William Francis Bell

William Francis Bell (August 8, 1918 – September 20, 1984) was a golf course architect, active from the 1960s into the early 1980s.[1][2]

William Francis Bell
Born
William Francis Bell

(1918-08-08)August 8, 1918
Pasadena, California
DiedSeptember 20, 1984(1984-09-20) (aged 66)
Pasadena, California
OccupationGolf course architect
Known forGolf course architect
Board member ofAmerican Society of
Golf Course Architects
SpouseDell Applebury
ChildrenWilliam Park Bell II
(1952–1992)
Parent

Biography

Born in Pasadena, California, son of noted architect Billy Bell, Bell Jr. studied at University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He was affectionately known as "Billy Bell Jr.". [3]

William F. Bell's courses were designed in the Western United States.[4] Bell is considered a commercial golf course architect with more than 200 courses credited to his work and design, mostly in the American West and Hawaii.[5] Notably, Bell was the golf architect for Torrey Pines Golf Course, both Torrey Pines North course and Torrey Pines South course, site of the 2008 and 2020 US Open.[6]

Bell was elected into The American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) in 1950 and served as ASGCA President from 1957-1958. Bell was elected in 2017 to the Southern California Golf Association Hall of Fame for his contribution to the sport of golf.[7]

Bell's Mesa Verde Country Club hosted the PGA Tour Orange County Open Invitational from 1959 - 1962 with notable champions Tony Lema and Billy Casper.[8] LPGA Nancy Lopez won at Mesa Verde Country Club in 1984.[9]

Bell's Bermuda Dunes Country Club hosted the PGA Tour's Desert Classic for 49 years.[10]

Bell's Newport Beach Country Club course has hosted the Hoag Classic on the PGA Tour Champions from 1995 - 2022.[11]

Bell's Saticoy Club hosted the LPGA Mediheal Championship in October 2022.[12]

Following at $25 renovation upgrade, Bell's Industry Hills is home to the Southern California Section of the PGA of America since 2016.[13] Industry Hills Eisenhower course has hosted several professional tournaments:


Notable courses[20]
  • Alhambra Municipal Golf Course
  • Ancil Hoffman, Sacramento, CA[21]
  • Apple Valley Country Club, Apple Valley, CA
  • Bakersfield Country Club (Private), Bakersfield, CA (with William P. Bell)
  • Bermuda Dunes Country Club, Bermuda Dunes, CA
  • California Country Club, Whittier, CA
  • Canyon at Mountain Dell Golf Course, Salt Lake City, UT
  • Eaton Canyon, CA
  • Hawaii Kai Golf Course, Honolulu, HI
  • Heartwell Golf Course, Long Beach, CA[22]
  • Idaho Falls Country Club, Idaho Falls, ID
  • Industry Hills Eisenhower, City of Industry, CA
  • Industry Hills Zaharias, City of Industry, CA
  • Los Verdes Golf Course, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
  • Lomas Santa Fe, Solana Beach, CA
  • Maryvale Golf Course, Phoenix, AZ[23]
  • Mesa Verde Country Club, Costa Mesa, CA[24]
  • Mission Trails Golf Course, San Diego, CA[25]
  • Newport Beach Country Club, Newport Beach, CA
  • Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course, Palo Alto, CA
  • Papago Golf Course, Phoenix
  • Peacock Gap Country Club, San Rafael, CA
  • Recreation Park, Long Beach, CA
  • Rancho Bernando Inn, San Diego, CA
  • Sandpiper Golf Course, Santa Barbara, CA[26]
  • Saticoy Club, Somis, CA[27]
  • Tamarisk Country Club, Rancho Mirage, CA[28]
  • Torrey Pines Golf Course, San Diego, CA
  • Tucson Country Club, Tucson, AZ (with William P. Bell)

References
  1. "The Bells: California's first family of golf course design". (California): City of San Diego. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  2. Techniques for improving established golf courses: Restoration, renovation, and redesign. An improvement plan for the Meadow Club (Fairfax, California) (Thesis). University of Arizona. May 31, 2000. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  3. "PCAD". (Seattle): Pacific Coast Architecture Database. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  4. Thomas Brown (October 24, 2020). "Best Golf Courses in Los Angeles". Golf Magazine. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  5. Joe Passov (June 14, 2021). "US Open site Torrey Pines - Original Golf Architect". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  6. "Orange County Invitational following Bell's completion". Los Angeles Times. August 1, 1993. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  7. "Miss Lopez Wins". New York Times. March 3, 1984. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  8. "Inside the courses: 50th Bob Hope Classic". PGA Tour (Press release). January 17, 2009. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  9. "PGA Tour Inside the Course". PGA Tour (Press release). March 3, 2009. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  10. "Ewart Shadoff earns first LPGA title by winning event at The Saticoy Club in Somis". VC Star USA Today. October 9, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  11. Youngman, Randy (26 May 2016). "2 tracks and an accessible spot work for SCPGA golf course at Industry Hills". Orange County Register. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  12. "Remembrance of the 1980 and 1981 victories from Sally Little". LPGA. 22 March 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  13. Pucin, Diane (22 March 2011). "Los Angeles Times - LPGA event at Industry Hills". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  14. "Images from the 2011 LPGA event at Industry Hills with winner Sand Gal of Germany". LPGA. 27 March 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  15. "USA Today GolfWeek LPGA event promotion for Michelle Wie". LPGA. 19 September 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  16. "21 year old Lizette Salas qualifies for the U.S. Women's Open at Industry Hills". LPGA. 5 June 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  17. "16 year old Angel Yin qualifies for the U.S. Women's Open at Industry Hills". LPGA. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  18. "William Francis Bell, a short profile". Golf Club Atlas. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  19. "Ancil Hoffman Design". (Sacramento): Ancil Hoffman Golf Course. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  20. Alan Shipnuck (April 3, 2000). "ROOTS A LOOK AT TIGER WOODS'S GOLF GENEALOGY REVEALS HOW HE GOT SO GOOD". (Long Beach, California): Sports Illustrated. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  21. Godfrey, William (2010). Maryvale Golf Course - The First 50 Years. Xlibris. ISBN 978-1-4535-7799-8.
  22. "Mesa Verde: Restoring a Billy Bell Jr Design (Cary Bickler)". (London, United Kingdom): Golf Course Architecture Journal. July 10, 2019. Retrieved November 16, 2022. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  23. "Tiger Woods Junior World victory at Bell's Mission Trails". Los Angeles Times. (San Diego, California). July 20, 1990. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  24. "Sandpiper Image". (Goleta, California): GolfWeek USA Today. Retrieved November 12, 2022. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  25. "The Saticoy Club - Somis, CA (William F. Bell, 1964; Bunker revisions by Thad Layton, Arnold Palmer Design Company, 2018)". (Somis, California): Hochstein Design. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  26. Larry Bohannan (April 30, 2015). "Tamarisk pro-am harkens back to Hope Classic". Palm Desert, California): Desert Sun. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
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