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The Life of

Harry J. Collis

The Harry Collis Project was created to share the history, preservation, and perpetuation of Harry J. Collis’s significant contributions to golf. Collis impacted the golf world through his work as a professional golfer, golf club pro, greenskeeper, club superintendent, course architect and redesigner, and expert in turf management. He operated the Flossmoor Turf Nurseries of Chicago, where he created a specialized strain of bentgrass named after Flossmoor Country Club and developed and patented his own turf cutters and putter.

Harry J. Collis (1878-1937)

Hello, I’m Paul, an everyman golf historian who has devoted my time to researching Harry J. Collis (1878-1937).

In the fall of 2019, I played at Glenwoodie Golf Club in Glenwood, IL. While playing, I found myself wondering, “who designed this course?” A simple internet search expanded into researching events, locations, and dates to learn more about Harry J. Collis and validate my findings. I’ve contacted golf courses and clubs, the USGA, local historical societies and libraries, have subscribed to archival, ancestral and historical websites, and reached out to golf media and historians. Several months of research has led to the creation of The Harry Collis Project, founded on the history, preservation, and perpetuation of Harry J. Collis’s contributions to golf. I welcome any information and support to the project.

– Paul

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YEAR EVENT CITY STATE/Country POSITION
1878 Born May 10, 1878 England

1890’s Worked for Mr. James Gow, possibly Muswell Hill Golf Club London England Clubmaker
1889 Emigrated to the United States, May 1,1899 New York New York  
1899 Yountakah Country Club Newark New Jersey Superintendent
1900 Country Club Golf Links Indianapolis Indiana Club Professional/greenskeeper
1901
Travels to England and returns London England
Broken knee cap, Grand Opera House Indianapolis Indiana
Breaks leg, Country Club Golf Links Indianapolis Indiana
 

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