William P. Bell

• Name — William P. Bell • Born — 19 April 1886 • Birthplace — Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. • Died — 21 June 1953 • Place of death — Pasadena, California, U.S. • Occupation — Golf course architect • Boards — American Society of Golf Course Architects • Title — ASGCA President • Spouse — Anna K. Bell (1893–1975) • Children — William Francis Bell (1918–1984) • Resting Place — Mountain View Cemetery Altadena, California, U.S.

Born in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, Billy Bell studied agriculture at Duff's Business Institute in Pittsburgh. He moved west to California at age 25 in 1911, and held a series of golf jobs at the Pasadena Country Club, including caddymaster and course superintendent. Bell worked on golf course construction for architect Willie Watson, including serving as Watson's superintendent, before going into golf course design and development on his own in 1920. Most of Bell's courses were designed and built in Southern California. He is considered one of the most important golf course architects in the state, with more than fifty courses credited to his work and design, and he designed and built courses in other western states as well, including Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, and Hawaii. Early in his design career, Bell worked closely with famous designer and fellow Pennsylvanian George C. Thomas Jr., on courses which included the Riviera Country Club, often cited as one of the world's best courses. Although Thomas is listed as architect of record, Bell made significant contributions to many of the designs. Bell's son William F. Bell (1918–1984) trained with him, joined him in partnership after World War II, and later became an important golf course architect in his own right. Bell Sr. served as a turf consultant to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during the war, and was awarded a commendation by the Southern California chapter of the PGA, in honor of his work creating golf courses for wounded servicemen. Bell Sr. was a founding member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, and served as ASGCA President in 1952. Bell died in Pasadena at age 67 in 1953 and is buried at Mountain View Cemetery and Mausoleum in Altadena.

Golf courses designed and built by William P. Bell: • Name — Year built — City / Town — State / Province — Country — Comments • Adobe Course at Arizona Biltmore Hotel — Phoenix — Arizona — United States — Resort • Encanto Park GC — Public course • Mesa CC — Mesa — Private course • Tucson CC — Tucson — California — Private course; with William Francis Bell • Bakersfield CC — Bakersfield — Private course • Balboa Park Municipal GC — San Diego — Public course • Bel-Air CC — Bel Air — Private course • Brookside GC — Pasadena — Public course; 36 holes • Chevy Chase CC — Glendale — Private course; with William Francis Bell • David L Baker GC — Fountain Valley — Public course • Girard CC — Woodland Hills — Private course; now Woodland Hills CC; • Hacienda GC — La Habra Heights — Private course • La Jolla CC — La Jolla • Marine Memorial Golf Course — Camp Pendleton — Military course that allows Public play • Meadowlark GC — Huntington Beach — Public course • Mesa Verde CC — Costa Mesa — Private course • North Ridge CC — Fair Oaks — Private course • Rancho Park GC — Los Angeles — Public course • Red Hill CC — Alta Loma — Private course; with George C. Thomas Jr. • San Diego CC — Chula Vista — Private course • Stanford University GC — Palo Alto — Private course; with George C. Thomas Jr. • Sunnyside CC — Fresno — Private course • Torrey Pines GC (North course, South course) — San Diego — Municipal courses; 36 holes • Tilden Park GC — Berkeley — Public course • Virginia CC — Long Beach — Private course; with A.W. Tillinghast • Woodland Hills CC — Woodland Hills — Private course • Valley CC — Englewood — Colorado • Kaneohe Klipper GC — Kaneohe — Hawaii — Military course • The Legacy GC — Henderson — Nevada • Forest Hills GC — Cornelius — Oregon — Public course; with William Francis Bell • Tijuana CC — Tijuana — Baja California — Mexico Mexico — Private course Source: