Inwood in 1923

[Joe Bausch]

Inwood was the site for the 1923 U.S. Open.  The Daily Eagle posted hole diagrams and descriptions in early July.

[Tom_Doak]

Joe:

Those are terrific drawings.  I've never seen them before after years of consulting at Inwood ... I guess it never occurred to us to look for diagrams of holes of a NYC course in a Philadelphia paper!

I'm a bit confused as to the routing ... the first seven or eight holes are per the current routing, but it appears they played part-way down #12 for the ninth, and then had a short 4 back to the ninth tee, before playing today's 9-10 as 11-12.  And the current 13-14-15 weren't there ... replaced by 15 and 16 on this plan, which didn't go so far out into the marshlands.  I knew there had been a different routing early on, but didn't realize that it lasted as long as the 1923 Open.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

How topical, I went there yesterday..
Great lay out, but such a shame that it has been allowed to slip into less than ideal shape.
Such a pity that this country does not embrace it's golfing history as much as it could...rather attract the big money to clubs like Bayonne and Liberty National...courses that in realty to not architecturally hold a candle to what I saw yesterday

If only it could be in the smae sort of shape as Garden City which was spectacular again...great event great course...

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Tom,

I think The Eagle was published in Brooklyn, not Philadelphia.


Michael,

If Inwood wasn't in good condition, is it because their membership is in decline?


http://www.golfweek.com/news/2009/jun/22/demise-jewish-club/

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

That would be my impression..perhaps many of the big money members have gone elsewhere?
The elegant clubhouse was in n equally poor state of repair, and such a beautiful building...

[Peter Pallotta]

Thanks as always, Joe.

Goodness, what a tough test this must've been in 1923.

Struck by the charming, simple descriptions ("the green is a punch-bowl affair" and "one must get home or pay the penalty") and, if the drawings are correct, the 'uniform' width of the fairways, i.e. none of this unneceesary curving lines and narrowing and widening.

And yes, more proof (as if we needed it) that with all our media and technology and synergies of content providers (blah) and niche marketing, things were just as good/better back then...the daily papers providing all the sports fan needed or could want.

Peter   

[Jim_Kennedy]

What the holes looked like 'in the flesh', Inwood in 1920s:

[Mark Bourgeois]

Jim beat me to it...partially. Here is the full course. Very poor condition, many many splicing errors but this is a good overlay to 1951 aerial (http://golfcoursehistories.com/Inwood.html):

[jeffwarne]

How topical, I went there yesterday..
Great lay out, but such a shame that it has been allowed to slip into less than ideal shape.
Such a pity that this country does not embrace it's golfing history as much as it could...rather attract the big money to clubs like Bayonne and Liberty National...courses that in realty to not architecturally hold a candle to what I saw yesterday

If only it could be in the smae sort of shape as Garden City which was spectacular again...great event great course...

MWP. How true 
Anyone hear anything lately about how Inwood survived Sandy?
One of my MET favorites

[V. Kmetz]

Tom D (or Joe):

As an aside, wasn't the Daily Eagle a Brooklyn paper?

cheers

vk

[BCrosby]

vk -

Yes it is. The confusion may have been due to the fact that Joe is from Philly.

Bob

[V. Kmetz]

Thanks Bob,

I'm doing research for a NYC area club history and I was thinking,

"If there's another Daily Eagle, with golf stuff this detailed...I've got to find that!"

cheers

vk

[Jim_Kennedy]

Jim beat me to it...partially. Here is the full course. Very poor condition, many many splicing errors but this is a good overlay to 1951 aerial (http://golfcoursehistories.com/Inwood.html):

Mark,
Use the slide bar at the bottom of the photo.  

I thoroughly enjoy your GCH site. Some few years back a few folks, myself included, helped Tony Pioppi compile a list of every course in Ct. that appeared on the 1934 aerial of the state. I think you use one of them, Yale, on your site. Below is a list of most of them, but Tony may still have an 'updated' list which contains a few more. Some of them might make interesting comparisons.

Alexander Pope Private Course, Farmington, Unknown (NLE), 06454*
Alling Memorial Golf Course, New Haven, Robert D. Pryde, 10062
Banner Resort and CC- Moodus, Unknown, 06884
Brooklawn Country Club, Fairfield, A.W. Tillinghast, 04341
Canaan Country Club, Unknown, 08356
Candlewood Lake Club, Brookfield, Ted Farley, 07422
Canton Golf Public Golf Course, Robert Ross, (NLE) 09461
Chippanee Golf Club, Bristol, Herbert J. Lagerblade, 06231
Clinton Country Club, Unknown, 03106 (NLE)**
Country Club of Fairfield, Seth Raynor, 05491
Country Club of Farmington, Devereux Emmet, 06408, 06456, 06463
Country Club of New Canaan, Willie Park, Jr., 04764
Country Club of Waterbury, Donald Ross, 07106, 07107
D. Fairchild Wheeler, Fairfield, Robert White, 05516
East Hartford Golf Course, Unknown, 09656
East Mountain Golf Course, Waterbury, William and David Gordon, 07054
Edgewood Golf Club, Cromwell, R.J. Ross, 09207
E. Gaynor Brennan Golf Club, (FKA Hubbard Heights Country Club), Stamford, 04121
Enfield Golf Club, unknown, 07818
Ethel Walker Private Course, Simsbury, Unknown, (NLE) 09529
Fairview Country Club, Greenwich, Unknown, 04037
Fenwick Golf Course, Old Saybrook, Unknown, 02847
Golf Club of Avon, Unknown, 09478
Goodwin Park Golf Course, Hartford, Unknown, 09250
Greenwich Country Club, Seth Raynor, 03975
Grassy Hill Country Club, Orange, Unknown, 03199
Green Woods Country Club, Winsted, Unknown, (NLE) 07931
Harkness Estate Private Course, Watertown, Unknown, (NLE) 00513
Harrisville Golf Course, Woodstock, Aimee Salvas, 01185
Hartford Golf Club, West Hartford, Donald Ross/Devereux Emmet, 08949***
Highland Country Club, Middletown/Meriden, Unknown, 09333 (NLE)
Highland Golf Club, Shelton, Frank G. Gates, 03367
Hop Brook Golf Club, Naugatuck, Unknown, 07063
Hob Nob Hill, Salisbury, Deveux Emmet (NLE), 08187
Hotchkiss School, Salisbury, Seth Raynor, 08126
Hunter Golf Course, Meriden, Robert D. Pryde, 06168
Indian Hill Country Club, Newington, R.J. Ross, 09343
Innis Arden Club, Old Greenwich, J. Kennedy Tod, 04125
Keney Park, Hartford, Devereux Emmet/, 09719
Lake Waramaug, Preston, Unknown, 05911
Litchfield Country Club, Unknown, 07585
Longshore Golf Club, Orrin Smith, 05314
Louis Stoner Private Course, West Hartford, Orrin Smith, 09897 (NLE)
Madison Country Club, Willie Park, Jr., 04447
Manchester Country Club, Tom Bendelow, 06942
Mill River Country Club, Stratford, Thomas Winton, 03400
New Haven Country Club, Willie Park, Jr., 04926
New London Country Club, Waterford, Charlie Brooks, 00209
Newtown Country Club, Unknown, 03761
Norfolk Country Club, Unknown, 09794
Norwich Golf Course, Alfred Tull, 02029
Orange Hills Country Club, Orange, Robert D. Pryde, 03181
Paul Block Private Course, Greenwich, Wayne Stiles & John Van Kleek, 04042 (NLE)
Pequabuck Golf Club, Bristol, Unknown, 06229
Pine Orchard Yacht and Country Club, Branford, Robert D. Pryde, 05591
Pleasant View Golf Course, Meriden, Unknown, 06174 (NLE)
Plymouth Meadow Country Club, Windsor, Charles Henderson, 09705 (formerly Windsor Golf Club)
Quinnatisset Country Club, Thompson, Unknown, 01054
Quotonset Golf Club, Westbrook, Unkown, (NLE) 02987 (formerly Westbrook Golf Club)
Racebrook Country Club, Orange, Robert D. Pryde, 03254
Ridgewood Country Club, Danbury, Devereux Emmet, 02633
Rockledge Country Club, West Hartford, Maurice Kearney, 06145
Round Hill Club, Greenwich, Walter Travis, 04015
Salmon Creek Country Club, Granby, Orrin Smith, (NLE) 09816
Sharon Country Club, Unknown, 07279
Shennecossett Golf Course, Groton, Donald Ross, 00464
Shorehaven Golf Club, Norwalk, Robert White, 05250
Shuttle Meadow Country Club, New Britain, Willie Park, Jr., 06471 & 06469
Silver Spring Country Club, Robert White, 07175
Sleeping Giant Golf Course, Hamden, Ralph Barton, 04916
Southington Country Club, Unknown, 06384
Stanley Golf Course, New Britain, R.J. Ross, 06150
Suffield Country Club, Otis Smith, 09690
Sunset Ridge Country Club, East Hartford, Orrin Smith, 09654 (NLE)
Tamarack Country Club, Greenwich, Charles Banks, 04045
The Cedars, Lakeville, Unknown, (NLE), 08128
Torrington Country Club, Goshen, Orrin Smith, 10260
Tumble Brook Country Club, Bloomfield, Willie Park, Jr., 08970
Wallingford Country Club, Unknown, 05666
Wampanoag Country Club, West Hartford, Donald Ross, 08968
Washington Golf Club, David Johnson, 06055
Watertown Country Club, David Cornish, 07478
Wee Burn Country Club, Darien, Devereux Emmet, 04776
West Hartford Golf Club, (now known as Buena Vista Golf Course), Robert Ross, 06146
Wethersfield Country Club, Robert D. Pryde (9), Robert J. Ross (9), 09254
Willimantic Country Club, Unknown, 03657
Windsor Golf Club, Charles Henderson, 09705 (NLE)
Woodbridge Country Club, Orrin Smith, 04809
Woodstock Golf Course, Unknown, 01182
Woodway Country Club, Darien, Willie Park Jr., 04774
Yale Golf Course, New Haven, Seth Raynor, 04811


*Pope Course was six holes. Some green and tee sites visible in the photo. Property is now part of the Hill-Stead Museum.
**The current Clinton Country Club is in a different location.
***Holes south of road bisecting the course no longer exist.


MASSACHUSETTS

Longmeadow Country Club, Donald Ross, 07818

NEW YORK

Blind Brook Club, Port Chester, Seth Raynor, 04039, 04011****
Pound Ridge Country Club, Unknown, 04107
Kings Ridge Country Club, Thomas Winton, 04039*****
Quaker Hill Country Club, Pawling, Lowell Thomas (?), 05691 (NLE)

****An Unknown private course south of Blind Brook is visible in both photos
****Course is at top of photo. Blind Brook is just below.


RHODE ISLAND

Misquamicut Club, Westerly, Donald Ross, 00079


The thread:   http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,32030.0.html

[Mark Bourgeois]

Thanks Jim I've got those and more -  so many that I think am about 300 years behind on doing comparison aerials, and that's just in the US.

The problem using the NYCityMaps site directly for comparison is there's a lot of poor splicing -  Inwood is one of the worst I've ever seen -  different focal lengths, and outright distortions, such that you can't be sure you're looking "through" to the older or newer course, depending on your perspective. That aerial you posted is Exhibit A for the prosecution.

You have to pull the photos yourself and torture them if you want them to give up their secrets.

[Jim_Kennedy]

You have to pull the photos yourself and torture them if you want them to give up their secrets.

Thankfully that's your 'job', not mine. 

[V. Kmetz]

Forgive me for hijacking this thread for a moment, but Inwood will always be a special place to me, not for its traditions, it design or the fact that Jones won his first Open there, though at one time those were the attractions.

Inwood is dear to me because of a Met PGA tournament played more than decade ago.

I was caddying for our assistant pro Dennis, who was in one of the best playing forms he would ever experience.  The year before, he had started to qualify for tournaments and round into form with the previous summer's NYS Open and Assistant's "tour" events...this continued throughout the season of this particular Met PGA, played at the end of summer.  Neither of us, though, had been to Inwood before and we didn't know what to expect.

The first thing a foreigner might notice about Inwood is that it is directly East of a frequented far runway at JFK. The end of that runway is no more than a 1/3rd of a mile from the heart of the course and as Dennis warmed up on the range, like clockwork, massive and deafening jet roars and the big silver undersides of planes went overhead.  Our tee-off time was 8:38 on the 10th hole, a short-iron par 3 with a wild green over a tiny pond - an awkward starter to say the least.  Dennis limped it onto the green, but three-putted for a disappointing first tally...but 17 holes to go.



Dennis would par #11, and had hit a good tee shot on #12.  At that point, the player is heading west and once he/she gets past some trees that border 12 on the left, a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline opens up.  Though I was focused on the golf, I couldn't help but notice a tremendous industrial trail of black smoke heading to the south from the Brooklyn foreground...right over the Verrazano bridge.  I thought to myself, "Geesh, we have all these car emissions regulations and other environmental sanctions and something like THIS is allowed to go on."



My picture text will tell the whole story, but when we learned what we learned, and the eye now met what the brain knew...I realized it wasn't industrial pollution at all and the entirety of the day was going to be something much, much, different.



Golf became insignificant and the competitors and caddies were absolutely transfixed by the scene unfolding to the West of us.  I remember Dennis hit his shot safely onto the par 3 14th green but had a long nasty putt of about 40 feet, when Farley came out and announced the cancellation - the tournament would be started anew in mid October at Sunningdale CC in Scarsdale.



This was the broad aerial view of the entire scene



Sorry about the brief hijack, but the word Inwood has taken on an entirely different meaning for me in the 11.5 years since Sept 11, 2001.

cheers

vk

[Patrick_Mucci]

Inwood is a neat, unique golf course that's fun to play.

Brad Klein grew up caddying there, my dad used to play in their member guest every year when the club was in it's hayday.  
The clubhouse is elegant and a throwback to that special era.
It's full of photos and memorabilia.
Tom Doak's restoration/renovation recaptured a lot of the old era.

Inwood has the shortest hole in U.S Open history.
I believe # 10 was less than 100 yards

It's location and the deteriorating surrounding area is part of the problem with membership

[jeffwarne]

VK,
Thanks for the chilling memories.
I remember waking up that morning mildly agitated and somewhat emotional about the fact that I was not playing at Inwood due to the demands of hosting prospective rounds at my new Head pro Position, while still maintaining my (then current ) position as Director of Instruction at Atlantic.
Obviously a different set of emotions was soon to follow, as by not playing I had a front row seat in front of the news all morning.

In the previous Met PGA held at Inwood (1993) ,my first ever MET PGA, I had played in the final round in the  last group of the day with my boss Jim McLean and many time Player of the year Rick Versure. On a raw, nasty day, through seven holes I had hit one green and was one under, and somehow still in the thick of it, with only Versure in front of me.
Versure then proceeded to catch fire, shoot 66 and beat me by about a dozen.
Versure is a class act, Inwood is a great place, and playing with my boss McLean, (who ironically used to be Versure's boss) was a fond memory (at least as I look back now )

[Patrick_Mucci]

Jeff & VK,

Would you say that there's a good deal of "quirk" in the course ?

[V. Kmetz]

Pat,

I only saw (or experienced) Holes 10 -14, and then walking 15 - 18 back in that day...

so I really couldn't say...#10 felt a bit quirky, especially as an opener (for us), green was big, rumply and had a pouring slope back down into the water.

cheers

vk

[jeffwarne]

Jeff & VK,

Would you say that there's a good deal of "quirk" in the course ?

Pat,
I haven't been there since '93.
I understand there has been a restoration by the Doak team since then.
I remembered it as being quite short and clssic "old" architecture.
I don't remember hitting many drivers, if any, although I used to routinely play that way on many of the older courses in the MET Section.
I don't remember a ton of quirk, just smaller interesting greens, and an old feel.
Additionally, it is quite exposed to the elements as it plays out along the water, as well as the runway of JFK.
Don't I remember 3 par 5's in a row on the front nine?
10 was 106 yards over a pond-a nervy start in the second round.
18 has a plaque where Bobby Jones hit 2 iron in from in the 23 Open.

After the first round, My wife drove down from Westchester to pick me up with our newborn twins in the car,got lost and had quite a harrowing experience  in the surrounding neighborhoods you reference, escaped unharmed, but a bit shaken.
In the days before cell phones,this left me on the putting green about 3-4 hours, chipping and putting, wondering where the hell she was.
I had 30 putts in the next 25 holes , but alas poor ballstriking and nerves finally caught up to me.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Jeff,

I thought it was a 2-iron ?

While the area fronting the 18th green has changed, from the right rough it was a heck of a shot to go over the water

[jeffwarne]

Jeff,

I thought it was a 2-iron ?

While the area fronting the 18th green has changed, from the right rough it was a heck of a shot to go over the water

Pat it WAS a 2 iron and it was 1923 (maybe I hit a 4 iron  )
Were you there ?
I certainly had no facts right....(wrong club wrong year)

[Brad Klein]

Astonishing bunkering. As an aside, back in the early 1960s, I used to drive by (in the back seat of my dad's car) that course every summer weekend on the way to Rockaway Beach, utilizing the road that was crossed to reach what are depicted as holes 9 & 10 across the road.

My first image of a golf course ever was of the back of the 8th green, and in 1963, at the age of 9, I bicycled the 3 miles or so from our house in Rosedale up to the cast iron gates that crossed behind the 8th tee, (new) 9th tee, and between the tee and green on the watery little 10th hole, behind the 18th green, and up to the palatial clubhouse.  I walked down the 18th fairway, saw a player hit his tee shot on 18, and as I watched he ball butterfly down fell in love with golf forever. Turns out I was standing about 180-yards short right of the green in the rough, in a spot where a decade or so later, they put the plaque down marking that same spot from which Bobby Jones in 1923 hit the 2-iron in the playoff against Cruikshank

[Mark Bourgeois]

By the way, is that the 5th in the SW corner? The newspaper description says the tee is almost in the water and the 1951 aerial shows a grassed area.

If so, that is one awesome hole!