Dave Thomas, one of the first touring pros to become a notable golf course architect, died last week at his home in Spain.
Thomas wasn’t especially well known in the United States, but he was a major influence on the golf industry in Great Britain and Europe. “Of the modern British professionals,” said Ken Schofield, a former executive director of the European Tour, “he has twinned championship play with a quantity and quality of golf course designs that will endure as long as the game is played.”
Thomas became a pro in 1949 and played on four Ryder Cup teams before arthritis prematurely ended his professional career. As an architect, sometimes in collaboration with Peter Alliss, he designed or redesigned a reported 100 golf courses, among them the Belfry’s Brabazon track, which has hosted more Ryder Cup championships – four – than any other layout on earth.
Even better, though, it seemed that Thomas enjoyed his work and his life.
“He was good company and over-indulged, certainly on good food and good wine,” Alliss recalled. “How he lived to be 79 is a miracle of the human spirit.”
Though its namesake is gone, Thomas’ Cheshire-based design firm will live on, operated by his son, Paul.