Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame

Unique, playable mark designs of Dan Maples

By MICHAEL DANN     

Dan Maples’ passion for course architecture is easy to comprehend.  It all comes as naturally as his selection as a 2003 Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame inductee. 

        He is a fourth generation leaf from the Maples tree that started in Moore County, North Carolina, 148 years ago. 

Dan’s father, Ellis, is a Hall of Fame course architect who started in the business as a course superintendent.  Ellis designed more than 70 golf courses – some of the best in our state, and Dan watched and helped a lot of it happen.

Ellis’ daddy was Frank Maples, a well-known superintendent and course builder.  He worked closely with Donald Ross on several courses.

Frank’s dad was Angus Maples, who helped build the outstanding course at Pine Needles in the 1920s. 

Angus’ father was James Maples Jr., who was born in Moore County and ultimately worked for Pinehurst.

The family tree goes on and on and includes golf professionals (Palmer, Gene, Joe and Joe – the latter Joe is Dan’s brother), superintendents (too many to list) and course builders.

Can you imagine what kind of golf stuff Dan can find in his attic?

And it does not end with Dan’s generation.  Two daughters, Jennifer and Ashley, work in his business.  Ashely is an agronomist, Jennifer in the marketing end of the family club ownership and management business.

What about Dan?  “It’s an honor,” the 53-year-old blushed at the announcement.  He follows his dad by eight years into the Hall of Fame.  “I might be a little young for the Hall of Fame, but I am thrilled by this.  I know the Hall of Fame list, and there are some very important names on it.  It means a lot to be honored this way.”

He has designed nearly half of his 40 plus courses in North Carolina.  His most recent is the second course at Keith Hills Country Club in Buies Creek, the Campbell University facility.  (His dad, of course, did the first course at KHCC).

Dan has designed courses in and around the mountains (such as Apple Valley GC in Lake Lure and Cramer Mountain CC in Cramerton) and in the Sandhills (The Club at Longleaf, The Pit, Woodlake and Little River GC). 

But it is his work at the coast that got Dan the first national recognition.  Marsh Harbour Golf Links and Oyster Bay Golf Links in Sunset Beach were unusual breakout styles in the early 1980s.  He broke the usual beach design mold (water, trees and sand) with some dramatic target-golf and carry concepts.  Dan was involved from start to finish, from working with the topo maps to helping shape greens on a tractor.

The beach folks loved Dan’s work so much that he was asked to create Heritage Plantation and Willbrook Plantation on Pawley’s Island; the Pearl East and West, Sandpiper Bay and one course at Sea Trail in Sunset Beach; and the Witch near Conway.

Dan has designed courses in Hawaii, Spain, Japan and Germany. 

When learning his ABCs in grammar school, he helped his dad design and build courses.  He drove a tractor at a course site before he drove a car.  Dan grew up playing near the site of his latest Sandhills design, Little River Golf Club.  Golf is all over his genome.

So it was no surprise when he transferred from Wingate College to the School of Design at the University of Georgia.  He finished in 1972 and joined his dad’s business.  Father and son collaborated on 14 courses, including Bermuda Run CC and Grandfather G&CC. 

“I love design work,” he admits.  “It’s art, and I enjoy building and making things. 

“I don’t have a style.  Each fairway is original.  Each green is original … from scratch.  How each one turns out depends on the nature of the area.  It is very hard to compare courses because the properties, the owners, the budgets – they are all so different.

“But my designs share one thing in common.  Each course should be playable for the high handicap golfer.”

It is so difficult to remove any discussion of Dan from the rest of his family because the group is so closely tied.  Yet Ellis and Dan have been picked out for the Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame because of the unique and playable natures of their design work.

“To me, my grandfather had a construction and building orientation in the business.  My dad was player and superintendent oriented.  I was exposed to the same things, and I am a product of them.  The designs of any architect are a product of his exposures.”  So it is difficult to remove “Dan” from “Maples.”  

And the Golf Reporters?  Their job should be easy in the future.  There’s Angus, Walter, Frank, Palmer Sr., Gene, Henson, Palmer Jr., another Gene, Joe, Willie and Wayne yet to be considered from the Maples tree.  Not counting Dan’s daughters … yet.