Manufacturer's (Flynn, 1925): a photo tour (back nine now up)

[Joe Bausch]

Late in April I had the pleasure of playing "Mannies", a Philadelphia area William Flynn design (1925).  This was my first time there and I'm told they have been doing a tremendous amount of tree work over the last couple of years, slowly but surely bringing back some width and helping the scenery too.  The supe there is a member here at GolfClubAtlas and I'm assuming he will add further commentary if needed.  If you have any pics to make a 'before and after' comparison, in particular to emphasize the tree work, please post them!

Here is the routing, where you'll notice a creek running diagonally across the layout:

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[Joe Bausch]

The first hole is a 385 yard par 4 from a very elevated tee.  You'll notice that many of the greens at Mannies have shaved down areas that I think is wonderful as it really presents options for the short game.

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[Joe Bausch]

#2:  a dogleg left par 4 (396 yards) with the creek in play near the green.  It actually started to rain briefly as we started this hole, so the pics are a bit dark... but the weather improved tremendously not long thereafter.

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[Joe Bausch]

#3.  This 455 yard par 4 really deserves it No 2 handicap label.  You'll notice on one of the pics the evidence of very recent tree removal short and left of the green (a really wonderful sound on this day was the hum of a tree stumping machine!).

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[Joe Bausch]

Flynn has a pretty neat set of par 3's at Mannies, five of them total, and with three in the next five holes.

#4.  a slightly downhill par 3 (186 yards).  The tee box for the next hole is up and to the right of the green, as shown in the first photo.

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[Joe Bausch]

#5:  a 431 yard par 4 with the creek fronting the green.

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[Joe Bausch]

#6.  Although the quarry par 3 at Mannie's (#8) probably gets more chatter, it is this par 3 6th (199 yards) that is my fave on the course.  If you wish, you can use the little kicker hill short and right of the green to bounce a shot on.

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[Joe Bausch]

#7.  a dogleg right par 5 that runs gently uphill for the last half.  At 500 yards it suggests a 'birdie hole', but it plays much longer and the green is well protected.

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[Joe Bausch]

#8.  Here is the "quarry hole" par 3, at 117 yards from the tips!

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[Joe Bausch]

#9.  This short par 5 (471 yards) returns to the clubhouse.  A two-tiered green is also featured.

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[Mike Cirba]

Man Oh Mannies!

Nice pics, Joe.

Manufacturers has some of the best par threes I've ever seen on one course.

Oh...by the way, Joe....tell me what the 5th green looks like. 

[Joe Bausch]

Oh...by the way, Joe....tell me what the 5th green looks like. 

The 7th at Merion West?

[John Shimony]

Love the look of the quarry hole.  As well of the mention of a tree felling program.  Amen.

[Phil McDade]

Joe:

Wonderful photos -- one of those Philly courses (LuLu, Merion West, Gulph Mills) that flies under the radar, and would probably garner more attention if located somewhere else.

I love the way the 7th green is just sort of draped over the small ridge on that hole, with much of it seemingly hidden from the golfer. From what I've seen of Flynn's work in photos, he uses this technique quite effectively, which suggests to me that at least on some courses, he spent considerable time on-site, instead of just working off topo maps, to visualize how a certain hole would look from the player's perspective.

One of your pics of the quarry hole (3rd from last) suggests an alternate tee location that could potentially add some blindness to that shot, in that the green would be partially hidden. Would that be an option, or is the tee for the 8th the only logical place for it? Just curious about it -- neat looking hole. For those who have played -- is drainage of this hole ever an issue?

[Joe Bausch]

#10.  The second nine at Mannies begins with a dogleg right par 4 (425 yards) with a downhill 2nd shot to a green fronted by the creek.  The 2nd pic looks back from the FW showing the tees to the left and both greens for the 18th hole (yep, it has an upper and lower green).

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[Joe Bausch]

#11.  Another fine par 3 (201 yards) that plays slightly uphill.

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[Joe Bausch]

#12.  A par 5 (525 yards) that I really like.  Reachable in two with an aggressive line off the tee, and lots of neat 'rolls' in the FW nearing the green.

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[JC Jones]

Great stuff, Joe.  I need to get up to Philly as I am continually impressed with these Philly "under the radar" clubs.

With so much great topography there, its a shame CBM only designed one course there...

[Rory Connaughton]

Joe:

  Enjoying the photos please keep them coming. The bunker arrangement at 9 really reminds me of 18 at LCC. 

[Joe Bausch]

This 1925 article suggests Mannies was strongly being considered for the 1926 US Open.  Don't know what happened there.

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[Joe Bausch]

#13.  A long par 3 (233 yards).

[Joe Bausch]

#14.  A 432 yard par 4.

[Joe Bausch]

#15.  This par 5 (540 yards) is the No 1 handicap hole.

[Joe Bausch]

#16.  Here another quarry presents itself short and to the right of the green.

[Joe Bausch]

#17.  A downhill dogleg left par 4 (370 yards).  Note in photo 'c' a bald eagle on the creek's edge, then photo 'd' the eagle is in flight above the left bunker.