Joe,
Thanks for posting the article. I guess it is consistent with the understanding I had from the informative threads on Seaview from a year or so ago, although wasn't someone arguing that Ross did not really do much at all in the way of anything? Or maybe I misremember? It sounds like, from the author's perspective at least, that the new bunkering by Ross substantially altered the course from a playability perspective; ("those who have not played the Seaview course in two years would scarcely recognize it.")
I don't want to start a fight or conflict, but I have a recollection of some of the early reports about Seaview as being less than positive. Did they bring in Ross because of dissatisfaction with the coursel, or for some other reason? Or perhaps I should just ask why do you suppose they brought him in . . . I sounds like it must have been 1915 when he set out the bunkers, which was at the very beginning.
Some random questions for you or anyone:
1. Any ideas on who "Peter Putter" was? Seems to have been from the Philly area.
2. Will you share the actual date and name of the publication?
3. I can't quite make out the bottom of the first column. It seems to be saying that the 17th was a dogleg, but people were playing it by driving into the 18th fairway; someone got hit, and so they made drives from the 15th tee out of bounds? A typo maybe? Any ideas on what hole was causing the problem, the 15th or 17th? You guys have an original routing or scorecard or something, don't you?
4. Any ideas of who did or supervised the actual construction work for the Ross bunkers?
5. I'm confused as to the timing. Was the course open for the two years between the time Ross marked the bunkers and the time of the article, or was it closed at some point?
6. The article mentions that a few greens with clover had been dug up and re-turfed. (Perhaps it is a jump, but does this imply that Hugh Wilson's involvement ended pretty early? Hard to imagine the greens would have gotten away from him.) I assume that the greens themselves were not altered except for the turf? Is this consistent with your understanding?
Sorry for all the questions. Not trying to create a research agenda for you, but if you have the answers handy, I'd appreciate you relaying the information.
Thanks again.