American golf course architect Algie Pulley Jr., among whose many celebrated designs included Chardonnay GC in California and Prince George CC in Maryland, died earlier this week near his home in Georgetown, Texas. He was 85.
A native of Petersburg, Virginia, Pulley earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Virginia, where, off a +1 handicap he played in the golf team for three years, and later studied Turf Management at the University of Maryland.
He served several years as a Lieutenant in the United States Coast Guard based in Hawaii. After leaving the service, a chance meeting with a golf course architect, Eddie Ault, resulted in Pulley serving an apprenticeship before launching out on his own as under the name Pulley Golf Design which was based out of California.
Pulley worked with Arnold Palmer to design the Country Club of Woodmore in Maryland. Later, he established the Golf America Corporation and developed a new golf course in Napa Valley. He spent nearly six decades in the golf industry, in development, design, management and planning golf courses and support facilities.
Pulley’s stated belief was that “the focus in golf course design should be building positive human relationships through golf by establishing a pleasant, positive attitude beginning with the management staff and carried out by all employees.”
Aware of the changing times and needs in the golf industry, Pulley put forth innovative solutions and called upon a host of specialists in all areas of creation and operation of a golf course to do so.
A client once described Pulley this way: “One seldom meets a professional in any field with such an abundance of ability, background and dedication. He was a tireless and loyal worker and an outstanding golfer and golf course architect.”
Among his many golf course designs included Chardonnay Golf Course, Napa, California; Sky Valley Golf Course, Vallejo, California; Moraga Country Club, Moraga, California; Belont Hills in Bermuda, and Prince George’s Country Club (with Arnold Palmer, ASGCA Fellow), Mitchellville, Maryland.
Pulley became an ASGCA member in 1974 and became a Fellow in 2011. He is survived by his wife, Gayle.