Robert Trent Jones Society
The Designer
Wiltwyck’s golf course was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., the “Dean of American golf course architects”. In the early 1950’s, construction of the New York State Thruway sliced Wiltwyck’s original course in half, but resourceful club leadership at that time took it as an opportunity to purchase the Steward Farm on Steward Lane. In 1955, Wiltwyck’s new golf course designed by Mr. Jones was unveiled at the current location.
Robert Trent Jones, Sr. was one of the most pre-eminent and influential golf course architects of the 20th century. Mr. Jones became the archetypical modern golf course designer, and he spread the gospel of golf by designing courses in 45 states in the United States and 35 other countries. Over 20 U.S. Opens and 12 PGA Championships have been contested on Jones-designed courses. In seven decades of work, Jones was the world’s most prolific golf designer, creating some 350 courses and renovating 150 others on his way to becoming the first architect to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. His resume includes American gems such as Augusta National, Spyglass Hill, Bellerive, Hazeltine, Peachtree, Firestone, Baltusrol, Oak Hill and many others. And, of course, Wiltwyck!
Born in England in 1906, Jones emigrated to Rochester, NY at age 5. There he was inspired by local star Walter Hagen’s 1914 U.S. Open win. Jones caddied for Hagen as a teen while honing his own game. Though an ulcer derailed his playing career, he pivoted to course design. Jones studied under renowned architect Donald Ross and became the first person to pursue golf architecture as a formal career path. Along with his wife, Ione Jones had two sons, Robert Trent Jones, Jr. and Rees Jones, who both initially worked under their father before becoming esteemed architects themselves. Jones had a long and illustrious career, passing away in 2000 at age 93.
Depicted above are Wiltwyck club officials in 1952 along with Robert Trent Jones (second from left) and Gene Sarazen (third from right).
Wiltwyck Joins RTJ Society
In the Fall of 2023, Wiltwyck was invited to become a member of the Robert Trent Jones Society, joining 40 other Jones-designed clubs around the country that are currently members of the Society, with more to come. The Club’s induction into the Society was consummated at the Society’s annual meeting at the Tuxedo Club in October, 2023. The Robert Trent Jones Society was created in 2004 to, amongst other things, promote awareness of Robert Trent Jones and his work, develop an understanding of each club’s history and heritage, enrich club members’ enjoyment of their course, and develop a process for the sharing of common problems and solutions.
One of the benefits of Wiltwyck’s membership in the Society is participation in the Society’s Passport Program, a “reciprocal play” program that allows members of a club participating in the Program to play other Passport Program courses around the country, including several in the Northeast. Members of Wiltwyck will be eligible to request to play any other course participating in the Passport Program, subject to rules and policies established by each participating club. Additional Information on the Passport Program and all the clubs participating in it can be found at www.roberttrentjonessociety.com.
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