The name Jay Morrish is attached to some of the country's most notable modern-era golf courses, including two PGA Tour stops and another built just for one of Hollywood's rich and famous.
Morrish died March 2. He was 78.
Morrish began his career with some of the great architects in the business before eventually setting out on his on.
Upon graduation from Colorado State University, where he earned a degree in landscape and turf management, Morrish soon joined the construction team on the Robert Trent Jones-designed Spyglass Hill course in Pebble Beach, California, which is part of the PGA Tour's AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am circuit. He continued to work as construction superintendent on Jones' courses until joining Desmond Muirhead as a designer in 1967.
Morrish then went to work as a designer with Jack Nicklaus in 1972. After 10 years, he went off on his own with PGA Tour player Tom Weiskopf. Their 12-year partnership generated some two dozen high-profile courses, including Loch Lomond in Scotland.
In the mid 1990s Morrish went completely on his own and designed many new golf courses including Tehama for Clint Eastwood in Carmel, California; Stone Canyon, Tuscon, Arizona and Pine Dunes, Frankston, Texas.
Other notable designs from Morrish include: TPC Scottsdale, Scottsdale, Arizona; TPC Las Colinas, Irving, Texas, home of the Tour's AT&T Byron Nelson Championship; Troon Golf and Country Club, Scottsdale, Arizona; and Forest Highlands, Flagstaff, Arizona. He was also active around the world, designing courses in Spain, Canada, Australia, and Japan.
Survivors include his wife, Louise; son, Carter; daughter, Kim (Brian Coder); and grandchildren, Megan and Spencer Coder.
