| William P. Bell | |||
| Birth Name: | William Park Bell | ||
| Birth Date: | 19 April 1886 | ||
| Birth Place: | Canonsburg, Pennsylvania | ||
| Death Place: | Pasadena, California | ||
| Occupation: | Golf course architect | ||
| Boards: | American Society of Golf Course Architects | ||
| ASGCA President | |||
| Spouse: | Anna K. Bell (1893–1975) | ||
| Children: | William Francis Bell (1918–1984) | ||
| Resting Place: | Mountain View Cemetery Altadena, California | ||
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William Park Bell (April 19, 1886 – June 21, 1953) was a noted golf course architect, active from the 1920s into the early 1950s.[1]
Born in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, Billy Bell studied agriculture at Duff's Business Institute in Pittsburgh. He moved west to California at age 25 in 1911, and held a series of golf jobs at the Pasadena Country Club, including caddymaster and course superintendent. Bell worked on golf course construction for architect Willie Watson, including serving as Watson's superintendent, before going into golf course design and development on his own in 1920.[2]
Most of Bell's courses were designed and built in southern California. He is considered one of the most important golf course architects in the state, with more than fifty courses credited to his work and design, and he designed and built courses in other western states as well, including Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, and Hawaii.
Early in his design career, Bell worked closely with famous designer and fellow Pennsylvanian George C. Thomas Jr., on courses which included the Riviera Country Club, often cited as one of the world's best courses. Although Thomas is listed as architect of record, Bell made significant contributions to many of the designs. Bell's son William F. Bell (1918–1984) trained with him, joined him in partnership after World War II, and later became an important golf course architect in his own right. Bell Sr. served as a turf consultant to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during the war, and was awarded a commendation by the Southern California chapter of the PGA, in honor of his work creating golf courses for wounded servicemen. Bell Sr. was a founding member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, and served as ASGCA President in 1952.[3]
Bell died in Pasadena at age 67 in 1953 and is buried at Mountain View Cemetery and Mausoleum in Altadena.
Golf courses designed and built by William P. Bell:
| Name | Contribution | Year Built | City / Town | State / Province | Country | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OD |  United States | Resort | ||||
| Encanto Park GC | OD | United States | Public course | |||
| Mesa CC | OD | Mesa[4] | United States | Private course | ||
| Tucson CC | OD | United States | Private course; with William Francis Bell | |||
| OD | United States | Private course | ||||
| Balboa Park Municipal GC | OD | United States | Public course | |||
| OD | United States | Private course | ||||
| OD | United States | Public course; 36 holes | ||||
| Chevy Chase CC | OD | United States | Private course; with William Francis Bell[5] | |||
| David L Baker GC | OD | United States | Public course | |||
| Girard CC | OD | Woodland Hills[6] | United States | Private course; now Woodland Hills CC; | ||
| Hacienda GC | OD | United States | Private course | |||
| La Jolla CC | OD | United States | Private course | |||
| Marine Memorial Golf Course | OD | Camp Pendleton | California | United States | Military course that allows Public play | |
| Meadowlark GC | OD | United States | Public course | |||
| Mesa Verde CC | OD | United States | Private course | |||
| OD | United States | Public course | ||||
| Red Hill CC | OD | United States | Private course; with George C. Thomas Jr. | |||
| San Diego CC | OD | United States | Private course | |||
| Stanford University GC | OD | United States | Private course; with George C. Thomas Jr. | |||
| OD | United States | Private course | ||||
| Torrey Pines GC (North course, South course) | OD | United States | Municipal courses; 36 holes | |||
| Tilden Park GC | OD | United States | Public course | |||
| Virginia CC | OD | United States | Private course; with A.W. Tillinghast | |||
| Woodland Hills CC | OD | United States | Private course | |||
| Valley CC | OD | United States | Private course | |||
| Kaneohe Klipper GC | OD | United States | Military course | |||
| The Legacy GC | OD | United States | ||||
| Forest Hills GC | OD | United States | Public course; with William Francis Bell | |||
| OD | Private course | |||||
Source:[7]
Mesa Verde Country Club is in Costa Mesa Ca. Not Mesa Arizona