Tom MacWood said:
TE
If you and Pat or anyone else feels the club made the right decision from a historical or architectural perspective, you are entitled to your opinion. I disagree, but then again I'm a big fan of Ross and preserving his best, most interesting work."
Tom:
I knew a post like this would be coming from you and I even told those at the North Platte airport that yesterday after I called Wayne Morrison to find out what he found from those earlier aerials of Aronimink that he went down to Wilmington to see. If you don't believe me ask Ran Morrissett and Pat Mucci what I said to them after I hung up with Ron from North Platte.
The thing that for whatever reason you can't seem to understand or appreciate is the best available info, even after proving what was originally built at Aronimink as far as being true Ross in design IS THOSE HOLE DRAWINGS BY ROSS HIMSELF! You can go on and on about how what got built had to be Ross's own design but the fact is you just don't know that, as none of us do, and to continue to act as if you do is so apparently motivated by intransigence or something other than clear thinking as to be a joke.
"I've always contended that the speculation which the decision was based upon was weak and illogical, and I discovered evidence that when studied logically IMO proved the specualtion was wrong. Unfortunately many had a emotional investment in the project and those involved in the project, and couldn't look at it logically, perferring to hang on to specualtive illogical story. And as it turns out the speculation was wrong."
Oh, have you now, Tom MacWood? If I were a club such as Aronimink, and you tried to convince me that the bunkers on that course were originally all built as multi-set 2s and 3s off a single on-ground photo of the first hole, I think I would have told you to get on down the road. First of all, you said it showed the same thing on the 3rd hole which anyone who’s been to Aronimink knows really can't be seen that well from the first tee and certainly not in a photo from the first tee.
An emotional investment in the project? What the hell does a remark like that from you mean? What that club and Prichard wanted for Aronimink is as much certainty as they could possible find that what they were about to do really was Donald Ross's own design. In my book, in Ron's, and in those out there at Aronimink that certainty was pretty much in Ron Prichard's hand in the way of Ross's own really excellent hole by hole detailed drawings and textual construction instructions.
"I hope Ron Prichard does tell us what he would have done had he the info at the time. It might assist future clubs who are trying decide who to hire when restoring or remodeling their golf course, and debating if it is important to conduct thorough research and how thorough research may or may not effect a particular architect's decision making."
I'll tell you what Ron said when I called him and told him about Wayne going down there and looking at that 1929 Aronimink aerial and finding that they showed basically the same bunker scheme as the 1939 aerial; Ron said;
"Well, I guess we lost this round with Tom MacWood."
But the point is, in my opinion, and in his and Wayne's too you didn't prove a damn thing about how those bunkers were originally built. We proved how they were originally built and whose decision it was or what Ross felt about it is as much speculation today as it's ever been although getting you to understand that is about the same thing as beating one's head against a brick wall. All you did is get lucky off total speculation from a single on-ground photo of one hole in 18. Is that what you think is comprehensive research of the way a golf course was originally built? I don't, I doubt Ron Prichard or Aronimik does, and I can't imagine who would.
Ron Prichard with his Sickel hole drawings in 1931 would've been a lot more convincing to anyone I can think of back then even if they were proven to be wrong info (not by you but by us). But I wouldn't expect you to understand that or acknowledge it now.
So you say you think what Ron Prichard says now about all that's happened here with the Aronimink restoration and what his decision would be now if the decision could be made now with the present information should effect what clubs think and who they hire?
Well, then I'll tell you the blunt truth Tom MacWood--both me and probably a number of others will be keeping you on your toes about anything you ever say on here or anywhere else we're aware of. I don't think you're a friend or ally of real restoration, I think you're an obstructionist to it simply because of your own egoistic agenda---whatever that really is, other than promoting yourself as some ‘expert researcher’ whose conclusions should be taken seriously.
As far as I can see the only person who ever made much of an issue over those multi-set bunkers being restored is Ron and the club before the decision was made. For everyone else, they seem to be happy with what was decided on and what was done.
You, and no one else I'm aware of made a huge issue of this and after the fact. You are the only one I've ever heard of who keeps chirping the fact on here this was a mistake.
As far as I'm concerned, all the truth that will probably ever be known or needs to be know about this issue is now known, except for the question of what Ross's own part was in the alterations from his plans, and you Tom MacWood have really burned some bridges over all this around here, in my opinion.