William Flynn Society

William Flynn – The Nature Faker

Long before giant bulldozers and bigger budgets allowed the moving of great quantities of earth to shape the land to the architect’s vision, William Flynn utilized what nature provided, creating unique site-specific hole designs. When he elected to enhance strategy or simply provide drainage, he did so in ways that mimicked nature, resulting in reduced maintenance expenses. Unlike many early architects, Flynn chose to hide much of his work by making his architectural constructs appear natural. He referred to himself as the “Nature Faker,” a moniker that inspired the name of his biography.

Flynn’s determination to limit the number of projects he was working on at any given time was unique. This allowed him to spend considerably more time on-site to finalize plans based on intimate knowledge of the terrain. His philosophy was simple yet profound: by working with the land rather than against it, he created courses that are in harmony with their surroundings.

For more information, members may download updated versions of The Nature Faker – William S. Flynn, Golf Course Architect, and the archival assets and publications posted on this site.