Mike
You brought it up. If you weren't willing to share the information don't think you should have kept it to yourself? Who is the owner?
But Tom...I am willing to share any information from the book and have already. You just don't seem to want to accept it.
What would you like to know?
I already shared the illuminating drawing of Tweedie's nine hole course for Atlantic City the other day and was told that the owner did not want the book physically reproduced so I respect his wishes...I do wish I could show you the drawings of Campbell's work at Merion and Huntingdon Valley, as well, frankly.
But more I wish I could show you Belmont. As mentioned, whatever the plans in 1896 for Campbell to design an 18 hole, a nine hole, and a woman's course there never came to fruition, and by 1898 the club was still playing at their nine hole course designed by Dr. Toulmin, who fifteen years later served on Merion's Committee, and Harrison Townsend, and a third member. That attribution is cited in the book, but you refuse to acknowledge that fact.
The course itself looks to be the most interesting of all those early Philly courses. As mentioned, the third green was surrounded on three sides by a creek, and the fourth was a par three perched on the edge of a quarry. There was very little in the way of crossing hazards, and it looked a step ahead of the rest architecturally.
In any case, I also previously cited for you from the book that a dozen years before he was to lead the Merion Committee, Hugh Wilson at the early age of 18 was already one of the very best golfers in Philadelphia, having won the first club championship at Belmont (which became Aronimink), and was a scratch player when the next best player in the club was Harrison Townsend who played to an eight. Wilson also was "first man" on Belmont's golf team, so he was something of a boy wonder in these parts in early Philly golf circles, as opposed to the ignorant insurance man you've portrayed him to be.
Each course/club profile lists the architecture, the membership committees, a drawing of the course, photos, a listing of all the members, and any and all other pertinent info.
It's also where I found that the Green Committee had largely revised and extended Campbell's course at Huntingdon Valley in the first year of play. It's also where it is listed that Philadelphia Country Club was designed by the members with help from pro Harry Gullane...Campbell is not listed although the one news article Joe found says he did offer some "suggestions".
Yet, despite all of the evidence I gave to you here already, your "list" for Campbell architecture continues to list Belmont, Philly Country Club, and Huntingdon Valley as his creations, which is inaccurate, or highly misleading.
I would think an accurate portrayal of his architecture would be more beneficial to his memory. No need to fluff him up, Tom...he was an important figure no doubt, but to cite him as some great early architect is really not an accurate portrayal.
David,
In the 1940s, Byron Nelson was the pro here at Reading Country Club, Ben Hogan played out of Hershey Country Club, and as Tom mentioned, George Fazio was the "pro" at Pine Valley.
I seriously doubt they were in the shop shilling golf shirts and balls, but instead merely representing these clubs as something like figureheads, which given Campbell's expansive duties around Boston in 1896 seems to be a similar situation as Jeff pointed out.
Jeff,
I do think Campbell likely had some input into the design of the original Myopia course if he laid it out on the ground as those early news accounts tell us.
As I mentioned, I think the members staked out the course in early spring and then Campbell helped them build it, probably offering his own insight.
I don't see the accounts as mutually exclusive in the least.