Architect's Gallery
Featuring ASGCA Members and their work

Jay Morrish

Jay Morrish & Associates, LTD.
Flower Mound, Texas

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Biographical Sketch

(1936 - 2015), ASGCA

Born: Grand Junction, Colorado

Jay Morrish obtained a Liberal Arts education at Mesa Junior College and Universities in Mexico City and Colorado. Under a Trans-Mississippi Golf Association scholarship, he later received a Landscaping and Turf Management Degree from Colorado State University. Jay's first job was as construction superintendent on Spy Glass Hill Golf Links in California for Robert Trent Jones. He then moved to Phoenix to assist in construction of another Jones project, Goodyear G & CC. In 1967 Morrish joined the firm of George Fazio, aiding in layout and construction of several courses, including Jupiter Hills in Florida. He then joined architect Desmond Muirhead, working on such jobs as Mayacoo Lakes in Florida. When Jack Nicklaus and Muirhead dissolved their relationship in 1973, Morrish accepted Nicklaus's offer to work as a designer in his new firm. He worked on most of Nicklaus's designs over the next ten years, operating a branch office in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Morrish also collaborated with another Nicklaus in-house designer, Bob Cupp, on certain courses under the corporate name of Golforce, Inc.

In 1983 Morrish left Nicklaus to pursue a golf design business of his own. Most of his work was done in partnership with PGA Tour player Tom Weiskopf. They proved to be a very successful team. One of the earliest Morrish and Weiskopf collaborations, Troon G&CC in Arizona, was selected as the Best New Private Course of 1986 by Golf Digest. Another, Shadow Glen near Kansas City, was the magazine's choice for Best New Private Course of 1989, edging out another Morrish & Weiskopf design, Forest Highlands in Arizona.

In the late 1980's Morrish and Weiskopf became the first American designers to design a course in Scotland. The layout, Loch Lomond, was considered by both to be their very best work.

In the mid 1990's Jay dissolved his partnership with Tom Weiskopf and has designed many new golf courses including Tehama for Clint Eastwood in Carmel, California; Stone Canyon in Tuscon, Arizona and Pine Dunes in East Texas. All of these were done with the assistance of his son Carter Morrish.