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Geoffrey S. Cornish, ASGCA (fellow)

Geoffrey Cornish received a bachelor's degree from the University of British Columbia and a master's degree from the University of Massachusetts, both in agronomy. His interest in golf course architecture was aroused upon graduation in 1935, when he was hired to evaluate soils and find topsoil on the Capilano GC under construction in West Vancouver, BC, after two of his classmates had turned the job down in favor of graduate school. He then trained for four years with golf architect Stanley Thompson and was later employed for a short time as greenkeeping superintendent at the St. Charles CC, Winnipeg, Canada.

During World War II Cornish served with the Canadian Army Overseas, returning to become an associate of Stanley Thompson in 1946 and '47. This was followed by an association with Lawrence S. Dickinson, pioneer turfgrass scientist, at the University of Massachusetts until 1952, when he entered private practice as a golf architect. By 1980 Cornish had planned more courses in the New England states than any other architect in history. He had also designed and remodeled layouts in other parts of the United States, in Canada and in Europe.

He was the author of numerous articles on course design and turfgrass subjects. In 1981 he received The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America Distinguished Service Award and in 1982 The Donald Ross Award. In 1964 Cornish was joined by William G. Robinson, who in 1977 established the firm of Cornish and Robinson, Golf Course Designers, Ltd. of Calgary, Alberta. Together they prepared the publication GOLF COURSE DESIGN: AN INTRODUCTION, distributed by the National Golf Foundation. In 1983 he was joined by Brian M. Silva to establish the firm of Cornish and Silva, which in 1995 became Cornish, Silva and Mungeam, Inc.

Cornish has been involved in the designed of over 230 courses now in play in Canada, the United States and Europe. In addition he has prepared plans for updating many well known layouts from Coast to Coast. Cornish is the co-author of THE GOLF COURSE by Cornish and Whitten, the definitive history of course architecture and a wide seller in the US and UK. In 1993 THE GOLF COURSE was updated and reprinted as THE ARCHITECTS OF GOLF. This book has been called, "the ultimate reference source for anyone interested in golf." Cornish, Silva and Mungeam, Inc. are designers of such fine courses as:

• Stow Acres in Stow, Massachusetts, a GOLF DIGEST top 75 public course

• Shaker Hills in Harvard, Massachusetts which was named Runner-Up by GOLF DIGEST as The Best New Public Course to Open in 1992

• The Captains Course, selected by GOLF DIGEST as the Best Public Course to open in the USA in 1985 and currently ranked in the Top 25 Public Courses in America by GOLF DIGEST

• Cyprian Keyes Golf Club, selected by GOLF DIGEST as the Fifth Best New Affordable Public Courses for 1998

RENOVATION work includes such outstanding courses as:

• Seminole Golf Club in North Palm Beach, Florida

• Olympia Fields Country Club in Chicago, site of the 1997 U.S. Senior Open and 2003 U.S. Open

• The Broadmoor in Colorado in preparation for the 1995 U.S. Women's Open

• Jupiter Island in Florida

• Lookout Mountain in Georgia

• Myopia Hunt Club in Massachusetts.