News:

This discussion group is best enjoyed using Google Chrome, Firefox or Safari.

Pages: 1 [2]

Carl Johnson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: A list of the oldest courses in the U.S. -- corrections?
« Reply #25 on: January 21, 2013, 08:54:02 PM »
Quote from: Ronald Montesano on January 18, 2013, 06:51:47 PM
OT, but worth a mention nonetheless...if anyone comes up this way and has a valid passport, we can take a stroll by:

http://www.notlgolf.com/history.html

Claims to be the oldest golf course in North America, implying that there may be an older one or ones in Central and/or South America???
Logged

Sven Nilsen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: A list of the oldest courses in the U.S. -- corrections?
« Reply #26 on: January 22, 2013, 03:13:36 PM »
Phil:

The golf course for Essex County (NJ) was first laid out in 1895.  From the club history:

"On March 11, 1895, Frelinghuysen reported that he had consulted with a "leading golf expert," who assured him that "links could be laid out in the neighborhood of the club."  At this time, T.H. Powers Farr was added to the committee, essentially as the club's first "golf chairman."  And so, a circular was sent to the membership to determine if there was sufficient interest to "support the enterprise and warrant the outlay of funds" to build the links.  The response was quick and in the affirmative, and on April 19, a Golf Committee was authorized to prepare the golf grounds.  To defray the cost, each member family was asked to contribute $10.  On May 10, Farr reported that work had started "rolling and cutting" the course, under the supervision of Alex Findlay, who had been hired as both golf professional and greenskeeper, at both Essex County and Orange Mountain, for the salary of $10.50 per month."
Logged
"As much as we have learned about the history of golf architecture in the last ten plus years, I'm convinced we have only scratched the surface."  A GCA Poster

"There's the golf hole; play it any way you please." Donald Ross

Rick Shefchik

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: A list of the oldest courses in the U.S. -- corrections?
« Reply #27 on: January 22, 2013, 03:32:56 PM »
That's the problem with the USGA website, too. On the page about oldest U.S. clubs, the USGA mentions the year the club was formed, but not necessarily the year the golf course opened. I've been going to the web sites of each club, where available, to get more specifics. It's great that they started playing polo in 1875; when was the first golf shot played? 
Logged
"Golf is 20 percent mechanics and technique. The other 80 percent is philosophy, humor, tragedy, romance, melodrama, companionship, camaraderie, cussedness and conversation." - Grantland Rice

Rick Shefchik

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: A list of the oldest courses in the U.S. -- corrections?
« Reply #28 on: January 23, 2013, 07:46:27 PM »
Latest updated list of oldest golf courses in the United States:

1886
The Dorset Field Club, Dorset, VT

1887
The Foxburg Country Club, Foxburg, PA
Quogue Field Club, Long Island, NY

1888
The Saint Andrew's Club,  Hastings-on-Hudson, New York

1889
The Country Club of Middlesboro, KY. - 9 holes.
The Tuxedo Club, Tuxedo Park, NY (relocated)

1890
The Dutcher Golf Course, Pawling, NY – 9 holes

1891
Shinnecock Hills, Southampton, NY
Aetna Springs, Pope Valley, CA
Grindstone Neck, Winter Harbor, ME – 9 holes
Kebo Valley Golf Club, Bar Harbor, ME
Gearhart Golf Links, Gearhart, OR
Cheyenne Mountain Golf Club, Colorado Springs, CO


1892
Highland Links Golf Course, Cape Cod, MA – 9 holes
The Downers Grove Golf Club, Downers Grove, IL
The Old Course at the Homestead, Hot Springs, VA
Palmetto Golf Club, Aiken, SC
Mare Island Golf Club, Vallejo, California
Moorestown Field Club, Moorestown, NJ – 9 holes
Merchantville Country Club, Cherry Hill, NJ – 9 holes

1893
The Town & Country Club, St. Paul, MN
The Country Club, Brookline, MA
Logged
"Golf is 20 percent mechanics and technique. The other 80 percent is philosophy, humor, tragedy, romance, melodrama, companionship, camaraderie, cussedness and conversation." - Grantland Rice

Dan Kelly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: A list of the oldest courses in the U.S. -- corrections?
« Reply #29 on: January 23, 2013, 09:55:52 PM »
Rick --

As part of my winter's project, I happen to be looking at the October 1997 issue of Golf Journal, in which there is a letter from a Robert Hansen of Campbell, Calif., who writes:

"Gearhart (Ore.) Golf Course opened in 1892 and has been operating ever since. I admit that is not as sumptuous as Old Del Monte [about which Golf Journal had recently written], but it is a true links. Its bumpy fairways have never been caressed by any sort of earthmoving equipment."

FWIW.

Dan
Logged
"There's no money in doing less." -- Joe Hancock, 11/25/2010
"Rankings are silly and subjective..." -- Tom Doak, 3/12/2016

Rick Shefchik

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: A list of the oldest courses in the U.S. -- corrections?
« Reply #30 on: January 23, 2013, 11:32:32 PM »
Thanks, Dan. I've seen 1888, 1891 and 1892 for Gearhart. Whatever the truth is, it's old.
Logged
"Golf is 20 percent mechanics and technique. The other 80 percent is philosophy, humor, tragedy, romance, melodrama, companionship, camaraderie, cussedness and conversation." - Grantland Rice

Joe_Tucholski

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: A list of the oldest courses in the U.S. -- corrections?
« Reply #31 on: January 23, 2013, 11:44:51 PM »
Quote from: Dan Kelly on January 23, 2013, 09:55:52 PM
Rick --

As part of my winter's project, I happen to be looking at the October 1997 issue of Golf Journal, in which there is a letter from a Robert Hansen of Campbell, Calif., who writes:

"Gearhart (Ore.) Golf Course opened in 1892 and has been operating ever since. I admit that is not as sumptuous as Old Del Monte [about which Golf Journal had recently written], but it is a true links. Its bumpy fairways have never been caressed by any sort of earthmoving equipment."

FWIW.

Dan

Dan its interesting because Del Monte was my high school course and always heard it was the oldest continually operated course west of the Mississippi, checking the pebble beach website it still makes the claim.  Looking at gearharts website they claim they may be the oldest course west of the Mississippi.  It looks like they started with three holes, which I guess brings up the philisophical question - when is a course a course.
Logged

Rick Shefchik

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: A list of the oldest courses in the U.S. -- corrections?
« Reply #32 on: January 24, 2013, 10:34:21 AM »
For "Oldest Course West of the Mississippi," it looks like a three-way tie between Gearhart, Aetna Springs in California and Cheyenne Mountain, which was originally the Country Club of Colorado Springs -- all of which opened in 1891. I have not been able to determine whether any of them closed for any length of time, and as near as I can tell, they are all on their original sites.
Logged
"Golf is 20 percent mechanics and technique. The other 80 percent is philosophy, humor, tragedy, romance, melodrama, companionship, camaraderie, cussedness and conversation." - Grantland Rice

Sven Nilsen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: A list of the oldest courses in the U.S. -- corrections?
« Reply #33 on: January 24, 2013, 11:39:33 AM »
One more to look into:  Castine Golf Club (ME)

Some sources have the date of the course as 1887, others have 1896.  The course was redone by Willie Park in the early 20's, and I'm not sure if his work was on new land or on the same site of the existing course.
Logged
"As much as we have learned about the history of golf architecture in the last ten plus years, I'm convinced we have only scratched the surface."  A GCA Poster

"There's the golf hole; play it any way you please." Donald Ross

Sven Nilsen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: A list of the oldest courses in the U.S. -- corrections?
« Reply #34 on: January 24, 2013, 11:50:04 AM »
Does anyone have any additional information on Onteora Golf Club in Tannersville, NY? 

The club itself appears to have been founded in 1887, and there are differing reports on whether it had a golf course at the time or if it was added in the 1890's.

Sven
Logged
"As much as we have learned about the history of golf architecture in the last ten plus years, I'm convinced we have only scratched the surface."  A GCA Poster

"There's the golf hole; play it any way you please." Donald Ross

Ronald Montesano

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: A list of the oldest courses in the U.S. -- corrections?
« Reply #35 on: January 26, 2013, 02:26:10 PM »
Hey, the Mayans invented the game and the Aztecs turned it into the bloodbath we know it to be today.

Quote from: Carl Johnson on January 21, 2013, 08:54:02 PM
Quote from: Ronald Montesano on January 18, 2013, 06:51:47 PM
OT, but worth a mention nonetheless...if anyone comes up this way and has a valid passport, we can take a stroll by:

http://www.notlgolf.com/history.html

Claims to be the oldest golf course in North America, implying that there may be an older one or ones in Central and/or South America???
Logged
Coming in 2024
~Elmira Country Club
~Soaring Eagles
~Bonavista
~Indian Hills
~Maybe some more!!

V. Kmetz

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: A list of the oldest courses in the U.S. -- corrections?
« Reply #36 on: January 28, 2013, 11:53:17 AM »
Glad you got The Dutcher in there...one of the few places where a 19th century course remains on display.

Hickory clubs and Cayman ammunition (balatas if you have to) and your back to the 1890s!

Almost ridiculous to think that people play it with a ProV and today's metal drivers.  One of the nine hole tracks where a modern pro might break "22."

cheers

vk
Logged
"The tee shot must first be hit straight and long between a vast bunker on the left which whispers 'slice' in the player's ear, and a wilderness on the right which induces a hurried hook." -

Tom Buggy

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: A list of the oldest courses in the U.S. -- corrections?
« Reply #37 on: August 25, 2020, 12:56:08 PM »
Rich Shefchik, what is your source for Dutcher Golf Course in 1890? Thanks.
Logged

Rick Shefchik

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: A list of the oldest courses in the U.S. -- corrections?
« Reply #38 on: August 27, 2020, 12:23:04 PM »
Quote from: Tom Buggy on August 25, 2020, 12:56:08 PM
Rich Shefchik, what is your source for Dutcher Golf Course in 1890? Thanks.


https://www.pawling.org/community/dutcher-golf-course.html


On their website, the course/community cites a 2010 article in Golf Digest.
Logged
"Golf is 20 percent mechanics and technique. The other 80 percent is philosophy, humor, tragedy, romance, melodrama, companionship, camaraderie, cussedness and conversation." - Grantland Rice
Pages: 1 [2]
Tags:
Tags:

An Error Has Occurred!

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()
Back