Devereux Emmet

Devereux Emmet was a pioneering American golf course architect born in 1861 in Pelham, New York. Over the course of his career, Emmet designed more than 150 golf courses worldwide, with his first major work being the 9-hole Island Golf Links in Long Island, NY, in 1897. He was closely associated with Charles Blair Macdonald, a leading figure in golf architecture, and developed an innovative 'naturalist' approach—favoring course layouts that fit naturally into existing landscapes. Among his best-known designs are the original nine holes at Garden City Golf Club (1899), Congressional Country Club’s Blue and Gold Courses (1924), Eisenhower Park’s Red Course (1914), and Leatherstocking Golf Course (1909). Emmet’s influence remains strong, especially in New York, Connecticut, Bermuda, and Maryland. In 1924, he hired Alfred H. Tull as an associate, later becoming partners as Emmet, Emmet & Tull, further expanding his impact on American golf architecture. Emmet’s legacy is admired for combining golf strategy with timeless, picturesque settings.