Thunderbird Country Club is a private golf club in the desert community of Rancho Mirage, California. The club was founded in 1947 by Bob Hope and Bing Crosby with a group of Hollywood friends. The golf course was originally designed by Lawrence Hughes. The club has hosted numerous PGA Tour events including the Thunderbird Classic played annually from 1952 to 1977. The golf course was renovated in 2022 by Tripp Davis who lengthened the course 400 yards and made it more challenging. Tripp Davis's team included shaper Jason Gold. Golf course construction was led by Total Turf. Thunderbird Superintendent Roger Compton was a key member of the $6.5 million renovation project. Previous renovation work was undertaken by Ted Robinson in the early 1980's.
The club is also home to the Thunderbird Hall of Fame, which honors the club's most distinguished members. Thunderbird Country Club has always been a popular destination for both golfers and celebrities. Past members have included Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Jack Lemmon.
The electric golf cart was invented for members of Thunderbird Country Club. The Ford Motor Company liked the Thunderbird logo so much it decided to adopt the name and logo for its new sports car in 1954. The Ford Motor Company's chairman, Ernest Breech, was a member of Thunderbird Country Club, and he was so impressed with the club's logo that he decided to use it for the new Ford Thunderbird. The 1955 Ryder Cup Matches were held at Thunderbird. In 1955, the Ryder Cup was held at Thunderbird, even though the course was only four years old. Thunderbird was also the birthplace of what would become Bob Hope Desert Classic is a PGA Tour event. The PGA Tour event is held annually in the Coachella Valley. The tournament was originally called the Thunderbird Invitational, and it was first held at Thunderbird Country Club in 1952. The tournament was renamed the Bob Hope Desert Classic in 1960, and it has been held at various courses in the Coachella Valley ever since.
As of 2024, Tripp Davis started design work on Kelly Ranch outside of Fort Worth, Texas .
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