Two Courses - Same Architect?

[Mike_Cirba]

If you click on the link below, it takes you to a Google satellite view of 2 courses, a public 18 holer on the left and a private (fairly famous) 27-holer on the right.  (Actually, there is also a nine holer just above the public one, but let's not concern ourselves at the moment.

Both the 18 hole and the 27 hole courses were built in the same year.   Looking at the routing and bunker shaping, do you think it's the same architect?

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Paramus,+NJ&ll=40.945916,-74.084373&spn=0.020814,0.030427&t=k&hl=en

[Mike_Cirba]

sorry..you probably have to cut and paste the link for it to work, but then you can zoom in on particular features.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Paramus&ll=40.945058,-74.082613&spn=0.020814,0.030427&t=k&hl=en

Thanks for feedback.

[Chris_Clouser]

It wouldn't surprise me at all.  They do look to have some similar bunkering and the same relationship from green to the next tee.  

The nine-holer on the top though definately sticks out.  

[Patrick_Mucci]

Mike,

Are you stating that these two courses, built in the same year, 1929, have been untouched in the intervening 76 years ?  

I wish an aerial of that other course across the road, built in
1909 was available.   Sadly, the GSP and Buitoni Macaroni, vis a vis the membership, cannabalized a really neat track.

[Kevin_Reilly]

Link fixer here:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Paramus&ll=40.945058,-74.082613&spn=0.020814,0.030427&t=k&hl=en

[Doug Braunsdorf]

Mike,

Are you stating that these two courses, built in the same year, 1929, have been untouched in the intervening 76 years ?  

I wish an aerial of that other course across the road, built in
1909 was available.   Sadly, the GSP and Buitoni Macaroni, vis a vis the membership, cannabalized a really neat track.

Pat-

Are you referring to the original Arcola layout, by HH Barker?  

Mike-

  PM me, we'll go up and play it...I have some free time  
It's about 45 minutes north of me.  

The 27, is, of course, Ridgewood CC.
The 18 is Paramus G&CC, a public facility.
I don't know about the nine up above the college--maybe it's part of Paramus.  

The borough web site talks about this particular house used for a "Saddle River CC".  I'm going to take an educated guess that the club went under, and course was bought by the town, or acquired by the town.  You're probably wondering if it was Tillinghast.

Phil Young, are you reading this?  

[Anthony_Nysse]

IMHO,
  If you were to play both courses at Royce Brook (NJ) you'd never know that both course were designed by Steve Smyers. (1998) The West Course is private, much more open and has bunkering like Royal Melbourne. The East course is public and is a parkland golf course with older, Donald Ross style bunkers.

Tony Nysse
Asst. Supt
Long Cove Club
HHI, SC

[TEPaul]

"sorry..you probably have to cut and paste the link for it to work, but then you can zoom in on particular features."

Mike Cirba:

You're asking me to 'cut and paste' at 6:45 in the morning? The hell with you. What do you think I am----in Kindergarten??

[T_MacWood]

"Both the 18 hole and the 27 hole courses were built in the same year.  Looking at the routing and bunker shaping, do you think it's the same architect?"

The routing could be the same architect...the bunker shape looks very different, but I suspect Rees Jones could fix that.

[Geoffrey Childs]

Tom M

There have been about 800 trees removed at Ridgewood just this past year as well as a grees expansion program.  I don't think this aerial reflects that project.

Gil Hanse has a master plan for the course and the work has been done in house.  

I was last there more than two years ago when the project was in its infancy. I suspect Ridgewood has been vastly "improved" and brought back to its intended playing condition.

THis sort of reminds me of Saxon Woods (a Westchester County muni and pretty fair course) where I believe Tilly did some work.  SW is virtually surrounded by Fenway, Quaker Ridge and Winged Foot.

[Mike_Cirba]

Guys,

Thanks for checking it out.

The course on the right is of course, Ridgewood CC, designed by Tillie in 1929.  Adjacent on the left side is the public course, Paramus GC (formerly Saddle River CC) built in the same year.  The first pro at Saddle River was US Open champ Cyril Walker, although it is now a municipally owned course without a clear record of architectural attribution (Stephen Kay did some recent re-work).

I came across a website that mentions two men who built Saddle River, but with no mention of an architect.  Just in practical terms, I find it odd that two neighboring courses could be built in the same year, with one course using a famous architect Tillie, and the other not taking advantage of the same situation.

Any other info or speculation is certainly welcomed.  Thanks!