From a previous post of mine:
From "The History of Tennessee Golf:"
"Memphis Country Club is one of Tennessee's oldest clubs. The club was organized in 1905 and the members were playing a nine-hole course designed by James Foulis, Jr. Tom Bendelow added nine holes and then in 1910 Donald Ross rebuilt the course that is being played today. Memphis Country Club green superintendent Rod Lingle discussed the course's history:
'This course opened in 1905. I would be willing to bet this course - for as old as it is - has had less changes than any course in America. The main reason is we are land locked. We are on only about 105 acres. We have old aerials that were taken in the 1920's. All our tees and greens are in the same positions they were then. We would like to stretch our course, but we can't because we are land locked.
I think about two thirds of our greens are the original 1905, perhaps 1910 greens. People can't believe that but it's true. They think you have to rebuild greens every fifteen to twenty years because they won't grow grass. That's not true. It depends on how those greens are maintained. The greens that have been rebuilt are the second, the third (in 1999 by Lingle), the eighth probably, the ninth probably, the tenth before the 1948 U.S. Amateur, and the eighteenth probably.'"
The text goes on to say that John LeFoy restored the bunkers in 1989, moving only two fairway bunkers at the 14th, and the fairways were converted to zoysia in 1999. That same year, the greens were re-seeded with Champion Bermuda.
It has been twenty-five years since I played the course and only recall the volcano-like 4th (?) hole. I plan to get over there some time this summer.
The course's preservation is likely attributable to the longevity of both its greens chairmen and superintendents, all of which apparently service 30-40 years stints.
BTW, for anyone with a Tennessee connection, the aforementioned book is a must-own.
Regards,
Mike