Americas Best according to Harry Vardon: Mayfield

[SPDB]

Tom already said no to my Euclid guess.

[T_MacWood]

The course is Mayfield outside Cleveland - a wonderfully natural golf course. Mayfield was designed by HH Barker in 1911 with the help of Bert Way. Barker was the pro at GCGC between 1900-1911.
 
The course is a combination of deep (and relatively narrow) valleys - with winding stream. And ridges above these valleys. The architect was able to utilize both in a very interesting routing. To get from the low ground up to the ridges, there are three or four blind tee shots - very unique - the sensation of driving over a two or three story building. To get from the ridges back down to the valley there are three or four par-3’s that play from elevated tees - very appealing golf holes. Another oddity back to back 200+ yard par-3’s. One of the most ingenious routings I’ve run across - one wonders how a modern day architect would have conquered the severity of the site.

[SPDB]

Went to a wedding at Mayfield not so long ago, but played Canterbury and Pepper Pike (TCC). mistake, I guess? Through my cocktail, the course looked interesting.

[Daniel_Wexler]

Tom:

Do you know the occasion upon which Vardon spoke so highly of Mayfield?

I ask because in fairness, Vardon was an exceedingly courteous man who tended to lavish praise upon whatever venue he was playing.  For example, as Dr. Quirin points out in Golf Clubs of the MGA, he told the locals that Staten Island's old Fox Hills CC - a decent but by no means special track - that it would eventually become “the classic course in the United States.”  To me, Vardon praising a course that he visited is sort of like the way Jack Nicklaus used to predict that every good young player would end up wearing a green jacket someday: great sportsmanship.

That said, there are a number of Mayfield photos in Golf Illustrated and The American Golfer (all of which I'm certain you've seen) which, I must confess, always made me wonder why it isn't somewhat better known today.

DW

[T_MacWood]

Daniel
In 1920 Walter Travis wrote an article in American Golfer on his career in golf design. Mentioning that he and Barker often discussed golf architecture while together at GCGC, "which led to his undertaking at my sugestion the laying out of a number of courses--among others that of Mayfield Country club, which Harry Vardon in his previous tour in 1913 pronounced the best he has played over this side." If I'm not mistaken Vardon wrote an article of his opinions in American Golfer while Travis was editor.

Behr also wrote an editorial in Golf Illustrated in 1914 that Mayfield was among Vardon's three favorites. I don't know what kind of course Fox Hills was or if Vardon had Gary Player-itis, but Mayfield is one hell of a golf course--very dramatic.

[T_MacWood]

I don't think Vardon was one of these guys who often told his hosts their's was the best course of its kind. If I remember correstly he was fairly critical of some famous American courses. We was an out spoken critic of the Old Course--it was well known. His favorites in the UK were Sandwich, Prestwick, Portmarnock, Islay, Sunningdale and Walton Heath.

[Tony Ristola]

As a note... I'm reading a 1921 issue of Golf Illustrated where there is a quote from the NY Globe, Sept 22, 1920, "Both Vardon and Ray have agreed  that Hollywood is the best course that they have ever seen in America."

[Tom_Doak]

Tony:

Brian Schneider has just completed work on restoring the bunkering at Hollywood.  [Most of the greens are still intact.]  It's really a pretty amazing place.

As for Mayfield, it is on my list to finally visit this fall.  I remember seeing a couple of pictures in the old, old golf magazines and I am looking forward to it.

[Tony Ristola]

Tony:

Brian Schneider has just completed work on restoring the bunkering at Hollywood.  [Most of the greens are still intact.]  It's really a pretty amazing place.

As for Mayfield, it is on my list to finally visit this fall.  I remember seeing a couple of pictures in the old, old golf magazines and I am looking forward to it.

Looking forward to someone doing a photo tour.

And, from a Travis ad from Dec 1920...

Vardon and Ray pronounced Hollywood the best course they had played over until they saw Columbia... I remodeled both... Walter Hagen is for Hollywood - so is Jm Barnes, who ranks it on par with Pine Valley, in which I had a hand.

[Jaeger Kovich]

I walked the course like 2 weeks ago. It has some really interesting features and cool property. It could be really neat again with some love, but not America's best... I cant imagine playing it with the Vardon's equipment, wow it must have been hard. There is some seriously steep stuff.

[DMoriarty]

Jaeger,  to which course are you referring?

As for Vardon's comments about Mayfield, I believe they were sometime around 1913.  He also thought highly of one of the Detroit courses, but I can't remember which one and I don't have the reference handy. 

[JT Taylor]

I've lived in a suburb of Cleveland most of my life and I've played Mayfield probably 20 times over the years......The course sits on a very cool piece of property.  That said, in my opinion only, I can think of 6-8 courses just on the east side of Cleveland that are better both architecturally and visually.  If I was a member of Mayfield Sand Ridge and you ignored the long commute to Sand Ridge from the east side of town, my 10 rounds would be 8-2 Sand Ridge and I'm not a huge Fazio fan in general.

[DMoriarty]

Here is the link to the 1914 article where Vardon discussed American Golfers and courses.  He indicated he liked Detroit best, but that Mayfield was also excellent.  Discussed some others as well.

http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/Outing/Volume_64/outLXIV04/outLXIV04j.pdf

[Jaeger Kovich]

Jaeger,  to which course are you referring?

As for Vardon's comments about Mayfield, I believe they were sometime around 1913.  He also thought highly of one of the Detroit courses, but I can't remember which one and I don't have the reference handy. 

Mayfield

[Jaeger Kovich]

Hole #4 from the Women's Western Open 1929, if I am reading the bad picture of a picture correctly