100 Years Ago - Another "First" In The World Of Golf?

[Jim_Kennedy]

Potentially the earliest program of its kind in the USA.



Also, Tom Bendelow was involved in a similar program but I cannot remember if it was before this one. I sent the TB article to Sven, maybe he can post it here.    

 

[Sven Nilsen]

Jim:

This was right around the same time Bendelow was teaching at UofI.  Not sure if the program started before he became involved, but my guess is not.

Sven

[David Stamm]

Hmmm....thus dismantling the story that RTJ was the first to formally study GCA at the university level?


"There is nothing new under the sun......."  (in golf anyway)

[Jim_Kennedy]

I sent you the article about Bendelow's teaching - do you still have it, and if so, can you post it?

[Sven Nilsen]

Let me track it down.

[David_Tepper]

"Hmmm....thus dismantling the story that RTJ was the first to formally study GCA at the university level?"

David Stamm -

I am pretty sure there was not a formal program of GCA study at Cornell when Robert Trent Jones was there. Nor is there one now.

My understanding is RTJ made up his own program of study from the various existing courses offered by the schools of agriculture, architecture and engineering.

Tom Doak will correct me if I am mistaken.

DT  

[Jim_Kennedy]

Sven,
I happened across the Bendelow article and it was dated 1922, although it does say that ha taught the series of lessons at U of IL "for years".

[SBendelow]

In the University of Illinois, Annual Register for 1913-1914, Thomas Bendelow is listed as having lectured to the Horticulture Department on "Golf Courses" on December 12, 1913.  The American Golfer in November 1914, reports that Tom Bendelow has been giving a series of lectures to the U of I Agronomy Class on golf course construction. Golfers' Magazine, January 1914, contains a fuller description to Bendelow's activities at the U of I and the intention of the university to add "golf course construction" to the Horticulture Department's curriculum.  I have not come across any earlier report of golf course architecture being introduced into an educational curriculum.

[Jim_Kennedy]

In the University of Illinois, Annual Register for 1913-1914, Thomas Bendelow is listed as having lectured to the Horticulture Department on "Golf Courses" on December 12, 1913.  The American Golfer in November 1914, reports that Tom Bendelow has been giving a series of lectures to the U of I Agronomy Class on golf course construction. Golfers' Magazine, January 1914, contains a fuller description to Bendelow's activities at the U of I and the intention of the university to add "golf course construction" to the Horticulture Department's curriculum.  I have not come across any earlier report of golf course architecture being introduced into an educational curriculum.

Stuart,
I'd like to read the Golfer's Magazine article. Do you have a link?

I noticed that one of TB's courses, Wing Park (the oldest nine-hole municipal golf course in the State of Illinois), is on the National Registry Of Historic Places (2009).

Of course, that info is probably in your book (which I should get).    

[Sven Nilsen]

Jim:

Here's a March 1916 Golfers Magazine piece discussing Bendelow starting to teach at UofI.



Interestingly enough, it appeared in the same issue as an Ad announcing his departure from Spalding.

[Jim_Kennedy]

This comes from the American Society of Landscape Architects and is dated 1922. U of Il's landscping program seems to have started around 1905.
 

[Sven Nilsen]

Jim:

Pretty sure this is the article you were referring to, which dates from a few years after the notices posted above (Chicago Evening American - March 4, 1922).