Who Designed Glen Ridge?

[Mike Cirba]

A 1915 article that shows much of today's routing (produced by Joe Bausch and the "Maps" thread) claims that the course is the second oldest in this country (after St. Andrews), being in play by 1893.

Today, the course is said to be mostly Willie Park, but might he have been here very early?   What part did he play?

For the historian/researchers here, this is a course history worthy of study.

[Dean Paolucci]

Mike,

There is not much known about the two original 9 hole courses which were located roughly a mile south of the current site. These two courses date back to the foundation of the Golf Club of Glen Ridge in 1894 and the Country Club of Glen Ridge in 1911.  Willie Park, Jr. is credited with the current site and layout.  A. W. Tillinghast was responsible for the present 13th and 14th hole when some land was sold off.  Member at the time Robert Trent Jones, Sr. redesigned the 9th hole to accomodate the rise of tennis in the early 70's.  His site super was Rodger Rulewich.  Ron Forse and Jim Nagle created our Master Plan and led the restoration effort 5 years ago which returned the course to its present state. 

Dean

See early history below.

From our Club history
The Golf Club of Glen Ridge was founded by 14 charter members at the residence of Mr. John W. Stewart, 335 Ridgewood Avenue, on October 10, 1894.  They set Initiation fees at $1.00 and Annual dues at $3.00.  The Club was one of the first hundred golf clubs in the United States and probably the fourth one in New Jersey.  The original 9 hole course was located in the area of Ridgewood and Bay Avenues, in Glen Ridge.  The original clubhouse was built on what is now Oxford Street. The Club was incorporated as the Country Club of Glen Ridge on April 25, 1911 as a stock company and as of January 22, 1920 as a not-for profit corporation called the Glen Ridge Country Club. 

In April 25, 1911 the clubhouse opened in the present location in order to put 18 holes together on land where owners did not prohibit Sunday play.

In 1918, a Scottsman by the name of Willie Park Jr. designed the new eighteen holes.  He was well respected as a superior golfer and one of the first pioneers of golf course architecture. 

As a result of the stock market crash of 1929, the officers of the Club reduced  dues, created special categories of memberships and sent letters to the community in order to keep the Club alive.  The membership drive brought in 126 new members and the Club reorganized under the National Bankruptcy Act. 
 

[Mike Cirba]

Dean,

Great to hear from you...hope things are well.   Thanks for the information.

What's confusing to me is the timelines because the 1915 article/drawing map found bears similarities to today's course and I'm not sure that Park was in the country at that particular time but I'm sure someone can tell us.

What's probably a mistake in the article is the contention that the golf course at that site had been in use since 1893 and was the second oldest in the country, but reading it almost sounds as though the club moved to an existing course.

Still, as a huge fan of Wilile Park (and Glen Ridge) I'd love to know the exact details.  

[TEPaul]

MikeC:

I can't recall if you know him but you just couldn't find a better person to respond to your questions than Dean! If every club with significant old architecture had a member anything like Dean they would be very lucky indeed.

[Mike Cirba]

Tom,

Yes, I do know Dean and completely agree with you and was hoping he'd see this thread and respond.

[Dean Paolucci]

TEPaul - As always, I am humbled by your kind words!

Mike_Cirba - I think the confusion stems from the Clubs age not the course.  GRCC thru its predicessors was founded in 1894 and that is the foundation date we use.  As far as Park goes, he could have drawn the plans anytime from 1894 to 1917.  The current course was to have been opened in 1918.  I do not know the exact dates that Park has been attributed to work in the US but this might shed light on same.

[Tom MacWood]

As far as Park goes, he could have drawn the plans anytime from 1894 to 1917.  The current course was to have been opened in 1918.  I do not know the exact dates that Park has been attributed to work in the US but this might shed light on same.

Park could have drawn the plans anytime between 1894 and 1917...what do you mean? It seems extremely unlikely he drew the plans in 1894, and then delayed execution until 1918.

[Dean Paolucci]

Tom - It means what it means.  I don't know when Park was in the US or on the site for that matter.  When between 1894 and 1918 when the course opened was he in the US or more importantly NJ.  If you answer that question you will approximate when he drew the plans and between that date and 1918 he would have completed the work.

[Sean_Tully]

 I have a Arthur Webster  golf instructor from Morris County Golf Club superintending the the work of the course being laid out.

Circa Oct. 1894


Some course changes were made in 1897 no name given.


Tully

[TEPaul]

MacWood:


Apropos of your post #6 would you be willing to meet or speak with Dean Paolucci rather than just discussing things with him on this website in the same vein of your participation on the Merion, Pine Valley, Myopia or North Shore threads?

If so, I would be more than happy to introduce you or provide you with his telephone #. He's a most accommodating man with his club and its history and architecture. HE can probably offer you access to his club and its architecture archives----a fact and treat you are clearly not used to or apparently don't even believe in.

How about it? Are you willing, for a chanbe, to consider finally establishing a personal and working relationship with a golf club or the people in one who know a whole Helluva lot more about it than you do in the process of researching its architectural evolution? And if not, why not?

As long as you and I are on this website I am going to keep harping on this issue of the necessity and importance of establishing a personal and working relationship with golf clubs with you until you finally figure out it is the right thing to do and the proper and competent thing to do----actually the only thing to do, if you want to even consider YOURSELF to be a serious and competent researcher/analyst and historian on golf course achitecture!

[Tom MacWood]

Dean
This is what I have on the new course (NY Times 1/18/1911 and American Golf 9/1912), which is consistent with your club history. After about a twenty year absence Park came to the US in 1916 and stayed until 1923 or '24. My guess is the course was expanded around 1918, and Park was the person responsible. That is all I have at present. I'm not sure who originally laid out the golf course in 1911-12. Feel free to email me and I will help you anyway I can.

[Mike Cirba]

Tom MacWood,

What year is that listing of Willie Park courses from? 

Thanks.

[Matt_Ward]

Dean:

It's too bad the old 9th could not be brought back into existence.

No doubt the tennis advocates would feel differently.

Three of the more unique holes at GR are the three par-3 holes in close proximity to one another -- the 2nd, 8th and 11th holes.

Very smart manner in placing these holes as segways to other holes.

[Tom MacWood]

Tom MacWood,

What year is that listing of Willie Park courses from? 

Thanks.

Circa 1922-23

[Mike Cirba]

Tom,

That's really interesting.

I wonder if Park ever knew that the pre-war plans he created for Ashbourne, Philmont, and Schuylkill actually were built by the early 20s, some years after they were actually drawn.

[TEPaul]

"Dean
This is what I have on the new course (NY Times 1/18/1911 and American Golf 9/1912), which is consistent with your club history. After about a twenty year absence Park came to the US in 1916 and stayed until 1923 or '24. My guess is the course was expanded around 1918, and Park was the person responsible. That is all I have at present. I'm not sure who originally laid out the golf course in 1911-12. Feel free to email me and I will help you anyway I can."


Tom MacWood:

Bravo! That's an excellent and necessary first step for anyone with a real interest in the history of the architecture of a course to begin a competent investigation and analysis of it. Hopefully you can help the club with anything they may not have and hopefully the club can help you understand what they have you've not been aware of. Dean is your man at Glen Ridge!

[Mike Cirba]

Just a bit more from the reports at the time.

This from March, 1911;





About a month later, it seems the club needed to make a decision about how to proceed.   Do we know anything about Robert Thomson, who was previously at Knollwood?

[Dean Paolucci]

Dean:

It's too bad the old 9th could not be brought back into existence.

No doubt the tennis advocates would feel differently.

Three of the more unique holes at GR are the three par-3 holes in close proximity to one another -- the 2nd, 8th and 11th holes.

Very smart manner in placing these holes as segways to other holes.

Matt,

I too wish the original 9th was still in place.  The current 9th does not have the push up charm that the original green had.  Interestingly enough there were no bunkers around the old 9th.  I will look for you at Hot Bagels Abroad someday to discuss.

DEAN

[Matt_Ward]

The thing about GR is that when the course is really dry -- a rarity -- it can be quite vexing. The old 9th was some hole -- I still think the closing hole at GR gets little attention from many as a solid finisher.

[Dean Paolucci]

Matt - on a related note, we have hired a new superintendent (from Saucon Valley - Grace) who believes in firm and fast.  I expect that "dry" will be the norm as we get into the season.

[Kyle Harris]

Matt - on a related note, we have hired a new superintendent (from Saucon Valley - Grace) who believes in firm and fast.  I expect that "dry" will be the norm as we get into the season.

He will get you firm and fast, alright.

[Dean Paolucci]

Kyle,

I genuinly hope he brings that dimension to the course.  I think it is what the Membership desires at this time.

DEAN

[Tom MacWood]

Dean
I'm a little surprised you haven't acknowledged Mike C's posts, he's apparently solved a mystery and identified your course's original architect.

[Tom MacWood]

Tom,

That's really interesting.

I wonder if Park ever knew that the pre-war plans he created for Ashbourne, Philmont, and Schuylkill actually were built by the early 20s, some years after they were actually drawn.

If the plans were drawn pre-War they wouldn't have been drawn by Park. He didn't come over until 1916.

[Mike Cirba]

Dean
I'm a little surprised you haven't acknowledged Mike C's posts, he's apparently solved a mystery and identified your course's original architect.

Tom,

Thanks, but I'm not sure I really solved anything at this point.   The article says that Thomson "superintended the iimprovements", which to me may simply mean he oversaw construction.   From your article it seems they had the property under their control by January of that year, and I'm thinking possibly the members did the original layout which was then built by Thomson but I think we need more info still.

Also, the article refers to "improvements" to the course, which has me wondering (in conjunction with Joe's article that states the "course" is the second oldest in the United States next to St. Andrews) if perhaps the club purchased an existing, abandoned golf course from another club.   Less likely, but still some odd wording to denote design and construction on virgin land.

Do we know much about Thomson or his involvement with other course building or architecting prior to coming to Glen Ridge?