architect image

(1872 - 1936)

Born: Sept. 2, 1868, Aberdeen, Scotland

Died: River Forest, Illinois, at age 68

Bendelow began golfing when he was 9 years old, with his dad at the Balgownie Links, which is now named Royal Aberdeen Golf Club. Founded in 1780, Royal Aberdeen Golf Club is the world's sixth-oldest, and it's clear that Bendelow had rich inspiration to draw on back in Scotland.

Bendelow was one of the more prolific architects in the first third of the twentieth century. Designing in a time when earth moving was largely impossible, Bendelow's designs incorporated what the land gave him.

Arriving in America in September, 1892 at age 24, Bendelow first worked for the New York Herald having written for the Aberdeen Press and Journal newspaper in Scotland. It wasn't long before his Scottish heritage and knowledge of golf were noticed. Certainly his friendship with well-known Scottish golfers of his day contributed to his influence in the States. Bendelow was raised in the very heart of golf and his arrival in America coincided with great interest in the game in the States.

As a testament to his skill he played with Harry Vardon on a tour of the United States and was Vardon's caddie when he won the U.S. Open at the Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Illinois in 1900.

He designed several holes on Barnegat Bay and later answered an ad from the Pratt family that likely never made it to print. The Pratts, owners of the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, were looking for someone to teach them the game and they became Bendelow's students. He designed six holes at their large estate in Glen Cove, NY, a plot of land that would eventually become the Nassau Country Club.

He produced a large body of work. He came to be called "The Johnny Appleseed of Golf." He is best known for his design of Medinah CC # 2, which he built in 1926. This course has been the site of U.S. Opens as well as PGA Championships.

As a testament to Bendelow's true skill, he designed the East Lake course at the Atlanta Athletic Club - the place where Bobby Jones learned to play. Jones said "It was extraordinary in that it gave a golfer the opportunity to use every wood and iron in his bag." American golf owes Bendelow a debt of gratitude for having a hand in developing a golfing legend.

COURSES DESIGNED
California
course image
Lincoln Park Golf Course
300 34th Ave
-
California
94121
(415) 221-9911
Year Built: 1902
2 Rankings / Reviews
Connecticut
course image
Manchester Country Club
305 South Main St
-
Connecticut
06040
860/646-0226
Year Built: 1917
Florida
course image
Dubsdread Golf Course
549 W Par St
-
Florida
32804
(407) 246-2551
Year Built: 1923
Video
course image
Palma Ceia Golf & Country Club
1601 S Macdill Ave
-
Florida
33629
(813) 253-3061
Year Built: 1916
Video
course image
Temple Terrace Golf & Country Club
200 N Inverness Ave
-
Florida
33617
(813) 988-2601
Year Built: - 1923
Video
Georgia
course image
East Lake Golf Club
2575 Alston Dr Se
-
Georgia
30317
(404) 373-5722
Year Built: - 1906
Video
Illinois
course image
Beverly Country Club
8700 S Western Ave
-
Illinois
60620
708/636-8700
Year Built: - 1908
course image
Bloomingdale Golf Course
181n Glen Ellen Rd
-
Illinois
60108
(630) 529-6232
Year Built:
course image
Champaign Country Club
1211 S Prospect Ave
-
Illinois
61820
217/356-1391
Year Built: - 1904
course image
Chevy Chase Golf Course
1000 N Milwaukee Ave
-
Illinois
60090
847/537-0082
Year Built: 1923
course image
Columbus Park Golf Course
5700 W Jackson Blvd
-
Illinois
60644
(312) 746-5573
Year Built:
2 Rankings / Reviews
course image
Timber Creek Golf Club
729 Timber Creek Rd
-
Illinois
61021
815/288-5110
Year Built: - 1915
course image
Edgewood Golf Course
Edgewood Rd
-
Illinois
61064
815/946-3636
Year Built: - 1962
1 Rankings / Reviews
course image
Joliet Country Club
1009 Spencer Rd
-
Illinois
60433
815/723-9613
Year Built: 1905
2 Rankings / Reviews
course image
Lawrence County Country Club
Route 2
-
Illinois
62439
618/943-2011
Year Built: 1915
course image
Lincoln Elks Golf Club
1060 1520TH STREET
-
Illinois
62656
217/732-4010
Year Built: - 1918
course image
Lincoln Oaks Golf Course
395 E. Richton Rd.
-
Illinois
60417
708/672-9401
Year Built: 1927
1 Rankings / Reviews
course image
Lincolnshire Country Club
390 E Richton Rd
-
Illinois
60417
708/672-5090
Year Built:
course image
Marquette Park Golf Course
6700 S Kedzie Ave
-
Illinois
60629
312/747-2761
Year Built:
course image
Monmouth Country Club
1451 E 3rd Ave
-
Illinois
61462
309/734-7909
Year Built: - 1903
course image
Naperville Country Club
25w57 Chicago Ave
-
Illinois
60540
630/355-0747
Year Built: - 1921
course image
Nelson Park Golf Course, CLOSED 2009
200 S Nelson Blvd
-
Illinois
62521
CLOSED
Year Built: - 1917
course image
Olympia Fields Country Club, South
2800 Country Club Dr
-
Illinois
60461
708/748-0495
Year Built: - 1915
course image
Pine Hills Golf Club
Route 4
-
Illinois
61350
815/434-3985
Year Built: - 1924
course image
Quail Creek Country Club & Resort
1010 E Highland Ave
-
Illinois
62454
618/544-7502
Year Built: - 1920
course image
Rock Spring Golf Course
Rock Springs Park
-
Illinois
62002
618/465-9898
Year Built: 1912
course image
Scovill Golf Club, CLOSED 2017
3909 W Main St
-
Illinois
62522
Year Built: - 1922
course image
Sinnissippi Park Golf Club
1401 N 2nd St
-
Illinois
61107
815/987-8838
Year Built: 1912
course image
Skokie Country Club
500 Washington Ave
-
Illinois
60022
847/835-5835
Year Built: - 1897
course image
Soangetaha Country Club
238 N Soangetaha Rd
-
Illinois
61401
309/342-5410
Year Built: 1895
course image
South Shore Golf Club
7059 S Shore Dr
-
Illinois
60649
312/747-6250
Year Built:
course image
Urbana Golf & Country Club
100 Country Club Rd
-
Illinois
61801
(217) 344-8673
Year Built: 1922
course image
Villa Olivia Country Club
Lake St & Naperville Rd
-
Illinois
60103
630/289-5200
Year Built: 1926
course image
Wing Park Golf Course
1000 Wing St
-
Illinois
60123
847/931-5952
Year Built: 1908
course image
Woodstock Country Club
10310 Country Club Rd
-
Illinois
60098
815/338-5355
Year Built: - 1917
Indiana
course image
Clermont Golf Course -Regulation Nine, CLOSED 2007
4705 N 1000 E
-
Indiana
46112
CLOSED
Year Built: - 1914
course image
The Country Club Of Indianapolis
2801 Country Club Rd
-
Indiana
46234
(317) 291-9770
Year Built: 1914
course image
Hazelden Country Club
3705 E State Road 16
-
Indiana
47922
219/275-5551
Year Built: 1910
course image
Pottawattomie Country Club
1900 Springland Ave
-
Indiana
46360
219/872-0624
Year Built:
course image
Wawasee Golf & Country Club
7654 E Eli Lilly Rd
-
Indiana
46567
(219) 457-3961
Year Built: 1910, 192
Iowa
course image
Clinton Country Club | Clinton Golf Course, CLOSED 2016
1501 Harrison Dr
-
Iowa
52732
Year Built: 1920
course image
Dubuque Golf & Country Club
1800 Randall Pl
-
Iowa
52003
(319) 583-9150
Year Built: 1923
course image
Elmwood Country Club
1734 Country Club Ln
-
Iowa
50158
(641) 753-8111
Year Built: 1921
course image
Keokuk Country Club, CLOSED 2016
3318 Middle Rd
-
Iowa
52632
Year Built: 1900
course image
Ottumwa Country Club
304 E Golf Ave
-
Iowa
52501
(515) 684-4471
Year Built: 1922
Video
course image
Sioux City Country Club
4001 Jackson St
-
Iowa
51104
(712) 277-4612
Year Built: 1908
Video
course image
Clinton Country Club At The Oaks, Eighteen Course
3330 Harts Mill Rd
-
Iowa
52732
563/242-7032
Year Built: - 1920
course image
River Ridge Golf Course | Wapsipinicon Golf Club
1749 Golf Course Rd
-
Iowa
50644
(319) 334-6576
Year Built: 1909
Kansas
course image
Leavenworth Country Club
455 Eisenhower Rd
-
Kansas
66043
913/351-6626
Year Built: 1922
course image
Topeka Country Club
2700 Sw Buchanan St
-
Kansas
66611
785/354-8563
Year Built: 1905
Kentucky
course image
Audubon Country Club
3265 Robin Rd
-
Kentucky
40213
(502) 637-5625
Year Built: 1908
Video
course image
Lexington Country Club
2550 Paris Pike
-
Kentucky
40511
(606) 299-4388
Year Built: 1908
Louisiana
course image
City Park Golf Course
1442 City Park Ave
-
Louisiana
70808
(225) 387-9523
Year Built: 1926
1 Rankings / Reviews
Michigan
course image
Cascades Golf Course, Cascades Eighteen
1992 Warren Ave
-
Michigan
49203
(517) 788-4323
Year Built: - 1929
course image
Maple Brook Golf Club | Maple Brook Golf Course
681 Lansing Rd
-
Michigan
48813
(517) 543-1570
Year Built: 1926
course image
The Golf Club of Coldwater
270 Narrows Rd
-
Michigan
49036
(517) 279-2100
Year Built: - 1920
course image
Mullett Lake Country Club
1096 Mullett Lake Rd
-
Michigan
49761
(231) 627-5971
Year Built: 1930
course image
Red Cedar Municipal Golf Course, CLOSED 2007
203 S Clipper St
-
Michigan
48912
CLOSED
Year Built: 1927
course image
Riverside Country Club
14th Ave
-
Michigan
49858
(906) 863-2590
Year Built: 1901
course image
Saginaw Country Club
4465 Gratiot Rd
-
Michigan
48603
(517) 793-3461
Year Built: 1898
Video
course image
South Haven Country Club, CLOSED 2015
397 Adams Rd
-
Michigan
49090
(269) 637-3896
Year Built: - 1920
course image
Spring Lake Country Club
17496 Fruitport Rd
-
Michigan
49456
(616) 850-1153
Year Built: 1911
Video
course image
Traverse City Golf & Country Club
1725 S Union St
-
Michigan
49684
231/947-3553
Year Built: 1915
course image
White Lake Golf Club
6777 S Shore Dr
-
Michigan
49461
(231) 893-4232
Year Built: 1916, 1927
course image
Atlas Valley Country Club
8313 Perry Rd
-
Michigan
48439
810/636-7977
Year Built: 1912
Minnesota
course image
Lafayette Country Club
2800 Northview Rd
-
Minnesota
55391
612/471-9600
Year Built: 1915
course image
Mankato Golf Club
Golf Club Rd
-
Minnesota
56002
(507) 387-5636
Year Built: 1925
course image
Minnetonka Country Club, CLOSED 2014
24575 Smithtown Rd
-
Minnesota
55331
Year Built: 1916
Missouri
course image
Excelsior Springs Golf Club
1201 E Golf Hill Dr
-
Missouri
64024
816/630-3731
Year Built: - 1915
course image
Oakwood Country Club
9800 Grandview Rd
-
Missouri
64137
(816) 761-5501
Year Built: - 1912
course image
Westborough Country Club
631 S Berry Rd
-
Missouri
63122
(314) 968-5180
Year Built: - 1908
Nebraska
course image
Beatrice Country Club | Beatrice Golf Course
13th & Oak St
-
Nebraska
68310
(402) 223-2710
Year Built: 1917
1 Rankings / Reviews
course image
Elmwood Park Golf Course
6232 Pacific St
-
Nebraska
68106
(402) 444-4683
Year Built: 1916
New Jersey
course image
Colonia Country Club
Colonia Blvd
-
New Jersey
07067
732/381-9500
Year Built: 1899
course image
East Orange Golf Course
440 Parsonage Hill Rd
-
New Jersey
07078
973/379-7190
Year Built:
New Mexico
course image
Santa Fe Country Club
Airport Rd
-
New Mexico
87505
505/471-0601
Year Built: 1930
New York
course image
Dyker Beach Golf Course
7th Ave & 86th St
-
New York
11228
718/836-9722
Year Built: 1897
1 Rankings / Reviews
course image
Quogue Field Club
Club Ln
-
New York
11959
(516) 653-9885
Year Built: 1901
course image
Lakeview Golf & Country Club
6642 E Lake Rd
-
New York
13021
315/253-3152
Year Built: - 1916
Ohio
course image
Findlay Country Club | Findlay Golf Course
1500 Country Club Dr
-
Ohio
45840
(419) 422-9340
Year Built: 1908
course image
Kettenring Country Club
211 Carpenter Rd
-
Ohio
43512
419/784-5571
Year Built:
course image
Losantiville Country Club
3097 Losantiville Ave
-
Ohio
45213
513/366-4080
Year Built: - 1902
course image
Maketewah Country Club
5401 Reading Rd
-
Ohio
45237
(513) 242-9333
Year Built: 1910
course image
Moundbuilders Country Club
125 N 33rd St
-
Ohio
43055
740/344-4500
Year Built:
course image
Plum Brook Country Club
3712 Galloway Rd
-
Ohio
44870
(419) 625-5554
Year Built: 1914
course image
Rosemont Country Club
3777 Rosemont Blvd
-
Ohio
44333
330/666-8109
Year Built: 1920
course image
Shawnee Country Club
1700 Shawnee Rd
-
Ohio
45805
419/229-4801
Year Built: 1904
course image
Union Country Club
1000 N Bellevue Ave
-
Ohio
44622
330/343-2334
Year Built:
course image
Western Hills Country Club
5780 Cleves Warsaw
-
Ohio
45233
(513) 922-0019
Year Built: 1914
Ontario
course image
Rosedale Golf Club
1901 Mt Pleasant
-
Ontario
N4N 2W3
(416) 485-9139
Year Built: 1909
Video
Pennsylvania
course image
Allegheny Country Club
Country Club Rd
-
Pennsylvania
15143
(412) 741-7500
Year Built: - 1902
course image
Brackenridge Heights Country Club, CLOSED 2017
Lane Ave
-
Pennsylvania
15065
Year Built:
course image
Butler Country Club
310 Country Club Rd
-
Pennsylvania
16002
724/586-6030
Year Built:
course image
Culbertson Hills Golf Resort
Route 6 N Plum St
-
Pennsylvania
16412
814/734-3114
Year Built: - 1931
course image
Lake Shore Country Club
Hardscrabble Rd
-
Pennsylvania
16505
814/833-7822
Year Built: - 1929
course image
Avalon Golf and Country Club
1030 Forker Blvd
-
Pennsylvania
16148
(724) 981-6705
Year Built: 1907
course image
Union City Country Club | Union City Golf Course
9400 Club Rd
-
Pennsylvania
16438
(814) 438-2810
Year Built: 1915
South Carolina
course image
Anderson Country Club, CLOSED 2015
1607 W Market St
-
South Carolina
29624
Year Built: 1918
1 Rankings / Reviews
Texas
course image
Dallas Country Club
4100 Beverly Dr
-
Texas
75205
(214) 521-3520
Year Built: 1912
course image
River Crest Country Club
1501 Western Ave
-
Texas
76107
817/737-4257
Year Built: 1911
Wisconsin
course image
Big Foot Country Club | Big Foot Golf Course
770 Shabbona Dr
-
Wisconsin
53125
(262) 275-3411
Year Built: 1924
Video
course image
Country Club Estates
Shabbona Dr
-
Wisconsin
53125
262/275-3705
Year Built:
course image
Nakoma Golf Club
4145 Country Club Rd
-
Wisconsin
53711
608/238-3143
Year Built: 1925
course image
Riverview Country Club, CLOSED 2011
1101 S Oneida St
-
Wisconsin
54915
Year Built: 1922
course image
Tripoli Country Club
7401 N 43rd St
-
Wisconsin
53209
(414) 351-7230
Year Built: 1928