Robert Muir "Bob" Graves (September 24, 1930 – June 28, 2003) was an American

landscape A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or man-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. A landscape includes the ...

and

golf course architect A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". Th ...

who was president of the

American Society of Golf Course Architects The American Society of Golf Course Architects (abbreviated as ASGCA) is a professional organization of golf course designers in America. Founded in 1946, its members are actively involved in the design of new courses and the renovation of existi ...

from 1974–75. Graves designed many

golf courses A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". Th ...

, including golf courses in

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyom ...

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

and

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

Early life and education

Robert Muir Graves was born on September 24, 1930 in Trenton, Michigan, United States. He was the son of Orin Nelson Graves (1901–1980) and Margaret J. Muir (1902–1987). He had two siblings, a brother and a sister. Graves studied at

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...

and graduated from

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...

with a degree in

landscape architecture Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor areas, landmarks, and structures to achieve environmental, social-behavioural, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic design and general engineering of various structures for constructio ...

. Serving in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

during the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

, and 22 years in the

Naval Reserves The United States Navy Reserve (USNR), known as the United States Naval Reserve from 1915 to 2005, is the Reserve Component (RC) of the United States Navy. Members of the Navy Reserve, called Reservists, are categorized as being in either the Sele ...

, he achieved the rank of

Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

. In 1952, while living in

Berkeley, California Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland and Emer ...

, he married Maryalice "Mimi" Rowland (born 1933). Graves was a multi-faceted man whose interests included flying (both for business and pleasure), music, and a wide range of sports, including golf,

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IO ...

and horseback riding.

Architecture

Graves began his career in 1955 as a

landscape architect A landscape architect is a person who is educated in the field of landscape architecture. The practice of landscape architecture includes: site analysis, site inventory, site planning, land planning, planting design, grading, storm water manageme ...

before transitioning into golf course architecture. His first project as a golf course architect was redesign of the Carmel Valley Country Club in

Carmel-by-the-Sea, California Carmel-by-the-Sea (), often simply called Carmel, is a city in Monterey County, California, United States, founded in 1902 and incorporated on October 31, 1916. Situated on the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel is known for its natural scenery and ric ...

and Big Canyon Country Club in

Newport Beach, California Newport Beach is a coastal city in South Orange County, California. Newport Beach is known for swimming and sandy beaches. Newport Harbor once supported maritime industries however today, it is used mostly for recreation. Balboa Island, Newport ...

. He designed over 75 golf courses around the world, but his best-known work is located in the

western United States The Western United States (also called the American West, the Far West, and the West) is the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. As American settlement in the U.S. expanded westward, the meaning of the term ''the Wes ...

. In 1972, he designed the Big Meadow course at Black Butte Ranch in

. His Sea Ranch Golf Links was opened in the early 1970s and recognized as a "natural" and "minimalist" golf course architecture piece. Graves also designed Port Ludlow Golf Course and Canterwood Country Club in

state. One of his masterpieces, completed in 1978, was the Championship 18 Course at

Buffalo Hill Golf Club Buffalo Hill Golf Club is a public 27-hole parkland golf course located in Kalispell, Flathead County, Montana. The course was founded in 1918. Prior to becoming a golf course the land was owned by the affluent Conrad family† and used as a bu ...

in Kalispell, Montana. Graves became the President of the American Society of Golf Course Architects in 1974 and served until 1975. In 2002, Graves and his good friend Geoffrey Cornish published a book called ''Classic Golf Hole Design: Using the Greatest Holes as Inspiration for Modern Courses''.

List of golf courses in the United States

*Avalon Golf Links – North/West Course in

Burlington, Washington Burlington is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. Its population was recorded as 9,152 in the 2020 census. Burlington is located approximately halfway between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. The city is included in the Mount Vernon&n ...

*Avalon Golf Links – South/North Course in

*Avalon Golf Links – West/South Course in

*Baywood Golf & Country Club – Private Golf course in Arcata, California *Big Canyon Country Club – Private in

*Big Meadow at Black Butte Ranch – Resort in Black Butte Ranch,

*Bigwood Golf Course – Public in Ketchum, Idaho *Bill Roberts Municipal Golf Course – Public in

Helena, Montana Helena (; ) is the capital city of Montana, United States, and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. Helena was founded as a gold camp during the Montana gold rush, and established on October 30, 1864. Due to the gold rush, Helena would ...

*Blackberry Farm Golf Course – Public in Cupertino, California *Boundary Oak Golf Course – Public in Walnut Creek, California *Brooktrails Golf Course – Public in Willits, California *Buchanan Fields Golf Course – Public in Concord, California *

(Championship Course) – Public in Kalispell, Montana *Canterwood Golf Club – Private in

Gig Harbor, Washington Gig Harbor is the name of both a bay on Puget Sound and a city on its shore in Pierce County, Washington,. The population was 12,029 at the 2020 census. Gig Harbor is one of several cities and towns that claim to be "the gateway to the Olympic ...

*Casper Golf Club – Highlands/Links Course in

Casper, Wyoming Casper is a city in, and the county seat of, Natrona County, Wyoming, United States. Casper is the second-largest city in the state, with the population at 59,038 as of the 2020 census. Only Cheyenne, the state capital, is larger. Casper is nic ...

*Casper Golf Club – Highlands/Park Course in

*Cedar Hills Golf Club in

Cedar Hills, Utah Cedar Hills is a city in north-central Utah County, Utah, United States. The population was 9,796 at the 2010 census, up from 3,094 in 2000. The city began growing rapidly during the 1990s and is located east of Alpine and Highland on the slopes ...

*Chalk Mountain Golf Course – Public in Atascadero, California *Cherry Island Golf Course – Public in Elverta, California *Chuck Corica Golf Complex – The Jack Clark South Course in Alameda, California *Contra Costa Country Club – Private in Pleasant Hill, California *Diablo Creek Golf Course – Public in Concord, California *Diablo Hills Golf Course – Public in Walnut Creek, California *East at Blue Rock Springs Golf Course – Public in

Vallejo, California Vallejo ( ; ) is a city in Solano County, California and the second largest city in the North Bay region of the Bay Area. Located on the shores of San Pablo Bay, the city had a population of 126,090 at the 2020 census. Vallejo is home to the ...

*Eighteen Hole at Villages Golf & Country Club – Private in

San Jose, California San Jose, officially San José (; ; ), is a major city in the U.S. state of California that is the cultural, financial, and political center of Silicon Valley and largest city in Northern California by both population and area. With a 2020 popul ...

*El Cariso Golf Course – Public in

Sylmar, California Sylmar is a suburban neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley and is the northernmost neighborhood within the City of Los Angeles. Historically known for its profusion of sylvan olive orchards, Sylmar can trace its past to the 18th century and th ...

*Executive at Las Positas Golf Course – Public in

Livermore, California Livermore (formerly Livermorès, Livermore Ranch, and Nottingham) is a city in Alameda County, California. With a 2020 population of 87,955, Livermore is the most populous city in the Tri-Valley. It is located on the eastern edge of Californ ...

*Franklin Canyon Golf Course – Public in Hercules, California *Glen Annie Golf Club in Goleta, California *Illahe Hills Country Club in

Salem, Oregon Salem ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County, Oregon, Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river ...

*Jackpot Golf Club – Resort in Jackpot, Nevada *La Purisima Golf Course – Public in Lompoc, California *La Rinconada Country Club – Private in

Los Gatos, California Los Gatos (, ; ) is an incorporated town in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population is 33,529 according to the 2020 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area just southwest of San Jose in the foothills of the ...

*Lake Merced Golf & Country Club – Private in

Daly City, California Daly City () is the second most populous city in San Mateo County, California, United States, with population of 104,901 according to the 2020 census. Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, and immediately south of San Francisco (sharing its ...

*Logan River Golf Course – Public in

Logan, Utah Logan is a city in Cache County, Utah, United States. The 2020 census recorded the population was 52,778. Logan is the county seat of Cache County and the principal city of the Logan metropolitan area, which includes Cache County and Franklin ...

*Maderas Golf Club in

Poway, California Poway () is a city in San Diego County, California, United States. The unincorporated community became a city on December 1, 1980. Poway's rural roots influenced its motto "The City in the Country". The city has a population of 49,701 as of 2 ...

*Meadow Springs Country Club – Private in Richland, Washington *MeadowWood Golf Course – Public in

Liberty Lake, Washington Liberty Lake is a city in Spokane County, Washington, United States located adjacent to the eponymous lake. Located just over a mile (about 2 km) west of the Washington–Idaho border, Liberty Lake is both a suburb of Spokane, Washington and a ...

*Monterey Pines Golf Course in

Monterey, California Monterey (; es, Monterrey; Ohlone: ) is a city located in Monterey County on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on the U.S. state of California's Central Coast. Founded on June 3, 1770, it functioned as the capital of Alta California under bo ...

*Moraga Country Club – Private in Moraga, California *Mountain Springs Golf & Country Club – Semi-Private in Sonora, California *Murray Parkway Golf Course – Public in Murray, Utah *Northstar at Tahoe Golf Course – Resort in Truckee, California *Overlake Golf & Country Club – Private in

Medina, Washington Medina () is a mostly residential city in Eastside (King County, Washington), Eastside, King County, Washington, United States. The city is on a peninsula in Lake Washington, on the opposite shore from Seattle, bordered by Clyde Hill, Washingto ...

*Pajaro Valley Golf Club – Public in Royal Oaks, California *Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club – Private in

Palo Alto, California Palo Alto (; Spanish language, Spanish for "tall stick") is a charter city in the northwestern corner of Santa Clara County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area, named after a Sequoia sempervirens, coastal redwood tree kno ...

*Paradise Valley Golf Course – Public in Fairfield, California *Pittsburg's Delta View Golf Course – Public in Pittsburg, California *Quail Lodge Resort & Golf Club – Resort in

Carmel, California Carmel-by-the-Sea (), often simply called Carmel, is a city in Monterey County, California, United States, founded in 1902 and municipal corporation, incorporated on October 31, 1916. Situated on the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel is known for its n ...

*Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course in

*Regulation at Las Positas Golf Course – Public in

*Rio Bravo Country Club – Private in

Bakersfield, California Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Kern County. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's populat ...

*River's Edge Golf Course – Public in

Bend, Oregon Bend is a city in and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States. It is the principal city of the Bend Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's largest city, with a population of 99,178 at the time of the 2020 U.S ...

*Rossmoor Golf Club – The Dollar Ranch Golf Course in Walnut Creek, California *Salinas Fairways Golf Course – Public in

Salinas, California Salinas (; Spanish for "Salt Marsh or Salt Flats") is a city in California and the county seat of Monterey County. With a population of 163,542 in the 2020 Census, Salinas is the most populous city in Monterey County. Salinas is an urban area lo ...

*San Geronimo Golf Club – Public in San Geronimo, California *San Jose Municipal Golf Course – Public in

*San Luis Obispo Golf & Country Club – Private in

San Luis Obispo, California San Luis Obispo (; Spanish for " St. Louis the Bishop", ; Chumash: ''tiłhini'') is a city and county seat of San Luis Obispo County, in the U.S. state of California. Located on the Central Coast of California, San Luis Obispo is roughly halfwa ...

*Santa Clara Golf & Tennis Club – Public in

Santa Clara, California Santa Clara (; Spanish for " Saint Clare") is a city in Santa Clara County, California. The city's population was 127,647 at the 2020 census, making it the eighth-most populous city in the Bay Area. Located in the southern Bay Area, the cit ...

*Saticoy Country Club – Private in Somis, California *Sea Ranch Lodge & Golf Links, The – Public in

Sea Ranch, California Sea Ranch is an unincorporated community in Sonoma County, California, United States that was developed as planned community beginning in the 1960s. It is known for its distinctive timber-frame structures designed by several noted American arch ...

*Seven Oaks Country Club – Island/Oaks Course in

*Seven Oaks Country Club – Lakes/Island Course in

*Short Nine at Villages Golf & Country Club – Private in

*St. Stanislaus Golf Course – Public in Ceres, California *Sun Willows Golf Course – Public in Pasco, Washington *Swenson Executive at Swenson Park Golf Course – Public in

Stockton, California Stockton is a city in and the county seat of San Joaquin County, California, San Joaquin County in the Central Valley (California), Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. Stockton was founded by Carlos Maria Weber in 1849 after he acquir ...

*The Executive Nine at Palm Desert Country Club – Semi-Private in Palm Desert, California *The Greens at Redmond – Redmond, Oregon *Thunder Canyon Country Club – Private in

Washoe Valley, Nevada Washoe Valley is a census-designated place (CDP) in Washoe County, Nevada, United States. It corresponds closely to the unincorporated community of New Washoe City. The population was 3,019 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Reno– Sparks ...

*Tide/Timber at Port Ludlow Resort – Resort in

Port Ludlow, Washington Port Ludlow is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson County, Washington, United States. It is also the name of the marine inlet on which the community is located. The CDP's population was 2,603 at the 2010 ce ...

*Timber/Trail at Port Ludlow Resort – Resort in

*Trail/Tide at Port Ludlow Resort – Resort in

*Twin Lakes Golf Course – Public in

Saint George, Utah St. George is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Utah, United States. Located in southwestern Utah on the Arizona border, it is the principal city of the St. George Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The city lies in the northe ...

*Van Buskirk Park Golf Course – Public in

*Westridge Golf Club – Public in La Habra, California *Widgi Creek Golf Club – Semi-Private in

*Woodcreek Golf Club – Public in Roseville, California

List of international golf courses

*Furry Creek Golf and Country Club in

Furry Creek, British Columbia Furry Creek is a community in the Canadian province of British Columbia, located on Howe Sound in the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, north of Vancouver and south of Squamish. History The creek was named in the 1870s after early prospecto ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

*Sabah Golf & Country Club in

Sabah Sabah () is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indone ...

*Kinabalu Golf Club in

Personal life and death

Graves was married to Maryalice "Mimi" Graves (née Roland) and had three daughters, Victoria Graves, Elizabeth "Betsy" Mahan, and Kathryn "Katy" Yoder. He died on June 28, 2003, in

due to complications from cancer.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Graves, Robert Muir 1930 births 2003 deaths 20th-century American architects Golf course architects People from Trenton, Michigan UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design alumni 20th-century American male writers