Robert Trent Jones was born in Ince, near Chester in England on 20th June 1906. He was taken to the United States by his Welsh parents when he was six years old.
He was educated at Cornell University where he studied a special three year program in golf course architecture.
Among the many golf courses he designed are Ballybunion Golf Club in Ireland, Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Golf Club in Hawaii, Sotogrande/Valderrama Golf Club in Spain and Spyglass Hill Golf Club, at Pebble Beach.
His select achievements include being a Founding Member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects in1947 and being the first recipient of the Donald Ross Award (in 1976) from the American Society of Golf Course Architects.
“We feel a profound sorrow at the passing of Trent,” said Brian Ault, President of the American Society of Golf Course Architects. “His influence on the profession of golf course architecture cannot be understated. During a career that spanned nine decades, he designed hundreds of golf courses around the world. Having received his education from Cornell University in a program he specifically designed to prepare him for the profession, he helped transform golf course architecture into the highly specialized profession that it is today. He contributed directly and indirectly to the careers of dozens of golf course architects and, through his work, helped millions of people appreciate the strategic nature of the game of golf.”
Paul Fullmer, Executive Secretary, American Society of Golf Course Architects, added, “We regret the passing of the last living founding member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, Robert Trent Jones. Along with Donald Ross and others, Trent founded the Society in 1947. His commitment to the organization never wavered in the decades that followed. As President and Fellow, helped make the Society a pre-eminent organization in golf.”
Mr. Jones leaves two sons, Robert Trent Jones, Jr., of Palo Alto, California, and Rees Lee Jones of Montclair, New Jersey, both accomplished golf course architects in their own right and each a former President of the ASGCA.