Bryan,
Thanks for the clarification on Westward Ho.
There are only 4 holes (maybe 5) at NGLA that could be considered holes closely modeled on holes abroad, and even with these there are significant differences (improvements, CBM would say.). Many others had features and aspects inspired by aspects of holes abroad but they were applied in an original manner and in original arrangements as the site allowed. From various descriptions, the Cape was a step beyond even this category. It was considered a new concept, one not based upon any particular hole or features or even on a combination of these. It was thought to be original. Unique. Nothing else like it anywhere.
That isn't my opinion or analysis. Rather, it is how the hole was described by Macdonald, Whigham, and others with a very good understanding of what else was out there. So this notion that the hole and concept must have been based on some other hole or holes is revisionist history.
I don't know about the hole at Dornoch. I recall that someone (Rich?) claimed CBM never made it to Dornoch, but idont know. However if we are to believe CBM, HJW, and others this was not the inspiration nor was any other hole.
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Paul I generally agree with much of what you wrote in your commercial break but not all of it:
1. the transition from finding holes on the links to applying those principles elsewhere was neither direct nor fluid. While it may seem onviously the best approach to us, for whatever reason those early practicioners creating courses on non-links (as opposed to finding them on the links) were not transferring the concepts and arangements to their courses, at least not generally. Macdonald established that this was the correct way to approach design and provided a terrific example of how to do it, thus establishing the design approach of what we think of as the golden age of golf design.
2. As strange as it may seem, in the case of the Cape concept, it is not clear that anyone had ever found this type of land formation and used it in the manner that CBM did at NGLA. If they had, then certainly CBM, HJW, were not aware of it, nor were the various commentators on both continents who commented (favorably and less favorably) on the hole. And this hole may have beenthe most famous hole on by far the most talked about course in the World, so surely the proud Brits and Scots would have come up with a prototype if they had one!
So while your description of the process may apply to the development of design principles generally, it does NOT apply to this partular concept or this particular hole.
3. Same goes for the name and description of the hole. So far as I know, "Cape" was not some oft used descriptive name or concept from the lexicon of early links golf, like alps or long or punchbowl or home. The term appears to have been coined by M&W at NGLA. At least so far as know.
4. Those others such as Wilson, Crump, Flynn, Tillie, and others who regularly incorporated the original cape concept into their designs did so from well within CBM's long shadow. They all knew the concept from NGLA's Cape Hole and the extensive discussion about the course and that had taken place on both continents. And they even cooptedt he name for one of their three basic types of par 4's from CBM's Cape hole at NGLA! What stronger evidence of the influence of CBM's Cape hole could there be?
So, in short, no matter how hard it usually is to trace the geneology of golf holes and names, it just isn't that complicated in this particular case. It was a CBM hole and named by him.
That you now see the concept everywhere and see it as a basic fundamental building block of good design is a tribute to CBM, his creativity, and his tremendous influence on all who came after.
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Paul I just reread your post and had a thought .... Is it possible that you are focusing on the modern understanding of the term "cape" as in a diagonal carry where the golfer can bite off as much as he/she can handle? I ask because if that is the context of your post then it makes much more sense. Because there just isn't that much mystery to the origins of the cape concept as they used the term in the first third of last century.