The Quiet Contributions of Tom Winton

The Golden Age of golf course architecture is synonymous with names like A.W. Tillinghast, Donald Ross, Alister MacKenzie, Seth Raynor, and Willie Park, Jr., who created nearly 1,000 courses in their collective lifetimes. But between 1916 and 1930, the total number of golf courses built in the United States alone exceeded 5,000 tracks, which means a lot more architects made a living during the Golden Age. One of the guys who doesn’t get a lot of recognition – but seemed to be in the middle of it all – was Tom Winton.

Winton grew up around the game of golf in the place where it all started. He is part of the “W.M. Winton & Co.” family known for manufacturing golf clubs in Scotland and England. Tom’s father started the company, and it’s pretty likely he interacted regularly with the game’s elite. In fact, when the business out-grew the kitchen table, they built a small workshop near the Links in Montrose, Scotland. As one of the 5 oldest golf courses in the world, this place held tournaments that attracted Old Tom Morris and Willie Park, Sr.

As he got older, Tom worked as a greenskeeper and his brother Robert took over the family business making golf clubs. It’s well documented that he grew close with Willie Park, Jr., and it’s perfectly conceivable that they got to watch Old Tom Morris whenever he made architectural adjustments to their home course in Montrose. No wonder these guys were inspired to design golf courses; and around the turn of the century, Tom and Willie Jr. decided to answer the demand for more courses in the United States. They traveled to the U.S. together, but for some reason the business relationship didn’t last very long. Willie Park, Jr.’s career took him all around the world, but Tom mostly stayed in America where he made his own contributions to the game.

Winton became known as the “peer of all links architects,” probably because he didn’t quite develop a style that was uniquely his own. However, his ability to learn from many different designers was really the foundation of his architecture career. For example, when Sleepy Hollow Country Club – originally designed by C.B. MacDonald – sold off 4 of its holes, Winton was the guy to design their replacements. At Westchester Country Club in New York, he adjusted some of Walter Travis’ work. And his role at the Donald Ross-designed Siwanoy Country Club is debated, although some believe he was brought in for improvements ahead of the first PGA Championship in 1916. By the end of his career, Tom Winton was called in by the members at Congressional to renovate their course – a high honor for an old Scottish greenskeeper.

Even his original designs mimicked the work of others. Saxon Woods Golf Course is less than 2 miles from Winged Foot, and many people still attribute its architecture to A.W. Tillinghast; but Winton is its true designer. Even though he never developed his own signature style, he borrowed from the best, and that’s a big reason why his contributions are still enjoyed today.

What seems certain is that Tom Winton knew how to challenge some of the best golfers in the world without making the game too difficult for everyday players. And records indicate he may have been hired for that exact reason at places like Congressional, Siwanoy, and Mill River Country Club – host of the PGA’s “Shoreline Open Championship” from 1937 to 1953. He seemed to accomplish this with very subtle green makeups that allow for a wide variety of pin locations, ranging from reachable to extremely difficult. Persistent slopes on Winton’s greens are gentle enough to stop an overzealous putt on most days, but steep enough to eject that same putt completely off a dryer, shorter surface.

Perhaps his best maintained work can be found at Corning Country Club in the Southern Finger Lakes region of New York – our “home course” here at Down Grain.  Site of the Corning Classic, one of the longest-held tournaments on the LPGA Tour, Corning Country Club feels like a microcosm of Winton’s career. Within 20 miles are courses designed by A.W. Tillinghast, Willie Dunn, and Donald Ross – but Winton still found an opportunity to showcase his work. And from 1979 to 2009, it’s Winton’s design that challenged the likes of Betsy King, Rosie Jones, Juli Inkster, Annika Sörenstam, and Michelle Wie. 

The 5th green at Corning Country Club is large and deep, featuring a persistent slope to a small shelf on the back. The most difficult pin location might be along the right side where its nearest bunker is in play and a safe shot to the center of the green moves the ball left and away from the hole.

While Tom Winton might not be the golf course architect that makes you book a special trip, he’s one that brings you closer to the game. His work is a bridge to more famous designers and his family is connected to some of the richest history in golf. While Tom spent his life building and keeping greens, his brother continued building equipment. W.M. Winton & Co. manufactured a putter that would eventually be known to the world simply as “Calamity Jane” and would have a profound impact on the career of Bobby Jones, among others. So the next time you pass through Upstate New York – or Connecticut or Massachusetts or Western Kentucky – book a round at a Tom Winton course and feel a little more connected to the game he loved.