Golf Architect Jay Morrish Passes


Jay Morrish, a golf course architect who made a lasting impression on golf primarily in the U.S., passed away on March 2. He was 78.

Morrish began his work in the golf business as a member of the construction crew when Robert Trent Jones designed Spyglass Hill on the Monterey Peninsula.

After that stint he became the construction superintendent on Jones' courses, and then went to work with the George Fazio, Desmond Muirhead and Jack Nicklaus architectural firms, eventually becoming a designer with Nicklaus for a decade.

He left Nicklaus to form a 12-year partnership with Tom Weiskopf, resulting in over two dozen projects, including Loch Lomond in Scotland, TPC Las Colinas in Irving, Texas, TPC Scottsdale, Troon Golf and Country Club in Scottsdale, and Forest Highlands in Flagstaff.

Morrish was a former president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, and became a friend and mentor to many. "Jay could get along with pretty much anyone," said longtime Cybergolf contributor, architect Jeff Brauer, a friend who partnered with Morrish on Whitestone Golf Club in Benbrook, Texas.

"And when you had Jay with you, you knew the job would get done right."

Morrish is survived by his wife, Louise, and two children, Carter and Kim.