Who is donald ross

Ross was soon named the golf professional at his home course. In , Ross took his talents to the United States. Upon arriving, he took a job as the professional at Oakley Country Club in Massachusetts.

The course was somewhat mediocre when he arrived. Ross changed that in short order. His first golf course design would be the new course at Oakley CC, which opened in If you visit Oakley today, you will find 11 original Donald Ross holes.

With the rising popularity of golf and resort life in general, Pinehurst expanded quickly, and Ross did much more than your typical pro. Overall, he had a major hand in the upgrades that turned Pinehurst into one of the premier resorts in America.

During the same time, Ross built a formidable reputation as a player. He claimed the Massachusetts Open in and , and won the prestigious North and South Open three times , , Man cannot do in a few days what nature took years to accomplish. I consider it a game of honor. If you would like to purchase any of the photos appearing on this page, please contact the Tufts Archives.

Plan Your Stay — or — View packages. It was a moment that changed golf history. A Life Lesson Old Tom Morris was against gambling in golf and advised Ross to never bet on the golf course beyond a small wager. The young man insisted, so Ross relented, played the visitor and beat him soundly. Donald Ross tees off during one of his many golf outings. Donald Ross, second from right, relaxes with a few friends. Donald Ross hits out of a bunker, a prominent feature on Pinehurst No.

During its early days, the Carolina Hotel hosted a number of equestrian events. Donald Ross, second from right, poses with one of the competing horses. Other trademarks included greens that invited run-up shots, but with deep trouble over the green - usually in the form of fallaway slopes - to punish the overly bold golfer. Ross was also not averse to placing cross bunkers in play to punish the topped shot - off the tee, or some 50 yards short of the green.

Sadly, a great number of these hazards been taken out of play over the years in the misguided pursuit of "ease of maintenance" or "making the course more playable. Paul R. Dunn and B. Michael J. Bradley S. Klein "Discovering Donald Ross".

Donald J. Join Today. Visit Tufts Archives. Ross Golf Course List. About the Historian Network. Donald Ross Society Foundation. Ross was just 16 when he apprenticed under Old Tom Morris at St. Andrews for a year. Ross used his life savings and came to America in James Tufts hired Ross as the head professional at Pinehurst in He would design the first four courses at the resort with the famed No.

Ross said No. In a ground-breaking development, he transitioned the rolled clay and oiled sand putting surfaces to Bermudagrass in advance of the PGA Championship. Ross also was ahead of his time when he created Pinehurst's Maniac Hill, where golfers could take lessons and practice their shots under the watchful eye of the instructor. Playing lessons, which actually took place on the course, had been the previous norm.

Ross was an accomplished player. He also placed fifth in the U. Open and eighth in the British Open. One of his three brothers, Alex, won the U. Open Ross lived in a cottage behind the third green on his famed No. He raised championship roses in his spare time.