Royal Dornoch Golf Club join forces with Pinehurst in the USA to honour pioneer Donald Ross
Celebrations on both sides of the Atlantic to mark the 152nd birthday of legendary golf course architect Donald Ross are set to strengthen bonds between Dornoch and Pinehurst.
Dornoch-born Ross was “keeper of the green” and the first professional at his local club before uprooting himself for a new life in the United States.
He was hugely influential in the development of golf in the United States, creating and enhancing more than 400 courses.
Pinehurst No 2 in America’s “Cradle of Golf” is regarded as his masterpiece and it is now a regular venue on the US Open rota.
Glasses were raised to Ross at gatherings held at Royal Dornoch and Pinehurst, North Carolina last Saturday, after an online meeting involving golf club and civic body representatives to build on a formal partnership between the two golfing communities which was formalised last year.
It was agreed that Neil Hampton, general manager at Royal Dornoch, and Eric Kuester, vice-president of Pinehurst Resort, would firm up a string of proposals to build on the shared Ross legacy.
These include bi-annual visits, sharing sustainability initiatives and merchandising, and rolling out a junior golf exchange programme.
“Golf is at the very heart of Dornoch and Pinehurst and we share the rich legacy left by Donald Ross,” explained Hampton.
“The partnership agreement was an important milestone and now both parties are keen to build on the foundations which have been put in place.”
A Royal Dornoch delegation will visit Pinehurst to coincide with the Ross birthday celebrations in November next year and a Donald Ross Junior Player Exchange Programme is in the pipeline.
“In addition to Royal Dornoch and Pinehurst Resort it was encouraging to have input from the community council, Pinehurst Village, the Given Memorial Library and Tufts Archives and the US-based Donald Ross Society.
“With our new clubhouse taking shape and the 150th anniversary celebrations in 2027 – which coincides with the 120th anniversary of Pinehurst No 2 – the timing could not be better for a closer collaboration between the two communities,” said Neil.
“The Tufts Archives have amassed a rich array of Donald Ross material and there is certainly scope for collaboration with the expanding HistoryLinks Museum in Dornoch and looking beyond golf to enhance the links between our two towns.”
