Jeff,
I think what you suggest about CBM and Whigham finding the site sometime after his return to the states in mid-June 1906 and this taking several months is a very possible scenario.
However, if I had to bet my house on what happened, here's what I think transpired.
First, I don't believe that CBM made an offer in late 1905 for land near the Canal. Given a total of 2700 acres to explore and consider, I doubt very much that CBM would have jumped on the first 120 acres he found near the Canal. In fact, I think the only thing that CBM did in the weeks after that purchase is consider how the development plans that Alvord's group was trying to quickly put together that included infrastructure and travel considerations now suddenly made a place as far out as Shinnecock Hills viable for his proposed club.
CBM had played out there before at SH, and was probably impressed with the general land forms and sand-based soil for golf, as well as the nearness to the sea and wind, so I think the last domino he wanted to see tumble was more logistical and economical than golf-related.
I think he had in his mind that Shinnecock was "the place", and then went abroad to take his final graduate studies in course architecture in the first half of 1906.
On the 20th of June, 1906, the following article appeared. At this time CBM is still saying he is looking for sites in a variety of places. He also tells us that only 3 or 4 of the holes will be exact reproductions;
On October 15th, 1906, a New York paper printed the following, with the supposed location being somewhere between Shinnecock Hills to the East, near the Cold Spring Inlet to the west, the LIRR to the south, and Peconic Bay to the north.
David and most here have contended that this property is that of Sebonac Neck, which CBM eventually purchased. I don't agree for a number of reasons.
On November 1st, just a few days after the Lesley Cup matches, two reports surfaced that cast further confusion, as it seems clear that the original reports about CBM having already secured "250 acres" of land anywhere was clearly in error;
This is complete speculation on my part, so I would appreciate any feedback that's civil and constructive. But, I believe that CBM was correct when he told us that he and Whigham decided over 2 or 3 days on horseback that the land was what they wanted and I believe they went to get agreement from Alvord's group hastily once they made that determination.
I don't think the June-October story washes with that memory of CBM's, especially since the actual contract to secure the land wasn't signed until mid-December and the contracts to purchase the specific acres wasn't signed until sometime the following Spring!
Instead, I think the land I laid out previously was the land CBM first considered, and what he later referred to as the land near the "Canal".
I guess I can't get over the issue of three directional landmarks being so either distant from today's NGLA or strained definitions, such as Shinnecock in 1906 being "East" of NGLA. With that in mind, let's look again at the land I originally suggested CBM very well may have been considering.
First, it's important to note that earlier David measured NGLA from end to end and tells us that it runs 2 miles in each direction.
Assuming that CBM would want a similar course in another location to have lots of waterfront and possibly an out and back routing to maximize efficiency, the following shows what two miles (in red) starting at the east side of Shinnecock Hills (and the Shinnecock Inn) and going westward towards Good Ground and the Inlet at Cold Spring would look like in terms of distance covered.
Assuming also that CBM either wanted 250 acres, or that the newspaper transposed the 205 acres he'd been looking for, it looks to me like one could probably build a whale of a golf course there. It's also pretty obvious that the course would/could have a long stretch along Peconic Bay to the north.
To give you an idea of why CBM may have called this land near the "canal" this aerial shows the proximity of the canal at Good Ground to the west;
Now, CBM tells us that he made an offer for only 120 acres, not 205, and certainly not 250.
Here's what I think happened...
I think CBM had initial discussions and tried to get the whole 205 he'd been looking for right in the prime real estate area as indicated. I do think the newspaper in NY reporting it initially likely transposed or misreported that number, but it could have been 250, I guess. In any case, we do know that CBM was looking for that 205 acres because 110 or so would be used for the golf course, another 5 for clubhouse and surrounds, and then the other 90 for 1.5 acre building lots for the Founders.
I think someone took CBM's initial offer or informal discussion with the developer as a done deal, or misreported it as fact, or CBM may have even planted the story, but we know it didn't fly for whatever reason.
What I think happened is that the Developer, rightly so, told CBM that such a plan took too many of his prime real estate lots that Alvord had hoped to make a killing on, primarily through the sale of large estate subdivisions.
CBM may at that point have decided that his Founders could always buy their own properties out there from Alvord if they were so inclined, and then came back later to Alvord with an offer for only the 120 acres or so he believed he needed for golf, which is the offer he mentioned in his book.
I think CBM tried to put some pressure on Alvord with the November articles where he said he was still looking at Montauk, and also said he may have to look elsewhere if he couldn't get a better price....very good negotiating moves.
I think Alvord came back rejecting that offer, but also referring to CBM that he might want to look at some other property further to the northeast, which also had water views, sandy soil, etc., but that wasn't as optimum for real estate development as the land where CBM made his first offer.
I think sometime after November 1st, CBM and Whigham got on horseback for 2 or 3 days and got excited at the possibilities and determined if they could get the land for the same price as their first offer ($200 an acre) they would make an offer on the 205 they felt they needed.
Not wanting to lose his chance to build in the Shinnecock Hills, I think CBM acted quickly to secure an undetermined 205 acres there on his consolation site, and signed a contract to that effect within weeks.