Club History Book List

[John McGrath]

I realize that in the past there's been a thread on this, but following the rare architectural book topic, I'm wondering if we can put together a list of club histories that detail the course's design that have been published in the last ten years or so.

[Patrick_Mucci]

John,

Tom Paul's treatise on Gulph Mills is terrific.

It should be required reading for all club members, and serve as a guide for clubs seeking to document or recount their ARCHITECTUAL history.

But, it takes an individual who loves golf, his club, architecture, and who is willing to devote the time and effort necessary to produce a very good product, and in that regard,
Tom succeeded, despite the fact that his book doesn't contain one paragraph, one sentence, devoted to the impact of the abolishment of the stymie at Gulph Mills.      

[TEPaul]

Pat;

I didn't mention the stymie for a good reason in my design evolution book. The reason is a fact that you must have  missed. To understand it you should familiarize yourself with W.C. Fields's advice to go to Philadelphia if the world comes to an end because it's fifty years behind the times!

The stymie is alive and well at Gulph Mills although if W.C. Fields was accurate in his assessment it might be coming to and end anytime now.

[Jeff Mingay]

I just finished my history of Essex Golf & Country Club in Windsor, Ontario. Next year is the club's 100th anniversary, which is the reason for the book.

Donald Ross laid-out the club's current course, so there's a major section on Ross and his style of architecture (which, of course, includes a few quotes for one Bradley S. Klein).

The book also features an equally detailed section about the golf course and its evolution, including aerial photos from 1947, 1965 and 2000. (Guess what, there were far less trees and many more bunkers in 1929 than today... surprise, surprise!)

There's a detailed hole-by-hole section featuring Ross's original plans for all eighteen holes and all eighteen green complexes in there as well, with plenty of photographs too.

And I've also included a chapter about Windsor's Roseland municipal golf course, which was designed by Ross in 1926. It's interesting that of some 15 courses Ross laid his hands on in Canada, two are in Windsor. And Roseland's history hadn't been documented.

I also have Ross's original plan for Roseland, which will be featured along with Ross's own hand sketches of all eighteen green complexes there. These are the drawings Ross sent to Walter Johnson in Pineurst for refinement. They weren't given to the client. They're neat!

Anyway, the club's putting off printing the book until September 2002 because they want a chapter on the centennial year during which Essex will host the 2002 AT&T Canada Senior Open.

If anyone is interesting in obtaining the book, drop me a note at jemingay@aol.com and I'll put you on my list of interested golfing historians!

[Jeff Mingay]

Geoff Shackelford's "The Riviera Country Club, A Definitive History" must be mentioned under this thread. Not surprisingly, it includes a detailed section on the Riviera course and Geo. Thomas. As well as a foreword to the golf course section by Ben Crenshaw.

Which reminds me, Bruce Hepner (who is the club's consulting architect these days) wrote a foreword to the golf course section in my Essex history book. And Lorne Rubenstein will be contributing a foreword.

Looking at my bookshelf, most clubs have really missed an opportunity to document the history of their respective courses and their architects with their recent club histories. Too many club histories are flooded with contemporary photos of social events that seem to be an attempt to glorify members of the present day; members who really have nothing to do with the history of the clubs. These types of club histories are very much dated and not interesting to read, or even flip through.

I think the problem begins with the fact that too many club histories have been written by non-golfing, non-members. Conversely, histories like Geoff's, and also George Bahto's neat little history of The Knoll (which features excellent drawings of all eighteen holes by Geo. Bahto), and also Tom Paul's design evolution of Gulph Mills stand out amongst the rest.

I hope, for the very reason that I'm a golfer with a passionate interest in golf course design and its history who grew-up playing golf at Essex, that my book fits into the same category.

The best club histories are timeless.

[Jeff Mingay]

Also, there's Jim Finegan's recent update on the history of Pine Valley. The first section about Crump and the design/development of the golf course is particularly good, and educational.

[TEPaul]

Jeff makes a great point that a lot of club history books are many things other than the architectural evolution of the course.

I would recommend two things. That the social and event history of a club be kept separate from the design evolution history of a club, if possible. And secondly, that if and when a club is considering a restoration, redesign, whatever that somebody get on the job and compile a design evolutionary history of the course. It does two things--reinforms and educates the membership as to what they have (what they should keep and what they should try to do away with) and it very much helps the architect to sipher through the holes and the course and decide how and where to do just that!

Such a design evolution book should also stand beside a Master plan to preserve the course into the future too!!

[Mike_Cirba]

David Goddard's "The Maidstone Links" is an excellent, well-researched guide to understanding the various design evolutions of that wonderful place.

It includes lots of tie ins describing similar activities at Shinnecock and NGLA during the early years, and how they affected all involved from an architectural and golfing challenge standpoint.

It even speculates rather convincingly that the 1st and 2nd greens were designed by Seth Raynor, with the internal club assistance of C. Wheaton Vaughn in 1916.  He makes the case that Willie Park just used them in their well-fortified states when he created the present iteration of the course in 1924.

[TEPaul]

There's another kind of course design book I've heard some mention about that would be absolutely awesome, in my opinion! It's not a history book but a book about the evolution of the design/construction process and all the thinking that goes into it! Maybe things like inspiration for holes, the style of the courses, the routing and all the myriad and interesting things that go into the creation!

Can you imagine how interesting and valuable that would be now and for the future? Can you imagine how neat it would have been to do something like that with George Crump during his four or more years living on the site of Pine Valley? What he was thinking, who did what, who helped here or there, what the problems were, how they got solved, what the overall thinking was. Can you imagine if some good writer had done that for ANGC and left it with the club and the membership in 1933?

[Tom MacWood (Guest)]

Mike
Does the Maidstone history mention the role of Perry Maxwell and a great storm the ravished the course in the late 30's?

[Mike Cirba]

Tom,

YES, it does....to some considerable detail.

Unfortunately, I'm not at my home right now and can't fill you in more.....but will give you the scoop in the next few days.  I do recall that he made a number of suggestions, some of which were implemented and others that were not.  

[Brian Phillips]

I bought two this year on my travels:

A century of golf at Woodhall Spa  and A century of golf at Cruden Bay.

I read the Woodhall Spa book from cover to cover and have just flicked through the Cruden Bay book.  Both are very interesting reads.

[TEPaul]

I read some history book of the Maidstone Club in someone's house out there last summer. It didn't dwell much on the architecture of the golf course and didn't really dwell much on the golf itself which surprised me. It's amazing how much that club offers in all kinds of other activities and always has. As I recall this book was published in the 1940s.

As for Perry Maxwell and Maidstone I've never seen anything that specifically mentions what Perry did there but this I can tell you. Bill Coore swears on anything that Perry did #17 green which is one of the neatest little things I've seen and is also in an awesome, old fashioned position with the green surface no more than about 7-10 steps right, rear and most of the left side from the surface of the road!--very intense situation to approach the little devil in the wind. If anyone can spot a Maxwell green it would be Bill Coore.

[Mike_Cirba]

Tom Paul,

Goddard's Maidstone book is copyrighted from 1997, but relies in some cases on the original history book.  However, he has done additional, considerable research, and the book is a must read for someone who enjoys Maidstone as much as I know you do.

Tom MacWood,

The hurricane of 1938 created horrific damage to the course.  In November, the club retained Perry Maxwell "to make a study of the two golf courses...with a view to making changes that would improve the courses."  According to the book, "This was perhaps an unfortunate choice of words, for it evidently led to resistance among many of the members.  In fact, it seemed that some of the hurricane damage was being used as an excuse to effect major improvements in the west course.  That sentiment came to the surface in 1939 after Maxwell presented his proposals - which went well beyond restoration- for Chauncey (Club President), in his previously mentioned 1939 report, clearly felt compelled to disabuse the membership of any idea that some "super golf course" was under construction."

"In January 1939, Juan Trippe presented Maxwell's proposals for reconstructing the golf courses to the board.  Maxwell suggested 3 alternative plans, only the first of which was essentially adopted; 1) PUt both courses back in condition without making any material changes or improvements to either of them. 2) Reduce the East Course to nine and give up the 7 ocean holes. 3) Reconstruct both courses and make "considerable improvements" in the West Course."  

Maxwell received $150 for his inital survey and report.  His grand plan suggested significant changes to the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 14th holes, although his plans were eventually lost.  The book goes on to say that Maxwell revisted a green at NGLA at this time (anyone know which one??), and that his plan was left with Jess Sweetser, who was chair of the golf committee.  

It is known that Sweetser implemented proposed Maxwell changes to the fairway bunkering on the 1st, 2nd, as well as the 18th green, and in June 1940, Sweetser reported to the board that "minor work was done on the ninth fairway subject to Perry Maxwell's approval."  That is the last mention of Maxwell in the Maidstone records.

Whether he ever designed the 17th green is more questionable.  After the book discusses the probability that the 2nd "Road Hole" green was in fact Raynor's, it speculates as follows;

"The 17th, though, perhaps raises a question in respect to its authorship.  Like the 1st and second holes (Raynor), it was on the old course (the original 5th on the Florence Quick lot).  It has some earmarks of a Willie Park design - two tiers and a slight fall-off at the back which he sometimes used.  Buit it is small, quite quirky in comparison to all others on the course, and bears some resemblance to a Road green as well.  For the second shot, the hole is setup to play like the 17th at St. Andrews.  All the reward is on the right side of the fairway and the risk on the left."

So, while it doesn't rule Maxwell out necessarily, that greensite goes back to almost the turn of the last century.  

[TEPaul]

MikeC:

Excellent post--good reporting and research!! Very interesting!

TomMacW:

What did I tell you? These people whose names keep popping up in the annals of architecture, here, there and everywhere--here he is again at a course I didn't realize he was involved in--Maidstone, although he was the man who got Flynn the contract for Shinnecock--Juan Trippe!!

Tracking the architects is extremely interesting and valuable but tracking the men who angeled them and hired them and it's just as interesting--and revealing architecturally!!

[Tom_Egan]

A few club histories that come to mind (do not know dates of publication or authors' names):

1.  Winged Foot -- good pictures from the construction and early days of the club.  Especially interesting in that the main feature of the book is the abundance and variety of trees on the courses.  Ironic in view of the dim view the great thinkers of today have of trees on golf courses.

2.  Baltusrol -- interesting for the thorough descriptions of the history of "all" the Baltusrol courses (Original, New and improved, Upper and Lower).  Interesting recounting of how Tillinghast kept 18 holes in play while eliminating most of one course while simultaneously building two others.

3.  The Knoll -- George Bahto's understated but factually intriuging account of the history of this fine Banks course and the fascinating club membership over the years.

4.  Walton Heath -- About the size of The Knoll book.  Wonderful story of the club, its two wonderful courses, and its impressive historic membership rosters.

5.  Colonial -- Interesting anecdotes and photos of this fine Texas club and its patriarch, Marvin Leonard -- Hogan's early financial backer and lifelong friend.

One point about club histories that may be of interest to those in the northeast (or who happen to be visiting Far Hills), the Museum and Library at Golf House had, as of about 10 years ago, the finest collection of such books I've ever seen.  I presume this is still the case and that they've added many others since a lot of northeastern clubs have reached the 100 year mark and have had club histories done.  I'm not sure how the books at the USGA are cataloged, but there may be a special breakout for club histories so that interested parties could get lists of the Golf House inventory.  At least that way one would have a data base of what is, and is not, available.

[Mike_Cirba]

Tom Egan,

Thanks for reminding about the Baltusrol book.  It is incredibly detailed and truly superb, with fabulous photography both old and new.

In a perfect world, every course and club would have such fine, diligent historical researchers as Rick Wolffe, Bob Trebus, and Stu Wolffe who lovingly put together such an amazing effort for the rest of us to enjoy.