Chautauqua’s first formal golf opened on July 18, 1914, when the Institution built a nine-hole course under the supervision of Scottish-born professional and architect Seymour Dunn. Contemporary coverage in the Institution’s newspaper identified Dunn as “in charge of the golf course at Chautauqua,” describing the early irrigation of greens and a rudimentary layout that predated Ross’s involvement.
The Lake Course—the 18-hole layout that today carries Ross’s authorship—was planned in the early 1920s and completed in 1924. The club’s own course history notes Ross’s role and associates the Lake Course with “legendary architects Seymour Dunn and Donald Ross,” distinguishing Dunn’s earlier work from the later, full 18 by Ross. Hole descriptions published by the club, and the official scorecard, confirm the present-day Lake Course as an 18-hole, par-72 layout of 6,470 yards from the back (Blue) tees.
Primary-source drawings of greens and holes survive in the Chautauqua Institution Archives, providing a basis for understanding Ross’s intent. A modern restoration master plan led by architect Chris Wilczynski in 2018–20 relied on those “detailed drawings,” concluding that Ross’s “original routing and individual hole designs had not been fully implemented” when the course was built and altered over time. The same studies documented that three of Ross’s original holes were lost during construction of the Hill Course in the late twentieth century.
No documentary evidence located for this entry confirms that Ross returned to Chautauqua after the Lake Course opened.
Unique Design Characteristics
The club’s hole-by-hole guide preserves several features that align closely with Ross’s plans for the Lake property. The third—nicknamed the “Road Hole”—is a medium par-4 over a rolling fairway to a very shallow green, protected at the left front and edged by a rear lip that punishes long approaches. That combination of a diagonal hazard line into a thin target, set on natural ground movement, is fully consistent with the challenge the Lake Course is known for. The fourth, the longest par-3 on the course (c. 192 yards), plays into or across the wind to a narrow, sloping green guarded left and right with a subtle fall-off behind; the club cautions that simply holding the surface is a task in itself. The long par-4 seventh climbs an uphill, rolling fairway to a tree-framed green where slopes toward the lake complicate reads.
On the inward nine, the twelfth is a downhill one-shotter from an elevated tee to an undulating surface that falls with the hillside; the club describes a “smart play” that uses green tilt rather than air attack—an approach pattern familiar on Ross courses set on sloping ground near water. The thirteenth is a reachable, downhill par-5 that invites a running approach between flanking bunkers; the fourteenth requires a tee shot threaded between lateral water left and a right-side fairway bunker to reach a slightly elevated green. And the sixteenth, the longest par-5, is framed by a blind tee ball, three right-side fairway bunkers that dictate the second shot’s angle, and a large green with a subtle pitch toward the lake, characteristics that echo the strategic sequencing evident on Ross’s original drawings.
Because three original Ross holes were replaced during the Hill Course build, the portions of the Lake routing least affected by that reconfiguration—especially much of the front nine (e.g., 3–9) and the middle of the back nine (12–14, 16)—now offer the clearest, contiguous experience of the historic design themes: compact targets, sloped or elevated greens, and angle-of-attack hazards that reward ground-controlling second shots.
Historical Significance
Within Ross’s New York portfolio, Chautauqua’s Lake Course stands out as a lakeside resort commission whose surviving drawings allow comparison between intent and as-built evolution. The course also served as an exhibition venue during the game’s interwar and mid-century eras. Local histories record a 1929 match featuring Walter Hagen and Horton Smith soon after opening, and the club frequently notes that Hall of Fame players including Ben Hogan, Sam Snead and Gene Sarazen walked the property while visiting the Institution. A centennial retrospective in the Chautauquan Daily also captured the broader cultural setting in 1929, the season Amelia Earhart famously touched down near the golf grounds during a visit to the Institution. Together these fragments place the Lake Course within the period’s resort-golf circuit and the Institution’s wider public life.
Current Condition / Integrity
The 2018–20 master planning effort concluded that while Ross’s 1924 concept still frames the Lake Course, implementation drift and later alterations left portions of the design under-expressed. Specifically, the plan recommended: (1) returning the Lake routing to Ross’s original configuration by relocating three “replacement” holes to the Hill Course corridors, (2) re-establishing strategic bunkering in the positions shown on the historic drawings, (3) selective tree work to reopen intended lines of play and wind exposure, (4) expanding green pads back to original perimeters, and (5) adding both forward and back tees to accommodate today’s play without compromising angles.
The Chautauqua Institution publicly endorsed the plan as a set of benchmarks to guide phased work. Local reporting in early 2020 repeated these points for the community. As of the sources consulted for this entry, the restoration is a multi-year aspiration rather than a completed project; verification of any finished phases would require current club reports or site inspection.
Sources & Notes
Chautauqua Institution — “Golf Course” (Lake Course page with hole-by-hole descriptions and scorecard image). Confirms the Lake Course as the Ross course, provides present-day hole descriptions for #1–#18, and includes the scorecard showing 6,470 yards/par 72.
The Chautauquan Daily (Aug. 6, 2022), “From the archives: Designer Dunn details Lake Course layout.” Reprints 1914 material identifying Seymour Dunn as “in charge” of the early Chautauqua golf course, predating Ross’s 1924 18-hole work.
Golf Course Architecture (Feb. 14, 2020), Richard Humphreys, “Wilczynski to restore Chautauqua’s Lake course to original Ross design.” Reports on the 36-hole master plan; quotes Wilczynski on archival “detailed drawings,” notes that Ross’s original routing/hole designs were not fully implemented and that three Ross holes were lost when the Hill Course was built.
ASGCA (Mar. 13, 2018), “Wilczynski, ASGCA, to create Master Plan at Chautauqua Golf Club.” Notes that the Hill Course “opened in 1994” and outlines intent to evaluate enhancements “through [Ross’s] lens.” Used here to mark the opening-date claim for the Hill Course that differs from GCA’s “mid-1980s” phrasing.
The Post-Journal (Jamestown), Feb. 5, 2020, “Plan Calls For Restoration Of Ross’ Vision For Chautauqua GC.” Local summary repeating key elements of the master plan, including the proposal to restore the original Lake routing and re-site three holes.
The Chautauquan Daily (Aug. 6, 2022), “From the Archives: 1929 at Chautauqua.” Anecdotal context for 1929 season, including Amelia Earhart’s visit; used to illustrate the course’s cultural setting during its early decades.
Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame (May 11, 2009), “Hagen, Smith Teed It Up At Chautauqua GC.” Documents a 1929 exhibition with Walter Hagen and Horton Smith.
Chautauqua Institution — “Welcome to Chautauqua Golf Club.” Establishes current public-access status, facility context within the Institution, and mentions of historical play by Hall of Famers (as a club claim).
Chautauqua Institution Archives (PastPerfect Online) — “Drawings of Chautauqua Golf Club Greens and Holes.” Catalog entry indicating the existence of hole/green drawings—used to identify available primary sources.