Dave Thomas

Dave Thomas was born in north-east England in 1934 and first became one of Britain’s leading post-war professionals. He won more than twenty tournaments, played in four Ryder Cups and twice finished runner-up in The Open: losing a playoff to Peter Thomson in 1958 and finishing one stroke behind Jack Nicklaus in 1966. That elite career gave him direct understanding of trajectory, pressure and the requirements of championship golf. Thomas moved into architecture during the 1970s, initially working with broadcaster and former player Peter Alliss. Their best-known creation is the Brabazon Course at The Belfry, host of four Ryder Cups. It represents a new European era: spectacular water, large bunkers, multiple tees, television infrastructure and a desire to create decisive moments visible to spectators. He subsequently developed a prolific international practice. Terre Blanche in France, San Roque in Spain, St Leon-Rot in Germany, Slaley Hall and The Roxburghe are among the more recognised works. His courses often provide generous landing areas, while succeeding shots are complicated by deep bunkers and large diagonally oriented greens. He could produce highly individual holes suited to broad resort landscapes. Critics sometimes point to expensive construction and maintenance, and several clubs have reduced or remodelled his bunkers. His work should nevertheless be read in the context of the European golf boom of the 1980s and 1990s, when developers wanted modern, spectacular courses capable of hosting international events. Thomas died on 27 August 2013 at the age of seventy-nine near his home in Spain. He left more than one hundred courses and represents a rare connection between elite competitive play and a genuine architectural practice. His legacy is closely tied to the rise of tournament and resort golf in Europe.