Country Club of New Canaan-New Canaan, CT9 Holes, 3,000 Yards, Par 37:
1930-1931 American Annual Golf GuideDesigned by Willie Park Jr. Established in 1899.
Country Club of New Canaan dates back to 1899. Willie Park Jr. is credited with this design, but no one seems to know exactly when Willie was here. Park claims this course in one of his later advertisements, but that is about the extent of information we have on this course’s design.
Walter Travis was hired by the club to design a second nine holes in the 1920’s. You can see the cleared corridors from his design in this 1934 aerial. The club ran out of money during clearing putting the project on hold. In the late 1940’s Alfred Tull was hired to extend the course to 18 holes and he followed many of the corridors left behind by Travis. The club has made several modifications to the course over the years leaving few Willie Park originals. The club is currently in the middle of a renovation. Since this modern aerial was taken a new Par 3, 10th hole has been designed by Andrew Green to replace the Par 4 that existed prior. (Lower-right of the modern aerial)
Old Photo of today’s 7th hole-June 27, 1962:
O.J. Noer/Milorganite Image Collection, MsU Turfgrass Information Center.Alfred Tull is constructing the course his father started building 23 years prior:
Golfdom., July 1946:
Alfred Tull’s new back 9 opened at New Canaan. Reconstructed front 9 to open Labor Day 1947.
Golfdom., August 1947:
1940’s Layout of the golf course:
1934 Aerial
Connecticut State Library, State Archive Record Group 089:11a, Records of the Department of Transportation.Modern Aerial
Country Club of Waterbury, Waterbury, CT18 Holes, 6,240 Yards, Par 69:
1929 American Annual Golf GuideDesigned by Donald J. Ross in 1926. Established in 1908.
Ross designed the Country Club of Waterbury course in 1926 and later claimed it to be one of the most difficult pieces of property he had ever worked with. There appears to have been a course on the property prior to the Ross design, but I know very little about the club’s earlier course. Ross mentions pre-existing holes in his field notes, and it look like there are a few old, abandoned corridors on this aerial (in the far-right of the southern portion aerial). From his field notes, it sounds like Ross only had to work around the old course on a few holes with much of his design occupying new land.
Today's course doesn’t look all that different from what you see in 1934. The course has been evolving over the last few decades while staying true to its original design.
I am breaking this course into two aerials to show more detail. I have the aerials rotated so that north is to the left.
1934 Aerial (Northern Portion)
Connecticut State Library, State Archive Record Group 089:11a, Records of the Department of Transportation.1934 (Southern Portion)
Connecticut State Library, State Archive Record Group 089:11a, Records of the Department of Transportation.1934 Aerial (Full Course)
Connecticut State Library, State Archive Record Group 089:11a, Records of the Department of Transportation.Modern Aerial
Apple Maps, 2023.Country Club of Waterbury’s 3rd Hole: (1928, 1951, 2022j
1928 Construction Photo
1951 OJ Noer Slides
2022
More photos from Country Club of Waterbury 1951.
8th Hole (1951)
9th Hole (1951)
11th Green (1951)
All photos above from: Noer/Milorganite Image Collection, MSU Libraries Turfgrass Information Center.Cumming Park Golf Course-Stamford, CT (NLE)
9 Holes, 2,100 Yards, Par 34:
1930-1931 American Annual Golf GuideDesigned by: Unknown. Established in 1922.
This is a new addition to the original list. Cummings Park was listed in a few of the old golf guides. This course was also listed on Ralph Kennedy’s list of over 3,000 courses he had played. The land today is still referred to as Cummings Park, but the course no longer exists. It’s hard to make out an entire course on the aerial, but you can certainly spot a few holes.
1934 Aerial
Connecticut State Library, State Archive Record Group 089:11a, Records of the Department of Transportation.