James Braid

James Braid designed and oversaw the building of Kingswood whilst living and serving as Head Professional at Walton Heath, a post he held for 45 years. Braid lived barely a mile from Kingswood and could give the course his closest attention.

Arguably the finest golfer to hail from Scotland, James Braid achieved greatness in two separate golfing careers.

Firstly as a golfer he was one of the famed Great Triumvirate along with Vardon and Taylor, who dominated the game between 1890 and 1914. Braid captured The Open Championship five times between 1901 and 1910.

As a golfing champion he was asked to consult on many of the new courses being built in England and Scotland and after retiring from golf competition in 1912, he turned to his second career as a golf course architect.

The legacy of his wonderful imagination are many fine courses that have become classics and will be enjoyed for generations to come. His well-known designs include Carnoustie, Gleneagles, Hoylake and St Enedoc but he also had a large hand in the re-designing and renovation of many more, a list that includes celebrated courses such as Ballybunion, Royal Troon and Royal Blackheath.

Braid courses bear many trademarks in their design. It has been noted that his courses "always seem to be on lovely sites with splendid views". He has been credited with designing some of the first known doglegs and a further hallmark was his fondness for including strategically placed cross bunkers.

Kingswood has matured well over the past eight decades into a very fine course that benefited immensely from the close attention of one of golf's all time greats.