I stopped at Culbertson Hills Golf Links in Edinboro, PA on my way back from Lake Chautauqua to experience a golf course designed by American Park Builders of Chicago, and their chief designer, Tom Bendelow. I looked to see if a photo thread had been done on this course and saw none. Chris Blakely appears to have mentioned it in the past, but I thought I would show what is there now and what was there when it began in this photo thread, as there did not appear to be any other mention on GCA.
The course website has a few historical documents which I have provided links to here:
http://culbertsonhills.com/historyThese include a couple articles detailing the course before opening, a description of each hole and what is expected to be there in 1930/31. Which are here:
As I start this photo thread I will compare what is there with what was designed and while there are some major differences, the layout is mostly intact, but the upkeep and complete lack of any sand bunkers is a change from the 84 bunkers listed to be in play in the historical articles. I understand for cost reasons to get rid of the maintenance but if one looks at my photos, it is readily apparent where the bunkers were located and still remain without sand today.
I found a couple great aerial photos from 1938 and 1939 that show how few trees there were on the first 5 and last 5 holes and how many bunkers were present. The aerials also show the 18th hole heading straight downhill to the lake, which as you can see form a current Google image is NLE.
1938 aerial with hole numbers added
1939 aerial
2014 Google aerial
Here is a copy of the current scorecard and routing.
The only major differences in the 1938/39 routing and the current one occurs at hole 5, which has taken over what was the airfield shown above in the 1969 aerial below. Also it appears the tees for the par 5 now 6th hole were shifted over as well.
So we know the new hole was not built until at least 1970, and the new 5th hole resulted in eliminating hole 18 which ran above the current hole 18. I have been unable to determine who created this new hole, but the 5th green is an interesting shape. Additionally there were 36 holes laid out by American Park Builders of Chicago for Culbertson Hills per the above articles and if anyone has that layout, maybe this new hole was simply part of that proposed other 18. I don’t have that information unfortunately.
On to the course…
The 1st Hole is a simple straight forward Par 4- 320 Blue/316 White and is located in the original routing. Originally the hole had three fairway bunkers and one greenside bunker running down the entire left side of the green. As it is now, all bunkers on the course have been grassed over, but still visible in the photos. A fairly gentle opener, where a driver is certainly not necessary, but didn’t get me in too much trouble.
From the tee
From the right side of the fairway/rough showing two former bunkers right short of the green and a former large bunker just left of the green. A total of 4 bunkers in the 1938/39 photos on the 1st hole.
The 2nd Hole was a long down then uphill Par 4- 431 Blue/419 White and changes directions sharply with an acute angle off the 1st green. The second shot played semi blind to a fairly small target with a large raised back of the green.
Zoomed in from the tee you can see the former bunkers on the right side and the green perched in the trees in the distance. As I was moving to get through the only other people I would see on the course, I did not capture the green complex.
The 3rd hole is a testing Par 3- 224 Blue/200 White and playing uphill to a severely sloped front and right of the green area. As I was playing through I was only able to capture a picture on my phone, but you can see the severe slope and uphill nature of the hole. You can also see the remnants of the former bunkers.
The 4th hole is a severe dogleg left Par 4- 384 Blue/380 White hole that without the trees would play much shorter, as calculated on Google Earth just barely over 300 yards as the crow flies. A fun green complex and more than likely an iron off the tee as I drove well through the fairway.
From just in front of the teeing area
At the corner of the dogleg and you can see the bunker form in the left of the picture, but no sand.
A view from behind the green and you can just see the ridge in the middle. Looking at the old aerial appears a lot of green square footage has been lost on all the greens.
The 5th hole was added after 1969 and is the only new hole added to this entire routing, when previous hole 18 was removed. It presents a dogleg right Par 4- 416 Blue/362 White which does not permit a view of the green from the tee due to the driving landing zone being elevated from the tee box and then the green sitting down from the corner. The green is a narrow kidney shape and sits at a very slight angle.
Looking at the right hand corner of the dogleg from the start of the fairway
View from corner of the dogleg to a green that extends further left than first appears.
View from right of the green showing a peanut shaped green, with the bottom left portion not really visible even from close up.
The 6th hole is a straight forward Par 5- 549 Blue/ 476 White with an uninteresting drive, but a nice second and third shot. The green is currently a little crowded with evergreens, but still a picturesque hole after the tee ball.
From the tee
From the second shot location
From about 100 out
The green complex and mounding
The 7th hole is a Par 4- 412 Blue/ 361 White dogleg right and is referenced in the above newspaper article as a true test of one’s game (previously hole 6). It requires an exacting tee shot and a second shot with a necessary carry over water. I found a rather large tree blocking the right corner along with other trees blocking most of the preferred line down the right side. The tree furthest out on the right actually knocked down what I thought was a good and safe tee ball leaving me with no shot but a punch out. You can see the previous bunker in the old aerials and in my photos and seemingly a better less penal corner deterrent. Seems that the trees have taken the strategy out of the hole compared to the old aerials where there were no trees in the driving zone and one was rewarded for playing closer to the right hand side versus the left.
From the tee
Zoomed from the tee you can see the prior bunker guarding the right side
After making the turn viewing the green
A reduced green site as the article indicated the water laps on the edge of the green… not so much anymore
The 8th hole is a Par 3- 187 Blue/ 161 White that plays basically level and not much interest to the hole other than a slight false front if you hit it short. The green has some slope but overall not too exciting.
From the tee
From short of the green
The 9th hole is a nice Par 5 that is a little crowded off the tee with trees. It appears at some point a pond was added in front of the green, though not sure when or to what extent the images of the 1938 and 1939 aerials show water versus just depressions. If they were giant dune like mounds, seems that would be more fun.
From the tee, a bit claustrophobic
From the second shot, can’t see the pond in play in front of the green
From about 175, still can’t see the pond
From about 125, finally see the pond and green. Would like to have seen the hollows and mounds that appear in the 1938/39 aerials
I will get the back nine posted hopefully in the next week or two.
My impressions:
Overall a fun walk for $24 that took me just over 2 hours to play all 18 even playing through one group twice as I played through them on hole 3 and then again on hole 17 when they cut over in front of me as I was finishing up on 16. I’m sure these were a regular group who only play a certain number of holes and while annoying, did not deter from the enjoyable piece of land with a nice routing over rolling terrain in Edinboro, PA.