There were some pretty substantial changes made to the course in 1935-36.
Tilly was asked by the club to visit it during his PGA Course Consultation tour and did so on 2 occasions. It is interesting to note how highly he viewed the course. He wrote to george Jacobus that "This is a great course designed over twenty years ago and the scene of the National Open of 1924..."
The results of his visits were recommendations to lengthen several holes and this was accomplished by building new tees. Interestingly, "The Committee," as Tilly referred to the club's championship committee, recommended lengthening the 4th hole and did so over Tilly's objections. "Already the committee has lengthened five holes by building new teeing grounds, certainly benefiting the second, eighth, fourteenth (a shortened hole) and the eighteenth. However I did not concur with them in the opinion that it had helped the fourth."
He further observed that the 14th was the only "weak hole" on the course and recommended a redesign. He wrote, "The fourteenth is the one really weak hole and I gave them a suggestion for a new fairway, extending it over a more interesting break of ground to the left of the present, and a new green site."
I have always been curious as to whether the work on this hole was ever done.
In addition to the above, he recommended the removal of a number of "Duffer's Headache" fairway bunkers.
What is most fascinating about this, at least to me, is that Tilly was asked to do this even though Ross was healthy and able. Was it the price? Tilly charged nothing as it was part of the PGA of America's Course Consultation Tour for PGA Pro's & their courses.
This information is important on a number of levels. First from the architectural evolution of the course, but also as it is an example of why the USGA took over course prep and setup for its championships beginning after WWII.
Before then, as in the case of Oakland Hills, it was the responsibility of the local club's own championship committee. This resulted in many inconsistencies and, on a number of occasions, poorly thought out and even unfair setups.
For as much criticism as the USGA has taken in the past years for mistakes in course setup, for the most part these are far fewer and less severe and impactful as when the local club's controlled this.