Review: Discovering The Legend Film (Donald Ross)

Cob Carlson wrote, produced, directed and edited Donald Ross: Discovering The Legend. This loving two-hour documentary is a combination of classic life story and architectural analysis accurately depicting the incredible journey made by the Dornoch-born Scotsman.

Carlson's film surprises at key moments both early and late in the documentary with its telling of Ross's courageous journey to America, the tragic passing of his first wife and later, his fiance, followed by his late-in-life years of reflections. Aided by strong guest cameos (Nicklaus, Crenshaw) and the reading of letters from Ross's great grandson, Discovering The Legend manages to capture the magnitude of Ross's impact on American golf. More profound than his architectural career is his classic immigrant story and the powerful reminder that so many made courageous journeys to the United States with little more than the tools of their trade.

You can purchase the film for $20 here, as well as see options for multiple copies for your fellow Ross course green committee members. There are also film extras at the offical site.

I was inspired by the film to make a year-end contribution to the Tufts Archives, which is featured in the film and is housing so many Ross plans and artifacts.

Here is the trailer: