A matter of reality?

[Steve Sayers]

While researching the history of Lu Lu (Ross 1912), I have come across a notice (October 6, 1915) stating the membership is filling up fast and will be closed in the next few weeks.  The notice goes on to state, “The Golf Course is in magnificent shape, and is very fast, and it is very gratifying to see the great number of Shriners who are taking up this game of Golf.”

Was having a “fast” course something that was strived towards in 1915 or simply a matter of reality?

Also, how long do you think it would take to build a 9 hole course (on farm land with little or no tree removal necessary) in 1912?  I imagine there are many variables to consider but any guess?

BTW: In 1915 the initiation fee was $10 and the annual dues were $25!

[Mike_Cirba]

Steve,

"Fast" sure sounds like something those early Shriners were darn proud of to me!  

Especially on early inland courses, I'd imagine that creating appropriate drainage, etc., so that the course wouldn't play as a soft bog would have been a very important design consideration.  A healthy appreciation of the "fast" roots of the game from the immigrants like Ross who had seen and visited the British links would have added to that understanding of the real game, and its spread here.

[Craig_Rokke]

Steve-
If it's a feature that the club was promoting, they must have strived for it. But I'm not sure how. With no irrigation back then, I'd guess that the drainability of the property would have affected the speed. Perhaps, too, the height of the grass.

I've always gotten the impression that Lu Lu has interesting
terrain, and it sounds like the Shriners probably got the most out of that terrain when it was fast. When you're hitting a hackey sack with a brassie, that would appear to be an inevitable conclusion.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Steve,

Craig was reading my mind, and posted my thougths in his first paragraph.  Craig, cut that out  

[TEPaul]

Steve:

That's quite a documentary find on your part--and a very unusual one for that day and age. I must say I never heard "fast" praised in the pre-irrigation era--I thought it was just a seasonal thing. Quality of turf was generally the issue, not speed.

Call me, I don't have enough to do--I'm spending most of my time arguing with Pat Mucci--I'd rather come over there and talk about LuLu---610-353-2966