Hugh Wilson

Hugh Wilson graduated in 1902 from Princeton University where he had been captain of the golf team.  Following college, he joined a Philadelphia insurance brokerage firm and eventually became its president.

A lifelong amateur golfer, Wilson was a member of the Aronimink Golf Club and Merion Cricket Club.   In 1910 he was chosen to make a survey of great British courses in preparation for a new Merion Course.   Wilson spent seven months in England an Scotland, returning with armload's of sketches and notes for Merion in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.    With the exception of later changes to four holes and some rebunkering, Merion East remains today as Wilson designed it in 1912.

Hugh Wilson also planned the West Course at Merion (1914) and Cobb's Creek Golf Club (1916).   With the assistance of his brother Alan, he finished the remaining four holes at Pine Valley after George Crump's death in 1919.  

Unfortunately Wilson's life was cut short and he passed away in 1925.   Being that Wilson had such a short and illustrious career in golf course design, there are several rumors that he was involved in other course design, including Phoenixville Golf Club (9 holes) and assisted with Donald Ross at the Seaview Bay Course in Absecon, New Jersey.