Architects that are under-discussed

[Phil McDade]

Tom, I've asked the same question, and from little bits and pieces uncovered here and there, like Kingussie, for instance, I don't think he just lent his name to most of the courses.  And of course if there was a player in the history of golf that should come up with a group of brilliant courses, it should be him.  (Sort of like the expectations for Tiger today.)  In this regard, he falls short IMO, if he did design all of the courses that are attributed to him.

The Kingussie clubhouse has some interesting details about Vardon's role in designing the course. Without seeing first-hand material, I can't vouch for it, but he is generally credited with the design -- a course, in my view, not nearly as good as the nearby Boat of Garten by Braid.

[Paul Jones]

Jerry Pate

[JNC Lyon]

Ross Forbes.  I've not heard his name once on this site, and he did what I thought was a very good golf course at Canterbury Woods in New Hampshire.

[Tom Huckaby]

George Santana.

Look him up....

 

[Scott Stambaugh]

Macan

I agree.  Hopefully his biography by Michael Riste (expected by the end of this year) will bring Macan to the forefront.

Scott

[Mike McGuire]

William Langford and JD Dunn are a couple of other very good architects I'd like to know more about. CH Alison is another one who deserves more interest. 

Tom-

Langford was awesome. Bold before it was chic. His work at Culver Military Academy influenced Pete Dye. Ron Forse demonstrated how his net zero cut and fill drawings meant push up greens looked "natural". Somehow your brain accepted a push up green if no additional dirt was brought in. 

[Steve Lang]

Joe Lee

[Thomas MacWood]

Markes was very much involved in the establishment and subsequent running of Sandy Lodge, but he brought Vardon over to the embryonic club for his golfing knowledge and expertise. As far as I have been able to establish, it's Vardon's layout (although somewhat changed in detail over time) but that Markes had a big say in such things as the nature of the bunkers. I'm told that Markes spent ages with Vardon perfecting the sleepered bunkers. He wanted the sleepers angled so that a golfer playing a shot close to the sleepers could not be decapitated if the ball bounced back of the sleeper, but that it was almost certain that the ball would not escape the bunker, particularly forwards.

As I understand it, South Herts was gradually redesigned  by Vardon during his years there although he died before all his changes were implemented.

Its Markes' layout. He found the site, designed the course and oversaw its construction. Vardon was a consultant, but from the reports I've read he didn't do whole lot of consulting.

"The course has been laid out, in consultation with Harry Vardon, by Mr. Frances Markes, who was the discover of the unique sand formation, and whose energy and ability in overcoming obstacles have converted a farm with miles of hedges and many forest trees into what can be described as a most sporting course"   ~~Bernard Darwin

"The leading spirit to whom I have referred is Mr. J. Frances Markes. In the summer of 1908 he fired with the idea that the great need of the golfing world of the northern part of London where the wealthier middle classes of the metropolis most reside...He was given complete control of operations and was chiefly responsible for the designing of the greens, hazards, and other strong features of the course including the laying down of water supply to every teeing ground and putting green." ~~Henry Leach

[TX Golf]

I'll second Macan!!!

[Mark_Rowlinson]

From Sandy Lodge's own 50th anniversary history:

In the original brochure of the Club, called "The Red Book" appears the following:"In the summer of 1908, Mr. J. Francis Markes, feeling that the great need of the golfing world of North London was a really sandy golf links on which the game could be played with pleasure and comfort during the winter months, determined to try and find some suitable ground conveniently situated, and after thoroughly prospecting a large area of country, he finally discovered at Sandy Lodge Farm, on the Metropolitan and Great Central Joint Railway, between Northwood and Rickmansworth, a deposit of sand which must be seen to be believed, and is of much interest to the geologist as well as to the golfer."
The course, as is generally known, was laid out by Harry Vardon. 

You might be interested in some of the distances professionals were hitting in those days:

A driving competition also took place at which Braid drove 270 yards with the rubber cored ball, and Duncan 240 yards with the gutty.  Harold Hilton refereed the match which was largely sponsored by the Daily Mail, A very large gallery followed the game.
At another exhibition game in which Abe Mitchell and others were engaged, white lines were marked at 200 yards and 240 yards from the teeing grounds.  The writer was one of the markers of the "carry".  Abe Mitchell's carry was approximately 200 yards against the wind and 240 yards down wind.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Bernard Darwin, writing in 1934, said this:

NO GOLF COURSE better lives up to its name than does Sandy Lodge, for there is nothing sandier among inland courses.  It takes it from the farm house which stands close to the Sth green and to that farm and its sand there belongs a romantic story.
It was nearly twenty-five years ago* that Mr. Markes conceived the notion that a golf course on sandy soil was badly needed to the north of London.  Through his mining experiences in Australia he was more than something of a geologist: so he got a geological map and began to take solitary walks of exploration in likely parts of the country.  For some little while he drew blank.  Then one day-a blazing August day in 1908-having started from Northwood, he was walking along a roadway through a cornfield across what is now the course.  In the bank of a hedgerow he saw a rabbit burrow: from it he took a handful of earth, put it in his handkerchief and hastened homeward with a wild hope surging in his breast.  He went into his bathroom, washed his precious burden and behold it was sand!  Like another Archimedes (who, if 1 remember rightly, also did it in his bathroom) he shouted "Eureka"; the sand course to the north of London had been found.  A lease of the ground was obtained (it is now the club's own freehold); Mr. Markes took as his ally in laying out the course Harry Vardon, and on a snowy day in the following March work was begun on what is to-day the 6th green.

From the club's history: Originally the plan took in part of the land to the North of Sandy Lodge Lane, now built over and extending to part of the Merchant Taylors' School property.  This part was subsequently withdrawn by the lessor, Lord Ebury, who occupied the Moor Park Mansion, and the lay-out was altered accordingly.

Daily Telegraph April 11 1910 reporting the opening match:
....Harry Vardon (who assisted in planning the course)....

The Times 11th April 1910:
The course has been laid out, in consultation with Harry Vardon, by Mr Francis Markes, who was the discoverer of this unique sand formation.

John Jacobs (Club professional from Dec 1952): The club's credentials were undoubted. Harry Vardon had designed the course in the prime of his illustrious playing career; subsequently, at Francis Markes's invitation, he was a frequent visitor.

[Thomas MacWood]

Who deserves the bulk of the credit? Markes or Vardon?

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Markes for the idea, and for his practical work in overseeing the contruction and removal of hedges, trees etc. Probably we'll not know how much influence Vardon had, but I suspect it was in routing and basic principles of design. Quite likely he turned up, walked the site, suggested tee and green sites and left it to Markes and his men to carry it out - much as Braid or Herd would have done. That Vardon did return a number of times suggests that he was not displeased with the design - apparently Braid would not return to course which had been altered from his design.

[Thomas MacWood]

Bernard Darwin, writing in 1934, said this:

NO GOLF COURSE better lives up to its name than does Sandy Lodge, for there is nothing sandier among inland courses.  It takes it from the farm house which stands close to the Sth green and to that farm and its sand there belongs a romantic story.
It was nearly twenty-five years ago* that Mr. Markes conceived the notion that a golf course on sandy soil was badly needed to the north of London.  Through his mining experiences in Australia he was more than something of a geologist: so he got a geological map and began to take solitary walks of exploration in likely parts of the country.  For some little while he drew blank.  Then one day-a blazing August day in 1908-having started from Northwood, he was walking along a roadway through a cornfield across what is now the course.  In the bank of a hedgerow he saw a rabbit burrow: from it he took a handful of earth, put it in his handkerchief and hastened homeward with a wild hope surging in his breast.  He went into his bathroom, washed his precious burden and behold it was sand!  Like another Archimedes (who, if 1 remember rightly, also did it in his bathroom) he shouted "Eureka"; the sand course to the north of London had been found.  A lease of the ground was obtained (it is now the club's own freehold); Mr. Markes took as his ally in laying out the course Harry Vardon, and on a snowy day in the following March work was begun on what is to-day the 6th green.

From the club's history: Originally the plan took in part of the land to the North of Sandy Lodge Lane, now built over and extending to part of the Merchant Taylors' School property.  This part was subsequently withdrawn by the lessor, Lord Ebury, who occupied the Moor Park Mansion, and the lay-out was altered accordingly.

Daily Telegraph April 11 1910 reporting the opening match:
....Harry Vardon (who assisted in planning the course)....

The Times 11th April 1910:
The course has been laid out, in consultation with Harry Vardon, by Mr Francis Markes, who was the discoverer of this unique sand formation.

John Jacobs (Club professional from Dec 1952): The club's credentials were undoubted. Harry Vardon had designed the course in the prime of his illustrious playing career; subsequently, at Francis Markes's invitation, he was a frequent visitor.

Where do you see that Vardon did the routing?

[Mark_Rowlinson]

It doesn't say that. I simply said that I suspect, not that I know.

[Thomas MacWood]

My mistake. I agree, it is possible Vardon was involved in routing the course. That being said, if you just look at the contemporaneous reports, it is clear Markers was the lead man, and Vardon was an advisor.

[Patrick Kiser]

I see Braid coming up here a little and that's one guy I'd say we haven't been discussing much about lately.

Macan has come up in the not too distant past and that reminds me I still need to head over to San Geronimo to post some much needed pics.