About William S. Flynn (1890-1945)

A gifted athlete in his youth, Flynn contributed to the construction of Merion Golf Club’s East Course in Pennsylvania under the guidance of Hugh Wilson. He soon became a prominent figure in the world of golf course design, particularly in the Philadelphia area, where his work became legendary at courses like Philadelphia Country Club, Rolling Green, Huntingdon Valley, and Lehigh. Flynn’s influence, however, stretches far beyond eastern Pennsylvania—he also designed iconic courses such as Cherry Hills C.C. in Denver, The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, Shinnecock Hills on Long Island, and The Cascades in Virginia.

Flynn was a true pioneer in golf course design. He was the first to design a million-dollar golf course, the first to implement three distinct sets of tee boxes, and the first to propose a maximum golf ball distance to protect courses from ever-expanding length.