Help...Who Designed Tacoma Country and Golf Club?

« **on:** March 28, 2008, 04:34:06 PM »

It is believed that Stanley Thompson designed the course for Tacoma Country and Golf Club however there is no proof. One of the club officials told me that they had a clubhouse fire in the 1960s and they don't know officially who designed the layout.

I went to the Stanley Thompson Society website there is no information on Tacoma Country and Golf Club on there. Can anyone unravel the mystery on who the course architect was?

« **Reply #1 on:** March 28, 2008, 04:52:02 PM »

According to Cornish and Whitten, it was designed by Stanley Thompson with a redesign of 5 holes by John Steidel

« **Reply #2 on:** March 28, 2008, 04:54:48 PM »

Wayne is there anywhere that I can get proof? Some type of written documentation?

« **Reply #3 on:** March 28, 2008, 05:09:17 PM »

I'm sorry, I have no idea where to get proof. If you know the dates when the work began and the course opened, local newspapers might have some information. Perhaps you ought to contact Ian Andrew (GCA.com member and outstanding golf architect with a solid knowledge of Thompson).

« **Reply #4 on:** March 28, 2008, 05:13:00 PM »

It appears the course was first built in 1904 and C&W show Thompson as revising the course. I suspect it was a "homemade" job.

« **Reply #5 on:** March 28, 2008, 05:39:16 PM »

According to Jeff Shelly, Tacoma Country and Golf Club was founded in 1894 on a rough-hewn 9 holes with initiation fees of 2.50 and monthly dues of 25 cents. It was built by the members who later expanded to 18 holes and 5522 yards. The club outgrew the original site and purchased a new site, where Stanley Thompson designed a new course which opened on Jun 29th, 1905.

The layout was updated in the late 80's with 3 new holes (14-16) done by John Steidel.

« **Reply #6 on:** March 28, 2008, 05:52:18 PM »

Thompson wouldn't have designed anything that opened in 1905 ... that's at least two decades too early for him.

« **Reply #7 on:** March 28, 2008, 06:02:56 PM »

Good point.. The Toronto Terror doesn't list the Tacoma Country and Golf Club as one of his either.

They do have a book about the first 100 years...

http://www.alibris.com/booksearch.detail?S=R&bid=8711746454&cm_mmc=shopcompare-_-base-_-nonisbn-_-na

Where is that Cosgrove fella when you need him.

I'd be inclined to agree that it was an inside job.

« **Reply #8 on:** March 28, 2008, 06:21:05 PM »

I just ran across this stement in the USGA Journal:

"The new course grew slowly over prairie grass, stones, and gravel. Available funds had been used to build the clubhouse and a proper water sustem for the clubhouse and course had to be financed as soon as possible. There were many years between 1905 and 1923 when only one hole could be added or improved..."

What do you guys make of this? It does not say in the article who designed the course. Is it possible that it was a collaboration until the design was complete? Could Stanley Thompson have pieced it all together by 1923?

« **Reply #9 on:** March 28, 2008, 07:33:50 PM »

The course moved to its current location in 1904 and was laid out by some of the founding members- one of them believed to be the first person to have imported golf clubs from the UK to the West Coast- Alexander Baillie.

The course had been virtually unchanged until the John Steidel Master Plan added 4 new holes, reversed the nines and changed a few other holes in 1989. They lost some great holes but gained a large driving range and practice hole. And, the land which three of the new holes sit on was donated.

I attened a seminar many years ago that Geoff Cornish and Robert Muir Graves did, and I had the good fortune of having lunch with Mr. Cornish. He brought up the TC&GC/Stanley Thompson relationship and was under the assumption that Thompson designed the course, when no evidence exists. If I recall, Thompson was born in 1894!

The GC Superintendent at Tacoma may still have an irrigation plan for the original watering system that was installed in 1917. This plan was proof that the routing of the golf course (at least from 1917 to 1989) was the same.

SS

« **Reply #10 on:** March 28, 2008, 10:20:00 PM »

Not an expert on the Early Tacoma Country & Golf history but can coroborate that the club did move as they went to the new American Lake site where it now sits. It was actually the combining of two local clubs that became what is now TCG.

I would guess that Chandler Egan took at least some time at the course and an early pro was Long Jim Barnes who was thick as thieves with Walter Hagen in the teens.

Steidel did the three new holes on what is now the back side. The nines were reversed when the work was done including a rerouting of what was 10 and is now #1. It was a short dog leg left with a very difficult drive and is a now a longer dogleg right.

« **Reply #11 on:** March 28, 2008, 10:28:49 PM »

Bryon;

Possibly John Steidel would have some solid information for you. Is he still working in the field?

Tom

« **Reply #12 on:** March 28, 2008, 10:48:02 PM »

The 3 holes that were re-done, do not resemble the rest of the course.

Would loved to have played the original routing.

==============

Ryan Moore played a lot of his golf there at Tacoma CC.

« **Reply #13 on:** March 28, 2008, 11:00:30 PM »

The club or some of its members should have a copy of the club history book.

« **Reply #14 on:** March 29, 2008, 12:03:15 AM »

Cos, Peter, Tom and still no definitive answer. I am in shock. I thought their combined detective work would crack this case before the next rain.

« **Reply #15 on:** March 29, 2008, 08:34:14 AM »

Tiger....criminy! That's a pretty short window you gave us! It was raining when I wrote that post!

How are you? When you coming out to Bandon again, so that you can lie on the benches, soaking in the bliss of the place??

Tom

« **Reply #16 on:** March 29, 2008, 11:55:30 AM »

I've done a reach out to a freind who is a member there...I'll let you guys know.

« **Reply #17 on:** March 29, 2008, 12:31:36 PM »

Vernon Macan worked with MOST clubs in the Pacific Northwest throughout a career that spanned six decades, beginning in 1913. It would surprise me a bit if he didn't consult with Tacoma at some point.

« **Reply #18 on:** March 29, 2008, 07:59:44 PM »

Quote from: Jeff_Mingay on March 29, 2008, 12:31:36 PM

Vernon Macan worked with MOST clubs in the Pacific Northwest throughout a career that spanned six decades, beginning in 1913. It would surprise me a bit if he didn't consult with Tacoma at some point.

The Club's history book states that Macan did some work there in the early 50's. Mostly bunker improvements, additional mounding around greens and a few new tees.

The book also states that most of the early course improvements took place in 1922 under the direction of the Greens Committee (no names given.) As I stated earlier, the old irrigation plan for the wooden, creosote soaked, wire wrapped mainline pipe had the routing of the golf course as it was until Steidel changed it in 1989.

The golf course as it was known until 1989 most likely has no architect of record- it was a group effort by the membership.

SS

« **Reply #19 on:** March 30, 2008, 09:39:38 PM »

What is the history of Spanaway GC in Tacoma?

« **Reply #20 on:** March 30, 2008, 10:37:00 PM »

Quote from: Bill_McBride on March 30, 2008, 09:39:38 PM

What is the history of Spanaway GC in Tacoma?

Bill,

It was Macan's last design, built in 1967. Can play quite difficult. I have played it quite a bit, and while conditions are often not great, I like the golf course.....

« **Reply #21 on:** March 30, 2008, 11:25:27 PM »

Quote from: Sean Leary on March 30, 2008, 10:37:00 PM

Quote from: Bill_McBride on March 30, 2008, 09:39:38 PM
What is the history of Spanaway GC in Tacoma?

Bill,

It was Macan's last design, built in 1967. Can play quite difficult. I have played it quite a bit, and while conditions are often not great, I like the golf course.....

Mr Mingay will, I hope, verify that Macan died in 1964. While he may have done the routing or other preliminary work, It is the contention of Jack Reimer and his son Wilf, that Reimer actually completed Spanaway Golf Course.

Reimer also designed the Cascade course at Gold Mountain, Fairwood, Twin Lakes and Oakbrook G&CC. He lived in Abbotsford BC. These projects made Reimer extremely busy from the mid sixties into the early 70's. I exchanged letters with him several years ago at which time he was no longer able to travel. More recent letters have gone unanswered.

Larry Proctor and Jack Reimer at Oakbrook in 1966.

The driving range hasn't changed much $:-\$

« **Reply #22 on:** March 31, 2008, 08:10:53 AM »

Mr. Cosgrove is correct. Macan passed away in 1964, age 82.

However, it seems he did lay out Lake Spanaway. Mr. Reimer very well could have built the course, as per Macan's routing.

« **Reply #23 on:** March 31, 2008, 08:43:40 AM »

Funny, I played in a one day business outing at Lake Spanaway in 1968 and it didn't seem like a new course at the time. That's the only time I saw it.

« **Reply #24 on:** March 31, 2008, 09:38:28 AM »

Quote from: Jeff_Mingay on March 31, 2008, 08:10:53 AM

Mr. Cosgrove is correct. Macan passed away in 1964, age 82.

However, it seems he did lay out Lake Spanaway. Mr. Reimer very well could have built the course, as per Macan's routing.

Jeff do you have further information on Reimer?

News:

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Craig Van Egmond

Guy Nicholson

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Scott Stambaugh

W.H. Cosgrove

Tom Jefferson

Joey Smith

Pete_Pittock

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Tom Jefferson

Jeff Doerr

Jeff_Mingay

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W.H. Cosgrove

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