About
Course Architect Perry Maxwell
Perry
Maxwell designed many of the great layouts in Oklahoma and throughout
the United States and is commonly recognized as one of America's
great golf course designers.
One
of Maxwell's first courses was Dornick Hills in Ardmore, Oklahoma.
He also built Southern Hills in Tulsa (the site of several recent
PGA tour events and the 2001 U.S. Open), Oklahoma City Country Club,
and Prairie Dunes (Kansas). Maxwell also made major contributions
to such revered layouts as Pine Valley, Augusta National (home of
the Masters), Colonial (Ft. Worth, TX), Crystal Down, and Merion.
In all, Perry Maxwell is estimated to have designed 70 courses and
remodeled about 50 others.
Maxwell's
Course Features
Maxwell's
primary course trademarks were his undulating greens and ability
to use the existing natural topology to forge holes.
Maxwell-designed
greens are typically large and contoured with swells--often known
as "Maxwell's rolls." It is frequently necessary to "be
below the hole" to have much of a chance at making a putt on
Maxwell-designed greens. Many course designers today followed his
lead in creating demanding, undulating greens.
Maxwell
was also a master at using the natural landscape to sculpt holes.
Mac Bentley, Daily Oklahoman sports writer, wrote in 1993, "His
genius came from recognizing Mother Nature's design, his courses
only slightly carved out of the existing landscape."
Perhaps
his favorite geological tool was cliffs. He built a green atop a
cliff at Dornick Hills to make a demanding approach shot, and on
the next hole, golfers tee off from on top of the cliff down to
the par 3 green below. The par 3 fourth hole at Twin Hills also
features Maxwell's cliff attribute.
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The
history of Twin Hills dates back to 1920 when five oilmen (Al Maidt, Bob
Conliff, Gus Mattison, Leslie Norris, and Bill Buchholz) commissioned Perry
Maxwell to design and build the course on its present 160-acre site.
Soon
after completing the course, these founders sold the course to the Dorset
Carter family.
It
is believed that Dorset Carter purchased the club in 1921 for his son,
Keefe Carter. Keefe was an accomplished golfer. In fact, he won the prestigious
Western Open in 1925.
This
Daily Oklahoman newspaper account, published on August 7, 1921, describes
the early plans for the clubhouse that is still in use today:
Plans
for the new Twin Hills clubhouse have been received by Keefe Carter,
owner of the club, and work will start as soon as the new ninth green
is ready for play. This is necessary as the clubhouse will be located
on the point where [the] ninth green now stands.
Much
time has been taken in planning the clubhouse so as to give the Twin
Hills golfers what they want in the way of an up-to-date clubhouse.
[The]
building will be constructed of native stone. Cost is estimated at about
$40,000, Carter said.
[The]
professional's shop will be located on the first floor, along with the
locker and shower room. [The] New clubhouse will have locker facilities
for 240 players with eight showers.
[The]
ladies' dressing room and showers will be on the second floor. [The]
grill room also will be on the second floor. A long corridor connects
the grill room with the large living room. The card room is next to
the grill room.
The
official founding date of Twin Hills is 1923. This date coincides with
the date the clubhouse was completed.
The
club was officially incorporated as member-owned in 1946.
Twin
Hills has hosted several prestigious tournaments over the years including
the Western Amateur, PGA Championship, Western Jr. Open, Oklahoma City
Open, National USGA Jr. Championship, and NAIA National Championship and
has hosted some of the world's greatest golfers including some of history's
greatest players--Johnny Revolta, Arnold Palmer, Gene Sarazen, Gene Littler,
and many more.
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