March 2023

GOLF GOLF HISTORY

DICK BAILEY LEGACY

Bailey is survived by his wife Susan Bailey and their son. Ryan. Today, Susan resides near Martis Camp, a luxury golf course community in Lake Tahoe in which Jim Bartlett was involved. Susan Bailey is an Instructor with Elevation Truckee, a non-profit day program for adults with special needs. She continues to maintain a Founder’s Membership at Forest Highlands. Ryan works for a financial firm in Scottsdale. “Dick was Mr. Outside to Jim Bartlett’s Mr. Inside,” shared Susan, in a phone conversation from her home. “Dick enjoyed working with contractors, architects and being in the field. He loved creating things and had the talent. He was enthusiastic about his work, was creative, loved golf and loved his work.”

Historical Photos: Tom Weiskopf & Jay Morrish

This was seconded by Jim Bartlett. “It all started with Dick’s ability to take a good piece of land and turn it into an exceptional golf course community. His ability to find and work with planners, designers, architects and eventually contractors and get their best work out of them made all the difference,” Bartlett explained. “And not just the big stuff…it was the lesser amenities and the simple, but important details, like street lights, street signs and pocket parks that differentiated us from the competition.”

DICK BAILEY DESIGN

In 1991, a few years after Forest Highlands was turned over to its members, Bailey broke off from Jim Bartlett to start his own firm, Dick Bailey Design. With Weiskopf and Morrish as his mentors, Bailey followed his longtime passion to design golf courses on his own. His first commission was the Whitehawk Ranch Golf Club in Clio, California. The public course, north of Lake Tahoe, has received numerous awards over the years for its design and playability. Bailey went on to design and renovate nearly 20 golf courses in Arizona, California, Montana and Wyoming over two and a half decades. Unfortunately, it was an illness that prevented him from continuing his love for golf design work.

Historical Photos: Jay Morrish &Tom Weiskopf

From an historical perspective, the community would not be what it is today without the early contributions, creative talent and vision of Richard Hinton Bailey. Along with others, Dick Bailey laid the foundation for what is today Forest Highlands.

William Godfrey is an author, golf historian and biographer and Forest Highlands Member. To offer future story suggestions or comments, he can be reached at willgodd@gmail.com.

Historical Photos: Canyon, Hole 7

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