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a deep understanding and passion for
the game of golf. He was a master at
creating golf courses with tremendous
variety and thought provoking
strategies and his designs were always
sympathetic to the natural landscape
on which they sat. In addition to his
incredible talent and vision, Jay was
simply a great guy to be around. He
was a great story teller with a brilliant
sense of humor.”
In the mid 1990s Morrish went
completely on his own and designed
many new golf courses including
Tehama for Clint Eastwood in Carmel,
California; Stone Canyon, Tucson,
Arizona and Pine Dunes, Frankston,
Texas. All of these were done with the
assistance of his son, Carter Morrish.
Jay became an ASGCA member in
1989. “Jay and I were both accepted
into the ASGCA in the same year,”
recalls ASGCA Vice President Steve
Smyers. “We were classmates but more
than that we were friends.
“Jay was the experienced architect
and I the rookie. Jay kindly became
a mentor to me. He was always there
to guide and mentor me through all
the situations that we as architects are
confronted with.
“Jay during his career was responsible
for the creation of many of most highly
regarded and respected golf courses
that exist in the world today. He was a
great architect, a wonderful story teller,
a tremendous friend, and a fabulous
loving and caring husband and father.”
Morrish served as ASGCA President
in 2002-03. Taking over shortly after
the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 provided
a unique set of challenges. “The United
States was still in shock and we were all
exploring uncharted waters as to ways
of communicating, traveling and doing
business,” Morrish said at the time.
“Thankfully, ASGCA members were a
strong group with great imagination
and perseverance.”
Retired ASGCA Executive Secretary
Paul Fullmer says: “Looking back at his
presidency, Jay was the right captain for
ASGCA during a tumultuous period.
The world was changing and there
was great uncertainty. Jay provided the
senior leadership ASGCA needed. Jay
was a man who knew how to excel in
everything he did, whether it was golf
course design or big-game hunting.”
Morrish is survived by his wife,
Louise; children, Carter and Kim, son-
in-law, Brian Coder; and grandchildren,
Megan and Spencer Coder.
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Morrish’s design work includes Loch Lomond in
Scotland (above) and TPC Scottsdale in Arizona,
both in collaboration with Tom Weiskopf