Willie Park Jr.

Willie Park Jr. was a pioneering Scottish golf course architect and champion golfer, born into a family celebrated for its contributions to the sport. The son of four-time Open champion Willie Park Sr., Park Jr. himself won the Open Championship twice, in 1887 and 1889, before focusing on golf course design. He completed his first course at age 22 and went on to design or remodel more than 170 courses across the UK, Europe, Canada, and the United States. His most notable project was Sunningdale Golf Club’s Old Course, which transformed perceptions of heathland golf and is still globally acclaimed. Park was among the first to become a full-time professional architect, influencing the movement toward strategic golf design over penal styles. At the height of his career, he maintained offices in Montreal, Toronto, and New York, and helped establish golf’s foothold in North America. He passed away in Edinburgh in 1925, leaving a legacy as one of golf’s most innovative and influential architects.