Prosper de George Ellis (14 August 1895 – 29 July 1980) was an Australian surveyor, golf course architect and amateur scratch golfer whose name is "prominent in golf history in Australia."
Family and education Ellis was born at Newtown, New South Wales, the second child of George and Christina Ellis.NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Retrieved 8 February 2018. He attended Newington College from 1908 until 1912.Newington College Register of Past Students 1863–1998 (Syd, 1999) pp 58 Whilst still at school Ellis joined Bonnie Doon Golf Club and at the age of 17 won the L.E. Gannon Trophy, a stroke event.
Working life After completing high school, Ellis trained as a surveyor and worked for the Department of Railways New South Wales.History of Associates Kilaben Bay Golf Club Retrieved 8 February 2018. In 1923, Ellis married Alice Victoria Grace Birdsall (1897–1967) in Sydney.NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Retrieved 8 February 2018. On his retirement from surveying, he became a golf club administrator and was Secretary at Pymble Golf Club and Bonnie Doon Golf Club. He was instrumental in arranging the amalgamation of the Metropolitan Golf Club at Pagewood with the Bonnie Doon Golf Club in 1950. He presented the club with a perpetual trophy for a 4 Ball competition.
Columnist On its founding in 1949 The Sunday Herald carried a golf column, On The Fareways, by Ellis. The byline described him as "three times Pymble champion ... one of Sydney's oldest "A" grade golfers."
Golf course designs Ellis was often a remodeller of existing courses but his status as a leading amateur golfer led to major design commissions. He at times remodelled The Australian Golf Club (since totally remodelled throughout the 1970s), Bonnie Doon Golf Club, Pymble Golf Club, Killara Golf Club, Castle Hill Golf Club, North Ryde Golf Club, Liverpool Golf Club (since relocated to a new site), Avondale Golf Club, Blackheath Golf Club, Deniliquin Golf Club, Chatswood Golf Club, Tamworth Golf Club, Merewether Golf Club and Kogarah Golf Club. In the 1960s he did a redesign of the Coolamon Golf Club, introducing new water and substantial planting.Prosper Ellis Designed Courses Map Retrieved 24 November 2020. His major design commissions include Federal Golf Club (1946),Planet Golf Retrieved 2 February 2013. Belmont Golf Club (1952),Belmont Golf Club History Retrieved 2 February 2013. Windsor Golf Club (1963),Windsor Country Golf Retrieved 2 February 2013. Woollahra Golf Club (1960)Woollahra Golf Club History Retrieved 2 February 2013. and Camden Valley Golf Resort (1964).Camden Valley Golf Resort Retrieved 2 February 2013. Other designs are Muswellbrook Golf Club's extension by 12 holes (1964), Toronto Golf Links between 1968 and 1982,Toronto Country Club Retrieved 8 February 2018. Nelson Bay Golf & Country Club's second 9 holes (1970) and Mittagong-Highlands Golf Club (1972).Around the greens Retrieved 2 February 2013.
Death Ellis retired to the Southern Highlands and lived at Wintersloe, Burradoo.Ryerson Inex Retrieved 8 February 2018. He died in Bowral on 29 July 1980, having been predeceased by his wife in 1967.NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Retrieved 2 February 2013. The Prosper Ellis Plate is played for at Bowral Golf Club where Ellis was the club's first Honorary Life Member.Golf Club Atlas Retrieved 2 February 2013. Income from his bequest to Newington College is used to support The Sir Percival Halse Rogers Scholarship for all-round achievement.Halse Rogers Scholarship Retrieved 24 November 2020.
References