The day dawned with it pouring rain in the Kingdom of Fife.
It was around 8am as I peaked out the rain-lashed window and it looking unlikely no chance of also squeezing in a round on the famed 1895 Old Tom Morris designed Balcomie course at golf’s famed seventh oldest club.
The forecast also didn’t look good with the prediction of rain throughout much of the fourth day of August.
Though by 9am the rain had suprisingly abated and the weather soon turning decidedly brighter, looking as though the weather forecaters had got it all wrong.
AN ENORMOUS PLEASURE ….
To meet and chat with renowned US-based golf architect Jerry Lemons @golfarchitect on his maiden visit @CrailGolf @ScottishGolf @VisitScotGolf @VisitFifeGolf
Jerry is a long-time proud member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects… pic.twitter.com/eTcnLL6L0k
— Fatiha (@TOURMISS) August 4, 2026
I made my way the short drive to Crail Golfing Society, my home club for near on 26-years now where there was a big group of visitors on opening tee practice putting green.
Having worked the PGA Tour as a journalist for so many years, I’ve really enjoyed in recent year visiting the club more often simply for a coffee but also the delight in ‘bumping’ into our visitors and admiring the many various bag tags, golfing attire and other such items with logos that I had so long been all too familiar in travelling America.
Though there was a golfer by his bag that sported a logo I was not familiar but curious to learn it’s identity.
“Excuse me, sir”, I said. “Do you mind if I ask what is the idenity of that badge on your golf bag?”.
He replied: “The American Society of Golf Course Architects”.
We introduced ourselves and no sooner and Jerry Lemons mentioning he knows very well fellow golf course architect Gil Hanse who in a very short time made a very good name for himself. In fact, Hanse designed the second course at Crai – the Craighead Links – and Lemons knowing this.
I told Jerry the story of once driving Gill from Crail up to his Castle Stuart course near Inverness and being so involved in chatting with Gil, I missed the turn-off the the course and had to drive over the Kincardine Bridge and then turnaround and go back acoss the bridge to our intended destination (smiling).
The American Society for Golf Course Architects logo proudly appearning on Jerry Lemons golf bag. (Image @TOURMISS)
The logo for the American Society of Golf Course Architects appearing proudly on Jerry Lemons golf bag. Image @TOURMISS
Spearheaded by legenary golf course designers Robert Bruce Harris and Robert Trent Jones, the first meeting of the new association, dubbed the “American Society of Golf Course Architects” (by William Langford), was held with several architects from around the nation on February 13, 1947, at the Hotel New Yorker.
Harris and Trent Jones were among the 14 Charter Members who originally made up ASGCA. They were a diversified group of professionals, including five landscape architects/agronomists, four contractors, three golf professionals, and two businessmen.
The ASGCA currently boasts some 172 members.
Lemons is no stranger to Scotland though his visit to Crail was a first. In the past, he’s enjoyed playing The Old Course, Carnoustie and so many others while in his role as a golf course architect he spoke of his enjoyment in visiting some of other Scottish links gems including Prestwick and so many of the Scotland west coast gems.
He spoke fondly also of his relaltionships with some of the greats of the game – Nicklaus, Player, Palmer and other legends.
In our time talking, I managed to mention many of my own encounters with the same legends. It was also interesting how many other ‘key’ personnel in golf we each know.
I promised Jerry I would get onto the ASGCA website and hereunder is an article I am reproducing that was published a little over a decade ago featuring the work of Jerry.
The ASCGA Foundation/PGA of America “First Links” program continues to draw praise from those positively impacted by the program. The latest example is from the World of Golf in Florence, Ky., for the work of Jerry Lemons, ASGCA Associate.
Lemons visited the site and provided insight on the possible design of a new short-game area for the facility.
“We provided a plan, budget and ‘flythrough’ for this projected and submitted it to Ralph Landrum, their PGA professional, and the city for budgeting,” Lemons said. “They can now bid the work for their next budget cycle with our plan. We all agreed that the video ‘flythrough’ would be the best outcome instead of a written narrative report.ww”
“Thanks so much to ASGCA for your help with the design of our new short game area,” Landrum said. “I am sure when the project is completed we will be able to introduce the game to even more people than we do now. Mr. Lemons was wonderful!!”
“First Links” provides grants to applicants to pay for visits by ASGCA members to evaluate golf facilities for their potential to develop a short course or practice area, or to otherwise modify their existing layouts in a way to welcome new players. ASGCA member consultants will follow up their one-day visits with a site evaluation report describing ideas for layout or open land reconfiguration.”
I spoke to him also post his round on how much he enjoyed playing the Balcomie Links and he also make a few suggestions, as I guess any golf course architect would do, in what changes he would recommend to improve the course.
I could write more, and I would dearly love to have sat down with Jerry for a more in-depth golf journalist chat with him but what a wonderful warm and bright encounter it was bumping into Jerry, and after what was such a wet and overcast start to the day it was.
Thank you Jerry and a great pleasure in meeting you.
