The Terror and the Whiffensnoozer: A.W. Tillinghast and the Man Behind the Myths

[Ran Morrissett]

...by Phil Young is now posted under In My Opinion.

As far as I am aware, this 40 typed page plus piece is unique in its approach. Basically, Phil details the various influences on A.W. Tillinghast the man while tying them back to how they impacted him as an architect.

All kinds of interesting facts are revealed by Phil. For instance, did you know that Tillinghast stopped drinking in the mid 1920s (maybe that's a shame as he never built greens like at Somerset Hills after he stopped  )? Did you know that at the height of his career, Tillinghast only charged between $2,000 and $2,500 to design and oversee the construction of courses?

Apart from his extensive research, Phil highly personalizes the piece by comparing his own experiences with Bipolar Disorder with those of Tillinghast. Throughout, as one would expect from a man known as Phil the Author, the writing is of a very high standard as seen here when Phil concludes, 'Tillinghast was a good man trapped within the prisons of his own inner demons who was able to escape them long enough to accomplish great deeds. He was also an ordinary every-day sort of guy, quick with a compliment and a smile, loyal to his friends and loving to his family, if often times misunderstood.'

However, that's jumping to the end. Phil starts the story with Oliver Cromwell (!) which is probably the first and only time that the legend will get a play on GolfClubAtlas.com. Thanks to his father B.C., the poor student but good athlete A.W. Tillinghast was exposed to golf early on. As he later wrote 'those of us who know the good old game also know that nothing is so well calculated to bring  out man’s good qualities – if they be there – or instill them if they be wanting. Golf develops and makes character – so give us public schools that our boys may be men; and give us public golf courses that our men may be men indeed.'

The rebellious Tillinghast needed golf and as time would show, golf needed Tillinghast as he helped further golf course architecture by making courses playable, yet challenging, for all skill levels. St. Andrews played a big role in the formation of who and what Tillinghast became and Phil carefully chronicles his visits there and what Old Tom Morris meant to him. By 1909, Tillinghast was fully engrossed in his golf design business as well as being a powerful writer on the sport.

Apart from his close relationship with his dad, the other dominant relationship was with his wife Lillian, whom Tillinghast married when he was just 19 years old. Stunning, she was sweep off her feet by the master charmer. As Phil notes, 'Very few people are aware that Lillian would often accompany Tilly on his trips to design his courses. For example, to the right is a photograph that Tilly himself took and was published in the April 1934 issue of Golf Illustrated. It is of his wife Lillian taken at the Famous “Duel Hole” at the San Francisco Golf Club. During the two-plus years of his PGA Course Consultation Tour, Lillian traveled with him the entire time.'

Phil goes on to say, 'There is a problem inherent in most people who depend upon their charm in conducting business rather than relying on skills and proper business education; they almost always fail, and this is what happened with Tilly. His inability to pay attention to the task at hand cost the business time and again. Yet his father never gave up on him, carrying and supporting him and his family despite these failures. For Tillinghast, his father was the perfect enabler. Try as he might, he was never able to succeed. Yet, despite his son’s poor performance, the rubber goods business was growing for his father, and had now expanded to two locations in Philadelphia. (The main product of the business, incidentally, was the manufacture of rubber bathing togs for Baptist ministers to wear while conducting river baptisms.) It speaks volumes about B.C.’s business skills that he was able to grow a business while carrying a son in his employ who was not just unproductive, but in many ways was hurting it. Looking back we can be thankful for this; for if A.W. had been good at business, he might never have designed golf courses, much to our loss.'

There is nowhere better to gain a sense of Tillinghast than in reading Phil's piece and GolfClubAtlas is honored to house it in hopes that many of our 4,500 regular daily viewers will read it and pass it on.

Cheers,

[Melvyn Morrow]

Phil

Really interesting and enjoyable.

Well done, bloody excellent.

Melvyn 

[Phil_the_Author]

Ran,

Thanks for the privilege, and it is indeed one to have an In My Opinion essay on GCA.com. I hope it reflects well on the site and your words of praise.

[Jim Colton]

Philip,

  Thanks for your IMO piece.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I enjoy learning more about the almost serendipitous occurrences that made him a fascinating man worth studying and reading about years later.  What if Old Tom only lived until 76, or AWT happened to catch him on a bad day?

  Jim

[Tony_Muldoon]

Phil

Really interesting and enjoyable.

Well done, bloody excellent.

Melvyn 

That sums it up, congratulations on a great piece.   We had a debate on here last year between those interested in the life and works vs. those interested only in the works.  Through your thorough knowledge of the man and his times you've proven that a wider look at the subject shines a light on the works.

Two very minor points.
The second picture of Lillian on the Tour didn't show up for me.

To the moderators. IN the new format all IMO pieces are listed alphabetically, which is not so bad when you're 'Young', but I preferred the old format which had the benefit of the most recent one at the top of the page and therefore easiest to find. Also anyone could check and see if a new article had been added in case they missed Ran's introductory thread.

[C. Squier]

Wow, great read.  Very enjoyable and I learned quite a bit.  Thanks!

[Andrew Mitchell]

Phil

Really interesting and enjoyable.

Well done, bloody excellent.

Melvyn 

That pretty much sums it up.  Well done Phil.  Posting this to give the thread a bump in case any one missed it.

[Phil_the_Author]

Once again, thanks to all for the very nice comments and thoughts!

Tony, you mentioned, "To the moderators. IN the new format all IMO pieces are listed alphabetically, which is not so bad when you're 'Young'..."

Actually, if you were a "Young" you'd realize that it IS pretty bad... You're always at the end!

[Tom MacWood]

Phil-the-author
I'm not sure why you are referring to David Moriarty as David the Moriarty, it appears to be a pretty blatant attempt to agitate. I don't recall you referring to Ran as Ran the Morrissett or Pat the Mucci. Is that something you are going to be doing in the future? You gave yourself the nickname Phil-the-author, or at least that is name you have gone by over the years (see Ran's intro and numerous posts on GCA). Are you now uncomfortable with that moniker?

I have no idea what you are talking about regarding an email. I spoke to Ran yesterday, and you nor an email from you came up in our conversation. I have not received an email from you in weeks, and that is a good thing. Why don't you start a thread about that supposed email so I can ignore that too.

[Mike Sweeney]

Phil-the-author
I'm not sure why you are referring to David Moriarty as David the Moriarty, it appears to be a pretty blatant attempt to agitate. I don't recall you referring to Ran as Ran the Morrissett or Pat the Mucci. Is that something you are going to be doing in the future? You gave yourself the nickname Phil-the-author, or at least that is name you have gone by over the years (see Ran's intro and numerous of posts on GCA). Are you now uncomfortable with that moniker?

I have no idea what you are talking about regarding an email. I spoke to Ran yesterday, and you nor an email from you came up in our conversation. I have not received an email from you in weeks, and that is a good thing. Why don't you start a thread about that supposed email so I can ignore that too.

Tom,

Time and a place. Here is the link to the instant message system, use it - http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php?action=pm;sa=send

Mike currently the Hooker.

[Tom MacWood]

Mike
In my judgment this was the proper time and place based on Phil's attempt to derail the other thread. I don't recall you offering the IM services to Phil over on that thread.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Tom,

While we are at it, I will stop the basketball inspired monicker of TMac, if that offends you.  All in good fun, I think, but if you don't like it, I will stop.  I actually thought Tom the Mac was funny, referencing Mac the Knife, etc., but don't think "David the Moriarity" works nearly as well to keep things light hearted either.

Sincerely,

Jeff the Architect

[Melvyn Morrow]

I like the title ‘Lord Protector’ but the way our modern world is going I think Lord High Executioner is far more appropriate.

Any way what the hell as it got to do with the price of spuds of for that matter this site.

Philip the Connoisseur perhaps may be more fitting but I suspect its more likely that its Courvoisier Phil after he signs off

Tom, David is man enough to take life’s little comments, look who’s my groupie on this site, the very gifted  Pat the Prat.

Life is just too short (if only)

Melvyn   

[Mike Hendren]

Thanks for the bump.  Great work Phil - sorry I missed introducing myself at MucciFest.

As to the name calling on this thread, please remember that Violence is not the only thing that makes you see sense.

Mott The Hoople

[Phil_the_Author]

First I want to apologize to one and all for the length of this and for some of its content. I believe that after you read it (if you do) that my statement will make a bit more sense:

Tom the Mac,

Yes, when I first joined I took the "moniker" "Phil the Author" because nearly EVERYONE used them. Then Ran asked us to change from that and simply use our NAMES. That is why I changed it to Philip Young because that is my name.

It was just a few months ago that YOU began referring to me as "Phil the Author" rather than simply Phil or Philip (sorry David it's spelled with a single "L"). I felt and feel that you made that change for your own sarcastic reasons. That is why every time you address me as "Phil the Author" I now address you as "Tom the Mac." You show little respect for anyone on this site and absolutely NONE to me.

YOU called me a liar and confirmed doing so and then had the AUDACITY to tell me that I could do a simple thing to have you "retract" the statement by posting what I told you I could not! In other words, for me to prove to YOU that I wasn't lying I would have to LIE to the person who hired me & provided the documentation & information to me.

In reply I told you the name of the General Manager at Shawnee and suggested that you call him and ask him if I had the documents. He, of course, would have confirmed it as HE was the person who PERSONALLY GAVE THEM TO ME!

Of course, that was too much for the great Tom Macwood to do. You were left with reasonable choices. APOLOGIZE which you did not do (the "I don't believe I called you a liar but if I did I apologize" line is a load of crap by the way), state that though you don't really believe me but that for arguments sake you'll accept that I have them, or make a simple phone call to Shawnee and then have to tell all that I DID HAVE THEM!

But you couldn't even be man enough to do any of those; instead you once again insisted that I was still "bluffing" calling me a liar again!

You are some piece of work Tom Macwood.

As far as the email, Tom, I find it hard in the EXTREME to believe that you did not receive an email from me on 10/3. I CC'ed it to Ran and HE RECEIVED IT! When I spoke to him subsequently HE was under the impression that you must have received it.  I copied who I sent it to from the email heading:

From:  philwritesbooks@aol.comHide .Add to: To Do, Calendar  
To:  thomas.macwood@sbcglobal.net.Cc:  rmorrissett@cabotlinks.com.Bcc:.
Date:Sun, Oct 3, 2010 5:11 pm

The title of the email is "Apology owed."

That is YOUR email address, is it not? If not please let me know and I'll send it again because it is DEFINITELY not an email you want made public. But I have taken so much crap from you that I will do so if you don't give me the courtesy of a response instead of the garbage line you said on the other thread "As far as your supposed email is concerned I could care less."

Frankly that doesn't sound like something one would say if they HADN'T gotten the email, especially as I NEVER received notification that the email to you was UNDELIVERABLE by my ISP!

In it I supplied you with ABSOLUTE PROOF that I had the documents and therefor wasn't lying, "bluffing", obfuscating or any other word you choose to use.

In it I offered a VERY UNDESERVED gesture stating that I would NOT POST the proofs or anything else, because doing so would embarrass you and that was NOT MY INTENT if you would simply admit what you did and PROPERLY APOLOGIZE to me via private email. I stated, and I am now quoting directly:

"I am emailing you in private to give you an opportunity to admit that you called me a liar and apologize for it. In your refusals to do so you stated that there was an easy way to prove that I hadn't and that would be by posting the private documents given to me by the ownership of Shawnee. As I told you, to do so would be to make myself a liar to them as I had promised not to publish anything before the book came out.
 
"In discussing the matter with Ran, he at first also suggested that I post them, and as I am CC'ing him on this email he will also have to admit if you ask him that I should do so and "EMBARRASS you" by doing so. Yes, Tom, those were his EXACT words. I am certain that you won't believe it, but that has never been my intention and it is not my intention to do so now. Ran, also now understands why I wouldn't do so."

If you don't believe that I wrote that than ask RAN to verify it as he DEFINITELY RECEIVED IT!

I post it freely here because you so cavalierly just stated:

"I have no idea what you are talking about regarding an email. I spoke to Ran yesterday, and you nor an email from you came up in our conversation. I have not received an email from you in weeks, and that is a good thing. Why don't you start a thread about that supposed email so I can ignore that too."

Interesting that you use that phrase “so I can ignore that too.” You seem to do a lot of ignoring, especially when it is pointed out that you actually DON’T!

This taken from Tom Macwood's post #180 on the Top Courses thread. For some reason he has never commented about this either, and I think it especially germane in discussing why he hasn’t apologized for calling me a liar.

Quote from: Philip Young on September 14, 2010, 09:20:15 PM

You have NEVER seen any of the Shawnee Country Club minutes and records... I HAVE.
You have NEVER seen any documents related to the building of the Inn and golf course. I HAVE.
You have NEVER seen any documents related to Worthington's purchase of any of the properties in the Shawnee area. I HAVE.
You have NEVER seen any of the documents stored at the Monroe County Historical Society relating to the different Worthington businesses that he located there. I HAVE.
You have NEVER seen the minutes of the Shawnee Community Association which was operated out of Worthington Hall. I HAVE.
You have NEVER seen the documents related to the buying of the properties that would eventually become Worthington's hunting Lodge and Buckwood Park. I HAVE.
You have NEVER seen the related to the purchase of SOME of the property of old Fort Depuy (he didn't purchase the original 3,000 acres because the land had become split into numerous private farms by the 1890s) which he would RENAME Manwalamink, which is where he and his family lived, nor do you know WHY he renamed it that. IHAVE and I DO.

The reason I HAVE and I DO is because I am currently writing the 100-year anniversary book for the Shawnee Inn, Shawnee Country Club and Shawnee Golf Course, hired to do so by the current owners who have given me complete and unfettered access to everything, anything and anyone.
Tom Macwood you need to apologize to me properly, admitting what you did and do so publicly now. I truly have not wanted to embarrass you this way but you leave me no choice.

And just in case you think I am lying about that, here is the header and a small piece of a follow-up email I sent to Ran:

 
I'm hoping to not embarrass Macwood...  
  
From:   philwritesbooks@aol.com
To:   rmorrissett@cabotlinks.com
Date:Mon, Oct 4, 2010 9:08 pm

“I guarantee this will be the last email on the subject. Hopefully you read my one from yesterday and saw the attached absolute proof that I have the Shawnee documents just as I sent them to Tom. I have yet to hear word one from him and am disgusted by his refusal to admit what he did and apologize. I am pretty much begging you to get in touch with him as the site does not need me posting the information and embarrassing him because it will be very bad for all, yet my honor is at stake. I find it completely non-coincidental that on the "Not to bring up a sore point thread" that the very day after receiving my email that he purposefully posted the same false nonsense about Shawnee in post #102...”

Tom, I’ve never wanted to embarrass you, but in order to get the apology that I am owed and deserve as I believe that you have publicly slandered me and my name, I will now also post the “absolute proofs” that I had and have all of the original documents from Shawnee that you accused me of lying about when I said so.

These will be posted on the Shawnee thread as that is where they belong.

Preserve what little dignity is left you and apologize!

As for referring to David and calling him "David the Moriarity" take a careful look at that thread. A number of times David refers to me as "Phillip" (his misspelled version) and then, of a sudden, after HE treats me with crap he calls me "Phil the Author" and so I returned the favor.

If the both of you don't like it then call me Phil, Philip, Philip Young, Young or even Mr. Young. Don't call me  by the moniker as we are to use and call each other by our names.

Finally, I made no attempt to "derail" the other thread. EVERYTHING I posted had to do with the subject or was in response to what OTHERS had posted first! It was YOU TOM who brought up Barker and his "Mysterious" disappearance and YOU who said that you had no idea where he went and YOU who said that there was "NO" mention of him anywhere. I responded with some mentions of where he was and when and then gave clues to others and then OFFERED YOU HELP on the subject, sarcastically I admit but then again I've been more than a bit provoked by you and the baseless things you have accused me of and attacked me with, but it was a real offer none the less. Now you can look them up yourself.

[Phil_the_Author]

Mike and Kelly,

Thank you so much for the kind words. Especially if you read what I just posted to Tom you'll understand why they mean so very much.

[Phil_the_Author]

I thought I'd bump this to the top on the incredibly small chance that Tom the Mac might actually do the right thing...

[Phil_the_Author]

One last bump (I promise) on the incredibly rare chance that Tom macwood will act like a man and do the right thing...