Par 3's at McCall (+ pics) + late intro

[Joe Bausch]

I've been more than lurking here and thought I would make a more substantial post about my trip around McCall (Upper Darby, PA) this summer with a buddy of mine that plays there regularly.  I'm confident many will chime in w/ the exact origins of the design of the layout through the years where I've heard that Ross started, but that Flynn is mostly responsible.  

But let's jump to the intro:  I've lived in Philly since 1991 and grew up in Southern Indiana.  I happened to fish in the lakes that Victoria National was built around, less than 2 miles from my folk's house.  There is also a Doak course nearby (Quail Crossing) that is quite nice.  TomD, many thanks for Quail Crossing; the area really needed it.

Any comments you have about the photos below are appreciated.  They were shot w/ a Canon PowerShot SD800 IS Digital ELPH Camera - 7.1 Megapixels in 16x9 mode.  I transfer many of the photos to my HTPC and show them on my HDTV, hence I prefer the widescreen view.  I also have interests in HD television.  If you've never seen the Masters on a real good HDTV, then you are missing something special.  Only way it could be better is to be there in person.  

I am the classic public golfer and have already played probably 40 different courses just this year around Philly.  The most memorable probably being Bethpage Black, which I've played twice this summer.

Now getting back to McCall:  I really like this rather short course with nice elevation changes and in particular a strong set of par 3's, which there are six (and 12 par 4's).

The first is #2:



It plays around 180 downhill.  I was told that on a clear day Cobbs Creek is visible in the background.  Another pic follows:



Next par 3 is #4, a real beast of about 230 yards from the back tees.



A more zoomed photo of #4 is here:



And a view from near the left greenside bunker back to the tee shows the downhill nature of the hole:



Next is a short but scenic #6.  This hole must be a beauty in the fall when the leaves change.  Here are 3 photos of it:







Next up is #9, which I think can play close to 120, maybe more from the back tees.  



Here's a view from behind the green, which unfortunately doesn't adequately depict the two-tiered green, with the back elevated:



Next up is #11, a short iron required.  Two pics follow:





The last par 3 at McCall is a shortie with a horseshoe bunker, as the next two photos show.  Curiously, you must traverse back past the tee to get to the 16th tee.

[mike_malone]

 Welcome, Joe.

   I prefer #6 and #15, just love those short par threes. You got to love the walk back to #16 tee when you are only carrying your putter!

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Joe,

McCall has been on my list of "must plays" for years.

From gapgolf.org

"Ross did the original 9 in 1919 for Philadelphia Electric...In 1922 an addition to the clubhouse was built. That same year, William Flynn was commissioned to design a nine-hole course (this time there would be par 4s as well as par 3s) and to develop plans for an 18-hole layout. The Flynn nine opened for play in May, 1923. Five years later the course was extended to 15 holes, and in July, 1935, the 18-hole course was completed. There have been no major changes to McCall Field since that time. And though it is the shortest eighteen among Golf Association courses— 4,448 yards from the tips, par 66, course rating 61.6, slope 111, only four holes over 300 yards, no par 5s—the routing of the holes has both variety and interest, the changes in elevation have been used to full advantage, the small greens make elusive targets, and the stream—none other than the indispensable Cobbs Creek—has been brought tellingly into play on several holes, most notably 12 and 14."

[John Gosselin]

The design of the greens is something special. Can't miss right, left, or long or for the most part your dead.


Great shorter course with a lot of good history. Philadelphia landmark.

[tlavin]

Thanks for the post and the pics.  Looks like a real treat.

[wsmorrison]

Here's what I know of McCall Field, much of it from Jim Finegan's research.

In 1912, the Philadelphia Electric Company purchased a 77-acre tract of land in Highland Park along Route 1 as a recreational facility for its employees.  Baseball was the primary sport but tennis, shooting and archery were also offered.  It wasn’t until 1919 that a modest golf course was built, a rudimentary 9-hole course without bunkers, laid out by Donald Ross.

According to James Finegan in his comprehensive history of the Golf Association of Philadelphia,

“Ross happened to be in the Philadelphia area at the time, probably because of his work at Gulph Mills, where, one may speculate, perhaps one or two Philadelphia Electric executives—or Philadelphia Electric directors—were members. In any event, he was persuaded to come over to McCall Field and lay out what a PECO account calls "a miniature course." This is not to be confused with Tom Thumb golf.

The Ross nine was made up solely of one-shotters, average length of them about 120 yards. No turfgrass was planted. The greens consisted simply of meadow grass cut short. Philadelphia Electric bought 12 sets of second-hand golf clubs to lend to its employees. Each set contained a midiron (about the loft of today’s 2-iron), a mashie (5-iron), and a putter. There were no woods because no hole demanded a long hit. And no niblick because, one assumes, there were no sand bunkers.

It may have been a primitive excuse for golf, "but the sport caught like wildfire.  The company soon purchased 36 new sets of clubs, tournaments were arranged, and the little nine was now thronged.”

An early scorecard showed the front nine was played and the second nine was played to the same holes, from different tees for the first five holes on the back nine and finishing with a replay of holes one through four.

In 1922, William Flynn was hired to design a regulation nine-hole course and to draw up plans for a complete 18-hole course.  Flynn’s first nine holes opened for play in May 1923.  Within five years, Flynn expanded the course to fifteen holes, and in July 1935, the complete18-hole golf course was finished.

The very small greens require precise approach shots.  They have fascinating interplays of slopes and are well guarded by bunkers contours.  Cobbs Creek, the same stream that runs through the East Course at Merion and the Cobbs Creek municipal course also runs through McCall Field.

Our collection of hole drawings contain two iterations of nine holes.  The earlier iteration on linen shows the first redesign plan.  The second set on vellum, these with William S. Flynn, Golf Course Architect at the top, may either be Flynn’s final plans or a subsequent redesign plan.  No information has been found to date that helps us understand the design evolution at McCall Field Club.  

There is no proof that Flynn consulted on changes made after his initial design and construction.  With the early set of drawings are detailed drawings for six greens indicating the green outlines and internal contours measured to the tenth of a foot.  The green detail drawings included holes two, four, five, six, seven and nine.  Except for the green drawing for hole seven, all the greens correspond to the drawings on linen and vellum.  It appears that if changes were made, that these greens werethe ones left as originally constructed.  The seventh green drawing looks nothing like either the green shown on linen or vellum.

[Sean_A]

This thread has me curious about the course.  Does anyone care to add more pix to round out the tour?

Ciao

[Joe Bausch]

This thread has me curious about the course.  Does anyone care to add more pix to round out the tour?

Ciao

Here's the rest from that day I played back in 2007:

http://golfarchitecturepictures.com/Web%20Galleries/USA/Pennsylvania/McCall/index.html

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Just because a course is short doesn't mean that it's not a challenge.

McCall golfers seem to do very well in GAP events.

[Chris Roselle]

Just because a course is short doesn't mean that it's not a challenge.

McCall golfers seem to do very well in GAP events.

I played McCall this year in the GAP Team Matches and it was the first time since the Philadelphia Junior Boys Championship of 1994.  I really enjoyed it and thought it was a tremendously fun course to play.

[mike_malone]

 I wonder how the so called "so so" courses of Philly compare to those of other cities. They are strong in my mind.

[Joe Bausch]

McCall golfers seem to do very well in GAP events.

I've heard this line many times.  So I wondered if recent results suggests it is true at least in GAP team matches...

.... since 2005 McCall is 14 wins vs 22 losses.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Joe,

Perhaps McCall golfers excel in individual events. I remember seeing many of them at or near the top in GAP events.