Ted McAnlis, a one-time NASA civil engineer, learned golf design by working for architects George and Tom Fazio in Florida in the early 1970s. He then spent nearly 30 years designing courses on his own, doing some of the most beautiful, playable tracks in Florida, including St. Andrews in Boca Raton, Sherman Hills in Brooksville, Waterlefe in Bradenton, River Wilderness in Parrish and Venice G&CC.

August 2003

WEST PALM BEACH -- Golf course designer Ted McAnlis, who argued during his trial that Americans are not required to pay income taxes, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for tax evasion.

McAnlis was sentenced Thursday in federal court, the U.S. attorney's office said. McAnlis will also serve three years' probation after his imprisonment.

He was convicted in April on eight evasion counts after investigators determined he evaded over $1.3 million in federal taxes, penalties, and interest by concealing his income and assets from the IRS. McAnlis had not filed an income tax return since 1977, prosecutors said.

The Palm Beach Gardens resident, who designed many Florida country club courses, including at The Preserve at Tara in Manatee County and Pelican Pointe Golf and Country Club in Venice, had faced up to 40 years in prison.

He used common law trusts, a sham church, false Social Security numbers, and a Bahamian bank account to keep the IRS from reaching his assets, according to prosecutors.

McAnlis, who represented himself at his trial, also said Social Security numbers are the mark of the devil.