The SOCIETY Newsletter #89

Forgotten Architects: Alexander Findlay & Tom Bendelow’s Influence on American Golf

When most golfers think of golf course architecture, names like Donald Ross, Alister MacKenzie, and A.W. Tillinghast come to mind. Yet long before those giants shaped the Golden Age, two immigrant Scots — Alexander Findlay and Tom Bendelow — laid the foundation for golf’s explosive growth in America. Their work was less about artistry and more about accessibility, but without them, the game would not have reached the masses.

⸻

Alexander Findlay: “The Father of American Golf”

Findlay, born in Scotland in 1866, arrived in the United States in the late 1880s and began by building a golf courses in Nebraska. He is often credited with designing some of the first true courses in the country. His style was straightforward: Findlay carved layouts from available land, often with nine holes, intended to be played by anyone curious about the game.

Findlay was also a remarkable player — known as a fierce competitor who introduced many Americans to golf through exhibitions. His blend of professional play and course building made him a missionary for the sport at a time when few Americans even knew what golf was. By most accounts, he built or helped shape hundreds of golf courses across the country.

His early philosophy: keep it simple, keep it fun, and keep it accessible.

⸻

Tom Bendelow: “The Johnny Appleseed of American Golf”

If Findlay planted the first seeds, Bendelow — born in Aberdeen in 1868 and emigrating to the U.S. in 1892 — scattered them far and wide. Working as a promoter for A.G. Spalding & Bros., he was tasked with introducing golf to the American public. His solution was simple: design inexpensive, approachable courses wherever demand appeared.

Bendelow believed golf should be “a game for the people” and resisted the idea that it should be reserved for the wealthy elite. His early designs were not ornate; they were meant to be played by beginners and weekend golfers.

Estimates suggest Bendelow designed more than 600 courses across the country, including public layouts that gave countless Americans their first exposure to golf. While critics later dismissed his work as “mediocre” compared to Ross or MacKenzie, his influence is undeniable. Without Bendelow, the game might never have achieved the critical mass it needed to support the Golden Age architects who followed.

⸻

Their Legacy

Findlay and Bendelow were not “artistic” architects in the way Ross or MacKenzie were. Their bunkering was sparse, their routing often dictated by convenience more than strategic brilliance. But what they accomplished was arguably more important: they democratized golf.

By giving America hundreds of playable, affordable courses at the dawn of the 20th century, they created the demand, the culture, and the players that allowed golf to flourish. Without Findlay and Bendelow, it is unlikely that Ross would have found 400 clients eager for his Scottish-inspired designs, or that MacKenzie’s masterpieces would have been so celebrated by an already golf-mad public.

In short, they built the stage upon which the Golden Age of architecture could shine.

⸻

✅ Takeaway for readers: The next time you tee it up at a modest public course, remember Alexander Findlay and Tom Bendelow. They may not have designed the most famous holes in golf, but they gave generations of Americans the opportunity to play — and in doing so, they helped shape the future of the game more than most people realize.

In my opinion, both of these golf course architects deserve to be in the Hall of Fame- they helped build the foundation that this house sits upon.

The History of Tom Bendelow

On Monday the TalkinGolf History Podcast released the “History of Tom Bendelow” with our special guest, Tom’s grandson, Stuart Bendelow.

Click the link below to listen for free:

SOCIETY MERCHANDISE UPDATE

As you may know by now the SOCIETY has rolled out a new line of hats which blend golf art with golf history - our first collection centers around golf course architecture. The collection is a mix of vintage golf patches on modern golf hats and retro golf patches on modern hats. The idea is to create a beautiful hat that pays tribute to golf’s past.

Here is our initial line-up including pricing.

• All of our initial hats were stitched on high crown hats. Our next batch of hats will have both mid-crown and mid to low crown options.

Vintage Cypress Point Patch on Modern Hat

We were fortunate to acquire these vintage patches from a collector, and once they’re gone, it’s unlikely we’ll come across them again—at least not outside of the occasional one-off. Enjoy them while they last, because they truly are beautiful pieces of golf history.

The Last Bastion Hat

The Last Bastion Hat pays tribute to one of the most remarkable features in early golf architecture—the Bastion Bunker (also known as the Bastion Hazard) at Shinnecock Hills. This striking Victorian design was a serpent-shaped earthwork, encircled by sand, and regarded as one of the most beautiful and intimidating hazards of its era.

While the U.S. Open will return to Shinnecock Hills in 2026, our hat looks further back—to 1896—when Shinnecock hosted their very first U.S. Open. The Last Bastion captures that moment in history, celebrating a course and a hazard that shaped the legacy of American championship golf.

It’s a beautiful combination of golf art, golf history and golf course architecture and a bit of a IYKYK hat.

• This hat will be available in the mid crown and mid to low crown. If you need a high crown model the hat there will likely be an upcharge for the special order.

The High Society Tee Box Hat

A hat design that is near and dear to my heart. When I first walked the sandy ground of land during the construction of Belleair Country Club’s Reno-Restoration by Fry-Straka, I immediate saw the potential in playing the seventh green from the 8th tee box. The borrowed tee box creates a similar shot as the 7th at Pebble Beach (95-105 yard downhill shot that is guarded both my bunkers and water).

In the name of the Society of Golf Historians, I declared it “The High Society Tees.”

The 1929 Hat

Perhaps the most talked about hole that golf course architecture enthusiasts have been pining to be restored for decades. This is an artist’s rendering of Pebble Beach’s famous 7th hole from the 1929 US Amateur.

This is literally a work of golf art that you can wear.

This design is currently in production and should be available in the next couple of weeks.

• The hat will only be available in mid crown and mid to low crown. If you need a high crowned hat there will likely be an upcharge for a special order.

Thank you for taking the time to read this week’s newsletter. The Society of Golf Historians is evolving but the main goal remains the same - educate, communicate and entertain golfers with our beautiful golf history.

Exciting news in 2026- through our annual golf auction we will set up a fund to help support authors and researchers financially in their pursuit of golf history.