Chicago Aerial: US Open Week Lost Tillinghast

[Dan Moore]

The Chicago area has hosted the US Open a dozen or so times, most recently at Olympia Fields in 2003.  

This aerial has a US Open connection.  

For an easy then and now comparison I'm adding the current day google aerial to go with the late 1930's aerial.  Quite a few changes to this course over the years.

[Dan Moore]

At least you have to at admit it "is the place to be".  

I'm not sure who is responsible for the lower course, but the upper one was by a major architect.  I know he's major cuz I read it in Golf Digest from Mr. Royal OB himself.  

p.s. Roman Holiday had me stumped at first, till, i.e. I looked it up on www.imdb.com  


 

[wsmorrison]

The old style bunkers are so much better than the current ones.  It seems apparent who did these bunkers  

By the way, Dan was very instrumental in finding and sending us early photos and analysis of the holes at Pine Meadow in Mundelein, IL.  Without GCA, we would never have known about this once lost Flynn.  

Thanks to David, Dan and our Chicago friends that helped out so much.  Good work guys.

[Dan Moore]

Thanks Wayne,


I'll put up the old and new Pine Meadow aerials later this week.  I think Dave said he played the original course it will be interesting to get his ideas on the original routing and where the lost holes were located.  

[wsmorrison]

Dan,

When/if you get a chance, can you number the current routing for me?  Very much obliged to you.
Best,
Wayne

[Dan Moore]

There is a US Open connection to this course through the apparent original designer A.W. Tillinghast.  I think its fair to say this is a lost Tillie due to the extensive changes that have been made over the years.

In any event this excerpt is taken from the Tillinghast Society website.  Note:the aerial referenced is the same as the one I posted.  

"The long missing Tillinghast golf course designed for the Illinois Country Club lives. Through some good detective work we have confirmed that this great Tillinghast design has been owned and operated by Green Acres Country Club for over fifty years.

In the early 1920's, A.W. Tillinghast designed an 18-hole course for the Illinois Country Club. Joe Roseman was the construction superintendent and carried out Tillie's design to the smallest detail. Illinois Country Club had aspirations of becoming one of the elite country clubs in the Nation. Building the high end Tillinghast golf course was the Club's first objective, to be followed by a stately modern clubhouse. One of Spanish design was erected, which with furnishings cost $265,000. The next step was the installation of a fairway watering system, which was designed by Paul Green. It was the second to be installed in the Chicago district, the Chicago Golf club being the first. At the time the membership fee at Illinois CC was one of the most expensive in the area. However, the depression took its toll on Illinois CC and it did not survive World War II. Shortly after the War, Green Acres Country Club was formed and purchased the Tillinghast designed golf course from the Illinois Country Club. Shortly thereafter the legacy of theTillinghast golf course at Green Acres became lost in time.

Fast forwarding to the year 2001, Ken Stofer and Rick Wolffe placed an article in the Golf Collectors Bulletin searching for missing Tillie courses. Fellow Tillie member Richard Pinto read the article and noted that the missing Tillie golf course once known as the Illinois Country Club would have been near or adjacent to the present Green Acres Country Club. Following this lead, Ken Stofer reached out to Green Acres through Robb Schultze and Larry Oberman. Larry took the ball and researched the history and the transfer of the course from Illinois Country Club to Green Acres in 1945. Larry has continued to research his club's history and has provided the following aerial photo, which clearly shows the classic routing and design of this Tillinghast classic."

[RSLivingston_III]

Must be bored today.....
See what you think of this.

[RSLivingston_III]

Thanks Bill, these are kind of fun to do and really help me to see some things going on I sometimes miss viewing them independently.

Going to try and get out your way in September, wanna play?

[Jeff_Brauer]

"Modern Golf Course Architecture improves on the original yet again.
I especially enjoy the replacement of angular hazards with water.

Bill,

As I look at the photos (as a native Chicagoan, I beg Dan to keep posting these) I can see the rationale for many of the changes made.  I could also see them for the Evanston CC course last week.

It looks like they picked up the stretch of land parallelling the rr tracks to the east and decided to use it, causing some rerouting......which may have also added length.

I will agree on the lake on the right. It looks out of place.  They probably needed to add or expand the irrigation lake with the advent of a bigger system.  The lakes in the middle of the property look a lot better, and probably serve that function.  It also appears that the par 5 with the lake was getting too short to have an open front green in modern play.


There are many FW bunkers moved back into play.  Of particular note are the FW bunkers 100 yards or less from tee removed from the hole at the top of the pic.  As per typical, many fw bunkers were removed altogether, which is a shame, although the crowding in of trees probably caused the double hazard situation.

It also appears that the fw bunkers have been softened, with the steep banks reduced in the name of "fairness." I'm not sure I like the new style.  The older ones appear more rugged and attractive.

Surpizingly, most of the fw bunkers on the bottom left hole appear to be in the same location, perhaps simplified in shape by Harris at some point in the past? Or maybe just enlarged through different edgings over the years.

Some of the greens appear to retain very similar bunker patterns to the original.  A few on the right have actually added some bunkers.  There does seem to be a variety of bunkers styles around the greens, from pots to extravagant shapes......some do seem way out of place from the aerial.

It seems pretty typical of course changes over the years.  While I understand there are parts some wouldn't like, can you really justify bunkers less than 100 yards off the tee?  Especially when the original designer may very well have recommended taking them out as "duffers headaches" while on his tour for the PGA anyway?

[Dan Moore]

Ralph,

Very nice.  I like holding my mouse pointer over a green, tee or bunker to see the changes between aerials.  Hickories and computer skills,  hmmm!

Jeff,

Happy to oblige.  Any in particular you are interested in?  

[Tim_Cronin]

Dan,
Thanks for posting. Both the old and new aerials are at the top now. Discovered how to do the back-and-forth on Ralph's posting by accident (on a Mac, it's the option key and clicking the mouse at the same time). Fascinating!