"The Modern"

[Jeff_Mingay]

There's a fantastic article in the journal, "A Year at St. Andrews" (2008 edition), on the 1938 proposal from Guy Campbell, Major CK Hutchison and Sir Nairne Stewart-Sandeman to build "The Modern" course at St. Andrews, over ground currently occupied by the New and Jubilee.

The article's written by John Stewart, Communications Assistant with the Links Trust. It's a fascinating read, featuring a telling illustration of the proposed routing for "The Modern" over a modern-day aerial. I recommend this article, and the journal as a whole, to all St. Andrews and golf architecture buffs. The journal is available through the Links Trust.

[BCrosby]

Jeff -

How does one access and/or buy the 2008 "A Year..." ?

Thanks.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Not exactly sure, but I'd bet there are some details with regard to purchasing the journal at www.standrews.org.uk

[Bill_McBride]

There's a fantastic article in the journal, "A Year at St. Andrews" (2008 edition), on the 1938 proposal from Guy Campbell, Major CK Hutchison and Sir Nairne Stewart-Sandeman to build "The Modern" course at St. Andrews, over ground currently occupied by the New and Jubilee.

The article's written by John Stewart, Communications Assistant with the Links Trust. It's a fascinating read, featuring a telling illustration of the proposed routing for "The Modern" over a modern-day aerial. I recommend this article, and the journal as a whole, to all St. Andrews and golf architecture buffs. The journal is available through the Links Trust.

I had an email from John Stewart after a thread that started with a nifty aerial photo of the Old, New and Jubilee.  He sent along a markup showing the proposed routing of that "Modern Course." 

It looked pretty cool, but it's amazing that the designers of the New and Jubilee were able to jam 36 holes of very good golf into the same space!  From the perspective of the Links Trust, it's probably a good thing it turned out like it did, given the volume of play today.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Ooh, the West Sussex partnership. But who was Sir Nairne?

Jeff, was there anything "modern" about the course? Were there any design elements that led them to call it that, or is it just a reference to the broader era in which they lived?

[Jeff_Mingay]

Mark,

Sir Nairne was a local politican and R&A member who championed the idea for "The Modern".

There's no info. - that I know of - regarding the detailed design of the course. What was "modern" about the idea, for one, was the proposed length of "The Modern" -- some 7,500 yards! With the popularization of steel shafts, some golfers at the time felt the Old Course was on the verge of becoming obselete as a legitimate championship venue (sound familiar?!). Moreover, some of the same golfers felt the New and Jubilee courses were sub-standard, and that the creation of another world-class course would attract more traveling golfers to St. Andrews than otherwise.

With regard to steel shafts, there's a very interesting quote in the article attributed to veteran caddie David Cuthbert, who in 1937, gives his opinion on playing golf with a balanced set of steel shaft irons. Cuthbert says, "It's a fu' swing every time wi' a different club, and that canna be ca'ed gowf."

Cuthbert's quote provides a fascinating perspective on how the game was played prior to steel shafts and matched sets.

[Adam Sherer]

Was the purpose to have Sir Guy Campbell design the "Modern" course?

[Jeff_Mingay]

Adam,

Yes. As I understand, the course would have been designed by Campbell/Hutchison. 

[Phil_the_Author]

In hopes of making all of you jealous as hell, I just received by post (as they say across the pond) a copy of this wonderful journal from John Stewart and am enjoying his article greatly!