In late 1998, I began researching a book I wanted to write about the golf course designs of William Flynn. I had never written a book before, but I was inspired after competing mostly in away matches for the Golf Association of Philadelphia. I noticed that the courses I enjoyed the most were almost always designed by Flynn, and I became determined to learn more about him.
Through this journey, I was introduced to David Gordon, the son of William Gordon—one of Flynn’s two construction foremen. David generously shared with me a remarkable collection of Flynn’s original work: nearly 2,000 hole drawings and routing plans. This collection—larger than that of any other pre-World War II architect, despite Flynn having one of the smaller design portfolios—became the foundation for what has grown into a 2,581-page book covering Flynn’s golf course design, construction, and maintenance legacy.
While I had the privilege of interviewing a few people who knew Flynn personally, including his daughter, Constance Lagerman, it’s truly the design record that reveals the most about his philosophy and practice of golf course architecture.
Through these newsletters and podcasts, I hope to share more insights into Flynn’s remarkable career. Bobby Jones once said that understanding the design of the playing field is essential to playing your best golf. Flynn wrote: “In its way, golf architecture should be an art. We strive for the curved rather than the straight line, always with an eye to the objective. Here we have 18 consecutive problems; the strategist who solves each in turn will have a splendid round.”
My hope is that, through these stories and discussions, you’ll not only appreciate Flynn’s work even more but also play his courses with a deeper sense of the architect’s intent and play the courses to the best of your ability.
The Architectural Evolution of Lancaster Country Club
William Flynn and the Philadelphia Cricket Club
Origins of the Wicker Basket Golf Standard at Merion Golf Club
Merion, Pine Valley, and The Philadelphia School of Golf Course Architecture
An Architectural Analysis of Merion Golf Club’s East Course
