It’s interesting to me to read the history of a course/the game not as it’s come down to us through later observers but from those writing about it at the time: what was thought important to mention or worthy of praise sometimes is and sometimes isn’t what I’d have expected. Here’s a short bit from an article on the 1919 US Amateur at Oakmont.
“….There were assembled at Oakmont 136 golfers from all parts of the country, California, Massachusetts, Georgia and Iowa sending their best with the number of golfers who might have a real chance at the title almost negligible. All but two to our knowledge had taken a round of the course, Messrs. Evans and Gwathmey electing to try their luck at first sight. For the first named the effort met with the expected success, but for the latter, failure was the lot. It would be thus for most golfers since the Oakmont Country Club is a links which needs extensive knowing, familiarity there is the only method in which to breed contempt and there was very little of that during the entire week.
There was good reason. Take a glance at this card of the course which was if anything by no means under-measured.
Out – 482 (5) 363 (4) 428 (4) 516 (5) 371 (4) 172 (3) 370 (4) 233 (3) 462 (5) -3397
In - 461 (5) 365 (4) 601 (5) 164 (3) 349 (4) 420 (4) 266 (3) 282 (4) 442 (4) – 3310
Total: 6707, Par 73
The number of traps on the holes and the narrowness of the fairways made straightness imperative, a feature which was lacking at Detroit, that other extended and lengthy course where the championship in 1915 was played. The average number of bunkers and traps at each hole was in the neighborhood of eight, with some having as many as fifteen, and a few as low as five, these on the short holes. But there was rough everywhere, except in the fairway and it was the intertwining sort which makes it difficult to play a shot any distance. In a word what with the length and the condition and the fact that there were but three mashie shots after drives all the way round, and when the wind blew from a certain quarter there were but two, not counting the short holes of course, it can be said without a shadow of a doubt that there never was a championship in this country held on a course which could be regarded as an equal to Oakmont, which is praise indeed. Whoever was responsible for the excellencies of the course deserves the highest sort of praise, for to the initiated the chances are three to one against even near perfection on courses which are of this length."
Peter