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George_Bahto

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calling Pat Mucchi - the "other" course in West Orange
« on: June 06, 2009, 10:21:12 PM »
Pat - finally found the information about that "other" course in West Orange - the beginnings of Mountain Ridge


check your e mail for details
If a player insists on playing his maximum power on his tee-shot, it is not the architect's intention to allow him an overly wide target to hit to but rather should be allowed this privilege of maximum power except under conditions of exceptional skill.
   Wethered & Simpson

Phil_the_Author

Re: calling Pat Mucchi - the "other" course in West Orange
« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2009, 11:06:50 PM »
George & Pat,

I'm assuming you're talking about Tilly's?

I'd be interested in anything you might have as well...

George_Bahto

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Re: calling Pat Mucchi - the "other" course in West Orange
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2009, 12:03:14 PM »
Phil - I dn't know if you've seen this or not:

Pat and I had (separately) played this course years ago.

Mountain Ridge Country Club (1913), like the Hutton Park course is the other 18 hole course that has become extinct. The first nine holes were completed in 1913 and located on Prospect Ave. where you find the present day Essex Green Plaza. These first nine holes were designed by golf professional Dave Hunter. The second nine holes were designed by A.W. Tillinghast who was working at the same time he was building the new Essex County CC course in 1917.

My cousin and long time resident of West Orange, Tom Fennell remembers the following about the course:

“Yes, I played that course many, many times. It was a very tough course, built on a hill and extended downhill to the next main street whose name I cannot remember.  When I played it (1940s) the course was owned by a Scotsman about 60 years old.  At some point he sold it to a couple of men, one of which I knew, and they ran it for a couple of years before selling to the developers (about 1953). He told me later that not only did they make a nice profit on the sale of the course, but then sold the greens separately for thousands per green.  Let me say again, this was one tough course; I remember almost every hole and the hazards each had.  I was unconscious one day and shot a 78, which I will remember forever.  Ahh! the good old days.”


      I myself was too young to play the course but lived nearby and remember being chased off the course by the greens keepers and seeing the two and a half story clubhouse up on the hill overlooking Prospect Avenue (pictured above). Remembering it now the clubhouse came right out of the Alfred Hitchcock movie Psycho.

      Mountain Ridge was constructed in 1913 and was scheduled to open in May of that year as indicated in the newspaper article from the same year seen below.









If a player insists on playing his maximum power on his tee-shot, it is not the architect's intention to allow him an overly wide target to hit to but rather should be allowed this privilege of maximum power except under conditions of exceptional skill.
   Wethered & Simpson

Patrick_Mucci

Re: calling Pat Mucchi - the "other" course in West Orange
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2009, 04:46:39 PM »
Phil - I dn't know if you've seen this or not:

Pat and I had (separately) played this course years ago.

Mountain Ridge Country Club (1913), like the Hutton Park course is the other 18 hole course that has become extinct. The first nine holes were completed in 1913 and located on Prospect Ave. where you find the present day Essex Green Plaza. These first nine holes were designed by golf professional Dave Hunter. The second nine holes were designed by A.W. Tillinghast who was working at the same time he was building the new Essex County CC course in 1917.

My cousin and long time resident of West Orange, Tom Fennell remembers the following about the course:

“Yes, I played that course many, many times. It was a very tough course, built on a hill and extended downhill to the next main street whose name I cannot remember. 

Pleasant Valley Way.


When I played it (1940s) the course was owned by a Scotsman about 60 years old. 

Mt Ridge moved to its present location in West Caldwell in 1929 when Donald Ross designed a sensational golf course that remains almost entirely unchanged today.

So, they must have sold the West Orange course circa 1928.
I'll try to find out who acquired the course circa 1929.


At some point he sold it to a couple of men, one of which I knew, and they ran it for a couple of years before selling to the developers (about 1953). He told me later that not only did they make a nice profit on the sale of the course, but then sold the greens separately for thousands per green.  Let me say again, this was one tough course; I remember almost every hole and the hazards each had.  I was unconscious one day and shot a 78, which I will remember forever.  Ahh! the good old days.”

George, it's really quite incredible that that small section of western slope of the first Orange Mountain could produce FIVE outstanding golf courses designed by some of the greatest architects in American GCA.  SIX if you include Rock Spring.



I myself was too young to play the course but lived nearby and remember being chased off the course by the greens keepers and seeing the two and a half story clubhouse up on the hill overlooking Prospect Avenue (pictured above). Remembering it now the clubhouse came right out of the Alfred Hitchcock movie Psycho.

That's funny, that's exactly how I remember that building.


Mountain Ridge was constructed in 1913 and was scheduled to open in May of that year as indicated in the newspaper article from the same year seen below.

George, the newspaper article doesn't appear, could you email it to me.  Thanks

It's interesting to note that the club only stayed in that location for 16 years, opting for the West Caldwell location to be designed by Donald Ross.



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