Chris,
A few thoughts and questions for you.
You stated, "I did and still do think there is value to exploring the various reasons that Tillinghast went to work altering numerous courses of the PGA."
So do I.
You continued, "Considering the penal nature of Bethpage Black and Red, I would like to know more about the bunker removals on many of the courses that he visited..."
What correlation do YOU see between the bunkering at Bethpage and removals of bunkers during the Tour, and why?
You went on, "I still am not buying much of what Phil is writing about, it strikes me as a tad bit revisionist history..."
Whenever someone states an historical conclusion that differs from what has been generally held the phrase "revisionist history" is often used. Quite often the revisionist is proven correct. Now that is a self-serving statement, yet true nonetheless. But could I ask you in SPECIFIC what some of the things are that I have written that you are "not buying?"
You finished by saying, "Depression was on and this was a way to redesign courses that as of yet did not bear his mark."
To me that is revisionist historical thinking. You are imbuing motives to Tilly based upon looking backward rather than putting yourself in his time and personal place. Now that is something that historians do and is part of the process of understanding, but to do so properly one needs to have researched time, place and person intimately. This isn't meant as a contentious question, but can you really say that you have done that in this case? For example, have you read all of Tilly's letters and reports to Jacobus at the PGA? What was day-to-day life for Tilly like in 1934-35 before going out on tour? What is always forgotten and appears so still despite my having mentioned her several times is Lillian, Tilly's wife. She was integral to his accepting this position and greatly aided him day-to-day while on the tour. Why would she do this? Have you & your wife ever gone on a working trip of two weeks together, driving the entire time, not knowing where you would be staying and who you would be dealing with? How would you be after a month? Two? A year... And we have an interstate highway system, modern hotels and facilities of all kinds, AAA for problems, ATM machines, and on and on...
Other questions for you to consider when making conclusions about Tilly's motivations and the Tour. We know that Tilly & Jacobus thought that it would only last a few months. A year was ay beyond anything they considered and yet it actually went on for more than two. Do you think that Tilly & Lillian would have agreed to do it if they had known? Do you think that Jacobus & the PGA would have asked Tilly and planned to fund it for that long knowing as we do how close to bankruptcy the PGA was at the time?
There are so many other factors involved. Wear and tear on the car. Flat tires and where to get gasoline ion some areas. Simple practicalities such as laundry and who to visit (we've already seen that, especially in these first few weeks, that Tilly was left swinging in the wind a bit by not hearing from Jacobus and having many extra duties put upon him such as scheduling visits and doing interviews and giving talks that had not been planned for.
There is a HUGE big picture here that, with few exceptions, everyone who has made conclusions about what was done and why and Tilly's motivations in doing so have both overlooked and do so without any real research into it.
That is one of the main reasons why I am doing this thread; to provide as much of those details in this small space as possible so that conclusions that more accurately reflect the reality and truth of what they did can be better drawn.
Keep an open mind is all I ask...