“ I was like , ‘ How could this have not been detected in almost 100 years ?’ It really underscores how unappreciated and under-curated it has been for a century .”
William Flynn , left , meets with officials at Philadelphia Country Club in 1939 .
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Firmly believing in quality over quantity , Flynn spent extensive time on-site , developing multiple routings and hole designs for each project before ultimately selecting the one that best suited the topography and his client ’ s budget . As a result , even his lesser-known designs are recognized for their timeless appeal .
In general , Flynn designs require little renovation or restoration .
His greatest work is the 1931 design of Shinnecock Hills , ranked as America ’ s fourth-greatest course by Golf Digest . The New York course has hosted five U . S . Opens , along with the U . S . Men ’ s and Women ’ s Amateur championships and the Walker Cup .
Two other Flynn designs — Kittansett in Massachusetts and Cherry Hills in Colorado — regularly appear among America ’ s top 100 . He ’ s also responsible for The Homestead ’ s Cascades Course and contributed to The Country Club in Brookline , Mass . About 50 of his designs exist today .
Flynn referred to himself as a “ Nature Faker ,” because he liked to mimic natural features in his designs . When plantings were necessary , he used them in a way that made them seem as though they had always been a part of the landscape .
He also is credited with introducing the concept of “ runway ” tees , giving players multiple options for where to begin a hole .
In a 1927 article , Flynn philosophized that it was his job to provide 18 distinctly different challenges or types of holes , as varied as possible .
“ Problems that hold the interest of the player ,” he wrote , “( should ) offer incentive and provide a reward for his best golf , whether he be the low handicap man or the one who shoots well over a hundred .”
In Norfolk , Flynn and partner , civil engineer Howard Toomey , worked quickly . Flynn submitted his design for the course on Sept . 27 , 1924 , and it opened for play on Sept . 19 , 1925 .
The elementary question of how Ross and Sewells Point became entangled has sparked much speculation , but no definitive answers .
According to a history produced by the club in 1996 , two nine-hole courses existed on properties that preceded the club ’ s move to its current location .
One was constructed in 1899 , the other in 1902 . The natural inclination is to assume Ross must have had a hand in at least one of them .
Not so , said Klein , author of Discovering Donald Ross . Klein noted that Ross did not arrive in the United States from Scotland until April 1899 .
“ He was not in Virginia for any course work for at least a decade , if not two ,” Klein said .
Newspaper accounts list the designer of the second nine holes as Walter Beckett , a well-known local club pro who served at Norfolk Country Club from 1915-1927 before leaving to start a local design company with fellow pro Hix Joynes .
“ I was like , ‘ How could this have not been detected in almost 100 years ?’ It really underscores how unappreciated and under-curated it has been for a century .”
— Ed Ware , retired senior executive , Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority
Who designed the first nine remains a mystery , although Beckett was living in the area and active in the golf community at that time .
A June 1924 story in the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that Norfolk Country Club stockholders approved the acquisition of 200 acres of land for the purpose of developing two new 18-hole golf courses .
One turned out to be Flynn ’ s design that exists today . Had the club hired Ross to create the second layout ? If so , what happened ?
Such an arrangement wouldn ’ t have been out of the question . In 1925 , the two worked on a multi-course project in Boca Raton , Fla ., with Ross designing one course and Flynn designing two .
Short of the discovery of something unexpected , the answer remains an elusive mystery . A painstaking review of all available material by the Historical Society and several other entities shed no light on the subject .
So , what ’ s next ? The Navy has requested empirical proof that Ross was not involved . The 100th anniversary committee , with assistance from Wayne Morrison — one of the leading authorities on Flynn and his work — believes it has provided that evidence . The Navy is currently reviewing the submission , though there is no specific timetable for a decision . vsga . org J ANUARY / F EBRUARY 2025 | V IRGINIA G OLFER
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