Lester George
Encyclopedia
Lester George, born in Wiesbaden
, Germany
in 1955, is an internationally renowned golf course
architect
.
George, the son of air force personnel, who settled in Richmond, Virginia
after attending The University of Richmond
, where he founded the school’s orienteering
team. Following college graduation in 1977, he spent four years in the army as an artillery officer, subsequently received his Master’s Degree from the United States Army Command and General Staff College and remained in the Army Reserves until retiring a Lieutenant Colonel
in 2003. This military career coincided with the development of his career as a golf course architect.
Serving as a Design Coordinator for Golf Services International from 1987 to 1991, George studied with other golf course architects learning all aspects of golf course design and construction. In 1991, George opened his own golf course architecture firm, Colonial Golf Design, Inc.. He attended the Harvard Design School, Golf Course Architecture in 1992, which launched his solo career. Colonial Golf Design has since evolved into George Golf Design, Inc. and is located in Richmond, Virginia.
Over the past 15 years, George has developed a niche in renovating and restoring classic golf courses designed by some of the most revered golden age architects and has worked with many of the most historic and well-regarded golf facilities on the East Coast
.
Lester George donated much time and effort to the First Tee Program designing and overseeing construction of The First Tee of Chesterfield, the premiere 18-hole First Tee course in the United States.
Trendsetting architecture is a mainstay of George Golf Design. Using abandoned landfill
s as a canvas and successfully transforming two brownfields
into golf courses—converting overgrown hazardous areas into plush, green recreational turf—won Lambert's Point Golf Course environmental affinity awards.
George’s projects have won numerous awards. Kinloch Golf Club in Manakin-Sabot, Virginia
was awarded the honor of Best New Private Golf Course of 2001 by Golf Digest
Magazine. Kinloch is also rated the Number 1 Golf Course in Virginia
. Lester’s flagship course, The Colonial Golf Club, in Williamsburg, Virginia
, was honored as one of The Top Ten Daily Fee Golf Courses in America, by The Golfer Magazine. In addition, GOLF Magazine recognized Ballyhack Golf Club, in Roanoke, Virginia
, as the 3rd best new private golf course of 2009; the course was similarly honored by LINKS Magazine.
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden is a city in southwest Germany and the capital of the federal state of Hesse. It has about 275,400 inhabitants, plus approximately 10,000 United States citizens...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1955, is an internationally renowned golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
.
George, the son of air force personnel, who settled in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
after attending The University of Richmond
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
, where he founded the school’s orienteering
Orienteering
Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
team. Following college graduation in 1977, he spent four years in the army as an artillery officer, subsequently received his Master’s Degree from the United States Army Command and General Staff College and remained in the Army Reserves until retiring a Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
in 2003. This military career coincided with the development of his career as a golf course architect.
Serving as a Design Coordinator for Golf Services International from 1987 to 1991, George studied with other golf course architects learning all aspects of golf course design and construction. In 1991, George opened his own golf course architecture firm, Colonial Golf Design, Inc.. He attended the Harvard Design School, Golf Course Architecture in 1992, which launched his solo career. Colonial Golf Design has since evolved into George Golf Design, Inc. and is located in Richmond, Virginia.
Over the past 15 years, George has developed a niche in renovating and restoring classic golf courses designed by some of the most revered golden age architects and has worked with many of the most historic and well-regarded golf facilities on the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
.
Lester George donated much time and effort to the First Tee Program designing and overseeing construction of The First Tee of Chesterfield, the premiere 18-hole First Tee course in the United States.
Trendsetting architecture is a mainstay of George Golf Design. Using abandoned landfill
Landfill
A landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...
s as a canvas and successfully transforming two brownfields
Brownfield land
Brownfield sites are abandoned or underused industrial and commercial facilities available for re-use. Expansion or redevelopment of such a facility may be complicated by real or perceived environmental contaminations. Cf. Waste...
into golf courses—converting overgrown hazardous areas into plush, green recreational turf—won Lambert's Point Golf Course environmental affinity awards.
George’s projects have won numerous awards. Kinloch Golf Club in Manakin-Sabot, Virginia
Manakin-Sabot, Virginia
Manakin-Sabot, consisting of the villages of Manakin and Sabot, is an unincorporated community in Goochland County, Virginia, United States. It is located northwest of Richmond and is part of the Greater Richmond region. The area is home to several country clubs. Justin Verlander, pitcher for the...
was awarded the honor of Best New Private Golf Course of 2001 by Golf Digest
Golf Digest
Golf Digest is a monthly golf magazine published by Condé Nast Publications in the United States. It is a generalist golf publication covering recreational golf and men's and women's competitive golf. Condé Nast Publications also publishes the more specialized , and Golf World Business. The...
Magazine. Kinloch is also rated the Number 1 Golf Course in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. Lester’s flagship course, The Colonial Golf Club, in Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
, was honored as one of The Top Ten Daily Fee Golf Courses in America, by The Golfer Magazine. In addition, GOLF Magazine recognized Ballyhack Golf Club, in Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
, as the 3rd best new private golf course of 2009; the course was similarly honored by LINKS Magazine.