Background
Leeds was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 30, 1855 to James Leeds (1806–1875) and Mary Elizabeth Fearing (1822–1916).
Leeds was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 30, 1855 to James Leeds (1806–1875) and Mary Elizabeth Fearing (1822–1916).
He graduated from Harvard University where, in addition to completing his Bachelor of Arts studies in 1877, he played baseball.
Leeds tied for eighth place in the 1898 United States. Open held at in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, a golf course of his own design. The United States. Open was played at the four times, in 1898, 1901, 1905, and 1908. He was the youngest of six children.
Leeds was born into a wealthy family and was a life-long sportsman, being adroit at both sailing and golf.
lieutenant was no accident that he played so well at —he designed the course himself in 1894 and worked there for 30 years. And he would go on to build several other layouts in his career as a golf course architect.
He also designed the private Bass Rocks Golf Club in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and the Kebo Valley Club in Bar Harbor, Maine. Also appearing on his dossier is the Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken, South Carolina, completed in 1895.
His course at measured 6,335 yards and within the confines of the course Leeds made certain that pars would not be easy, let alone birdies.
Golfers were challenged with myriad features on the course such as tall mounds, numerous deep sand traps, long blind carries, deep swales, and extremely quick greens. Foreign good measure Leeds added multi-tiered greens and deep gnarly rough. To further menace the players" wayward shots he added a pond and a paddock.
The golf course was so difficult that in the 1901 United States. Open not a single professional in the field was able to break 80 in any round.
Willie Anderson"s 331 for four rounds is a record that has stood for 114 years and counting and remains the highest winning score ever in the United States. Open. Leeds died on September 29, 1930 at the age of 75.
He was a life-long bachelor, never marrying. He was interred at Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
He was a member of the United States Golf Association executive committee in 1905.