Hi Guys!
I recommend that all take a look at the latest issue of Tillinghast Illustrated as it details a number of classic Tilly design traits used at Bethpage Black.
The smoking gun proof that Tilly designed all three new courses at Bethpage is the 5th hole of the original Blue course, what is today the 12th hole of the Yellow. When it opened for play it was the ONLY hole in the entire complex to have been given a name... it was called in the Farmingdale Post of April 1935 "The famous REEF Hole."
This hole is most important because of the claims made by GD was that Tilly was NOT invovled from the beginning, yet this hole proves that he was. The clearing of the property of trees and brush began in late November of 1933 and actual work on the courses in January of 1934. The Blue course was the first course begun, followed by the Red and then the Black. The original Lenox Hills Golf Club (today's Green course) was redesigned and renovated mostly during the late summer/fall of 1934 to accomodate the new Black course. The 2nd hole of the Black course actually plays across what was the 18th hole of the Lenox Hills course and the original first hole was actually left of thet and close by Round Swamp Road. The original clubhouse was on the spot where the modern Superintendent's house is and the first tee was nearby with the green site down and directly left of where today's second tee is.
Since GD made their tremendous blunder numerous further proofs of Tilly as the designer of all the courses have been found and passed along to the powers that be at the magazine. Unfortunately they are stuck in a trap of their own making and are unable to admit the mistake made.
Joe, you stated, "Well, Dan, let's check out what the golfing authority Golf Digest has to say..." The real question is WHO does GD list as the ARCHITECT of the Bethpage Blue and Bethpage Red courses? Simply type in those on their website and what comes up... A.W. Tillinghast! No mention of Mr. Burbeck... Despite it being 7 years since they first made the claim they still recognize that Burbeck ONLY designed the Black!?!
But that subtlety is simply beyond them I guess...
Joseph Burbeck NEVER claimed to have deisgned anything at Bethpage all the way till his death. Not a single time while he was employed by N.Y. State, not after his retirement and never to his family. In fact Golf Digest even reported that Burbeck's son, who is the person who made the claim that GD followed up, stated that not only had his father never claimed being the designer but that he specifically told his son that he hadn't!
Before one can even give consideration to the idea that Mr. Burbeck DESIGNED Bethpage Black they have to realize what he was DOING during the time the courses were being designed and built.
As the representative on-site for the State Park Commission & Long Island Park Commission, his job was to manage a large public park, a golf course and pro shop, create and train a caddy service, oversee the contractor's designing and building new roads, electrical, telephone, sewer and plumbing infrastructures, the largest clubhouse of its type in New York State up to that time, a huge parking lot, tennis courts, polo fields, football field and stadium, baseball field and stadium, picnic areas and play areas...
Yet he somehow had the time "at night" to design THREE NEW GOLF COURSES?
Question... Name the golf architects who had BOTH designed and oversaw the complete construction of TWO NEW golf courses at the same time for a single club before 1934... Yet Joseph Burbeck was being asked to do ALL of the above and then design THREE new courses and redsign a fourth and oversee all aspects of the construction at the same time!?! That is beyond ludicrous...
WHY was Tilly chosen for this job? Before you quickly say that he was logical as no architects had work, consider carefully what I just mentioned above. It is true that Tilly needed the work, but he was NOT anywhere near bankruptcy as has been alleged incorrectly in the past. In fact, he bought his Harrington park home in 1930, a year after the market crash. He also built ANOTHER house on the property directly behind his at this time which he gave as a gift to his daughter and her family. That's a pretty neat trick when one is nearly bankrupt...
No, Tilly was PRIMARILY chosen because he was the most experienced multi-course designer and builder in the world. Consider just in the local area how he designed and built 36 holeds at Baltusrol while keeping 18 existing open for play! He designed 36 holes for Winged Foot and 27 for a number of others including Ridgewood, Fenimore (Fenway), the Anglo-American Club in Lac Lachigan Quebec and Fort Sam Houston in Texas. He had designed 36 for the Philadelphia Cricket Club and 5 Farms even though only 18 would be built at each.
There wasn't a single architect then or since who had even close to his experience handling large design projects of 36 holes... and Bethpage was to be 54 and another 18 redesigned! Who today has multi-course projects on a single site to their credit where ALL of the courses were designed AND built at the SAME TIME!
In addition to the above there is the use of many classic Tilly hole types and, though many have convinced themselves otherwise, the green complexes are pure Tilly. Throughout Bethpage the majority of greens are NOT push-up but rather rise naturally out from the fairway entrances.
There are numerous articles, book mentions and newspaper accounts contemporary to Bethpage's construction and in the year's immediately following which credit Tilly as the designer of the courses.
Finally, and this truly is the VERY bare bones and SHORT version, just as Burbeck has his memories of his father working at Bethpage when he was 4 years old, Tilly's grand-daughter Barbara also remembers being on site with him as a 6 year-old. I'll take a 6 year-olds memories over someone who was 4 any day!
Feel free to ask away... I can't promise that I'll be able to keep up, but I'll give it a try...