James Harrison

James Harrison Smith was an American golf course architect best known for his seminal work in designing the Santa Anita Golf Course in Arcadia, California, which opened in 1938. Originally a county engineer with no previous golf architecture credits, Smith was tasked with designing the course during the Great Depression when budgets were restrictive and hiring a professional architect was not feasible. Drawing inspiration from leading architects of his time and local courses, he spent a year studying historic golf holes and applied his engineering expertise to create imaginative undulations, efficient routing, and exceptional drainage. Santa Anita is now considered a classic example of strategic, ground-based architecture, blending creativity with functionality. Though Smith is thought to have only designed this one course, its innovative bold shaping and strategic nuances are still celebrated today as one of the great one-hit wonders in American golf course design.