Wilfrid Reid

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Wilfrid Reid bigraphy, stories - Professional golfer, golf course architect

Wilfrid Reid : biography

3 November 1884 – 24 November 1973

Wilfrid Ewart "Wilfie" Reid (3 November 1884 – 24 November 1973) was an English professional golfer and golf course designer.

Reid was born in Bulwell, Nottingham, England, and died in West Palm Beach, Florida, United States.

Reid studied club and ball making under Tommy Armour’s father, Willie, in Edinburgh, Scotland. A scratch golfer at 15, Reid turned professional at 17 and was a protégé of Harry Vardon who helped him get a club professional job at La Boulie Golf Club in Versailles, France, in 1901 for roughly five years. He later was the professional at Banstead Downs Golf Club in Sutton, London, England, for roughly nine years and a successful tournament player. Reid was a fine competitive golfer despite being small of stature, and he beat his mentor, Vardon, on several occasions, was never short of confidence. In 1913 Reid visited America with Vardon and Ted Ray where they played in a number of tournaments including the famous 1913 U.S. Open in which he tied for 16th. Reid tied Vardon for the 2nd round lead and played with Francis Ouimet in the 3rd round. In 1915 he tied 10th. His best finish in the U.S. Open was a T-4 in 1916.

Reid obtained U.S. citizenship in 1921. Reid served as a professional at several of America’s top clubs, including Country Club of Detroit, Grosse Pte. Farms, Michigan, Beverly Country Club, Chicago, Illinois, Broadmoor Golf Club, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Seminole Golf Club, North Palm Beach, Florida, and Atlantic City Country Club, Northfield, New Jersey. He won the 1926 Michigan PGA Championship and had 26 holes-in-one in his long playing career. The border of his stationery, that he used to send to club-makers such as George Izett of Bailey & Izett Inc. his customers’ golf club orders listed so many of his accomplishments that there was very little room left for him to write his message (see photos below).

Not only was Reid a wonderful golf teacher, his greatest accomplishments were golf course designing. Reid began designing golf courses at an early age and laid out courses in Europe and Britain before settling in the United States. He once estimated that he had designed 58 courses and remodeled some 43 others during his design career. While based in Michigan during the 1920s, he partnered with another club professional, William Connellan. The firm of Reid and Connellan designed some 20 courses in that state alone. Reid retired to Florida in the early 1950s and consistently improved his game in both social and competitive rounds. Even into old age he continued to "beat his age" in score on his birthday. In 1985, Reid was posthumously inducted into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame.

Reid designed courses in the following states: California (Olympic Club – original Lakeside Golf Club course, San Francisco, 1917), Delaware (see below), and Michigan (see below). In addition he designed courses in England, France (La Boulie Golf Club – La Vallee course), Belgium and Canada.

Often, his first name gets misspelled as "Wilfred" in documents, such as in the movie and book The Greatest Game Ever Played. Occasionally, his middle initial is incorrectly documented "A." as well.

External Photos

Category:English golfers Category:American male golfers Category:Golf course architects Category:People from Bulwell Category:1884 births Category:1973 deaths

Photo Gallery

File:WReid.jpg|Copy of Wilfrid Reid’s stationery File:ReidDevany.jpg|Golf professionals Wilfrid Reid (left) and Joe Devany circa 1925 File:RiedPGA.jpg|Michigan Section PGA President 1928-29-30 File:WilfridReid.png|Wilfrid Reid File:Wilfrid.png|A young Wilfrid Reid

Michigan designs

  • , (Reid, Connellan), Fort Gratiot, Michigan
  • , (original 9 hole), (Reid), Indian River, Michigan
  • Birmingham Country Club, (Reid), Birmingham, Michigan, 1916
  • , (Reid), Grosse Ile, Michigan (9-hole course commissioned by William S. Knudsen)
  • , (Reid, Connellan), Plymouth, Michigan, 1923
  • , (Reid), Gaylord, Michigan, 1924
  • Indianwood Golf and Country Club – Old Course, (Reid, Conellan), Lake Orion, Michigan, 1925
  • , (Reid, Connellan), West Bloomfield, Michigan, 1926 (redesigned)
  • , (regulation course), (Reid, Connellan), Lake Orion, Michigan, 1929
  • , (Reid, Connellan), Flushing, Michigan, 1940