These are some questions I have:
Willie Locke designed a high percentage of golf courses in the Bay area in the 10s and 20s, and he wrote the article describing the new SFGC, but the conclusion is made he did not design the course. Instead three member are responsible for the design, layout and construction. What information is that conclusion based upon?
Was it common in 1918 for committees to design golf courses?
Three months after the course opens its reported the course will be redesigned. The third, forth, fifth, sixth and seventh holes will be redesigned. Who was going to redesign those holes? Were those the same holes Tilly supposedly redesigned in 1920?
Is George Low responsible for the redesign of the greens at Midwick or Tilly? Low and Tilly collaborated in previous years, but most accounts I've read have Low going to Midwick solo. Tilly never took credit for Midwick.
The article claims Tilly and Lapham's friendship was cemented at the US Am at Merion in 1916. Tilly did not play in the 1916 US Am. How did that work?
It also mentions they played at Shawnee and I find no record of Lapham ever going to Shawnee. Were did that info come from?
Lapham was actually raised in NYC and was a member at Apawamis, and did not move out west until 1911. If the two men were friendly isn't it more likely they met in competitions on the east coast prior to 1911? I do know Lapham and Tilly played in tournament at Atlantic City in 1903 and I suspect there were others. Lapham moved back to NY in 1917, enlisted in the military and was stationed near Bellport. Tilly was just becoming active in the area around that time; I think Lapham may have been become aware of Tilly's architectural abilities at that time.
Lapham was gassed during WWI and recouped in Paris and NYC after the war. Was he in San Francisco when the decision was made to hire Tilly in early 1920?
Why is Billy Bell not given more credit?
I do not expect any of these questions will be answered, but I think it is important to raise them.