Biography
Bobby Weed, a professional golf course designer with over 40 years’ experience, has been involved in the construction and renovation of over 50 golf courses. Born in South Carolina, he attended Presbyterian College and Lake City Community College, known for its curriculum related to the golf industry. With inspiration from fellow professional Pete Dye, Weed began his independent career in 1983 under the label Bobby Weed Golf Design. He created 17 original designs including TPC River Highlands, TPC Summerlin, The Olde Farm, Slammer And Squire at World Golf Village and StoneRidge Golf Club. He also designed Michael Jordan's GROVE XXIII which opened in 2020.
In addition to creating original golf courses, Weed also renovates and restores existing courses. Some significant transformations include White Manor Country Club and Cobblestone Creek Country Club, where land had to be sold and layouts rerouted. Moreover, he has restored several Donald Ross designs notably, Linville Golf Club and Palma Ceia Golf & Country Club. Weed's works are not limited to elite country clubs. He has made golf more accessible to the public with his work on Palatka Golf Club, which hosts an annual amateur tournament, and on the East and West courses at Jacaranda Golf Club - some of South Florida's top daily-fee courses.
Weed's design sensibility is deeply influenced by Pete Dye as well as classic American design. This is evident in his work on the Golf Course at Glen Mills, a public facility outside Philadelphia, where his use of varied bunker sizes and undulating greens reflect a mix of Dye’s and Golden Age architects’ styles. In 2015, Weed spent several months living on the site of Medalist Golf Club, originally a collaboration between Pete Dye and Greg Norman, to carefully remodel it himself. Bobby Weed is not just a golf course designer, but also a philanthropist. He co-founded the HEAL Foundation with his wife Leslie, raising over $2 million to support families with autistic children.