Emigrated to America with family in tow in 1915. A lifetime head golf professional in England, France and America, international competitive golfer and designed or remodeled approximately 100 golf courses. Lifetime member of the PGA of America. Retired in the 1950's to West Palm Beach, Florida.
British golf professional Wilfrid Reid was a protege of Harry Vardon. After immigrating and becoming a naturalized citizen he represented America in 1921 along with Walter Hagen, Captain XXXX XXXX and the other team members in the forerunner to the Ryder Cup played at Gleneagles, Scotland against the British team, Vardon, Ray, J.H. Taylor, Braid, Havers et al. Reid won his singles match over reigning British Open Champion Arthur Havers in America's loss to Great Britain.
Reid played in 57 national opens winning the French, Swiss, Italian Opens, also the Michigan and Augusta Open defeating Gene Sarazen. He completed 72 holes a total of 19 times in The British and U.S. Open Championships.
Primarily a club pro in England and France, then in America at Seminole Golf Club, Country Club of Detroit, the Broadmoor in Colorado and other fine clubs, Reid was one of the true pioneers of golf in America.
Wilfrid Reid was also responsible for the original design, redesign or remodeling of approximately 101 golf courses beginning as a teenage apprentice under Willie Park Jnr. at Edinburgh Burgess Golfing Society in Scotland. He designed such famous layouts as the original Olympic Club, site of five U.S. Opens, The Indianwood Club site of four national championships, RCF de la Boille site of many French Opens and Amateur Championships, as well as a host of others in England, France, Belgium, Canada and America.
He was a prolific renown golf swing analyst and golf instructor as well. Some of his pupils included Sir Winston Churchill, King Leopold of Belgium, King Edward VII and VIII of England, President Warren G. Harding, Joyce Wethered and Harvey Ward.
Perhaps his greatest legacy was the creation of The Indianwood Club in Michigan just prior to the Great Depression in America. Indianwood struggled, but has now been fully resurrected thanks to entrepreneur B. Standart Aldridge of Bloomfield Hills, MI.
Leading international golf instructor of kings, presidents, championship golfers in history and avid instructor of beginners young and old as well.
Wilfrid Reid was inducted into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame and Michigan PGA Golf Hall of Fame.
Wilfrid and his contemporaries deserve our thanks for all they did to spread the institution and great game of golf during both of "Golf's Golden Ages".
A.W.T. : Creator of Golf Courses who was a .... figure in American golf... Designer of world class courses such as Winged Foot, Baltusrol and Bethpage Black.
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Willie Park, Jnr. original designs in Michigan
Red Run GC, Royal Oak 1917
Flint GC, Flint 1923
Meadowbrook CC, MI orig. 6 holes, 1916*
Pine Lake CC, Orchard Lake, MI 1919 & 1924, maybe 1917
Golf Courses designed by Wilfrid E. Reid: RESEARCH & NOTES
NEW COURSES (original designs, completed initial layouts, reconstructions & redesigns by W.E. Reid)
Canada
- Windsor, Ontario * (unknown)
England
- Garratts Hall, Banstead or Garrett Hall, Manchester (ca 1910) *
- And others *
France
- Golf du Racing Club de France (La Vallee Course), La Boulie, Versailles, Ile-de-France (1902-03) with Tellier * (Initial routing 1901 Park Jnr.*) (R Park Jnr.& Reid 1904*) (R Seymour Dunn ? ) Inaugural French Open, over 20 French Opens #43 Top 100
- Golf de Cannes, La Napoule (ca 1906 or 07) *
- Golf Club d'Aix les Bains, Aix-les-Bains, Savoie (ca 1907) *
- Ile de Berder du Golf, Vannes, Brittany (ca 1906 ) *
- Pont St. Maxence du Golf, Pont-Sainte-Maxence, N of Paris (ca 1910's) for Baron de Rothschild *
- And others *
Possibly
Golf de la Nivelle, France (1907 possible collaboration with J.H. Taylor) France Top 100 #93
Golf de Morfontaine, Mortefontaine, N of Paris (1913 orig. 9 Valliere Course) with M. Tellier collaboration with Tom Simpson ? (redesigned & added 9 Tom Simpson 1927 ) a heathland course #19 France Top 100 ?
Belgium
- Royal Golf Club de Belgique, Ravenstein (Old Course), Tervuren (1904-05) with M.Tellier * for King Leopold II * (R 1906 Seymour Dunn ? while he was pro at Royal County Down in 1906 and living in Lake Placid, NY during summers 1905-06 ) ( R Tom Simpson ca 1920's * ) #57 Golf World Top 100 Europe
United States
- Pebble Beach Golf Links (then Del Monte CC No. 2), Pebble Beach, CA (1916 original golf course routing plan by Reid & Donaldson* prepared for Neville & Grant*) [39] [40] [41]
- The Olympic Club (Lakeside course), San Francisco (1917 original 18 hole course) with Walter Fovargue *
(1918 obtained by The Olympic Club *) (R 1920 by Herb Fowler *) [35] [36] [56]
(R by Sam Whiting & Willie Watson 1924... etc.)
- Indianwood Golf and Country Club (Old Course), Lake Orion, MI (1925) with Connellan * 1930 Western Open #91Golfweek 2019 Top 200 1928 Michigan Open 1948 & 1949 Michigan PGA 1989 & 1994 U.S. Womens Open 2012 U.S.Senior Open
- DuPont Country Club, Wilmington, DE (1921 or 22? original 9) * (1924 D. Ross added 9 or new replacement 18 ?) *
- Wilmington Country Club (now Ed Oliver Golf Club), Wilmington, DE (ca 1916 original 9) with Connellan * Reid did not design current Wilmington CC course
- Greenhill Municipal Golf Course, Wilmington, DE (ca 1920) * originally a private club ?
- Newark Country Club, Newark, DE (1921 original 9, orig.18 layout) * ** (1952 added 9 by ? )
- Brae Burn Golf Club, Plymouth, MI (1923 original 9 ? ) with Connellan * ** MI Top 100
- Birmingham CC, Birmingham, MI (1928 added 9 & remodeled orig. 9) with Connellan * (1916 orig.9 Bendelow & Connellan *) Donald Ross involved in routing ? '68 US Women's Am '53 PGA Best in State #23 PGA Championship 1953
- Plum Hollow Country Club, Southfield, MI (1925 "completed" with Connellan *) (1921 Colt & Alison layout *)
Western Open 1957 PGA Championship 1947 [45]
WER original designer per Doak but probably a major redesign, 1957 Western Open, Top 100,
1943 Ryder Cup War Benefit site, 1951 Women's Western Open, 1947 PGA Championship,
2017 PGA Championship, 2015 Michigan Amateur, remodeled/wer
- Tam O' Shanter CC, Orchard Lake, MI (1926 & 29 completed and/or redesigned ) with Connellan *
(1925 C.H.Alison layout * ) remodeled/wer
- Orchard Lake Country Club, Orchard Lake, MI (1928 completed or redesigned ? ) with Connellan *
(1926 Colt? & Alison layout *) (R Foster) Best in State #11 #147 Golfweek's 2019 Top 200
- Plymouth CC (now Fox Classic at Fox Hills Golf Club) Plymouth, MI (1927) with Connellan *
- Harsens Island Golf Course, Harsens Island, MI (1926) with Connellan *
- Black River Country Club, Port Huron, MI (1926) with Connellan* (added 9 1922,23or26) Fred Riggin orig.9 ?
- Flushing Valley Country Club, Flushing, MI (1930 original 9) with Connellan * [52] ** possibly original 9
- West Chester, Ypsilanti, MI * check this out
- Indian River Golf Club (originally Burt Lake GC ) Indian River, MI (1924 reconstructed 9 with Connellan * )
(Pete Henry "initial layout" 1922or3 *) (1984 remodeled & added 9 Warner Bowen *) **
- Gaylord Country Club, Gaylord, MI (1924 original 9, 1927 added 9) with Connellan *
- Port Huron Golf Club, Port Huron (Ft. Gratiot ? ), MI (1927 added 9) with Connellan * (R Newcomb ) *
(Bendelow 1910) ( Anthony says C&A designed it in 1899 agholz@aol.com )
- Port Huron Country Club, Fort Gratiot, MI (ca 1925) with Connellan * Chk. with Anthony
- Bob O'Link, Novi, MI (1920's) with Connellan * MI Top 100 ?
- Sunnybrook Golf Club, Sterling Hgts., MI (1930) with Connellan (not Sunnybrook, Grand Rapids 1950)
- Indian Springs Golf Course, White Lake, MI (1920's)
- Water's Edge Golf Course, Grosse Ile, MI (9 hole course) commissioned by Wm. S. Knudsen *
- Hawthorne Valley GC (now Warren Valley GC), Dearborn, MI (1923) with Connellan
- Bald Mountain Golf Course, Lake Orion, MI (1929) with Connellan *
- Twin Beach Golf, Riding and Country Club, West Bloomfield, MI (1929 original 9) * with Connellan
- Huron Shores Golf Club, Port Sanilac, MI (1925) with Connellan *
- And many others *
Possibly
Meadowbrook Country Club, Northville, MI (ca 1923) added 9 or redesigned ? with Connellan (original 6 holes Willie Park Jnr. 1916 *) '55 PGA Championship 1954 Western Open Best in State #12 #144 Golfweek 2019 Top 200 Motor City Open 1948 & 1949
Golf course near Ft. Pierce, FL remodeled or new 1940's or 50's
Jupiter Island Club, Hope Sound, FL (1940's Geo. Blagg added 9 *) with Reid (orig.9 Donald Ross 1916)
Grosse Ile G and CC, Grosse Ile, MI (1920 added 9 ?? with Connellan ) ??
Golf course north of Ft. Pierce, FL ? remodeled or new 1940's or 50's ?
Edgewood Country Club, Commerce, MI (1928 co-design with Ernest Way and Connellan) ?
Red Run Golf Club, Royal Oak, MI (1920's) ? (Bendelow ? ) (1914 original 6 holes by Willie Park Jr.) Western Open 1952 probably R by WER 1920's
Western G&CC, Redford, MI ? Western Open 1960
Franklin Hills CC, MI (1927) with Connellan ? (1926 Donald Ross)
Blythefield CC, Belmont, MI (1929) No * (Langford & Moreau) Western Open 1961
REMODELED COURSES ( remodeled, renovated, restored existing courses by W. E. Reid )
Canada
- Windsor, Ontario * possibly Essex County G&CC (R ca 1923) with Connellan, Ernest & Bertie Way WER won 1922 Ontario Open @ orig. Essex County G&CC * New Donald Ross Essex G&CC course in 1929
England
- Seacroft Links at Skegness, East Linsey, England (R 1901 original Tom Dunn 9) * 1895 Tom Dunn * 1900 Willie Fernie
- Banstead Downs Club, Sutton, Surrey, England (R 1911 original James Braid 18) *
France
Golf de Racing Club de France (La Vallee Course), la Boulie (R 1904 added bunkers) Willie Park, Jnr.* with Reid
United States
- Del Monte CC No. 1, Monterey,CA (R 1916) with Walter Fovargue & James Donaldson *
- The Broadmoor GC ( East Course ) , Colorado Springs, CO ( R ca 1935 ) * (1918 Donald Ross)
- Ashtabula Golf Club, Ashtabula, Ohio ( R 1923) with Bertie Way * and Connellan
- Beverly Country Club, Chicago, IL ( R ca 1933) *
- Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club, Grosse Ile, MI (R traps 1920's) with Connellan * (Ross ca 1919, 1921)
- Bloomfield Hills Country Club, Bloomfield Hills, MI (R ca 1923) with Connellan * (1913 Harry Colt )
- General Oglethorpe Hotel GC (now Savannah CC ), Wilmington Island, GA ( R early 1940's ) (1927 D. Ross)
- Atlantic City CC, Atlantic City, New Jersey (R 1946-47) * (Willie Park Jnr. original *)
- Gaylord Country Club, Gaylord, MI (R 1949 and/or 1953-54 ) *
- Tam O' Shanter CC, West Broomfield, MI (R 1953) *
- And many others *
Possibly
Seaview Bay Course, Absecon, New Jersey (R 1915)
Belvedere GC, Charlevoix, MI (R 1927 with Connellan ) (1925 Willie Watson layout or 1917 )
La Gorce CC in Miami Beach, FL (R ca 1930)
Brae Burn Country Club, West Newton, MA (possibly R ca 1918) or Brae Burn GC in Michigan Unlikely - but family members in West Newton Brother-in-law Tellier was the pro in 1918 WER played there in the 1919 US Open finishing T21st
Red Run Golf Club, Royal Oak, MI ( Willie Park Jnr. & Bendelow 1917 )
Franklin Hills CC, MI (R 1931 with Connellan ) (1927 Donald Ross )
Flint Golf Club, Flint MI ( 1919 Willie Park Jnr. )
Huron Hills, Ann Arbor, MI (1922 Bendelow )
St. Augustine CC, St. Augustine, FL 1920's ?
* VERIFIED
OTHER POSSIBLE GOLF COURSE DESIGNS or COLLABORATIONS - unverified
- Golf de la Nivelle, France (1907) possible collaboration with J.H. Taylor ? France Top 100 #93
- Ernest Way 1920's courses in Michigan
- Willie Park Jnr. 1915-25 courses in the Midwest
BUNKERING PROJECTS ( For initial layouts & existing courses )
- La Vallee Course bunker remodeling for new Haskell golf ball, La Boilie, France (1904 with Willie Park, Jnr. )
- Bunkers only on Donald Ross course at Grosse Ile CC, Grosse Ile, Michigan (1923 with Connellen * )
- Atlantic City CC bunkers for 1948 U.S. Womens Open (1946-48)
- The Broadmoor East Course, bunker remodeling on original Donald Ross course (1940 ? ) *
-
Strategic design and placement of Bunkers on existing golf courses was one of Reid's significant/ greatest design expertise for 50 years. Reid was well known for his strategic bunkering design expertise... expertise of golf courses were recognized for their challenging, strategic placement, design and shaping of the bunkering. Water hazards were very rare in the early years of golf. ....and hazards
Indianwood Old is well known for it's excellent bunkering now restored. In 1904 Reid and Willie Park are known for the strategic bunkering and shaping they added at the new La Vallee Course in France for the inaugural 1906 French Open at La Boulie.
La Vallee course in France is known for the strategic bunkering added by Reid and Willie Park in 1904 for the upcoming inaugural 1906 French Open.
In 1920 Reid designed the bunkering only on Donald Ross' design at Grosse Ile G&CC. In 1923 recognized for his design of the in Michigan, etc................ The Broadmoor East course bunkering on the original Donald Ross East Course was added by Reid in the mid-1930's.
His remodeling... Later in his career his remodeling of Atlantic City CC (orig. Willie Park Jnr.) for the1948 US Womens Open and Tam O'Shanter (orig. Willie Park Jr.) in Detroit in the late 1940's, and others all involved major updating of the design, strategy and bunkering design and shaping to update older, short classic golf courses or courses hosting or seeking to host championship tournaments.
Indianwood, a venerable course, has hosted national championships on several occassions over the years.
Major tournaments and championships at WER original designs, redesigned and co-designed golf courses:
- 1907 1st French Open, approx. 20 French Opens - RCF de La Boulie
- 1926 Michigan Open Championship - Indianwood Old
- 1930 Western Open - Indianwood Old
- 1943 canceled Ryder Cup - Plum Hollow CC
- 1947 PGA Championship - Plum Hollow CC
- 1948 & 49 Michigan PGA Championships - Indianwood Old
- 1953 PGA Championship - Birmingham CC
- 1955 PGA Championship - Meadowbrook CC
- 1957 Western Open - Plum Hollow CC
- 1968 U.S. Women's Amateur - Birmingham CC
- 1984 U.S. Senior Amateur - Birmingham CC
- 1989 U.S. Women's Open - Indianwood Old
- 1994 U.S. Women's Open - Indianwood Old
- 201? U.S. Women's Open - Broadmoor East
- 2012 U.S. Senior Open - Indianwood Old
- 2017 PGA Championship - Plum Hollow CC
- 6 U.S. Opens, 2019, - Pebble Beach Golf Links
- 1929 U.S. Amateur, U.S. Women's Open - Pebble Beach Golf Links
- 5 U. S. Opens, 2021 U.S. Women's Open - The Olympic Club Lakeside (1987, 1998, )
** Supporter
www.zmistowski.com/wilfridereid
* * * * * * * *
Contact for more information wz@zmistowski.com
Copyright 2008-2022 William Zmistowski, Jr.
Wilfrid Ewart Reid was one of the pioneer British professional golfers that brought the game of golf over to America during what is known as the "Golden Age of Golf". [1] [2] [20]
Reid was a prominent British golf professional, then a prominent American PGA professional and an international competitor at the highest levels of championship golf.
Wilfrid E. Reid served his apprenticeship in Scotland, was head professional at outstanding private clubs including RCF de La Boulie in Versailles, Seminole Golf Club in Florida, Country Club of Detroit in Michigan, Banstead Downs in London, an ardent ambassador of the game, leading instructor and golf swing analyst. He competed in approximately 57 national opens and designed championship golf courses as well in Great Britian, France, Belgium, Canada and the United States.
As an instructor Reid gave lessons to Sir Winston Churchill, King Leopold of Belgium, King Edward VII and VIII of England, President Warren G. Harding, Joyce Wethered, Harvey Ward and a great many others seeking his help.
In many ways Wilfrid Reid was a true renaissance man and prolific pioneer as the game of golf was spreading from Scotland into the rest of the British Isles, then beyond to Continental Europe, America and throughout the world. [11]
His personal legacy, design of the Golden Age championship golf course at The Indianwood Club outside of Detroit in 1925, was selected by the Western Golf Association to host the 1930 Western Open, the third major in the world at that time, won by Gene Sarazen.
W.E. Reid's original designs of Indianwood Old, Royal GC de Belgique Old Course in Brussels, La Vallee Course at RCF de La Boulie in Versailles, Olympic Club Lakeside Course in San Francisco, co-design of Pebble Beach Links routing plan and a number of his other golf course designs have hosted national opens and major championships. [15]? [3]?
Reid's career began in the early 1900's with great promise in Skegness, Paris, Brussels and London, flourished during the Golden Age in America, yet nearly ended with the Great Depression in the 1930's.
Years later, disciplined restoration of the historic Golden Age course at Indianwood in the early 1980's commissioned by the club's eventual savior, prominent Detroit entrepreneur B. Standart Aldridge, resulted in USGA Executive Director Frank Hannigan's recognition of Reid's heathland-inspired design as an exceptional golf course of great significance. Subsequently, the USGA selected resurgent Indianwood Golf and Country Club's Old Course to host U.S. National Open Championships in 1989, 1994 and 2012. [49]
Wilfrid E. Reid was then rediscovered along with Tillinghast, Herb Fowler, Hugh Wilson and others of their generation as one of the outstanding classic architects in the early history of golf in America. [ ]
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As time passed Wilfrid Reid, one of the pioneers of the various Golden Ages of Golf, was largely forgotten until the recent movie featuring Wilfrid as one of the main characters in the book by Mark Frost and major motion picture The Greatest Game Ever Played, the story of Vardon and Francis Ouimet in the 1913 United States Open Championship. Of course Reid actually was tied with Vardon for the lead at 147 after the second round at Brookline in 1913 and paired with Ouimet in the 3rd round as portrayed in the movie, but finished T16th following an unfortunate incident with Ted Ray in their hotel dining room.
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Early Years
Wilfrid Reid was a protege of Harry Vardon, one of golf's great icons. [7]
Reid was mentored by Vardon at a very young age. [8] As such he was eventually afforded the opportunity to associate with as well as compete against Britain's golfing immortals, Vardon, J.H.Taylor and James Braid known as The Great Triumvirate. During this era of golf history he quickly developed as a recognized British professional golfer.
Young Reid served an apprenticeship in Scotland with Willie Park, Jnr. learning golf course design at the Edinburgh Burgess Golfing Society's new Barnton golf course near Edinburgh. [44]
He was originally from the Parish of Bulwell on the edge of the Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire. The Reid's were a multigenerational golf family of Scottish decent. Wilfrid began playing golf and caddying at age 5 at Notts Golf Club in Bulwell where his family played as artisans.
At the turn of the 20th century Reid was sent to Edinburgh Burgess for a few years by his artisans club to serve apprenticeships learning the art of clubmaking and gutta percha ball making, then learning golf course design at Barnton with Willie Park Jnr. [44]
The Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh, possibly the oldest golfing society in the world dating back to 1735, undoubtedly offered excellent, expert training for young aspiring apprentices to develop their knowledge and skills in the emerging professions of golf. This was the era of rapid expansion of Scotland's ancient game into England, Wales, Ireland and the Channel Islands.
Willie Park, Jnr., twice Open Champion, was a prolific trend-setting golf course architect, Sunningdale Old Course in England among his most notable early designs. Park designed 170 golf courses in the British Isles, Europe and North America including Maidstone and Olympia Fields North. The Parks of Musselburgh were famous golfers, architects and clubmakers. Park, Snr. won the first Open Championship in 1860. [29]
At age 14 Wilfrid watched Harry Vardon play an exhibition match and decided he wanted to become a professional golfer. By age 15 he was assistant golf professional at his home course in Bulwell. In 1901, after his apprenticeships at Edinburgh Burgess, he was referred by Vardon to the Seacroft Golf Club to be their golf professinal and improve or complete design of their nine hole links golf course.
This was his first head golf professional position. [7] [8] Seacroft Club at Skegness on the east coast of England had strong ties to his hometown, Nottingham. [6] Teenage Wilfrid Reid was proudly known as "The Skegness Professional". [ ]
Soon after, Vardon referred Reid to Racing Club de France for the head golf professional position at Golf de La Boulie in Versailles where he served for seven years (1902-1908) assisting the renown Parisian athletic club develop their new golf program.
RCF de La Boulie was founded in 1901. Wilfrid Reid designed the original La Vallee golf course in 1902-04 together with his brother-in-law Louis Tellier's father, M.Tellier, who was La Boulie's head greenkeeper. Willie Park, Jnr. had routed the course for Societe' de Golf at Hara La Boulie during March and April of 1901 prior to it being taken over by Racing Club de France. In 1904 Park Jnr., in collaboration with Reid, made revisions to the La Vallee course soon to be the venue for the 1905 French Professional Open (won by Reid) and 1906 inaugural Open de France (won by Arnaud Massy). [59]
Note: RCF de la Boulie has verbally indicated they no longer have records from this period as the Nazi's occupied the clubhouse and destroyed all of the club's records during WWII. Fortunately, extensive "golf history" sources have documented much of La Boulie's famous golf history. [60]
Reid was the club's second head golf professional following Massy. As the pro at La Boulie Reid gave lessons to King Leopold II of Belgium.
In 1904-05 Wilfrid E. Reid designed the original golf course for King Leopold II at Royal GC de Belgique in Brussels, again in collaboration with La Boulie's greenkeeper M. Tellier. [15] After Royal Belgique Reid was engaged in designing other golf courses in France including Pont-Sainte-Maxence, Aix-les-Bains in Savoie and Ile de Berder in Brittany.
While living in France he competed in Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, France as well as at home in England, Scotland, Wales and probably N. Ireland. In 1906 he wed Stella Toft of Bulwell and returned to England circa 1907 or 08 where he was appointed head professional at Banstead Downs in the south of London.
Competitive Golf Record
As a competitive professional golfer Reid completed 72 holes in 19 British and U.S. Opens (10 British Opens beginning at age 18 and 9 U.S. Opens). He held the lead 5 times in U.S. Opens. In 1913 he tied for 16th at Brookline. In 1915 he tied for 10th at Baltusrol. In the 1916 U.S. Open he was tied for the lead with Chick Evans after 45 holes at Minikahda and finished T4th with Walter Hagen and John McDermott. [55] When the U.S. Open was suspended due to WWI he was medalist in the substitute 1918 Red Cross war benefit tournament at Inwood CC in New York.
Reid played in approximately 57 National Opens. In 1903 at age 18 Reid finished tied for 53rd in The "British" Open at Prestwick. He won the 1904 Swiss Open, 1905 French Professional Championship (forerunner of the inaugural 1906 French Open both at La Boulie) and the Windsor Ontario Open in Canada ca 1922. He also played in the Belgian Open, 1911 German Open, defeated Gene Sarazen to win the 1924 Augusta Open, won the 1926 Michigan PGA Championship and many other touranments and matches in Scotland, England and Wales.
In England he frequently won the Midland Open, the Midland Challenge Cup, Tooting Beck Cup and others. He was a member of the English team in the International Matches against Scotland with a winning record for years (1903-1913?) and member of the professional team in the 1911 Coronation Matches, etc.
Reid was well known in his day as a great player of exhibition and challenge matches in both Great Britain and America. He very rarely lost, on rare occasions beat his mentor Vardon and the other members of golf's Great Triumvirate. By 1913 Wilfrid had become one of the leading international competitors.
Introduction to the United States
Wilfrid Reid, Harry Vardon and Ted Ray sailed to Boston together as the British representatives in the historic 1913 U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline. [3] [4] Boston Globe newspaper headlines referred to this as the 'British Invasion'. [48] In the first round Reid was tied with Vardon at 75. [33]
Of course young American amateur Francis Ouimet won this defining championship. Reid shared the 36 hole lead with Vardon at 147. In the third round Wilfrid was paired with Ouimet. [2] [4] [42] Then in the fourth round he faltered as a result of injuries sustained in an infamous altercation the night before arguing with Ted Ray in their hotel dining room at the Copley Plaza and finished tied for 16th.
After the Open Vardon, Ray, Reid and Frenchman Louis Tellier toured the East Coast playing exhibition matches with Walter Hagen, Tommy Armour, Freddie McLoud, Johnny McDermott and other golf professionals before returning home to London. [50] This venture to the United States to promote the game of golf was financed by a leading British golf equipment company owner.
At the time Reid was head professional at Banstead Downs Golf Club in the London Borough of Sutton, Surrey, home club of Sir Winston Churchill, where he remained for 7 seasons (1908-1914).
As a distinguished club professional and proper English gentleman he was at the top of his profession at Banstead Downs involved in all aspects of British professional golf including teaching, clubmaking, championship golf, war benefit fund-raising and active participation in the newly formed British PGA. He tied Vardon in the 1911 Tooting Beck Cup hosted by Banstead Downs, but lost the 18 hole playoff shooting 78 to Vardon's 76. Reid continued to design golf courses in France and authored the 4th chapter entitled "The Use of the Mashie" in Harry Vardon's book, Success At Golf. [12] ✓
While at Banstead Downs Wilfrid gave many lessons to members of the club not the least of which was Sir Winston Churchill himself. ✓
Career in America
Wilfrid Reid came to America in February 1915 following a successful early career in Europe and the British Isles.
With the onset of WWI in 1914 the British golf pros were more willing to consider immigrating to America. Clarence H. Geist of Philadelphia had recruited Wilfrid to move his family to the United States. In 1915 he became the first golf professional at the new Seaview Country Club in Absecon, New Jersey. [9] Seaview was the weekend club for Philadelphians. Since appearing in the 1913 U.S. Open Reid had turned down three offers from America but eventually accepted the appointment at Seaview. Wilfrid's brother, Arthur, and brother-in-laws also made the voyage at various times, initially serving as first assistants at Ardsley-on-Hudson in New York.
Seaview was an exceptional new links-like course designed in 1914 by Hugh Wilson and Donald Ross in the natural landscape along Absecon Bay in New Jersey. [54] When he arrived from London Reid designed the last 5 holes. Now The Bay Course at Stockton Seaview Resort site of the annual ShopRite LPGA Classic. Seaview hosted the 1942 PGA Championship.
In 1916 Wilfrid became the club professional at Wilmington CC in Delaware at the behest of Irenee du Pont I, president of the DuPont Company. This was a well publicized three-way move by Reid, Gil Nicholls and 'Jolly' Jim Fraser swapping jobs. Wilfrid was head professional at Wilmington CC for about 7 years. Fraser went to Seaview and Nicholls to Great Neck on Long Island. [author's name]
Once in America Reid had immediately returned to golf course design on the East Coast and in 1916-17 ventured west to San Francisco as a recognized British golf course designer and professional golfer with 2 recent top 10 finishes in the US Open. In California Reid designed the original Olympic Club Lakeside Course in association with fellow pro Walter Fovargue. He also co-designed the original 18 hole routing plan for Pebble Beach Golf Links, then known as Del Monte Hotel's new No. 2 Course, in association with James Donaldson, a fellow golf pro in Paris and greater Philadelphia area and did some remodeling of Del Monte's No. 1 course. [39] [40] [41]
History of Pebble Beach excerpt:
In January 1916, Stanley and Neville hired professional golfers James Donaldson (Scotland), Wilfrid Reid (England), and Walter Fovargue (U.S.A.), to remodel the Del Monte No. 1 golf course for the Western Amateur Championship in July. In February, Donaldson and Reid began laying out holes at Pebble Beach, and by March 1917, Neville and Grant had chosen the final layout from their six routing plan options, and the new Del Monte No. 2 golf course at Pebble Beach was born. [39]
While the pro at Wilmington CC, Wilfrid Reid was actively designing golf courses on the east coast as well and first met his eventual business partner from New York, golf course construction contractor William Connellan. In Delaware Reid designed the original golf courses for Newark Country Club, Dupont Country Club, a municipal course in Wilmington and the original Wilmington CC course now Ed Oliver Golf Club.
Reid's career in America as a club professional included positions at some of this countries' finest clubs and top resorts not the least of which was Country Club of Detroit in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Florida, The Atlantic City Country Club, The Broadmoor Resort Golf Club in Colorado, The General Ogelthorp Hotel near Savannah, Georgia and of course The Indianwood Club north of Detroit. He also served as winter teaching pro at other clubs including St. Augustine CC in the 1920's and La Gorce CC on Miami Beach where he taught Ohio Governor Cox in the 1930's. ✓
Career in Michigan
Upon acceptance of the position at Country Club of Detroit in the early 1920's Wilfrid Reid soon became one of Michigan's prominent golf professionals along with Hagen, Watrous, Harry Hampton, et al. He was a major figure in Michigan golf, a prolific golf course designer during the golf boom of the Roaring 20's designing many courses throughout the state and beyond, 1926 Michigan PGA Champion, President of the Michigan PGA and a respected club professional in the mainstream of Michigan's "Golden Age of Golf". ✓
As a naturalized citizen, he was a member of America's team in the official forerunner of the Ryder Cup in 1921. Wilfrid Reid, Walter Hagen, J.D. Edgar, Jock Hutchison, Freddy McLeod and the others traveled to Scotland to represent America in the First International Professional Golf Match between Great Britain and America at Gleneagles Kings Course. In his singles match Reid defeated reigning British Open champion, Arthur Havers. [43] ✓
He continued playing competitive golf and many challenge matches where he partnered with Walter Hagen, other top golf professionals and amatuer Bobby Jones in four-ball exhibitions. ✓
However, although a prominent golf professional, Reid is primarily remembered a century later for his golf course design work. The Golden Age Reid-designed course at Indianwood Old is where he brought Scottish links-inspired "heathland" golf course design to a selected site in Michigan. He designed many excellent, demanding golf courses during this era of the growth of golf in America. His design work included the original Olympic Club Lakeside Course in San Francisco, co-design of the original routing plan for Pebble Beach Links on Carmel Bay..... repeat , RCF de La Boulie Valley Course in Versailles, remodeling the original nine hole seaside links at Seacroft GC in England and other outstanding golf courses on two continents. Reid and Connellan were also involved in the original design and remodeling of the incomplete initial layouts of other golf course architects at that time. ......
The design of Indianwood's classic "Golden Age" championship golf course in Lake Orion, Michigan was his passion and personal legacy. Other recognized Reid original designs and redesigns in Michigan included Birmingham CC, Plum Hollow, Tam O'Shanter, Orchard Lake, Meadowbrook, Bob O'Link, Sunnybrook, Brae Burn, etc. and many other respected local courses. ✓ ✓ ✓
For years W.E. Reid designed and remodeled golf courses in America have occassionally been selected to host U.S. Opens, PGA Championships, Western Opens, U.S. Women's Opens, a U.S. Senior Open, other major national & state championships, televised tournaments and the 1943 Ryder Cup, unfortunately canceled during WWII. ✓
Indianwood Golf & Country Club - originally The Indianwood Club?
In the 1930's Indianwood was ranked one of the top 10 clubs in America.
The Indianwood Club was founded in 1925. The Old Course at Indianwood, site of some historic golf, has hosted four major national open championships including the 1930 Western Open won by Sarazen. Since it's resurgence from the Depression the Club has hosted the 1989 and 1994 U.S. Women's Opens and 2012 U.S. Senior Open Championship.
Wilfrid was a co-founder of The Indianwood Club with the land owner and banker, Frank W. Blair, possibly a sweet equity investor, head golf professional and designer of the golf course. Now known as the Old Course, he found the site, then designed a classic heathland-like golf course in a rare, undulating open sandy area in the woods north of Detroit, Michigan. Essentially in the prime of his career this was Wilfrid Reid's inspired vision and a lifetime opportunity. He had a large house across the street from the entrance to the club. [21] The Indianwood Club was a highly respected, demanding championship venue immediately drawing praise and the attention of the Western Golf Association.
In those days the Western Open was the third major in the world following the U.S. and British Opens. The 1930 Western Open at Indianwood was a great success. ✓
"The spotlight of the golf world turned to the little village of Lake Orion in 1930 when the Western Golf Association brought the third largest major tournament in the world to Indianwood".
Indianwood was immediately recognized as an excellent test of golf suitable for competition at the highest level. Soon after the course opened Indianwood served as the venue for the 1927 Michigan PGA, then the 1928 Michigan Open won by amateur George Von Elm. [31] A number of Michigan Opens, Michigan PGA Championships in 1948 and 1949 won by the likes of Walter Hagen, Horton Smith, Chick Harbert and others.... have been played there over the years. ✓
Walter Hagen, Tommy Armour and Horton Smith played at Indianwood on a regular basis in the 1930's. Ed Furgol, the 1954 U. S. Open Champion, developed and refined his game there. Perhaps Indianwood's most noteworthy feature is it's St. Andrews Old Course-like 18th green which at approximately 24,000 square feet was one of the largest putting surfaces in the United States. [16] ✓
However, The Indianwood Club was a victim of the Great Depression and taken over by the Union Guardian Bank of Detroit in the early 1930's.
Since it's rebirth after a long recovery from the devastating effects of the Stock Market Crash, Depression and World War II Indianwood re-emerged as a classic Golden Age masterpiece under the exceptional leadership of the club's new owner B. Standart Aldridge.
The prominent Michigan businessman, Aldridge and his family were solely responsible for the great rebirth of Indianwood beginning in the early 1980's. They took on the monumental challenge to restore and inhance Indianwood's rich traditions and return the club to it's original place in the upper echelon of the world of golf. [49]
"We became caretakers of a unique and unrecognized piece of history. We wanted to make Indianwood more appealing so people could see it for what it was originally and is now again. There is great pride for my family and the membership to be part of history like this. We are all proud of this grand old club."
Aldridge commissioned very disciplined restorations of the Old Course by Bob Cupp, Jerry Pate, Arthur Hills and Steve Forrest that respected and revived Reid's historic Scottish links-inspired "heathland" design with it's excellent bunkering and greens complexes. The Aldridges' also built a second links-like 18 hole course designed by Cupp, Pate and Kevin Aldridge to compliment the Old Course. It was Frank Hannigan, executive director of the USGA, that recognized Indianwood Old's exceptional resurrection as a classic championship golf course of great significance. As a result of Hannigan's wisdom, Wilfrid E. Reid was rediscovered as a consequential golf course architect in history along with A.W. Tillinghast and others of their era. [49] ✓
Planet Golf description of Indianwood-Old on 7/18/2018:
Indianwood is an historic treasure dating back to the 1920’s and the “Old” course is annually ranked in the top 100 classic golf courses in America. Indianwood has a proud history in which four major championships have been played on the “Old” course (1930 Western Open Gene Sarazen, 1989 Women’s U.S. Open Betsy King, 1994 Women’s U.S. Open Patty Sheehan and 2012 U.S. Senior Open Roger Chapman). Today Indianwood provides its members with 36 championship holes of golf, world class clubhouse and a warm, friendly social environment.
Indianwood has been ranked among the best courses in the country from the beginning when originally ranked a top 10 new course. Indianwood Old was ranked 91st in Golfweek's 2019 Best 200 Classic Courses in America. In the 1990's it was ranked 76th in Golf Magazine's Top 100 Courses in America. Pete Dye, upon his visit to see Indianwood, was very complimentary. An essential factor in these various rankings and evaluations has been the fundamental fact that Indianwood is a challenging test of golf. ✓
At Indianwood Reid partnered with family friend, prominent turf farm owner and golf course construction contractor in Grosse Ile, William Connellan, to design and build the Old Course. Mr. Reid was the designer and Mr. Connellan was the builder. Reid sculpted all 18 holes in plasticine (clay) on a board(s), used little sticks and yarrow for trees, pieces of glass for the lakes and real sand mixed with glue for the "traps". Then the clay models were taken to Detroit to be scaled and transposed into accurate drawings by draftsmen for use by the WM. CONNELLAN COMPANY's construction crew. [14] [32] In those days teams of horses were used by the construction crew to do the grading and sculpting (shaping) of the ground. Reid's advertisement in the Program when the 1930 Western Open was held at Indianwood read "W. E. REID - ARCHITECT AND DESIGNER OF INDIANWOOD COURSE AND MANY OTHER FINE GOLF COURSES IN AMERICA AND ABROAD." [38] Together, the Reid and Connellan design-build partnership went on to create many new courses predominately in the state during the booming years of golf course construction in the 1920's. Connellan had previously worked as a golf course superintendent in New York and as a construction superintendent for Donald Ross. ✓
The Reid and Connellan partnership was a very successful golf course design-build partnership during the 1920's Golden Age creating well over 20 of the many new courses in the state of Michigan. ✓
In association with Connellan, Reid is also recognized for his redesigns of Plum Hollow and Tam O' Shanter, remodeling, additions and completion of other courses and initial "layouts" of Donald Ross, Bendelow, Colt and Alison, Willie Watson and possibly Willie Park, Jnr. in Michigan. They simply completed many unfinished initial course layouts and routings of the famous (other) architects of that time. These including Meadowbrook CC, Orchard Lake CC. They constructed the original 9 hole additions to Birmingham CC and other golf courses during the Golden Age. ...completed the design of and constructed 9 and 18 hole intial routings/layouts
The partnership provided complete design and construction services with their experienced construction crews, extensive grading equipment, teams of horses, turf farm, trucks and trailers, drainage and irrigation system expertise, project management and technical skills required for building a golf course. Reid was the active, on-site designer and strategist working directly with the crews. He did not draw plan drawings which were sent out to surveyors, engineers or draftsman after he had done the on-site routing, staking-out all the holes, tees, turn-points, bunkers, hazards and green sites. However, he was well known for his artistic talent drawing freehand sketches. This was his method of effectively communicating with the crew doing the grading, earthmoving and shaping of his envisioned design features, shaping, hazards, concepts and strategy.✓
Reid's redesigned courses included Plum Hollow and Tam O' Shanter. ....major golf courses designed, remodeled, redesigned or improved by WER include .... other important ( highly rated? ) Reid-designed courses in Michigan included Brae Burn GC, Bald Mountain? and Tam O' Shanter? and revised ... among which are ....and were given extensive credit for their work at .....Plum Hollow, Birmingham CC added 9 & redesigned 9 revise, Tam O'Shanter and others..... Reid and Connellan also made significant revisions to a number of the major championship and tournament venues in Michigan.
Golf Course Design ...and completed inital layouts/routing plans of other golf pros and golf course architects.
W.E. Reid designed, redesigned, remodeled and completed initial routings of approximately 101 golf courses beginning in 1901. [1] [15]
For over a century a number of original Reid-designed golf courses and redesigns have hosted national open championships and continue to do so. Among these courses are his collaborative routing of Pebble Beach Golf Links, original Indianwood Old Course, original Olympic Club Lakeside Course, remodeling of The Broadmoor East Course, Royal GC de Belgique (Ravenstein) in Brussels and his la Vallee Course at Racing Club de France, site of twenty (20) French Opens. Many are frequently listed in various annual top 100 rankings and others are popular local tournament courses.
Reid estimated his total golf course design work numbered approximately 58 new and 43 remodeled or altered courses in France, Belgium, England, Canada, possibly Switzerland and across the United States.
While he was primarily a club professional and did not have a formal education in the arts and sciences, engineering, agronomy etc., he did have the essential personal skills, vision, inspiration, creativity, artistic talents, ability to sketch his concepts and the best possible training, tutoring and roll models necessary to design a golf course on raw land, to envision and create strategic land forms, oversee and communicate this to the workers in the field. [53] ✓
Reid's life in England and training in Scotland had occurred as the relatively new game of golf was rapidly spreading.
During Wilfrid's early life he was surrounded by role models like James Braid, who alone designed 300-400 golf courses strictly in the British Isles, J.H. Taylor, Seymour Dunn, Willie Park Jnr. and at Barnton was even indirectly influenced by legendary Old Tom Morris. As a major tournament competitor at the highest levels he understood strategy and design and had the benefit of repeated exposure to and developed an understanding of the best golf courses in the golf world as a major tournament competitor in the British Open on classic Scottish and English links courses. He then played in the U. S. Open for another 9 years on some of America's finest classic golf courses and maintained his involvement in the evolution of golf equipment and golf courses. ✓
Reid's original golf course designs in Europe included La Boulie, Aix les Bain, others in France and Royal Belgique in Belgium. His clients included the rich, famous and infamous at the time, King Leopold II of Belgium, Edouard de Rothschild and the renown Parisian athletic club, Racing Club de France.
On the recommendation of Harry Vardon, W.E. Reid designed La Vallee Course at RCF de La Boulie in France ca 1902-03 where he was assisted by or collaborated with M. Tellier, the golf course greenkeeper at La Boulie, and his son Louis Tellier who went on to become the French Open Champion (as well as Reid's brother-in-law). La Boulie has frequently (over 20 times) served as the venue for the Open de France since 1906. Reid's design of La Vallee course at La Boulie was the site of the inaugural French Open Championship in 1906.
Circa 1904-05 Reid designed Royal Belgique Club de Golf Old Course at Ravenstein in Brussels for King Leopold while the head golf professional at RCF Golf de La Boulie (The Racing Club of France) in Versailles where he had given lessons to King Leopold. At Ravenstein Reid also worked with La Boulie's greenkeeper, M. Tellier, father of his new brother-in-law, Louis Tellier. [22] [23] [24]
In Great Britain and Europe Reid may have occasionally participated in design collaborations with close friend J.H. Taylor or others such as his tutor Willie Park, Seymour Dunn, Tom Dunn or Tom Simpson, possibly even with Vardon or Braid.
These design opportunities were no doubt the result of Wilfrid's background and training in Edinburgh, Scotland as apprentice to Willie Park, Jnr. and work on his first golf course design project ca 1901 or 02 remodeling Seacroft GC's original Tom Dunn-designed 9 hole seaside links at Skegness. Seacroft is the only true coastal links course on the east coast of England and Reid's only links design endeavor. [27] [28] [45]
A census record in Scotland documents the fact that in March of 1901 as a 16 year old from Bulwell, Reid was a boarder in a private residence in the Parish of Cramond, District of Edinburgh, evidence of Wilfrid's apprenticeship with Willie Park, Jnr. that year learning the fine points of golf course design at Edinburgh Burgess Golfing Society's new course at Barnton in Cramond, Midlothian which Park, Jnr. had recently designed. The Barnton Estate land was analyzed by Old Tom Morris of St. Andrews, then Willie Park Jnr. was assigned to design the course. [10] [26]
Coincidently, in 1901 Park Jnr. worked near Wilfrid's home in Nottingham, England designing the new Notts Golf Club Hollinwell Course. [25] In 1902 the club moved from Wilfrid's home course, the original Notts course in Bulwell renamed Bulwell Forest GC, to Willie Park Jnr.'s new Notts GC Hollinwell Course. The Reids were longtime members of the artisans club at the old Notts-Bulwell Forest GC, Nottingham's most historic golf course founded in 1887. [37] The Bulwell Forest Artisans Club was founded in 1889, but the Reids had been playing there since it was just a 7 hole course. [14]
Wilfrid's apprenticeship with Willie Park, Jnr. at Edinburgh Burgess in 1901 occurred immediately after Park had completed design of the highly respected Old Course at Sunningdale outside of London which opened circa 1900-01. Sunningdale-Old was recognized as the earliest outstanding inland golf course on open, undulating sandy, sparsely vegetated natural "heathland" far from the coastal "linksland". It was well known for shifting the game from the seacoasts to inland sites, a trend setting design in the evolution of golf. [30] ✓
Evidence strongly suggests Wilfrid was tutored on the newly evolving strategic design philosophy and features which Willie Park Jnr. was pioneering at Barnton and Sunningdale for inland properties inspired by but differing from the classic Scottish seaside links courses. This genre would describe Reid's outstanding, classic heathland-like design 24 years later for his golf course design at the new Indianwood Club in America on an open, undulating sandy heathland-like, nearly treeless site within the surrounding wooded forest at Blair Farm north of Detroit, Michigan. ✓
The Barnton golf course in Scotland, where Wilfrid was originally tutored by Park Jnr. in 1900, was recognized as an early trend-setting inland course as well. Up to that time golf courses were built along the classic coastal seaside linksland in the natural sand dunes of Scotland. Inland heathland course design began during this time, the turn of the Century, in golf history. Soon after Barnton Park Jnr. designed Sunningale Old, the first highly regarded early inland links-like heathland golf course located on rugged heathland-type property in the middle of England. ✓
It is evident Wilfrid Reid was a product of this era in the evolution of golf course design at the beginning of the 20th century and influenced by his tutor, Willie Park Jnr. Reid often employed classic heathland features and design philosophy especially for open or semi-barren heathland-like sites. Examples of this include his 1917 Lakeside course design at The Olympic Club in San Francisco and the Old Course at Indianwood, where both were located on rugged, open, sandy, nearly treeless "inland" sites. Both golf course designs originally exhibited classic heathland-like character with some but very few trees and virtually no water hazards in play. [35] Reid's only known seaside links design experience was his first project, remodeling Tom Dunn's 9 hole Seacroft links at Skegness, the only true seaside links on the east coast of England. ✓
At Banstead Downs outside London where Reid spent seven significant years of his early career as the club professional, he remodeled the 1890 James Braid-designed "downland" course as well which was very much a "heathland-like" design built on chalky "downland" property. By contrast, in America the beautiful, entirely turf, heavily tree-lined "parkland" golf course designs with water hazards were evolving in the new indigenous ecology of America. ✓
However, at Indianwood, due to Reid's heathland design background, finding an open, undulating sandy site on the Blair Farm property to build a classic, championship heathland golf course was his objective. This is apparent as the site for the golf course was a relatively small open area in a dense forest with many small lakes which he could have chosen to design a parkland golf course woven through the trees with multiple water hazards. ✓
Bunker design, shaping, hazard positioning and strategy on new golf course layouts.... Reid's design services were .... often ... to design the bunkering, hazards and... for both newly completed 9 and 18 hole courses for years and later for older courses that suffered too much remodeling.
PGA of America
Wilfrid Reid was a Class A PGA golf professional and frequent administrator. He was one of the founding members of the PGA of America attending meetings at Minikahda in Minneapolis while competing in the 1916 U. S. Open. [26] He was one of the original members of the Executive Committee representing the Southeastern Section PGA, but not involved in early 1916 at the Taplow Club in NY since he was in San Francisco co-designing the original routing plan for the new Pebble Beach No. 2 golf course. He served on the National Executive Committee as vice president at large, vice-president in 1920 and 1921 and was a member of the organizing committee of the Philadelphia Section of the PGA. Wilfrid was a dedicated member and proudly served the PGA of America throughout his entire career and retirement in the United States. [13] [34] ✓
After retiring in the 1950's he was awarded a lifetime honorary membership in the PGA presented to him by PGA President Warren Orlick, his former assistant pro at Indianwood. As a new Michigan resident in 1922 Reid attended the meeting at Detroit Country Club and voted to create the Michigan Section of the PGA. He served as president of the Michigan Section of the PGA in 1928-30, was inducted into the Michigan PGA Hall of Fame in 2015.
Prior to emigrating to America Wilfrid Reid was a proud, dedicated and very active member of the British PGA founded in 1901 in London, which he joined in 1902 at age 18.
In August of 1920 he was elected vice-president of the PGA of America and re-elected in 1921.
He was one of the original members of the PGA of America, served on the National Executive Committee of the PGA of America as vice-president at large, vice-president in 1920 and 1921 and was a member of the organizing committee of the Philadelphia Section of the PGA of America.
Original Routing of Pebble Beach Golf Links
In 1916 Wilfrid Reid and golf professional James Donaldson were commissioned by Jack Neville and Douglas Grant to do the layout for the proposed Pebble Beach Golf Links original golf course (then known as the Hotel Del Monte CC No. 2 Course at Pebble Beach). [39] [40] [41]
Reid and Donaldson analyzed the property and laid out six golf course routing plan options for Pebble Beach along Carmel Bay. Neville and Grant selected one of the six options to build and "the new Del Monte CC No.2 Course was born". [39]
Using this selected routing plan design the individual holes were then designed in 1916-17 by and built at the direction of the two local California amateur championship golfers Neville and Grant with Neville taking the lead. The course was completed in 1918 but, due to irrigation system problems, was officially opened in 1919. ✓
At the time James Donaldson was a club pro in Chicago and not a regular golf course designer (he eventually designed a few courses). Reid was in his 15th year designing golf courses in England, France, Belgium and America while a club pro as well. Both had recent top 10 finishes in the U.S. Open. Donaldson was originally from Aberdeen, Scotland, Reid recently from London. In the past both had been head pros in France. In his memoirs Reid listed challenge matches played against Jim Donaldson when they were colleagues back in the greater Philadelphia-New Jersey area.
Then, during 1920-23 Douglas Grant was instrumental in having W. Herbert Fowler of England, designer of Walton Heath GC, remodel and improve various holes and greens repeatedly, and adjust the course for the added distance of the new Haskel golf ball. Fowler redesigned and extended the 18th hole from a criticized par 4 to a challenging par 5. [39] [40] [41] [47] [51]
Pebble Beach Golf Links has since been consistently ranked in the Top 100 Courses in America and has hosted many U.S. Open and Amateur Championships.
Working together Reid, Donaldson and Walter Fovargue also remodeled the old Del Monte CC No.1 Course earlier in 1916 in preparation for the prestigious Western Golf Association's Amateur Championship to be played there that summer. Both Donaldson and Fovargue, previously a Chicago pro also, were involved with Neville in the selection of Del Monte CC to host the Western Amateur.
Design of the original Olympic Club Lakeside Course
In 1917 during WWI Wilfrid Reid designed the original championship golf course for Lakeside Country Club, which was soon taken over by The Olympic Club of San Francisco due to the effects of the war. [21] [28] [36]
He designed the course in collaboration with golf professional Walter G. Fovargue, a colleague from Philadelphia, who had moved to San Francisco. Forvargue eventually designed and remodeled a few other courses himself in California and Japan.
Reid designed the golf course in the natural landscape of an open, almost treeless, undulating sandy inland coastal site to be a classic Scottish links inspired "heathland" type of golf course, a relatively new design concept in the British Isles at the time. [35] As a new resident in America, Reid was fresh from Great Britain where they were still in the era of new golf course development moving inland from golf's original coastal linksland to natural sandy "heathland" sites selected to maintain some of the classic linksland character on new inland courses. {56}
A few years later (ca 1920) the Lakeside course was remodeled by then famous W. Herbert Fowler of England who maintained the ecological heathland character of the course. [56]
Since 1924 the course was often remodeled and a great many trees were planted by Willie Watson and the club's golf professional & greenskeeper Sam Whiting. Max Behr, Robert Trent Jones, Sr. in the 1950's, Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish, Bill Love and others have remodeled the golf course many times since then. [20] Now known as the Lake Course it is a demanding golf course consistently ranked in the Top 100 Courses in America which has hosted national championships for years including a number of historic U.S. Opens. [36] [46]
In 1918 Wilfrid was the medalist in the PGA Red Cross tournament, a substitute for the U.S. Open which had been canceled due to WWI. This was a war benefit professional tournament played at Inwood CC on Long Island in New York. The "renaissance man" seemed to be constantly dealing with significant challenges in life such as both World Wars, the beginning of golf's various institutions, inaugural tournaments and championships, the Depression in America, the significant demands of being a club pro and supporting his family at a time when the golf profession was just in it's infancy. Fortunately for Wilfrid and his cohorts, golf and the establishment of golf clubs was rapidly developing as a major institution and sport with great appeal, presenting them with many opportunities. As a young man in Scotland Donald Ross in fact is quoted as being aware of and thankful for these opportunities in America. [15] And Walter Hagen is well known for his antics to begin allowing golf pros to enter the clubhouse, thus aiding in establishment of the golf professional as a true, respected profession.
Reid played for America in the inaugural forerunner of the Ryder Cup.
On 6 June 1921 Wilfrid E. Reid of Wilmington CC played for America along with Hagen, Barnes, McLeod and colleagues in the First Professional International Golf Matches at The Glascow Herald Tournament between United States and Great Britain held at Gleneagles Kings Course in Scotland. The British team included Harry Vardon, J.H. Taylor, James Braid and Ted Ray. This was the unofficial initial founding of the Ryder Cup matches, renamed in 1927 after Samuel Ryder donated the cup. [61]
In 1921 records indicate that Reid won his singles match against reigning British Open champion Arthur Havers in America's 10-1/2 to 4-1/2 loss to Great Britain. [43] Earlier that year Wilfrid E. Reid had passed the U.S. citizenship test with high marks after having attended citizenship class, studying diligently and proudly taking the Oath of Allegiance. He was pronounced a naturalized citizen of the United States of America by the Circuit Court Judge, officially qualifying him to represent America at Gleneagles. However, he was not eligible to be a member of the team in the official playing of the Ryder Cup at Worcester CC in 1927 due to a policy change requiring participants to have been born in the country of their team. [43]
The Great Depression
The 1930 Western Open was held at Indianwood under Reid's direction as host club professional. Soon thereafter, with the disasterous economy the Indianwood development failed, the Reids lost their new home near Indianwood. His career in golf course design came to an abrupt end with the onset of the Great Depression.
Wilfrid, Stella and family moved to Chicago where he took a job as the teaching pro, remodeling the course and representing Beverly Country Club. Wilfrid also taught golf at Marshall Fields, a downtown department store, to make ends meet.
The Broadmoor Golf Club
Fortunately, he was presented with a great opportunity to restore his career once again. In 1934 Colorado Governor Will Nicholson went to Chicago to offer the head golf professional position at The Broadmoor to Wilfrid Reid.
Reid moved his family to Colorado and became head professional at The Broadmoor Hotel Golf Club, a relatively new, outstanding resort in Colorado Springs. He followed head professional Jimmy Thompson. Reid remained at The Broadmoor for years, working with Mr. Penrose and the Tutts contributing his energy and considerable expertise to advance the golf component of the resort to a new level. Wilfrid did some remodeling of the original East Course. He was a regular on the local tour playing events at Cherry Hills, Denver Country Club, Lakewood Country Club, Park Hill, Green Gables, The Broadmoor, City Park and Wellshire Country Club. In those days Wilfrid was acquainted with Ben Hogan who frequently played at the Broadmoor in Colorado and "the Babe" Didrikson Zaharias.
During the Depression in the 1930's The Broadmoor was forced to close in the winter and Reid was presented with the opportunity to become head golf professional at Seminole Golf Club during winter concurrently with his summertime position at The Broadmoor.
Seminole Golf Club
An exclusive seasonal golf club in South Florida, closed during summer months, clearly one of the finest clubs in golf. Seminole was designed by Donald Ross, considered one of the world's finest courses where Wilfrid's fellow pro Ben Hogan was well known for practicing to play in the British Open.
Wilfrid Reid served the club well as the head professional following Gil Nichols. Seminole was essentially a purist golf club and Wilfrid's talents as an outstanding instructor and championship golfer undoubtedly contributed to his success, not to mention his manners as a proper English gentleman. During winters he and his family stayed on property in the living quarters upstairs in the clubhouse provided for the golf professional. His daughter, Joan, and family lived in a shack off of the 6th hole for a short time in the early '40's.
Wilfrid's time at Seminole served as an introduction to the Palm Beaches which would ultimately become his retirement home and that of his family. As mentioned above brother-in-law George Blagg became the long-time golf professional at another fine club nearby, the Jupiter Island Club. However, World War II Nazi submarines cruising the Southeast Florida ocean coastline played a role in the Reids' ultimate move inland back to New Jersey. The golf course and clubhouse at Seminole are partially in the sand dunes running right along the beach.
His positions at Seminole and The Broadmoor were major milestones in Wilfrid Reid's career as a top club professional between the two World Wars. However, the economic impacts of WWII on golf resorts forced the Reids to move again in 1942. In the 1940's Wilfrid Reid's expertise was then involved in the development of the new General Oglethorpe Hotel GC and golf course on Willmington Island in Georgia.
Atlantic City Country Club
Returning to the New Jersey area in the later years of his career, Reid was recruited to became the head golf professional at Atlantic City CC from 1946-1948 in preparation for the 1948 U.S. Women's Open Championship at ACCC won by Babe Zaharias. Leo Fraser, son of Jolly Jim Fraser, brought him in to handle the Open due to Wilfrid's extensive experience at every level both managing and competing in major national Open championships.
During winters in the 1940's Reid was pro at the General Oglethorpe Hotel GC, now known as Wilmington Island Club, on Wilmington Island near Savannah, Georgia. Then returned to Gaylord CC in Michigan during the season in 1949-54.
Upon retiring in 1954 Reid continued giving lessons, his true passion, in South Florida.
Once in America, Wilfrid was often referred to in the newspaper as a "British star" or "famed international golfer and instructor".
In addition to his competitive accomplishments he was recognized as an outstanding golf instructor of kings, presidents, English ambassadors to France, other famous personalities and was passionate about teaching beginners, young and old, how to play golf. Wilfrid was a recognized swing instructor with a unique ability to spot swing flaws, on one occasion even for Harry Vardon.
He estimated that he had given lessons for over 300,000 hours. Belgium's King Leopold II (at La Boulie), President Warren G. Harding (at Seaview), Winston Churchill and England's King Edward VIIl (at Bansted Downs), Joyce Wethered, the Duke of Windsor, Dick Chapman, Michigan LPGA standout and granddaughter Pat Devany, Ohio Governor Cox (at La Gorce), Harvey Ward (in San Francisco), Rhonda Glenn (at Palm Beach Par 3) were among his thousands of pupils. At La Boulie in Paris he also gave lessons to the mysterious Mr. Chesterfield (the assumed name of England's King Edward VII), many diplomats and possibly Baron Eduoard de Rothschild as well.
Bobby Jones was one of Wilfrid's true friends especially during their later years along with many of his fellow golf pros, Chick Harbert, Gardner Dickenson,, Bertie Way and others who eventually found themselves retired in South Florida. [17] His lifelong personal friends included J.H. Taylor, Walter Hagen, Bobby Jones, Leo Fraser, Warren Orlick, Chick Evans, Charlie Mayo, "Long Jim Barnes", Tommy Armour, Freddie McLeod, Bobby Cruickshank, Gil Nicholls, Al Watrous, Jock Hutchison, Leo Diegel, Francis Ouimet and his caddie Eddie Lowery who eventually moved to San Francisco. His older brother, Arthur E. Reid, was long-time golf professional at The CC of Farmington in Hartford, Connecticut, brother-in-laws Louis Tellier was at Brae Burn CC and Canoe Brook, George Blagg was the golf professional at Jupiter Island Club and Blowing Rock; son-in-law J.B. "Joe" Devany, a Michigan PGA Hall of Fame Inductee and renowned golf professional in the state for years was at Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club on Grosse Ile. Other close friends included Ralph Webb, Jack Elphick, Cyril Walker, Harvey Ward, Jack Burke, Dow Finsterwald and his former assistant Ed (Porky) Oliver.
The Reid family (original surname Read) of Bulwell, Nottinghamshire, England were of Scottish decent. By 1900 the Reids of Bulwell were at least 6th generation golfers.
As a young boy Wilfrid caddied at the original Notts Golf Club and played golf with his father, Arthur E. Reid Sr., grandfather, Alfred Read, and his older brother Arthur Jr., who were noted golfers at old Notts GC as members of the working class artisans club. The old Notts GC was eventually renamed Bulwell Forest Links. Beginning at age 15 the old Notts GC Artisans sent him to The Edinburgh Burgess Golfing Society in Edinburgh, Scotland to be an apprentice and learn clubmaking and gutta percha ball making. Wilfrid often mentioned that he could make the most gutta perchas in one day. He won the Artisans Club tournament that year. Then at age 16 he was sent to The Society in Edinburgh again to learn golf course design as an apprentice under Willie Park, Jnr. Coincidently, Park Jnr. was designing the new Notts GC Hollinwell Course near Bulwell which opened in 1901. [1] Reid turned professional at age 16 which in those days was done primarily to make or repair and sell golf clubs and golf balls. His arch rival at home in Nottingham, beside his brother Arthur, was Tom Williamson of the origninal and new Notts GC. Ultimately, Wilfrid was a frequent winner in the Midlands while he was there with the exception of occasional losses to his brother Arthur, Williamson and members of the Great Triumvirate, Vardon, Braid and Taylor. Wilfrid won the Midland Challenge Cup in 1910, 11, 12, 13 and 14, plus others such as the Sphere and Tater, etc. He played for England in the International Matches against Scotland each year from 1906 to 1914 never losing a match and in the 1908 Coronation Matches as well. He was frequently victorious in his professional challenge matches which were very popular in that era of golf history.
Wilfrid often talked of his admiration for the golf course at Cruden Bay. He predicted that Arnold Palmer would never last with 'a swing like that'. Of course Wilfrid had a very fluid, somewhat 'wristy' swing characteristic of the old hickory shaft era of golf. Although a perfect English gentleman, Wilfrid was in the newspaper often with his occasionally flamboyant personal style characteristic of the golf professionals of that era ( ala Hagen, etc. ) in America. When retired he provided Palm Beach Post Times sports writer, Bob Balfe, with plenty of material for years and of course he greatly admired Arnie.
One of Reid's many insightful beliefs was revealed in a newspaper interview as follows...
"To King, President or Pauper, golf is a leveler of all mankind. It cultivates the finer innermost senses of men and places those in lowly places on a plain not exceeded by the highest. It creates sooner or later, the one great definer, control of ones actions, words and balanced deeds. Surely a great teacher."
Retirement Years
After retiring in Ft. Pierce (Port St. Lucie CC ? no), then in the Palm Beachs he was fondly known as "Wilfie" at nearby PGA National (then JDM ) and frequently played in the PGA Seniors over in Dunedin, Fla., often bettering his age. His shots were deadly accurate to the extent that he would play the break when hitting a 3 wood to the green. He recorded at least 27 holes in one (36 as I recall ). Brother-in-law, George Blagg, originally of Nottingham also, became the oldest living member of the PGA of America living in South Florida to the ripe old age of days short of 101 years of age. As a boy George had worked in the coal mines of Nottinghamshire, but nonetheless obviously still survived the environmental attacks on his body and ultimately became a golf professional. He was head professional at the Jupiter Island Club, one of the finest clubs in America, for years. George Blagg designed the 9 hole addition to Donald Ross' original 9 at Jupiter Island Club with the assistance of his brother-in-law.
Reid was posthumously inducted into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Michigan PGA Hall of Fame in 2015. The Michigan PGA website writes this about him:
Wilfrid E. Reid, a world-class golfer and prolific golf course designer from England, visited the United States with golf legends Ted Ray and Harry Vardon in 1914 (actually 1913) to play in the U.S. Open Championship, and later emigrated and worked at several golf clubs as a professional, including Country Club of Detroit. He was one of the original members of the PGA of America, served on the National Executive Committee of the PGA of America as vice-president at large, vice-president in 1920 and 1921 and was a member of the organizing committee of the Philadelphia Section of the PGA of America. He was president of the Michigan Section from 1928-30.
As time passed Wilfrid Reid, one of the pioneering stars of the various Golden Ages of Golf, was largely forgotten until the recent movie featuring Wilfrid as one of the main characters in the book by Mark Frost and major motion picture The Greatest Game Ever Played, the story of Vardon and Francis Ouimet in the 1913 United States Open Championship. Of course Wilfrid actually did tie Vardon for the 2nd round lead in 1913 at Brookline and was paired with Ouimet in the 3rd round; however, he was not an amateur golfer as portrayed in the movie.
When an elderly man like Arnold Palmer, Wilfrid Reid, who had competed at the highest level in over 50 national open championships throughout Great Britain, Europe and America, simply loved to play golf. So much so that he still played almost every day at the Palm Beach Par 3 in South Florida for many years, often with his grandsons and granddaughter. What a great game this is!
And, we will never forget our grandfather telling us he always believed...."the game of golf could be used to spread peace, goodwill and brotherly love worldwide."
Tournament Record:
Great Britain
The Open Championship 1903, 1905, 1907-1914 (Best Finish T16th ) [5]
1903 - T53rd Prestwick (Club Pro at RCF de La Boulie)
1905 - T37th St. Andrews (RCF de La Boulie)
1907 - T38th Hoylake (RCF de La Boulie or Banstead Downs ? )
1908 - T35th Prestwick (Banstead Downs)
1909 - 21st Deal, Royal Cinque Ports (Banstead Downs)
1910 - T24th St. Andrews (Banstead Downs)
1911 - T16th Royal St. Georges (Banstead Downs)
1912 - T20th Muirfield, Honorable Company (Banstead Downs)
1913 - 26th Hoylake Royal Liverpool (Banstead Downs)
1914 - T41st Prestwick (Banstead Downs)
1915-1919 Canceled due to WWI (Seaview & Wilmington)
1921 - Failed to qualify @ St. Andrews (Wilmington & CC of Detroit)
1905 Montrose Open - T1st with Harry Vardon, lost playoff
1906-1913 Professional International Matches England vs. Scotland [5]
for England 10 wins,1 loss,1 halved
1906 Tooting Bec Cup - runner-up to William Lonie at Ashford Manor
1911 Tooting Bec Cup - runner-up to Harry Vardon, lost18 hole playoff at Banstead Downs
Midland Challenge Cup - winner 1911, 12 and 13 (2nd 1902-09) [58]
Midland Professional Championship - winner 1911 at Harborne
1911 Coronation Matches
Europe
French Open
1905 - winner French Professional Championship at la Boulie *
1906 - Runner up in the Inaugural French Open at la Boulie *
1912 - 13th
Italian Open - winner (1905 ?)
Swiss Open - winner 1904 at Engadine GC (Arthur Reid, Jr. winner 1905)
German Open - 1911 (Vardon won at 279, Reid shot 281)
Belgian Open - early 1900's
United States and Canada
U. S. Open Championship (Best Finish T4th ) [ ]
1913 - T16th Brookline (Club Pro at Banstead Downs)
1915 - T10th Baltusrol (Seaview)
1916 - T4th Minikahda (Wilmington)
1917-1918 Cancelled due to WWI (Wilmington)
1919 - T21st Brae Burn (Wilmington)
1920 - T56th Inverness Club (Wilmington)
1924 - T47 Oakland Hills (CC of Detroit)
1925 - T27 Worcester (Indianwood)
1927 - T48 Oakmont (Indianwood)
1932 - T49 Fresh Meadow (Teaching Pro in Chicago)
Medalist in substitute PGA Red Cross Tournament at Inwood CC, NY 1918
PGA Championship T9th 1919 ( Reid upset in the semifinals by Jimmy West )
The Colonel Professional Tournament in Augusta, Georgia - winner February 1920
1920 Reid & McLeod vs Vardon & Ray at Wilmington CC, Delaware - match halved
1921 International Matches (Ryder Cup precursor) at Gleneagles, Scotland - representing America
Ontario Open - winner circa 1922 Windsor, Ontario
Augusta Open - winner 1924 ( defeated Gene Sarazen )
Michigan PGA Championship - winner 1926
Miami International Fourball - ca 1934 (1924-54)
Southeast PGA Senior Champion - winner 1941,42 & 43)
Michigan PGA Championship - 1948, 1949
Golf Courses designed by Wilfrid E. Reid:
Reid estimated his total designs numbered approximately 58 new & 43 remodeled or altered [15]
NEW COURSES (original design, original routing, completed orig. designs of others, redesigns, reconstructions by Reid)
Canada
Windsor, Ontario * Unknown (ca 1922)
England
Garratts Hall, Banstead or Garrett Hall, Manchester (ca 1910) *
And others *
France
RCF Golf de la Boulie (La Vallee Course) Versailles, Ile-de-France (1902-04) with M. Tellier *
Golf de Cannes, La Napoule (ca 1906) *
Golf Club d'Aix les Bains, Aix-les-Bains, Riviera des Alpes, Savoy (ca 1904 or 07) *
Ile de Berder du Golf, Vannes, Brittany (ca 1906) *
Pont St.Maxence du Golf, Pont-Sainte-Maxence (ca 1910's) for Baron de Rothschild *
And others *
Possibly: Golf de Morfontaine, Mortefontaine (1913 orig. 9 Valliere Course) with M.Tellier Golf de la Nivelle, France (1907) with J.H.Taylor
Belgium
Royal Golf Club de Belgique, Ravenstein (Old Course), Tervuren (1904-05) with M.Tellier *
United States
Pebble Beach Golf Links routing (then Del Monte CC No. 2), Pebble Beach, CA (1916) with Donaldson (1916 orig.18 hole routing plan by Reid & Donaldson prepared for Neville & Grant) [39] [40] [41]
The Olympic Club (orig.18 hole Lakeside Course), San Francisco (1917) with Walter Fovargue * (1918 obtained by The Olympic Club *) (R 1920 by Herb Fowler *) [35] [36] [56]
Indianwood Golf and Country Club (Old Course), Lake Orion, MI (1925) with Connellan *
DuPont Country Club, Wilmington, DE (1921 orig. 9) * (late 1922 ?? impossible)
Wilmington Country Club (now Ed Oliver GC) Wilmington, DE (1916 orig. 9) with Connellan *
Greenhill Municipal Golf Course, Wilmington, DE (ca 1920) *
Newark Country Club, Newark, DE (1921) *
Brae Burn Golf Club, Plymouth, MI (1923) with Connellan *
Birmingham CC, Birmingham, MI (1928 added 9, remodeled orig. 9) with Connellan * 1916?
Plum Hollow CC, Southfield, MI (1925) with Connellan * (1921 Colt & Alison *) [45]
Tam O'Shanter CC, West Bloomfield, MI (1926 & 29 redesigned) with Connellan * (1925 C.H.Alison *)
Orchard Lake CC, Orchard Lake, MI (R 1928) with Connellan * (1926 C.H.Alison *)
Plymouth CC (now Fox Classic at Fox Hills Golf Club ) Plymouth, MI (1927) with Connellan *
Harsens Island Golf Course, Harsens Island, MI (1926) with Connellan *
Black River Country Club, Port Huron, MI (1926 added 9) with Connellan *
Flushing Valley Golf and Country Club, Flushing, MI (1930) with Connellan * [52]
West Chester, Ypsilanti, MI (1920's) * with Connellan
Warren Valley GC (1922)
Indian River GC (originally Burt Lake), Indian River, MI (1924 redesign) with Connellan *
Gaylord Country Club, Gaylord, MI (1924 & 1927) with Connellan *
Port Huron Golf Club, Fort Gratiot/Troy ?, MI (1927 added 9 ? ) with Connellan Refer to Anthony Gholz
Port Huron Country Club, Fort Gratiot, MI (ca 1925) with Connellan *
Bob O'Link CC, Novi, MI (1920's) with Connellan *
Sunnybrook Golf Club, Sterling Hgts., MI (1930) with Connellan
Indian Springs Golf Course, White Lake, MI (1920's)
Water's Edge Golf Course, Grosse Ile, MI (9 hole course ca 1920's) *
Bald Mountain Golf Course, Lake Orion, MI (1929) with Connellan *
Hawthorne Valley GC (now Warren Valley GC), Dearborn, MI (1923) with Connellan
Twin Beach Golf, Riding and CC, West Bloomfield, MI (1929) * with Connellan
Huron Shores Golf Club, Port Sanilac, MI (1925) with Connellan *
And others *
Possibly: Meadowbrook CC, Northville, MI (ca 1923 added 9 or redesigned ? )with Connellan - No ? Fox Hills Golf Center, Plymouth, MI (1920's ) Fox Classic, Hills, Lakes Grosse Ile G and CC, Grosse Ile, MI (1920 added 9 ? ) with Connellan - No ? Golf course near Ft.Pierce, FL remodeled or new, late1940's early '50s ? Jupiter Island Club, Hope Sound, FL (1940's Geo. Blagg added 9 * with Reid ? ) Grosse Ile, Grosse Ile, MI (1920's added... with Connellan) Edgewood Country Club, Commerce, MI (1928) with Ernest Way and Connellan ? Red Run GC, Royal Oak, MI (1920's) ? (Willie Park Jnr.1914 and Bendelow) Western G&CC, Redford, MI ? Western Open 1960 Franklin Hills CC, Franklin, MI (1927) with Connellan, 1926 Donald Ross
REMODELED COURSES (remodeled, renovated, restored existing courses by W.E. Reid)
Canada
Windsor, Ontario * possibly Essex County G&CC (R ca 1923) with Bertie Way & Connellan ?
England
Seacroft Club at Skegness, East Lindsey, England (R 1901) original Tom Dunn 9, R 1900 W.Fernie *
Banstead Downs Club, Sutton, Surrey, England (R ca 1911) original James Braid 18 *
France
Golf du Racing Club de France, La Vallee Course (R 1904) Willie Park added bunkering with Reid *
United States
Del Monte CC No. 1, Monterey, CA (R 1916) with Walter Fovargue & James Donaldson *
The Broadmoor GC East Course, Colorado Springs, CO (R ca 1935) *
Beverly Country Club, Chicago, IL (R 1933) *
Ashtabula Golf Club, Ashtabula, Ohio (R ca 1923) with Bertie Way *
Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club, Grosse Ile, MI (R ca 1923 added bunkering) with Connellan *
Bloomfield Hills Country Club, Bloomfield Hills, MI (R ca 1923) with Connellan *
Belvedere GC, Charlevoix, MI (R 1927) with Connellan, 1917 Willie Watson layout
General Oglethorpe Hotel GC (now Savannah CC ), Wilmington Island, GA (R ca 1941-43) *
Atlantic City CC, Northfield, New Jersey (R 1946-47) Willie Park Jnr. original
Gaylord Country Club, Gaylord, MI (R ca 1949 and/or 1953-54) *
Tam O' Shanter CC, West Bloomfield, MI (R 1953) *
And others *
Possibly: La Gorce CC, Miami Beach, FL (R 1930's) Seminole GC, Juno Beach, FL (minimal R 1930's) Seaview GC Bay Course, Absecon, New Jersey (R 1915) ? The Breakers West, West Palm Beach, FL (R) ??? Palm Beach CC, Palm Beach, FL (R 1950's) ? Palm Beach Par 3, Palm Beach, FL (R 1950's) Port St. Lucie CC, Port St. Lucie, FL (R 1950's) ? Tequesta CC, Tequesta, FL (R 1950's) ?
* VERIFIED
1. National Open Article, June 10, 1919
2.