Muirfield: The Evolution

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

Paul,

What book is the Gil Hanse drawing from?

[Paul_Turner]

Donal

It's from "Colt and Co". Hanse helped Fred Hawtree with the research (he was an intern at the firm at the time, I believe)

Melvyn

Is there a Scotsman article that goes along with those plans?

The plans are interesting to me because they show the 7th and 6th(green) on new ground beyond the boundary wall, whereas the merge I did and Hanse's drawing show these on the old ground?

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

Donal

It's from "Colt and Co". Hanse helped Fred Hawtree with the research (he was an intern at the firm at the time, I believe)

Melvyn

Is there a Scotsman article that goes along with those plans?

The plans are interesting to me because they show the 7th and 6th(green) on new ground beyond the boundary wall, whereas the merge I did and Hanse's drawing show these on the old ground?

Thanks Paul. I just checked that book on Amazon, it's £1,995 &  It's the most expensive non-author signed golf book I've come across. Astonishing!!!

[Melvyn Morrow]

The next few post will I hope be of interest to many and will compose of about four drawing on the Muirfield course with where possible articles from the Scotsman.  I will post them by the year starting with 1920 and finishing around 1935. Please comment and add as the articles are posted.

Muirfield GC 1920













Melvyn

[Melvyn Morrow]

Muirfield 1922

6.12.1922

 

8.12.1922









12.12.1922



Melvyn

[Melvyn Morrow]

Muirfield 1924

4.08.1924


29.09.1924


30.09.1924




2.12.1924




Melvyn

[Melvyn Morrow]

Muirfield 1925

28.07.1925




Melvyn

[Melvyn Morrow]

Muirfield 1928

14.08.1928






Melvyn

[Melvyn Morrow]

Muirfield 1929

6.05.1929














Melvyn

[Melvyn Morrow]

Muirfield 1934

8.02.1934


Melvyn

[Mark Pearce]

Melvyn,

Brilliant.  What a wonderful collection of articles.  Thanks.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Muirfield 1935

22.06.1935








This now completes the information I have to hand on Muirfield.

I hope all the above information and drawings will get a debate going as the full development of Muirfield, well up to Simpson’s mods.

The interesting point being that the course nearly double in size from that original design way back in November 1890 and looking at the plans it would seem that many of Old Tom’s Holes lasted some 30 years. But then Muirfield is special and we need to remember that the golf played in Scotland  is special, hence why some of us get disappointed when we see courses like The Castle – in truth it does not shout out its country of origin, its fails to stamp clearly the identity of golf in The Kingdom and never lives up to the expectation of Golf at St Andrews, unlike Muirfield which is still a joy and experience to play.

Melvyn  

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

Bump

Some great information posted by Melvyn. Lots to digest.

[Bill_Yates]

Looking at a Strokesaver book of Muirfield published in 2002, it clearly shows two tees for Hole #15. the one on the right was used for the 2002 Open Championship.  The tee on the left, forcing play directly over the three cross bunkers, is marked as the "Medal Tee." Carrying a ball over those bunkers from the Medal Tee requires a drive of only 200 yards.

From the Championship Tee, the hole played at 415 yards.  From the Medal Tee, the hole plays at 394 yards.

The view in the video clearly shows them playing the hole from the Medal Tee in 1966.

[BCrosby]

Wonderful thread. I missed it back in the day. If Melvyn is looking in, thanks.

Were Simpson's changes to Muirfield the one's described in Melvyn's 1934 article? Are they still in evidence?

Bob