When you think of a golf course, the image that arises is likely one of expansive grass fairways and close-cut greens. Possibly edged by prickly rough and punctuated by sand traps and water hazards.
A landscape architect seems a logical choice for someone to delegate the creation of a course to, and that happens to be a project my grandfather undertook at one point in his career.
Beyond layout and overall design, the choice of plants (and grass especially) is a critical component for a successful course. With his deep knowledge of all things horticultural, my grandfather would have been high on the list of those tapped to advise those with questions about groundcover.
In a letter I came across from 1938, an A. J. Pieters from the United States Golf Association (USGA) Green Section wrote to my grandpa asking for his advice on groundcovers after reading the Arboretum’s Bulletin of Popular Information for October 1938, and in a later letter writes that “some representative of the United States Golf Association Green Section will be delighted to visit the Morton Arboretum next summer to make a closer study of your collection of ground covers.”
According to a section on the USGA’s website dedicated to its history, the organization established its Green Section in 1920 and added a Turf Advisory Service in 1953—15 years after the letter to my grandfather. It had the stated goal to “inform course superintendents of the latest developments in turfgrass management.”
Mr. Pieters also inquired about whether the J. Sterling Morton associated with the Arboretum and a former Secretary of Agriculture were related. He wrote that he worked under Secretary Morton at the U. S. Department of Agriculture in 1895 and that while he knew the Secretary was keenly interested in trees, he hadn't been aware of the family connection between Secretary Morton and Joy Morton, who went on to establish the Morton Arboretum in 1922.
This communication with a representative of the USGA is not the only connection between my grandpa’s work and golf. According to my dad, his father actually designed a golf course at one point! Unfortunately, the paper plans were stored poorly after his death and were lost to the elements and time. Despite the plans being long gone, I can’t help but wonder what the course he designed looked like and how his extensive knowledge of plants must have influenced his creation.
If you’d like to receive deep dives into my grandfather’s work at the Morton Arboretum in your inbox, along with more short musings on nature and life, consider subscribing!
If you have topics you’re interested to hear more about or feedback for me, please feel free to let me know in the comments.
If you like what you’ve read so far, sharing Bulletin of Remarkable Trees with your friends would help a whole lot!