Biography

Les Furber, a celebrated Canadian golf course designer, has crafted more than 60 golf courses in Canada and remodeled an additional 52. Furber's introduction to golf course design was incidental, beginning his career in the early 1960s when he worked construction at a golf course in Santa Barbara. Over the years, he worked on numerous golf course construction projects across California. Following the Vietnam War, Furber's career significantly accelerated when Robert Trent Jones offered him the opportunity to participate in construction projects in Europe.

Before ultimately returning to Canada, he helped build 18 golf courses across Europe and the Dominican Republic. Some of his most recognized courses include Predator Ridge, Gallagher's Canyon, Trickle Creek, The Springs at Radium, St. Eugene Mission, and Silver Tip at Canmore. Furber's courses are not only well-regarded for their buildup but also for their fairness, offering manifold ways to play shots and score well.

Furber asserted that he designs his courses predominantly for the average golfer – a philosophy he learned from Robert Trent Jones Sr., and one he considers as critical as the fair treatment of his courses. In an interview with the Edmonton Journal in 2007, Furber expressed that any praise he received typically highlights the justness of his courses. He also advised aspiring golf course designers to understand early in their careers what people dislike about courses and to avoid those design aspects.