About
Larry Packard didn’t take up golf until his 30s but designed courses that have become favorites for generations of golfers, emphasizing fun and compelling play over pure difficulty.
Larry Packard (E. Lawrence Packard), born November 15, 1912 - 2014, in LaGrange, Illinois, was a pioneering golf course architect who designed or remodeled more than 600 golf courses globally. He started his career working under Robert Bruce Harris in the 1940s before founding his own firm in 1954. Packard was known for his distinctive design features such as integrating bunkers into natural mounds, smaller greens compared to predecessors, and signature double dogleg par-5 holes that challenge players while promoting fun and replayability.
His most famous work is the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort in Florida, a regular PGA Tour stop renowned for its strategic layout and the memorable 14th hole. Packard was an early advocate for environmental concerns in golf design, even promoting the use of wastewater for irrigation in golf courses—a pioneering stance for his time.
He served as president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) in 1970-71 and was affectionately known as the “Father of the Modern ASGCA” because of his significant contributions to the organization and profession. Larry Packard remained active in golf architecture well into his later years and left a lasting legacy of courses that balance challenge, playability, and enjoyment. He passed away in 2014 at the age of 101.
