Gulph Mill's architectural history is a pretty interesting one that's not that uncommon. It evolved for a number of fairly logical reasons common to old courses:
1. The club had no practice range and it blew the opportunity to buy land for one across the street thereby compromising a few original Ross holes to make room for a practice range (which has never been very good anyway.
).
2. Two of Ross's original holes (#8, #9) were virtually unplayable for probably over half the membership.
3. Two of Ross's original holes (#7, #14) just weren't good holes.
4. In 1927 Ross came back in himself and did some redesigning on a few of his greens (#2, #16, #18)
Perry Maxwell's three redesign visits in the 1930s created improved greens (#7, #8, #10, #11, #14).
RTJ's redesigns (#9, #10, #12) are a mixed bag done to create a driving range.
As far as homogeneity is concerned I would much rather give up on that for the Maxwell redesigns we got from him. #8 particularly has often been considered one of the best short par 4s in the district---it's a Maxwell prototype hole that might have been first tried at GMGC. The back 2/3 of #10 green are some of the best "Maxwell Rolls" one can find, his #11 and #14 greens are really good contoured surfaces.
Green #7 is a Hanse/Paul creation that has met with some extreme controversy----eg some just love it and some really hate it!
We also have a new practice putting green. For a couple of years we asked for input from the membership as to what they wanted in a practice putting green and of course noone ever bothered to make any suggestions despite being asked constantly. The day it was to be shaped by Gil, since we had no plan for what it would like like, I thought up a scheme for it on the 20 minute drive from my house to the golf club using basically a section from two greens on the course (#3, #10). That's what Gil did and of course that green has met with extreme controversy too
---eg some just love it and others just hated it even though the ones who hated it have mellowed a bit.
Consequently, whenever anyone talks to me about either the 7th green or the practice putting green I automatically QUOTE both Mackenzie AND Macdonald, that the idea behind good golf architecture is to CREATE some inspired CONTROVERSY on purpose!!!
Actually, the recently expanded 13th fairway and the concept for that hole which was also me and Gil has just met with some really EXTREME CONTROVERSY----eg some hate it so much one member almost physically accosted me the other day, but other members seem to be OK with it.
So in the all important architectural "controversy" department I'm batting a stunning 3 for 3 at GMGC.
