George Cobb
George W. Cobb (1914-1986) ASGCA
Designer of Cabarrus Country Club, George Cobb played golf his entire life. His passion for golf and landscape architecture led him to design over 100 original courses as well as many re-designs. Through his work, George Cobb's name has become widely recognized throughout the United States especially in the Southeast. Never heard of him? If you are an avid golfer, most likely, you have played on one or more of his courses.
Born in Savannah, Georgia, George Cobb stayed close to home and attended the University of Georgia. He joined the University's golf team continuing his childhood love of golf while studying for a Landscape Architecture degree. After graduation in 1937, George Cobb was hired on by the National Park Service as a Landscape Architect until 1941 when Cobb served as an engineering officer in the U.S. Marine Corps during WWII.
His first golf course design was at Camp LeJeune, a military base in North Carolina. The purpose of the golf course was to be a physical rehabilitation facility for wounded GIs. With no prior golf course experience, Cobb hired experience course designer Fred Findlay to provide guidence. After completing his first golf course, Cobb continued to design and build the course at the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point on his own before being discharged in 1947.
Using the knowledge and experience gainned from the military, Cobb started his own golf design business and designed six courses before being recalled to active duty in 1951 for the Korean War. By 1956, Cobb and his family settled into Greenville, South Carolina and took advantage of the booming golf development in the Southeast to create over 100 original golf course designs.
George Cobb's Par 3 Course at Augusta National Golf Club may be his most prominent design albeit his shortest course. The 1,060 yard "little course" opened in 1959 with design input from Clifford Roberts, chairman of Augusta National. Since 1960, the Par-3 Contest has been held on Wednesday of Masters Week. Today, the Wednesday Par-3 Contest is pure fun for players and patrons alike. Cobb also retouched Augusta National's "big course" in 1967 and again in 1977 molding the Augusta National golf course into what it is today.
Cobb passed away in 1986. While his golf course building came to a stop, his legacy lives on through his courses and the joy many feel playing to this day.
Geoge Cobb's More Known Courses
|
Facility Name
|
City |
State |
Built |
| Fort Mill Golf Club |
Fort Mill |
SC |
1948 |
| Fort Jackson Golf Course |
Columbia |
SC |
1949 |
| Wildcat at Fort Jackson Golf Club |
Fort Jackson |
SC |
1949 |
| Carmel Country Club (North course) |
Charlotte |
NC |
1950 |
| Lake/Cedar at Greenwood Country Club |
Greenwood |
SC |
1950 |
| Jacksonville Country Club |
Jacksonville |
NC |
1951 |
| University of North Carolina Finley Golf Course |
Chapel Hill |
NC |
1951 |
| Country Club of Sapphire Valley |
Cashiers |
NC |
1956 |
| High Hampton Inn & Country Club |
Cashiers |
NC |
1956 |
| University of Maryland Golf Course |
College Park |
MD |
1956 |
| Vestavia Country Club |
Birmingham |
AL |
1958 |
| Surf Golf & Beach Club |
North Myrtle Beach |
SC |
1960 |
| The Nine Hole at Augusta National Golf Club |
Augusta |
GA |
1960 |
| Berkeley Country Club |
Moncks Corner |
SC |
1961 |
| Quail Hollow Club |
Charlotte |
NC |
1961 |
| Sea Pines Resort (Sea Marsh course, renamed Heron Point) |
Hilton Head Island |
SC |
1961 |
| Oak Island Golf Club |
Caswell Beach |
NC |
1962 |
| Wildcat Cliffs Country Club |
Highlands |
NC |
1962 |
| Windsor Forest Country Club |
Savannah |
GA |
1962 |
| Dublin Country Club |
Dublin |
GA |
1963 |
| Gainesville Golf & Country Club |
Gainesville |
FL |
1963 |
| Hound Ears Club |
Boone |
NC |
1963 |
| Milledgeville Country Club |
Milledgeville |
GA |
1963 |
| Barony at Port Royal Golf Club |
Hilton Head Island |
SC |
1964 |
| High Meadows Golf & Country Club |
Roaring Gap |
NC |
1964 |
| Adventure Inn Golf Club |
Hilton Head Island |
SC |
1965 |
| Burningtree Country Club |
Decatur |
AL |
1966 |
| Cabarrus Country Club |
Concord |
NC |
1966 |
| |
|
|
|
| North Ridge Country Club (Lakes course) |
Raleigh |
NC |
1967 |
| Robber's Row at Port Royal Golf Club |
Hilton Head Island |
SC |
1967 |
| Sea Palms Golf & Tennis Resort (Great Oaks course) |
Saint Simons Island |
GA |
1967 |
| Sea Palms Golf & Tennis Resort (Tall Pines course) |
Saint Simons Island |
GA |
1967 |
| Sea Pines Resort (Ocean course) |
Hilton Head Island |
SC |
1967 |
| Santee Cooper Country Club |
Santee |
SC |
1968 |
| Country Club of Charleston |
Charleston |
WV |
1969 |
| Clipper/Galleon at Shipyard Golf Club |
Hilton Head Island |
SC |
1970 |
| Galleon/Brigantine at Shipyard Golf Club |
Hilton Head Island |
SC |
1970 |
| Spanish Wells Club |
Hilton Head Island |
SC |
1970 |
| Red Wing Lake Golf Course |
Virginia Beach |
VA |
1971 |
| Bald Head Island Country Club |
Southport |
NC |
1972 |
| Cleghorn Plantation Golf & Country Club |
Rutherfordton |
NC |
1972 |
| Connestee Falls Golf Course |
Brevard |
NC |
1972 |
| Inverness Country Club |
Birmingham |
AL |
1973 |
| Stonebridge Golf Course |
Memphis |
TN |
1974 |
| Linville Ridge Country Club |
Linville |
NC |
1983 |
| Cat Island Country Club |
Fripp Island |
SC |
1985 |
| North/East at Athens Country Club |
Athens |
GA |
1985 |
| Sanctuary Golf Club |
Beaufort |
SC |
1985 |