GCAofTD - #3 - Willie Park Jr.

[Sven Nilsen]

Considered by some to be the first man to take links golf inland, Park is probably better known for his work in Great Britain than he is for his American courses.  This is saying alot, as the list below has some real gems.  

Park still remains a bit of an enigma, in that he still doesn't seem to garner the respect he has earned.  If you asked the average guy on the street to name five golf courses architects, it is unlikely Park would make the list.  One could make the argument he should be closer to the top of that list than the bottom.

Park's work in America is comprised of a few early courses built during his first sojourn overseas, and then a larger group completed during a later extended stay (while still managing the envious dream of summering in Scotland and England).

Any corrections or updates to the list below would be greatly appreciated:

Knollwood (1894)
Agawam Hunt (1895)?
Misquamicut (9) (1895)
CC of New Bedford (1902)
Pawtucket (1902)
Philmont North (1907)
Battle Creek (1909)
CC of New Canaan (1909)
Madison (1909)
Flint (1910)
Youghiogheny (1910)
Brightwood (1914)
Red Run (1914)
Shuttle Meadow (1914)
Woodway (1916)
Meadowbrook (1916)
Sylvania (1916)
Goshen (1916)?
Moon Brook (1918)
Rolling Road (1918)
Berkshire (9) (with a redo of the existing 9)
Chartiers Heights (1919)
Indiana (PA) (1919)
Flint (1919)
New Haven (1920)
Hot Springs (Majestic) 1920
Ottawa Hunt (1920)
Rolling Road (1920)
Weston (1920)
East Liverpool (1920)
Atlantic City (1921)
Penn State (Blue) (1921)
Penn State (Nittany) (1921)
Marion (1921)
Pine Lake (1921)
Castine (9) (1921)
Schuykill (9) (1921)
Olympia Fields North (1922)
Bellefont (1922)
CC of Ashland (1923)
Greate Bay (NJ) (1923)
Tumble Brook (Red) (9) (1924)
Maidstone (1925)
Royal Quebec (1925)

Dates Unknown:

Milton-Hoosic (9)
Toledo
Bellefont (KY)
Green Valley (NLE)
Canoe Brook (Design Only)
Boonsboro
Pittsburgh Field
Glen Ridge
CC of Farmington
Alton Beach
Grand Rapids
John Cain
St. Albans
Grove Park Inn
Congress Lake
Shelburne Farms
St. Johnsbury (VT)
Calgary
Beaconsfield
Laval Sur Le Lac
Mt. Bruno

[SPDB]

It's a sad coincidence that your initiation of these topics came on the heels of Tom MacWood's death, since his contribution would be worth 10x that which any of members he left behind could offer.

[Sven Nilsen]

SPDB:

I agree, especially in light of how many times I've come across his posts while mining the back pages of this site. 

If it means anything, the current state of the lists that I have are due in large part to Tom's work and the information he shared here.  There are a few other posters who no longer participate here that I owe a large thank you to as well.

If you can sift through the often entertaining but mostly tiresome back and forth, there's a wealth of knowledge contained in the old threads that has yet to be compiled into a readily accessible form.

Sven

[Mark McKeever]

There is a lot of Park left at Schuylkill if anyone wants to come see.

Mark

[Tyler Kearns]

Any corrections or updates to the list below would be greatly appreciated:

Sven,

I'll have to check a book at home to confirm dates, but Willie Park Jr. was responsible for both Southwood G & CC and Winnipeg GC in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Both courses are now NLE.

TK

[Joe Bausch]

Philmont North is in the 20's.  I'll dig up the exact dates soon (both when it was open for play, ~1924, and when they officially opened it I think a couple years later)
I think Park's work at Schuylkill was before 1921.
I'll get you the date for Green Valley (NLE) soon.
Park also did Ashbourne, which I'll dig out the date as well.

[Doug Braunsdorf]

Is the date for Greate Bay 1923 for certain?  I thought I saw somewhere Archie wondered if it was slightly later.  "1923" is in our logo, but that doesn't mean Park was there in 1923. 

[PCCraig]

Sven,

I would add Minneapolis Golf Club to your list in either 1916 or 1917. http://www.minneapolisgolfclub.com/mgc/tradition.html

[Sven Nilsen]

Doug:

None of this is certain.

Sven

[Nigel Islam]

I would think given the enormous undertaking Sven is attempting here that getting the dates within a year or two should be acceptable. My opinion is that the historical data is relatively poor.

[Joe Bausch]

Is the date for Greate Bay 1923 for certain?  I thought I saw somewhere Archie wondered if it was slightly later.  "1923" is in our logo, but that doesn't mean Park was there in 1923. 

I'll look this one up as well Doug.  But you are likely correct, IIRC.  I think GB got started in 1925 or so.

[Doug Braunsdorf]

Sven, search around on this site's back pages; I believe Glen Ridge was right about 1918 or so.

[Sven Nilsen]

Tyler:

If there is anywhere where these lists may be lacking its Canadian courses, appreciate the help.

Doug:

From the threads I've read that 1918 date for Glen Ridge seems to be the consensus.  I'm going to do some more research on Greate Bay to see what I can find.

Joe:

Thanks for the follow up on the courses you noted.  Looking forward to seeing the updates.

Pat:

Thanks for the Minneapolis lead.

Nigel:

With help like I'm getting here, its really not that enormous an undertaking.  That said, its going to take a while to get through the entire list of pre-1940 architects, and I'm not even thinking about focusing on the one-hit wonders (with a few exceptions for interesting cases).

Sven

[Kevin Stark]

Sven --

Highland Golf and Country Club in Indianapolis, Indiana is a Willie Park Jr. routing. The green complexes are Bill Diddle but the routing is Park's.

[Sven Nilsen]

Kevin:

Thanks, and welcome to the board.

Sven

[Kevin Stark]

The date is 1921, btw.


Edit: The date of the golf course opening was 1921, not 1923 as I originally posted. A good research article on the founding is here: https://urbantimesonline.com/2019/11/07/history-301-highland-currently-in-its-second-reincarnation/

[Mark McKeever]

Joe,

What year did WPJ arrive at Schuylkill?

Mark

[Joe Bausch]

Joe,

What year did WPJ arrive at Schuylkill?

Mark

What I have is a late 1916 Inky blurb saying Park has made recommendations for some farm land to be purchased and a 9 hole course is to be built.  I don't know exactly when the construction started on the first nine holes nor when it finished.

[Dean DiBerardino]

The nine-hole East Liverpool Country Club (Ohio) was designed by Willie Park in 1920. The club also credits Grange "Sandy" Alves with making some modifications later on. I played ELCC for the first time earlier this year. It was a treat and I'm looking forward to going back again. I will post a photo tour of the course when work slows down a bit at my club. Below is the original blueprint of the layout that hangs in the grill room (right next to the blueprint sketches of each hole ) and is dated "June 1920".

Ditto on the comments about Tom MacWood.

[James Boon]

Sven,

As a member of a Willie Park Jnr designed course here in the UK I thought I knew a bit about him, but hadn't realised how many courses he had done over in North America, so many thanks for this thread! I'm no expert but if you need any info on his UK courses let me know as I know there are several GCAers wh are members at courses of his...

Cheers,

James

[Tony_Muldoon]

Sven I'm not quite sure what the purpose of these threads is.  To draw up lists of Architects work in North America?  Why restrict it?


The  best article I've read on Park is on page 30 below.
http://www.golfcollectors.co.uk/u/cms/TTG_66_2003September.pdf

[Mark Pearce]

Of course this year's BUDA is at a Park course....

[Sven Nilsen]

Sven I'm not quite sure what the purpose of these threads is.  To draw up lists of Architects work in North America?  Why restrict it?


The  best article I've read on Park is on page 30 below.
http://www.golfcollectors.co.uk/u/cms/TTG_66_2003September.pdf

Tony:

Thanks for posting the link.

I am in the process of compiling a spreadsheet of work done in the U.S. prior to 1940.  The architects and courses in these threads are taken from that spreadsheet.  The goal down the line will be to compile similar summaries for work down elsewhere, but right now I have only been researching work done here. 

I have no issue with anyone adding to the information herein by noting overseas work, and would encourage folks to do so.

Hope that answers your question, and that the American focus isn't taken as a slight.

Sven

[Tony_Muldoon]

Sven I'm not quite sure what the purpose of these threads is.  To draw up lists of Architects work in North America?  Why restrict it?


The  best article I've read on Park is on page 30 below.
http://www.golfcollectors.co.uk/u/cms/TTG_66_2003September.pdf

Tony:

Thanks for posting the link.

I am in the process of compiling a spreadsheet of work done in the U.S. prior to 1940.  The architects and courses in these threads are taken from that spreadsheet.  The goal down the line will be to compile similar summaries for work down elsewhere, but right now I have only been researching work done here.  

I have no issue with anyone adding to the information herein by noting overseas work, and would encourage folks to do so.

Hope that answers your question, and that the American focus isn't taken as a slight.

Sven

Sven
Thanks for the reply and good luck.


Tony

[Tyler Kearns]

Any corrections or updates to the list below would be greatly appreciated:

Sven,

I'll have to check a book at home to confirm dates, but Willie Park Jr. was responsible for both Southwood G & CC and Winnipeg GC in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Both courses are now NLE.

TK

Willie Park Jr.'s Southwood G & CC opened in 1923, but I have not been able to find the reference to attribute Winnipeg GC to him.

TK