[Mike Cirba]

Tom MacWood has been working for the past two months on a list of courses that were available for walk-up play in the US before the creation of Bethpage Black in 1936.

In the spirit of unanimity and in recognition of his sterling good humor in recent days, I am proud to present his list for your consideration.

 Harding Park (1925) - W.Watson & S.Whiting  (San Francisco, Ca)
Haggins Oak (1932) - A.Mackenzie   (Sacramento, Ca)
Sharp Park (1931) - A.Mackenzie   (Pacifica, Ca)
Griffith Park-Wilson (1915/1923) - T.Bendelow & G.Thomas   (Los Angeles, Ca)
Griffith Park-Harding (1915/1925) - T. Bendelow & G.Thomas  (Los Angeles, Ca)
Lake Chabot (1923) - W.Locke   (Oakland, Ca)
Brookside Muni (1928) - B.Bell  (Pasadena, Ca)
Sunset Fields-South (1927) - B.Bell  (Los Angeles, Ca)
Sunset Fields-North (1928) - B.Bell  (Los Angeles, Ca)
Montebello Park (1928) - M.Behr  (Montebello, Ca)
Patty Jewett (1898/1917) - W.Campbell & W.Watson  (Colorado Springs, Co)
Cleveland Heights (1925) - W.Flynn  (Lakeland, Fl)
Jacksonville Muni (1923) - D.Ross  (Jacksonville, Fl)
Kelsey City (1924) - W.Langford  (W.Palm Beach, Fl)
Miami Muni (1922) - W.Langford  (Hialeah, Fl)
Opa Locka (1927) - W.Flynn  (Miami, Fl)
Pasadena (1925) - W.Stiles, J.VanKleek & W.Hagen  (St. Petersburg, Fl)
Savannah Muni (1926) - D.Ross  (Savannah, Ga)
Big Run (1930) - H.Smead  (Lockport, Il)
Cog Hill #2 (1926) - D.McIntosh  (Lemont, Il)
Glencoe (1921) - G.O'Neil  (Glencoe, Il)
Palos Park (1919) - T.Bendelow  (Palos Park, Il)
Pickwick (1927) - J.Roseman  (Glenview, Il)
St. Andrews (1926) - E.Dearie  (W.Chicago, Il)
Sandy Hollow (1930) - C.Wagstaff  (Rockford, Il)
Waveland (1901) - W.Dickinson  (Des Moines, Ia)
Beechwood (1931) - W.Diddell  (LaPorte, In)
Coffin (1920) - W.Diddell  (Indianapolis, In)
Erskine Park (1925) - G.O'Neil  (South Bend, In)
Seneca (1935) - A.McKay  (Louisville, Ky)
Riverside Muni (1931) - W.Stiles  (Portland, Me)
Mount Pleasant (1933) - G.Hook  (Baltimore, Md)
Belvedere (1925) - W.Watson  (Charlevoix, Mi)
Colony (1935) - CH.Alison (Algonac, Mi)
Rackham (1924) - D.Ross  (Detroit, Mi)
Armour Park (1925) - W.Clark  (Minneapolis, Mn)
Keller (1929) - P.Coates  (St. Paul, Mn)
Meadowbrook (1926) - J.Foulis  (Minneapolis, Mn)
Gulf Hills (1927) - J.Daray  (Biloxi, Ms)
Swope Park (1915/1934) - J.Dagleish & A.Tillinghast  (Kansas City, Mo)
Forest Park (1912) - R.Foulis  (St. Louis, Mo)
Cooper River (1929) - D.Emmet & A.Tull  (Camden, NJ)
Bayside (1930) - A. Mackernzie  (Bayside, NY)
Bethpage-Red (1935) - A.Tillinghast  (Farmingdale, NY)
Bethpage-Blue (1935) - A.Tillinghast  (Farmingdale, NY)
Green Lakes (1936) - RT.Jones  (Syracuse, NY)
La Tourette (1929/1934) - D.Rees & J.VanKleek  (Staten Island, NY)
Salisbury Links (1908) - D.Emmet  (Garden City, NY)
Split Rock (1935) - J.VanKleek  (Bronx, NY)
Asheville Muni (1927) - D.Ross  (Asheville, NC)
Starmount Forest (1930) - W.Stiles & J.VanKleek  (Greensboro, NC)
Community (1912) - W.Hoare  (Dayton, Oh)
Mill Creek (1928) - D.Ross  (Youngstown, Oh)
Highland Park-New (1928) - S.Alves  (Cleveland, Oh)
Metropolitan Parks (1926) - S.Thompson  (Cleveland, Oh)
Ridgewood (1924) - S.Alves  (Parma, Oh)
Tam O'Shanter-Dales (1928) - L.Macomber  (Canton, Oh)
Twin Hills (1926) - P.Maxwell (Oklahoma City, Ok)
Eastmoreland (1918) - H.Egan  (Portland, Or)
Cobbs Creek (1916) - H.Wilson   (Philadelphia, Pa)
Hershey Park (1931) - M.McCarthy  (Hershey, Pa)
North Park (1933) - E.Loeffler & J.McGlynn  (Allison Park, Pa)
Tam O'Shanter, Pa (1929) - E.Loeffler  (Hermitage, Pa)
Beaver Tail (1925) - A.Tillinghast  (Jamestown, RI)
Triggs Memorial (1933) - D.Ross  (Providence, RI)
Stevens Park (1924)                     (Dallas, TX)
Tenison Park (1924) - S.Cooper & J.Burke  (Dallas, Tx)
Brackenridge Park (1916) - A.Tillinghast  (San Antonio, Tx)
Memorial Park (1935) - J.Bredemus  (Houston, Tx)
Indian Canyon (1935) - H.Egan  (Spokane, Wa)
Jackson Park (1930) - W.Tucker & F.James  (Seattle, Wa)
Brown Deer (1929) - G.Hansen  (Milwaukee, Wi)
Janesville Muni (1924) - RB.Harris  (Janesville, Wi)
Lawsonia (1930) - W.Langford  (Green Lake, Wi)

[Adam Clayman]

Mike, Either you've described the list incorrectly, or there was some other criteria than just "walk up and play", because the list seems awfully small.

[TEPaul]

Actually, Adam, that might have been the funniest remark of all. Congratulations.

[John Moore II]

Mike, Either you've described the list incorrectly, or there was some other criteria than just "walk up and play", because the list seems awfully small.

For what its worth, I think this was supposed to be just daily fee courses. Resorts don't count, privates don't count, etc. So, basically just municipal courses prior to 1935~

[Phil McDade]

Mike, Either you've described the list incorrectly, or there was some other criteria than just "walk up and play", because the list seems awfully small.

For what its worth, I think this was supposed to be just daily fee courses. Resorts don't count, privates don't count, etc. So, basically just municipal courses prior to 1935~

John:

Lawsonia has always been part of a larger "resort" -- or development, lately a conference cente -- and not a muni. But one could maybe argue it's also been a daily-fee course.

[Adam Clayman]

Thanks Tom. I'll be appearing at a Ross course near you.

The reason I believe the list is not comprehensive is the omission of the first golf course I was familiar with, Jackson Park.

from the Chicago Park District web site...

Jackson Park

Park Description
Once the site of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, Jackson Park’s 600 acres provide recreational opportunities for athletes, nature lovers, and beach goers alike. With a new state-of-the-art fitness center and a variety of expansive gardens, Jackson Park offers something for everyone.


History
After the state legislature created the South Park Commission in 1869, the renowned designers of New York's Central Park, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, were hired to lay out the 1055-acre park. Known originally as South Park, the landscape had eastern and western divisions connected by a grand boulevard named the Midway Plaisance. The eastern division became known as Lake Park; however, in 1880 the commission asked the public to suggest official names for both the eastern and western Divisions. Jackson and Washington were proposed, and the following year, Lake Park was renamed Jackson Park to honor Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), the seventh president of the United States.

In 1890, Chicago won the honor of hosting the World's Columbian Exposition, and Jackson Park was selected as its site. Olmsted and Chicago's famous architect and planner Daniel H. Burnham laid out the fairgrounds. A team of the nation's most significant architects and sculptors created the "White City" of plaster buildings and artworks. The monumental World's Fair opened to visitors on May 1, 1893. After it closed six months later, the site was transformed back into parkland. Jackson Park featured the first public golf course west of the Alleghenies, which opened in 1899. Today, two structures remain as impressive symbols of the World's Columbian Exposition. The "Golden Lady" sculpture is a smaller version of Daniel Chester French's Statue of the Republic which originally stood at the foot of the Court of Honor. The original Fine Arts Palace now houses Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry.

[JLahrman]

I believe Avon Fields in Cincinnati should also be on this list.  It was founded around 1914, and I believe it has always been a public course. 

[DMoriarty]

I believe Tom was attempting to determine the top public courses before Bethpage Black, so there are many publics (notable and otherwise) which did not make the list or were dropped from it.  You'll have to wait for Tom to explain why certain courses aren't on the list.   I believe the list is still a work in progress. 

[Jim Nugent]

Tom should consider Normandie Golf Club, on the outskirts of St. Louis MO, for his list.  Foulis, who designed Forest Park (on Tom's current list) also designed Normandie.  From their website:

"Built in 1901, historic Normandie Golf Course is the oldest Public golf course still in operation in it's original location, West of the Mississippi River."

[Dan Herrmann]

I nominate for consideration Rose City GC in Portland, OR.  It's not as good as Eastmoreland, but it's a pretty good golf course that's much better than many much newer courses.

[Ulrich Mayring]

And I thought "Pay as you Play" was a list of the most penal courses before Bethpage ...

Ulrich

[Mike Cirba]

Good one, Ulrich! 

[Tom MacWood]

Historic Jackson Park would have been a good sentimental pick, but it was too short at 5500 yards. The same with Rose City, a little too short at just over 6000 yards. Normandie was originally a private course so it doesn't qualify much like Bethpage-Green, Sleepy Hollow or Rogell.

[DMoriarty]

Tom,  I don't think it might be a mistake to eliminate 6000 yard courses on the length factor alone.  This wasn't excessively short back then, especially for those courses built pre-steel shafts.

[DMoriarty]

whoops.

[Adam Clayman]

I find it almost impossible to consider courses of note, or quality, almost a hundred years later. After all, The first list of top courses wasn't published until 1939.

Discriminating on length, seems to also miss the boat, even today.

[Richard Hetzel]

I believe Avon Fields in Cincinnati should also be on this list.  It was founded around 1914, and I believe it has always been a public course. 

Correct, and there are others from the Cincinnati area:

Although, I am still researching who designed Avon (even the city doesn't even have record of it) I have it narrowed to either Tom Bendelow or Langford/Moreau. Diddel reworked it in the 1930's. I am betting Bendelow laid out the first 9 at Avon.

California GC (1936) Diddel
Sharon Woods GC (1935) Diddel

[Tom MacWood]

Tom,  I don't think it might be a mistake to eliminate 6000 yard courses on the length factor alone.  This wasn't excessively short back then, especially for those courses built pre-steel shafts.

I agree, length is only one factor. Jackson Park in addition to being short was a fairly basic layout on a flat site - a lot of parallel holes.  Rose City underwent a major redesign in 1937-38.

Sharon Woods would have made it but I'm pretty sure it opened in 1938. I don't think California quite rates with the others. 

[Phil_the_Author]

Tom,

Since your list is for courses pre-Bethpage Black in 1936, what does it matter that Rose City "underwent a major redesign in 1937-38?"

[Tom MacWood]

The pre-1937 was not as good as the redesigned post-1937 golf course.

[Phil_the_Author]

Tom,

Thanks for the explanation. I thought you meant it the opposite. My mistake...

[Dan Herrmann]

Tom,
Thanks for the info on Rose City - Never knew it underwent a redesign.

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()