John Sanford

John Sanford is a highly accomplished American golf course architect with over three decades of experience, having completed more than 100 new designs and renovations across the globe. A graduate of Louisiana State University in Landscape Architecture, Sanford founded Sanford Golf Design in 1987 and later co-established Sanford Ferris Golf Course Design. His work spans diverse environments in the United States, Asia, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and beyond, with a particular focus on integrating natural landscape features and land uses into each project. Sanford’s notable designs include Granite Links (Boston, MA)—built using fill from the Big Dig—Juliette Falls (Dunnellon, FL), and Golf Links at Ferry Point (Bronx, NY, with Jack Nicklaus). He served as president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) and has contributed interviews and articles to The Golf Channel. Sanford’s enduring contributions have helped shape modern golf course architecture in challenging and innovative ways.